Chapter Seven:
Slayer vs. Hunter
For a long moment it seemed as if the world stood still, as the Chosen Two stared at the eight-foot tall plus werewolf that glared back at them, standing in the ruins of what had been a solid oak door. Buffy still held the phone and could hear Willow frantically yelling what was happening; Buffy could hear the panic in her best friend’s voice as she got no answer. Faith stood between Buffy and the staircase, glaring back at the monster that had tried to kill the woman she had come to regard as a mother, the steel determination to kill her foe or die in the attempt readily apparent. For several moments nothing happened and then all hell broke loose…
Buffy was just starting to move as the beast hurled itself straight at her, moving in a blur of frenzied motion. But as fast as it moved Faith was faster, catching it mid-lunge with a powerful kick under its chin that snapped its head back before it covered more than half the distance to its intended prey.
As it turned to face its first attacker, Buffy tore into it with a furious combination of kicks and punches that actually drove it backwards. But blinded by her rage at the earlier actions of the creature before her, Buffy failed to react in time to avoid the backhand blow that sent her flying across the room, to land in a heap by the dangling phone.
The werewolf started towards the dazed Slayer, only to have Faith come boring in from the side with a silver dagger she pulled from her belt. The dark Slayer didn’t try for a deathblow, realizing instinctively that it would likely live long enough to shred her to bloody ribbons even if she managed a killing strike.
Seeing her coming at the last moment, it spun to meet her charge, its clawed hands snapping out in an attempt to catch her shoulders. She tumbled forward under the swing of its razor-sharp claws, as she rolled past it she slashed her weapon across its thigh.
Howling its fury the werewolf turned and slashed down, missing Faith by an inch as she rolled to her feet just out of reach. Hearing movement from where Buffy was, it turned around just in time for the telephone table to smash directly into its face. Staggering back a step from the power behind the blow, it grabbed at the table and pulling it out of the Slayers hands before it hit the ground. As Faith lunged at its side, the werewolf catches her in mid-strike, using the small table like a baseball bat. The force behind the blow sent the dark Slayer flying across the living room and through the kitchen doorway.
As the werewolf threw the ruined table down, Buffy hurled herself at it. Catching the creature by surprise, the force of her tackle sent them onto the coffee table, which shattered under their combined weight.
Faith staggered back to her feet and ran back into the living room just in time to see the werewolf throw Buffy away from itself, one of the legs from the destroyed coffee table protruding from its stomach, where the blonde Slayer had stabbed it.
As the monstrous juggernaut plucked the impromptu stake from its stomach with a savage jerk, Faith slammed her dagger home in its back in a near perfect heart strike, only to have her arm go numb as her dagger strike something harder than bone, [What the FU…]
With an enraged howl, the werewolf spun around so fast Faith felt her hold slip and leave the dagger in its’ back. Off balance, Faith could see the next blow coming but not in time to avoid it. [Shit!] was Faith’s thought as she saw the claws spring out of the werewolf’s hand.
As Buffy struggled to her feet, blood streaming from the claw marks on her arms and upper body, she looked up in time as the werewolf’s powerful strike hit Faith in the stomach with its claws.
“FAITH!” Buffy yells even as her heart seems to stop as she watches the creature jerk the hand in the dark Slayer and sending her flying through the living room window and onto the front lawn amid a shower of broken grass.
The Slayer snarled, all pain forgotten as cold rage takes its place. Hearing her, the werewolf turned in time to meet her charge.
The battle escalated into a scene of pure savagery, with both the Slayer and her enemy matching each other snarl for snarl, blow for blow. Even without a weapon capable of hurting it, Buffy held her own by sheer speed and inhuman ferocity. But the Werewolf withstood the worst she could throw at it, clawing its way forward by sheer demonic fury, driven to destroy its designated target no matter what the cost to itself.
The Slayer snarled her fury, watching the creature daring to face her.
The werewolf watched her warily, hatred and grudging respect in its gaze. Its prey was at least as dangerous as the other pale one, maybe more. But it didn’t matter to the monster. All it cared about was destroying its target. With a howl it redoubled its already furious attack.
{{{{{***}}}}}
Xena arrived at the home of the Slayer in time to see a young woman fly out the front window and land in a boneless heap.
Bending down Xena turned the dark haired woman onto her back and saw a pool of blood by her stomach. Ripping the cloth away Xena grimaced as she saw the severe nature of the wound to the woman's stomach. Pulling her jacket off Xena bunched it up and pushed it into the wound to try and staunch the bleeding. [Not much more I can do for her right now. She'll either live or die by her own will.]
She looked just over the windowsill to determine the situation and froze in surprise at what she saw. Xena watched as both combatants moved with such speed that to the Mortal eye would be nothing more than a blur.
The warrior was astonished at the sheer ferocity of the Slayer’s assault, forcing the massive beast she was fighting to give ground. [By the gods, she’s good. Better than I was at that age for certain.]
She watched the Slayer stagger and drop to one knee as the werewolf slashed her leg open. As the warrior tensed, ready to intervene when she saw the Slayer snatch up a short African spear that had fallen from the wall, and as the creature leaped at her with a howl she lunged forward, burying the spear deep into its stomach.
As it’s howl of triumph turned into a scream of pain, Xena watched the Slayer grab a large, broken piece of timber and try to press her attack by stabbing the werewolf with it. The beast slapped the timber out of the Slayer's hands and leapt forward its claws extended and saliva dripping from its fangs. Xena winced with involuntary sympathy for the werewolf as she watched the Slayer fall down just beneath the claws and kick straight up, slamming the monster into the ceiling with astonishing power. [In all these centuries, I’ve never seen a Slayer THIS strong.]
As the beast came crashing to the floor on its stomach in a shower of plaster and wood, Xena watched Buffy leap on the werewolf's back and rip the silver dagger out of its back. Blood flying everywhere, roaring in pain the creature threw itself backwards into a wall to get rid of her hard enough to shake the house, as Buffy buried the dagger to its hilt deep in its side.
As the werewolf threw itself backwards into a different wall, Xe watched as the Slayer pulled the dagger free and try to slit the monster’s throat. [Go for the jugular Slayer...]
As if it knew the blow was coming, the werewolf bent sharply forward, taking a minor slash to its face but causing the Slayer to drop the dagger and slide forwards off its back. As Buffy lost her grip and fell off, one hand shot out and she gouged out its right eye.
Her hand splattered with the blood from the beast’s destroyed eye, Xena saw the werewolf catch Buffy by her left arm. With a roar of pain and hatred the creature hurled the Slayer through the wall Xena was next to and out into the front yard.
As she watched the Slayer try to stand up and meet the creature jumping through the hole the Slayer had made going out, Xena silently stood up with an evil grin, [I’ve seen enough. Gabrielle needs a new coat, and I think she’d like one made of wolf-skin.]
<<<***>>>
Buffy struggled to her knees and spit out a mouthful of blood into the grass. A loud crash and roar announced the werewolf's entrance [or is it exit?] Buffy thought sluggishly. A glance to her left showed Faith lying unconscious in the grass, with that Buffy fought to stand up. A jabbing pain in her side stood out from the rest of the pain she felt at that moment. [I'm not giving up to...this...thing!]
Buffy watched as the monster stalked towards her slowly. Using all her will Buffy pushed the pain aside into that small place she had created years ago. “Come on, Furball! Come and get it!!”
Buffy watched as the werewolf charged her and she had that sudden odd moment where everything seemed to slow and pause. Ducking under the monster’s claws Buffy rolled past and her foot snapped out at the werewolf's knee. There was a sharp 'SNAP' as she heard the bone crunch and the beast fell but not before it reached out and slapped her with its fist throwing her back 10 feet.
Coughing Buffy spit up blood onto her shirt as she sat up unable to move. She felt her body going numb from shock. [What does it take to kill this thing???]
Buffy watched the werewolf crouch, preparing to spring.
Its wounds were irrelevant for the prey was down at last. One more strike and it could feed. With a howl of triumph and hunger it lunged for the kill.
Buffy watched the werewolf's claw swing towards her head, and closed her eyes, unable to watch [I'm sorry Faith, mom. I've failed you, just like I knew I'd fail someday...Forgive me!] There was a sudden scream of pain from the creature. Opening her eyes, Buffy saw a tall dark-haired woman fighting the furious monster. [What the…?]
Buffy watched in shock as the woman easily dodged the werewolf's attacks and shattered its one arm.[One arm? Huh?] Buffy looked and saw the werewolf's right arm lying in the street, severed at the elbow.
The creature swung desperately at the woman with its shattered arm, trying to kill what dared get in between it and its rightful prey.
Buffy watched the woman leap over its head, landing behind it with the ease of an acrobat. Before it could react Buffy saw the woman grab the werewolf's head and snap it's neck like dry kindling. As she stepped back, the werewolf collapsed at her feet. As it fought to rise and continue the fight, she whipped the sword she held high, before plunging it into the crippled monster’s back. Gleaming silver flashed as it slashed down; so powerful was the blow that it tore its way through muscle and bone, and punched thru the armour protecting its chest. A second push and the sword severed the creature’s heart stopping it forever.
Buffy watched as the warrior pulled her sword free, and then started walking towards her. As she looked up and saw the tall woman’s blue eyes, Buffy had the nagging feeling she had seen her before. Coughing weakly, she barely felt the strength to spit the blood out of her mouth, managing only to drool it onto her shirt. [And I 'liked' this shirt too!] Looking up as she fell to the side Buffy saw the woman kneel down next to her. She could 'see' the woman was saying something, but all she could hear was a loud ringing in her ears. It was then she realized why the woman was looked so familiar [Hey, she’s the one from my dream....] it was her last thought as she passed out.
End Chapter Seven