The leaves on the trees were turning all over Twilight Narrows, the valley nestled between two mountain ranges of Faerlais. A narrow road wound through a low pass and into the forest that covered the valley. Gold, red, orange, yellow, and brown were prominent among the oaks, maples, and cottonwood trees that comprised much of the scenery. The southern road wove through the thin Forest's Edge near the pass and into a small town. Grey smoke drifted up from brick chimneys among the hovels, huts, and houses of the village. A clock tower rose up from the center near the town square, its face aglow in the waning light. On the far side of town near the Deep Woods, a church steeple rose up slightly higher than the clock tower. Larger plumes of smoke trailed lazily up from the bigger chimneys among the larger buildings.

The Animal's Soul

By: LowFlyer1080

Ambush

A watch tower came into view around a bend and above the treetops as a small caravan approached the descent into Forest's Edge. Twilight was fast approaching as the sun set behind the mountain tops, slowly casting ever growing shadows down the valley side. An air of nervousness surrounded the stagecoach and the wagon following behind it. The guards were tense, shotguns and rifles at the ready. Three mounted guards rode on horses up front, another bringing up the rear. The rifleman on the forward coach looked into the tree line with a keen eye. Shadows moved erratically in the tree line, sometimes pausing, sometimes moving fast as a blur.

"Be on your guard, men. We're not alone out here." The rifleman said.

"Oh for Light's sake Chiba, you are always seeing shadows and spooks when there are none! Calm the hell down!" the driver sitting next to him exclaimed.

"I'm serious this time, Kunzite. There's something out there."

"We're in the middle of Forest's Edge, out in the middle of nowhere, on a road to some back-ass town. It's probably just the local wildlife; a deer or fox or something." Kunzite replied.

"Kunzite…" he drew the name out warningly.

"Oh all right already. Geeze." He relented before calling out to the others. "Keep sharp boys! Sun's going down and we're still at least half an hour outside of St. Royal."

Just then, a howl broke through the quiet of Forest's Edge. One of the horses up front spooked and reared up, tossing its rider to the ground. The drivers of the caravan pulled up hard on their reigns, stopping the coach and wagon as the guard grabbed hold of his dancing mount, trying to calm it down while struggling back up into the saddle.

"What the hell's going on, Edrins? I thought you said you trained that damn thing!" Kunzite shouted to the man.

The rushing of leaves, the snapping of twigs, and the snarls and growls of a lot of somethings fast approaching broke the reverie.

"We're under attack! Open fire!" shouted the rear guard, his rifle popping off a few rounds into a large pack of dark forms racing out of the woods behind them.

Mamoru stood up and looked back just in time to see a large lump of fur, teeth, and claws tackle the man off his mount and tear into him. His horrified screams were cut short as the beast clamped its teeth into his neck, crushing his voice box and spraying blood everywhere.

"Wolf pack!" He shouted, swinging up his rifle and fire a shot off. It hit its mark but was too late to save the man.

"Kunzite! Zoicite! Get these wagons moving!" Mamoru shouted to the drivers, who immediately cracked their reigns, spurring the mares into full gallop. Frantic screaming began coming from inside the stagecoach. Mamoru growled as he quickly ratcheted another round into his rifle and fired again, hearing a yelp from the dark mass that was about to leap upon one of the forward mounted guards. Three more dark forms tore out of the tree line on the driver side of the stagecoach.

"Nephrite! Protect the Lady with your life!" Mamoru shouted as he dropped his rifle on the roof of the stagecoach and grabbed the shotgun from under the bench.

A pair of pistol barrels poked out through the side window at the approaching attackers. Seven shots quickly rang out as the large caliber revolvers opened fire, hitting and dropping two of the assailants. The third one dodged the incoming shots and leapt onto the back of the coach with a large thud, shaking the wagon and straining the spring supports.

"Chiba! Behind you on the roof! Look out!" came a yell from inside.

The black haired man whirled around in his seat, bringing the shotgun's barrels up into the snarling mouth of a feral creature that resembled a wolf.

"WHOA!" he screamed as he pulled both triggers by reflex.

A bright flash and a loud boom sent the beast tumbling off the back of the stagecoach to fall on the road behind them, only to be trampled under the pounding hooves and grinding wheels of the horses and wagon that followed behind.

"This is no wolf pack!" he yelled as he whirled back around, loading two more shells into the double barrel shotgun, dropping it back on the seat to grab his rifle once again and turn to fire upon the beasts. The two mounted guards had fallen back to flank the wagon and stagecoach, trying to defend them and their precious cargo from the ambushers. It was a move that would cost both men their lives. The murderous fury of the mysterious attackers showed no quarter to man or beast as they sprung upon the guards and their horses, ripping into them mercilessly. Mamoru and the gunner on the wagon behind him, Rubeus, could do nothing but fire a few more futile rounds off into the horde as they fled. Only the one guard remained in front, the one that had fallen off his horse when it spooked. The frantic screams had somewhat subsided from the female passenger, Mamoru knowing that Nephrite was doing his best to calm the woman. He looked on in waning hope as more dark forms raced out of the trees and bushes behind them.

"Don't slow down! Full speed to St. Royal! They're still chasing us!" He shouted again over the noise of the coach and horses.

"Faster, damn you! Faster! Hiya! Ride for your lives!" Kunzite snapped the reigns harder, urging the horses on.

Mamoru leveled his rifle best he could and fired again at the beasts chasing them still.

"Rubeus! Behind you on the left! Look out!" Mamoru called to the rifleman on the wagon as he cocked his rifle again, trying to aim.

The red-haired man caught sight of the beast just in time, drawing his pistol quickly and emptying three shots into the thing just as it leapt for him. The beast dropped in a lump and rolled to a stop in the ditch, left far behind in the careening dash to make it to the safety of St. Royal. Up ahead, the Everstill covered bridge loomed over the river that lie between them and the town. The drivers, riflemen, and the last remaining guard ducked their heads as they thundered through the dark tunnel over the Pinesong River. As they broke through the other side, they could hear the angry howls and snarls of their pursuers pierce the approaching dusk. Either the beasts didn't like water, or they had managed to lose them. Whichever way it was, Mamoru was not looking forward to explaining this to the mayor of St. Royal. Nor was he looking forward to making the journey back the way he came.

"What the hell were those things?" Kunzite demanded.

"I don't know, but whatever they were, I'm not looking forward to going back home any time soon. Not until we know for sure they're dead."

"Oh no, you're not thinking what I think you're thinking are you?"

"Sorry Kunzite, but when we get to St. Royal, we're going to have to tell the mayor we need to form a hunting party to go after those things. And we have to make sure to gather up the corpses and burn them. Whatever they were, they weren't normal wolves…" Mamoru said as he looked all around, his rifle still at the ready.

"A simple supply run they said. Escort a Lady they said. This day just keeps getting better and better doesn't it? I knew I should've stayed in bed this morning." He muttered, snapping the reigns once more.

Even though Mamoru, Rubeus, and Edrins, the sole remaining guard, kept an eye out as best they could at their still break-neck speed, the three men and the two drivers failed to notice a lone shadow continuing through the shadows of Forest's Edge, on a parallel path as them.

End Chapter 1

DISCLAIMER: I don't own Sailor Moon

A/N – Listening to my MP3 player at work, The Animal by Disturbed came up, and this popped into my head. It promises to be a long one, hopefully. And I'll try to be a bit better on my updates. I've got quite a bit going on in my life right now. Mainly mandatory overtime at work, and the fact that I'm working the morning shift when I'm a born Night Owl.

Faerlais – pronounced Fair-LAY.