A low, crooning howl woke her. Before she even registered the sound, her heart started pounding against her ribs. Pia froze in place, not daring to move. The moon had drifted behind clouds and her eyes looked around wildly but saw nothing. Another howl came and Pia heard fast rustling noises in the grasses around her. Throat tight with worry, Pia clenched her hand around the knife she held.

Stretching her yi around her, Pia could barely sense any fire yi. The area was too dense with water yi. It had taken her manual effort to get her fire started earlier. There was only a small spark of fire yi in the air, not enough to draw on. Water yi wasn’t her best, but days of searching and pulling for water had improved her handle. It wouldn’t be much, but she could likely draw on it if needed.

The sound of rocks scattering came from below and Pia’s breath caught. At that moment, the clouds passed, and the moon peeked out. Light illuminated the ground below her tree and Pia’s heart seemed to triple its beat. Blinking rapidly to adjust her vision, Pia could make out the thick shapes below the tree.

Two wolves were sniffing around the base of the tree and up into the air. A third was sniffing around the spot where she’d placed her fire. Perhaps tossing the fish carcass down the stream hadn’t been a good decision.

A growl came and Pia looked toward the sound. On her right side, one of the wolves was staring right up at her. Its eyes glinted in the moonlight. She swallowed noiselessly. Her heart felt as if it’d fly out of her chest it was racing so quickly.

An excited yipping started and then suddenly the three wolves were circling the tree with excitement. Pouncing and leaping they let out strange barking calls to each other. Pia shifted carefully, wanting to pull her feet closer to her, to crouch in a better position.

Her legs were sore and numb from the awkward position she’d been in during the night. As soon as she shifted, Pia knew she’d made a mistake. Her arms couldn’t counterbalance the numbess of her legs. She was out of balance and slipping.

In that second, Pia made a decision. There was no time for panic. As she slipped, Pia shifted her hand on her knife, brought her legs up and leapt forward into a roll. Midroll, she sketched a hasty talisman in the air. Her legs hit the ground, and she staggered. Before her quivering legs collapsed, she managed to release her talisman.

The rocks dug into her knee as she fell, and she let out a hiss of pain. The wolves had turned to strike as she fell. The talisman released just as they lept and wind yi blasted them backwards. The third was still leaping toward her.

She shifted the knife and brought it up before her. It was her last defense. Reaching out toward the stream, Pia pulled at the water, praying it’d work. The water yi sprang up to meet her and Pia sprayed a bolt of water at the wolf coming at her. It yelped and shifted away. It dropped low to its belly, shaking its head, teeth snarling.

Scrambling to her feet, Pia turned to keep the wolf in her view. Her hands trembled but she forced them to settle. Her mind raced to think. What did she have to work with?

It was only a split second before a weight crashed into her that Pia realized she’d made another mistake. There were four wolves.

Pia twisted as she fell and, in her panic, pulled hard on water yi. Every channel of her body surged as she yanked too hard. A wave of water rose around her in defense. The wolf that had attacked snarled and bit down on her before being pushed away by the cascading water. Its teeth dragged across her shoulder, and she cried out.

Her momentum carried her into the middle of the water, surrounded by all four wolves. It had happened in seconds and her brain struggled to process it. Thankfully, Pia had landed in the shallow part of the water, and she was able to get her feet underneath her. Rapidly she stood, bracing herself in the streambed. Blood trickled from the bite on her shoulder, and she grimaced at the pain. Pia’s mind raced to find a solution.

Somehow, she still had a hold on her knife. Little good that it would do. The wolves trotted back and forth on the shallow bank, growling and yipping. She had no fire yi to call on. Even if she wanted to, her anxiety was too high to focus on it. Wind and water would be her only help, but she couldn’t think of what to do.

Should she try to blast them away? Already she felt drained and her yi channels felt weak and strained. She’d overexerted herself pulling on water yi. Could she try using earth yi to launch rocks at them? Pia shook her head, trying to force her racing mind.

Wolves hate fire. They also worked in packs. She had to find a way to make herself seem too much of a challenge to be worth going after. Pia kicked at the water as irritation grew within her. Her knee and shoulder pulsed with pain, and it helped to drive away her lingering fear.

Her anger grew, rising strong and hot, chasing away her common sense. Pia acted without thinking. Charging from the water, she began to yell and wave her knife. She sketched a quick wind talisman in the air and sent it flying toward the pack. It was weak and barely ruffled their fur. Yet, the wolves scuttled backwards; tails tucked between their legs with pitiful whines, and bolted away.

For a minute, Pia stood there stunned. She couldn’t believe her crazy lady attack had worked. Her breath was ragged and panting as she stared dumbfounded at the now empty area. Her breath was ragged and uneven in the night air. Her ears were pricked, listening for any further yips or howls, or even the sound of rustling grasses.

It took her a long time to realize she wasn’t alone. Her gaze snapped to her right and her mouth fell open in shock.