The smoke hit Reid hard enough to throw him across the field.
I went after it before he landed.
There wasn't much thinking involved anymore. My wolf saw the thing going for him and reacted.
I tore through the side of the black mass, expecting nothing because there was nothing solid to bite, but this time there was resistance. Something thick caught between my teeth before breaking apart.
The smoke recoiled. Then it came back together.
Reid was already getting up. Blood ran down one of his front legs, but he put weight on it anyway.
The smoke gathered between us and changed again.
It had started as nothing more than a black cloud. Now it was trying to make itself into something with four legs and a head. Something close to a wolf, except too large and constantly moving at the edges. Smoke rolled off its back and pulled itself in again.
Reid growled, and I answered without thinking. Then we went at it together.
He took the left. I went right. The thing lunged for Reid first.
