Iiiipe!

She let the bloody blade fall as she grabbed the Taser she'd found refill packs for, shocking the wolf she'd missed with the gun. She hit in the muzzle as it went for her injured limb. The wolf fell, whining loudly.

She kicked the animal that had recovered from hitting the desk's sharp corner with her good leg, blood trickling from its ear.

Iiippe! Iippe!

Her boot crunching against its ribs, the shocked wolf yelped horribly. Then all of the animals were fleeing, retreating before the injured prey that had taken out half of their pack.

Sam turned in time to see the remaining three wolves jump through the snowy window, disappearing into the cold drifts of slush with their tails tucked between their legs. Bloody paw prints marked their path of retreat, drops and sprays of scarlet scattered over the floor. Their howls of mourning as they vanished into the storm were haunting.

Samantha lowered her arms, struggling not to puke at the blood on her hands, but when the white wolf at her feet twitched, the double dose of morphine not killing it, she did, plunging her last knife deep into the Alpha's thick chest.

Scratch…

Sam swung around, her shoulders relaxing when she saw the ferret's dark, beady eyes. Not thinking it odd to see the pet despite all the noise, she didn't notice the restless twitch of its tail, nor the fact that it was charging her until it was too close for her to do anything but stomp.

She hit it with her injured leg as it lunged for her ankle, saliva dripping from its sharp, little fangs, then its head was crunching under her boot, guts and blood squeezing out as stabbing pain shot up her leg.

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Furious, Sam ground the ferret into the bloody floor, taking bitter satisfaction in every snap, crack, and dark splatter. "Slam you too!"

Tears in her eyes, Sam moved to wash and gather her things. It wasn't safe here. She would go now, ready or not. It truly was survival of the fittest, and those who didn't listen to the warnings and prepare for nature's worst would die.