The wolves were now keeping their distance.  They had learn that to come too close to this one meant death.  Individual deaths meant little to the wolves.  The pack had to survive.

The pattern was not more erratic.  Ku'uaki was not able to predict ant one animals position.  He was also not able to leave the circle.  Anu move he made was immediately countered.  The jagged scrapes he received earlier were starting to sting.  Ku'uaki could feel his energy being dissipated like the air out of a leaky tire.  The wolves were wearing him down.  If he did not do something soon, one of the swift attacks would be fatal.

He called upon the spirits of the air to help him. He tossed his remaining spells into the air.  The spirits then caught them and created a circle of their own.  Branishing his gourd like a club he used his great bulk to knock one of the wolves into the circle of spells.  It disapeared with a mournful howl.

Now there were two left. He signaled the air spirits then left himself open.  The wolves could not resist and both fell on him at once. The spirits acted quickly and the two wolves were banished.  But they were not quick enough. Ku'uaki had received two serious bites: one to the throat and one to the thigh.

Ku'uaki went down like a landslide. Blood poured onto the ground.

He hoped Abby was ok.