“Oh, Enid my boy! Don’t ye know better than to sneak up on a dwarf?”
“My apologies, old friend,” he replied, bowing slightly with his hand over his chest. He turned to us and said, “The stable’s clear, but it doesn’t look good.”
“How so?” I asked.
“Well, it appears they held someone there and…well, there’s a lot of blood, and it smells horrible.”
“Damn!” Marren snapped a little loudly. The sound traveled too well through the trees and caused Naloud to startle. She resettled quickly with her breathing returning to a slow and even pace. Marren stomped in front of me, with one hand on his hips and the other cupping his forehead. I tried to listen for anyone investigating the sound.
“Go check Raden’s home and forge. There has to be a place we can hide her.”
“Wait!” I said. “There is.”
Marren stopped pacing to face me with expectant eyes. Even Enid and Raden waited with somewhat surprised expressions on their faces.
“The cave.”
Marren’s lips parted with eyes that seemed cold, but alert. I didn’t understand what it meant. Shock? Surprise? Anger for not thinking of that himself? All of them? I wasn’t sure. We seemed to stand for several precious long moments while he thought everything over. His eyes fell to the ground and knitted his brows together.
Raden cleared his throat, which forced Marren’s angry eyes onto him. “Not that I don’t want a fight, but I think Relena is right. The cave would be the best place for her—even if it’s only temporary. We can turn back and get there by dawn. Rest there—”
“No. Not that cave,” I interrupted.
Again, stares of surprise and this time confusion.
“The cave no human will go into because of the stories about it.” The one we spent my first night as a werewolf in…
The light behind Marren’s eyes illuminated, his sudden realization of which cave I referred to. A small smile pulled at the edges of his mouth. He thought of that night too. I forced the blood to leave my cheeks. Not that anyone would notice at night, but I didn’t want to take the risk.
“Well, what are we waiting for?” Marren said, stepping in the direction of our temporary sanctuary.
***
At some point, we realized we were being followed. Marren noticed first, then me. He used his private way of communicating with me.
We aren’t alone. Someone must have heard us and is following a short distance behind, Marren said to me.
I know. I thought I heard someone a few times. But every time I look back, there’s nothing but trees and foliage.
Take Naloud and Raden to the cave. You remember the way?
Yes, I answered quickly to keep Marren from worrying. I understood how important it was not to lead anyone to the cave. It served as our only shelter, our only sanctuary, when out on hunts or runs.
Good. Stay safe. Wait there for me.
You too. I will wait.
“Enid. Run with me,” Marren said, then took off in a full run. Enid’s form took up Marren’s flank. They ran in an arc away from us. I understood he meant to approach from behind our pursuers.
“What’s that all about?” Raden asked.
“We’re being followed,” I whispered.
With a nod, Raden’s hands tightened on the handle of his axe. I placed a hand on his shoulder. When he glanced up, I shook my head. Sighing in defeat and disappointment, he relaxed his hold a little.
We approached the mouth of the cave. I gazed behind me and strained to listen for any sign of Marren, Enid, or worse—our pursuers. I stood still, waiting for the slightest flinch in an aura. A difficult task given the slight breezes blowing through, gently shaking leaves and small branches of various different plants. Nothing large enough to belong to a human. Even a sorry excuse for one, such as a Cyr.
I walked backward into the mouth of the cave slowly, facing the woods. Just in case. Raden propped his axe against the wall on the inside with a tiny clank. Even that tiniest sound bounced back and forth, echoing our location.
I glared at Raden who sighed and puffed up his shoulders, letting them drop heavily. I held back a laugh. The dwarf shrugged with armor, almost making his head disappear beneath his breastplate.
Naloud needed a bed or something soft to lie on. Taking off my cloak and folding it into a soft cushion, I laid it on the floor of the cave. After brushing away the loose rock and other debris, I laid her down on top. She squirmed. A small sound of scorn escaped her lips. But she quickly settled down, placing her fingers in her mouth and sucking.
“Now what?” Raden asked.
“Now we wait for Marren.”
“Is it just me or is everything too quiet for trying to capture someone with a death wish?” Raden asked after a few moments of silence.