We watch the sun spread out on the land. It's different now. Valtor. The first time I came here it seemed to be a forgotten land that I was to travel too. For naught but business. But now, I see it differently. It's the place where I found myself, also where I found my other half. I'm struck with relief once the ship docks. Homely almost. Almost.
"Damien look." Lavria points to the two flaggged ships on the other side of the dock. The lightning crest. They were already here. We could hear the The wolves howling non stop and the thick grey mist settled on the natural path of the trees. Karina lept off the ship, and as soon as her feet touched the ground. The howling stopped. Silence. Their queen was home safely and her arrival had been confirmed. I smiled and shook my head with laughter. Amazing.
"Let's go guys. The longer we wait the more terrible the outcome." She says. I jump off the ship after her.
"I'm going to stay here. Sorry Karina I'm, not as brave as the rest of you." Ashley looks down in shame. Karina shoots her an comforting face. Drake winks at her and I scowl at the sight rolling my eyes. With out weapons drawn, we start to walk into the darkness of the wood. Ryan and Lavria are close behind and Drake has his bow out. The continuous crunch of the fallen leaves curdles under our feet. The winds scowl was swimming through the trees. Darkness filled every inch. Yeah, this is Valtor.
"We should assemble the CREE. We are going to need all the help we can get." Judging by the size of the ship. Father took at least 300 men with him. Haydren ships were huge. And father took two. He wasn't kidding around. He was planning something big.
"That's a good idea." Karina said. "I'm going to talk to the Alpha. It's like you said, we need all the help we can get:" she smiled at me.
"You're going to speak to THE alpha?!" Drake snorted. "He is not going to shift for you. It's a waste of time." Drake said. Karina just smiled.
"He will shift. Trust me." We stop in a clearing. There are two obvious paths. I can see one leads to the castle, and one leads to the open wood. We all look around.
"Lavria should come with me, I'll assemble the CREE and meet you at the Tree." Ryan took lavrias wrist and she smiled up and he was slithering her hand into his.
"I want to go with Karina." Drake said with a twisted smile. "I want to see her face when the alpha turns her away." He laughs to himself. Everyone else silent. I see her eyeroll and I smirk.
"I'll go with Karina too." She winked at me.
"Everyone good luck. Use your signals (magic) if you're in trouble." She smiled at Ryan giving him a mutual nod. She was worried for him. She was worried.
———————-
We make our way into the depth of the wood. It's all new. The forest in Valtor is massive. We are definitely in new territory.
"I haven't been here before." I say swathing a branch from my face.
"It's the Packs territory. We try to respect it so we don't allow people here. They like their privacy."
Karina stops and Drake stops too.
"Here is far enough." She says.
"I thought we were going to the wolves." I say pointing in further to the wood.
"They'll come when I call." She smiles. She takes a deep breath and howls harshly into the air. Once her echo evaporates we look around for movement.
"Again?" Drake says smiling.
"Wait..." a rustle in the leaf, a low growl among the trees. Glaring eyes from all directions peering from the darkness. Danger. Everywhere. Their growls were low and hungry, pissed off. Coming out from the protection of the trees, 20 wolves disperse. Absolutely huge creatures that lives with no sound, their snarls directed in me. Not shifting their growls. They definitely see me as a threat. They secretly circle me cutting me off from Drake and Karina. Watching my movements getting closer secretly. Then the path is cleared. For the alpha. Karina bows and so does drake. I just follow along. He bows back to us. The wolves then divide off, yet staying close. Wolves travel in packs. Staying close, I decide to move closer to drake. I take ahold of my knife but he stares me down. Some of the wolves recognise me and back away. Yet most are weary. It is a very delicate situation and I don't want to mess it up.
"We need to talk." Karina says. The Alpha looks at me and steps back.
"I don't think he wants to talk." I ehisper and Karina points to him.
His bones crack and his skin tears. Paws become hands, fur turned into skin. Crunching and snapping though the transformation.suddenly A man stood before me. He had long thick black hair with a stern face as he shifted, like the pain was numb. His eyes low as his lips curled upwards. He had a strong jaw with a scar going from his cheek to his neck. Seemed like an old one. He was taller than me, and muscular too. He tilted his head at me and slightly nodded it, showing his respect. He then got down on one knee and the rest of the wolves bowed in response.
"My Prince. I see that Since you are now a Prince of Valtor, It is about time we formally meet. My name is Trika, I am the Alpha of the Blood Pack." He gets up. And so do the other wolves.
"We appreciate your respect for us, and our queen." He looks back over to Karina. "She has been an ally for too many years now, to us she is one of the pack, making you one of the pack. You will have our protection and our support."
"I thank you." I say and nod my head at him and he does so in response.
"My Queen, Lightning's are here with their weapons. They are headed for the tree. But something isn't right. They were also headed for the castle." Trikas fists were balled up, you could see the scars on them. They were ready for a fight. They were waiting for Karina's arrival.
"The castle?" Karina bites her finger. "The castle is well protected." She says with confidence.
"Actually My queen, since you left, things haven't been going so well. It started off small. Changes patterns. They were so small we would've missed them. But There were more shipments than usual, and Nightslayers don't sail. Also we don't change the shipping regime. We haven't for hundreds of years. But they changed suddenly as You went out of town. They were stocking up on something. It was all being transported to the castle."
"Why didn't you stop them?" Drake asks.
"Our job is to watch and report. We don't get involved unless it's a direct order from our queen." He says spitting on the floor near drakes feet. Drake looked pissed, but he thought again looking at all the wolves with their snarls on him. Drake face darkens and his eyes widen. His breath is snatched away as he points his head towards Karina.
"Karina I had a bad thought. Why would they be going to the castle. When they know Ryan isn't there? They left him in Haydren. Karina, They know he is not in the castle!" Even I know that by law, that if a king is not in his castle and another king enters it without permission. It is seen as a declaration of war.
"oh my god-"
"RYAN!" Karina takes off sprinting in the direction of the castle. My stomach turns and I go after her and Drake follows behind. The wolves also follow in her lead howling and sprinting.
"THEY'LL KILL HIM!" I hear Karina shouting and pouncing through the air, faster than the wolves. Ryan is the King of Valtor, once war is declared and they kill him, they have won the war. Valtor will be lost. The endless crunch of leaves pass over our feet as we are literally flying towards the castle. The closer we get, the more I can see it's changing. The Lightning's have definitely infiltrated. I hear Karina whimpering frantically looking around for Ryan. Trika pulls her back into the camouflage of the trees. It's darkness can hide us from prying eyes if you know how to manipulate it.
"Wait look!" Drake says in a hushed tone. I look to where he points. Surrounded by all soilders dressed in whites. Father, his grin so wide.. and his knife to Ryan's throat.