--- Present Day ---
Heat baked on Freya's back. It had been a week since she left Bellaroos after Justin's confession. She had been unable to stop herself from calling out his name to grab his attention again. For a moment, the male had stood there with his lips turned up. She had not missed the peek of his sharpened canines or the way his eyes blazed with a sudden surge of defense. Yet, he had stopped for her. Without shrugging her off, he had glanced over at her as she spoke.
"What do you mean you won't repeat Kenya?" Freya had been told stories about the massacre, however no one seemed willing to tell her what happened. No one would tell her why it was so critical they stopped the feline army there. Rather, they had all had a feral glaze as if their consciousness had been stolen back to that time. Justin was a kind person. He was loyal to his morals, brave, and outspoken. But, she had always noticed the hurt in his eyes long ago. She never spoke on it though as if she felt it would shatter the man. It had been mere seconds that they both stood in silence. Justin had turned towards her and smiled slightly. Those always warm eyes were now darkened by the memory she had brought back. She had not expected him to answer her.
"The Dragon's War has taken thousands of lives with no mercy. Men, women, children... loved ones. I had not been a general long, but I knew death. However, even I was unprepared for the blood bath at Kenya." He told her about the invasion of Kenya, the massacre, about Scarlett, and how it ended. Yet, little did she know he did not tell her about Alissa, or the betreyal he felt from Mouse. "Kenya was never an important part of our territory, but to us... it has left a bitterness in our mouths."
Freya lowered her head slightly as she thought on his words. She never knew. She knew understood truly what the war had taken from the Bellaroos pack or how it effected the people. The pack was lively, yet each turn a darker cloud hide on the horizon. Maybe that was why her chest tightened or her skin felt cold. It was the reality that set in the pit of her stomach. Mouse had been clear that this war had to be stopped, but how was she to stop the hatred? The anger? The pain and suffering of generations of destruction? How was she to heal the wounds that festered?
"You mean something to Alec. You mean something to this pack now, but you-"
"I have to many variables." Freya finished for him with a trembling breath. Justin glanced at her in confusion. She knew he would not get the reference, however she understood what he meant. Justin did not wish to be blindsided again. Her arms circled herself as if that could hide her away. She could not meet his eyes any longer. Instead, she chose to look at the ground that still had the tracks from Blue... the creature who carried Alec away. Without him here, she felt cold again... alone. It was a feeling she was not used to, nor did she care for.
"And you mean something to me." Justin whispered under his breath. The confession had her glancing up under her eyelids to find a blank expression in those blue eyes. She found herself unable to read them or how to respond to his words. His shoulders were simply slumped as he held the world on his shoulders. Justin had lost everything, not just once but twice. Now, he once more could lose everything because of her. Guilt choked Freya at the thought and twisted her chest until she had to reach up to rub the pain away.
"Justin." Freya started to say, yet there was nothing more to be said. They would be parting here for the time being, but she knew they would meet again. She did not know how she had become involved in this war game, however it was time she played her part. She had no true attachments to her home, but here she was beginning to realize just how much she loved these people. She did not wish to sit back and do nothing, not anymore.
In the end, it was Justin who made the first move. He wrapped his arms around her, and in return Freya had buried her face in his chest. She nuzzled him close, breathed him in, and told herself everything would be okay. He walked away with a kiss to her forehead and an expression he wished her luck.
When she had gone back to the castle, a guard was there and handed over a longma over with a deerhind saddle. A bag of food, clothing, and even water was tied to the side of the creature. Unlike Blue, this creature as a light ash grey with a lean build and long legs. Claws extended out in impressive displays of protections. Horns pointed towards the creature's neck while another pointed forward on the creature's forehead. A long tail extended out from behind it with several spikes. White hair fell in waves along the longma's neck and its tail. It was an impressive beast that had speed, power, and clearly was breed for endurance. However, it was calm and collected as Freya stroked it. After speaking to the guards regarding it, they had handed her a note. /This is Rose. She will serve you well. Be safe on your journey. - Justin./
That had been three days ago. A map had been included. It was a rough draft considering no one knew where the Behemoth clan lived. There were only rumors regarding them considering they wanted nothing to do with the war. According to what the guard told her, the Behemoth clan were normads that followed a basic path, which made it even more difficult to pin them down. Freya had no other information on them. What kind of clan were they? Were they dangerous? She had been unable to ask before things got derailed. That left her questioning what she was riding into, yet something nagged at her to go. Mouse had said she was the key to the war, but that was not why she followed Alec. She wanted to know more about this world. She just could not shake off this strange pull she was here for a reason, but also the nagging feeling something was amiss. It was never far behind.
Signing, Freya lowered the map and adjusted the hind arrow sack on her back. It was starting to get heavy. She folded the map against Rose's neck. The longma grunted and threw her head back in protest which had her owner smiling. "I know. I know." Freya chuckled and stroked the mount's neck. Her fingers tangled in the soft hair as she stuffed the map into the pounch to the side. It was not big enough for much, however it did the job.
"We will stop soon, just be patient." She mumbled before peeking up at the hot sun. How come it seemed to get hotter and hotter the further she went? Groaning low in her throat, she tugged the reins to guide the beast yet it threw up its head in protest.
"Rose, come on." Freya grumbled, yet the beast yanked again. The longma cried softly under its breath and stepped back.
In confusion, she glanced into the trees and along the dense trees around her. She found nothing though. However, a shiver slipped down her spine and made her hair stand on end. Perhaps, they should not stop. Something was out there.
---
They were not born but created. They were not raised but trained. They never nothing of laughter, play, or true freedom. Rather, they were handcrafted in Hel's domain. They were warriors, predators, and killers that sharpened their teeth and claws on the bones of those who threaten them. They were not human nor animal. They were beasts with no mind or will of their own, pure and simple. Their creation was fastened in the destiny of carrying on a war purely to applease their Gods... the Gods that rained down agony that scarred the land and stained it in blood. It was the Gods that asked their children to die for a cause that was futile. In the countless generations, they had become simple tools that were molded from their creation until they too were void of emotion, void of will and thought. War had become their parent, and war had become their keeper. It did not care for their life, their family, their hopes, nor their dreams. It was a glutton of suffering, death, and gore. It sought out misery, and it laughed at it. There was no end. There was nothing but a cold darkness that left the once colorful world grey. At least until he learned of her.
Lucian Jormungand had pulled the bamboo smoking pipe from his lips and blew out smoke from his lungs. If his siblings saw him smoking again, he knew he would end up with a talking to. His father would most likely turn him black and blue if Hugo had not killed him long ago in the Kenya Raid. The smoke curled along his lips and made its home in his lungs. The herbs settled him. It calmed the beast inside of him that clawed and yowled just under the skin. It rumbled at him to demand its release... to find freedom in their true skin, yet the male held back from it. A beast such as it could not be trusted. Lucian could not be trusted. He had grown impatient when Tessa, his sister, had come back empty handed. He had given her one job, one simple job, but she was useless. She had not captured the prize he wanted. She had not even brought back proof of her existence, but he had it.
Smirking slightly, he pressed the pipe between his lips as the salty air assaulted his figure. It washed along his marigold hair. It fell in waves around his neck and shoulders. The golden strands shielded his striking golden eyes, and the black four black stripes under them. Two stripes were on either side which followed the curbs while leaving a few inches before touching his nose. The male wore no shirt, but rather displayed a war built chest and slime powerful body. Along his neck he wore an endless string of canine teeth with a second longer necklace holding a single jade stone, the eye of Jormungand. Wrapped around his waist that fell to his ankles in a sort of skirt was patches of different canine fur. Each was a proud trophy of those he had slaughtered.
Breathing the smoke in again, two orange feline ears slipped from his golden hair. They perked up at the crunch of grass. Lucian exhalded the smoke from his lungs before turning the pipe onto its side. He tapped it for a second as he breathed in the fear from the intruder. The salty smell of their sweat had his lips pulling back in a smirk. The large fangs flashed against the sun, but they did little to soften the callous golden eyes. They flickered in the slaves direction, yet he did not move. Instead, he waited for the creature to speak. Why give respect to a lower being? It only disconnected them from their place. "Magister Luciani Jormungand. Ego nuntium."
The slave did not bother translating for his Dominus. Lucian understood without the translation. "What's the message?" The rumble echoed from the master's chest as he slowly smirked. His golden eyes only become brighter with excitement.
"Dominus, our insectum wished to convey she has left Bellaroos." The voice shook slightly as the slave slipped back and forth into its naive tongue. A loud boisterous laugh had the slave flinch and jumping back. Lucian could not stop the echos of laughter that rolled along him at the news. Those fools. They allowed her out of the protection of their captial? Out of the protection of their watchmen? After the Kenya Raid, he had thought they would smarter than that, but it would seem that was not the case. To allowed such a jem out of their sight, mainly one that had caused such uproar was truly foolish. He had thought Alec knew better than that, but like his father he too did not understand the power he held.
"Have Olaf keep an eye on her. I will leave the insect to do its job." Lucian smirked as he placed the pipe between his lips once more. Breathing deeply, he allowed the smoke to collect in his lungs as the slave remained bowed behind him. The male knew better than to move before being dismissed. "Also, have Sasha go to my bedchampers. I do believe this earns a celebration." The slave did not need to be told twice. It was evident in the hum of his master's voice he was being dismissed, thus without a word he backed away as the wind carried the purr of the feline.
---
The sun was beginning to set by the time Freya had found a comfortable shelter. She could smell rain. She was afraid it would rain soon. Rose was not content with stopping. She was restless, constantly grumbling and clawing at the dirt. Her ears curled back as her eyes glanced about in the flickering darkness. Freya had pulled them both under a large rock formation. It was naturally carved to be the perfect hiding place with large bushes to hide them. She had to press tight against the side in order to avoid the cold wind that whipped at her. Luckily, she had enough time to gather firewood and dry ground cover. Now, she worked on clicking two rocks together in hopes of creating a spark. Each time she did, the wind blew it away making her growl again in annoyance. "Damn it!" Freya cursed and repositioned herself. She bit her bottom lip roughly as she tried again. This time, she slightly leaned over in hopes of protecting the life of her tiny spark. Snapping the rocks together... again and again she was pleased the spark caught again against the dry straw. Freya breathed life into it before pressing it into the makeshift firepit. In a few seconds, she had birthed life.
Freya smiled proudly. "Finally!" She whispered to herself and forced herself up. Now that they had fire, she could finish with the campsite. Rose nickered in acknowledgment as Freya started to undo her saddle and reins. Longmas were trained to remain with their riders' even if they were breed with a powerful personality and even stronger loyalty. The longma shook herself and without hesitation she threw herself to the ground. The longma rolled in the dirt for a moment before falling to her side in exhustration. Freya shook her head in disbelief as she tossed the saddle to the ground. She grabbed the coat from the saddle before moving over to sit by the fire. Tugging the thick black fur close, she hugged her knees to her chest. Just like that, the clouds let loose and rain drenched the earth.