"What did you find?" Isanna asked Derek when he came back.
"Nothing, they don't know anything about us, no soldiers are searching for us," replied Derek.
"What does that mean?" asked Isanna.
"It means they are not wasting time searching for us all over the kingdom, they are waiting for us at the border, I would have done the same, this kind of confident and wise tactics just keep reinforcing my doubts about what's happening at the capital," said Derek.
"So, there's a big fight waiting for us at the border," said Isanna.
"Yeah, what do you think?" asked Derek.
Ron and Fiona were listening to all of this with apt attention.
"I have my men on the other side of the border, Violet is pretty skilled she should be able to provide us support if I can just tell her to let loose, which shouldn't be a problem once we are near the border," said Isanna.
"That's not what I was asking?" said Derek. Isanna looked at him confused then she realised what he meant.
"You were asking if we should go to the border at all, we have to get the kids on the other side," said Isanna.
"I have a feeling I will have to come back, it would save me a trip," said Derek.
"The capital seems more dangerous than the border to me, you would need help, I hope you are not thinking so arrogantly that you can handle everything alone, and I am not talking about one or two, this needs serious intervention," said Isanna.
"I might get lucky this time," said Derek.
"Fine, I'll get them across the border," said Isanna.
"Will you be all right?" asked Derek.
"Worry about yourself, but I am sure you must have something else in mind, you wouldn't walk in without a plan," said Isanna.
So Derek said goodbye to the three of them and left for the half-breeds capital alone.
Isanna couldn't worry about him too much they themselves had to worry about whatever was waiting for them near the borders.
Derek wasn't the only one heading for the capital, there was another group heading towards the capital. It includes Vanessa, Emily, and the Royal guards who Vanessa had convinced to escort them back to the capital.
The capital was an unknown place for Vanessa right now, she had no idea what she would find inside the palace, Thane had taken the Royal oath to protect the princess along with his men.
Ash and Rit waited for Yuri and Sasha at the place. It was a crossroads of source and there was an old wooden signboard in the corner of the path.
"What does it say?" asked Ash, he couldn't read the words clearly.
"I don't know, " said Rit like it was to be expected.
"How come?" asked Ash.
"It's written in that old forgotten script from the old kingdoms, god knows what kind of magic they had, there are many such things you can find all over the place that are still standing, there are some around the mountain too, " said Rit.
"Probably built by the same king who built the throne, " joked Ash and Rit nodded.
"I think we should leave, we have waited long enough, the sun is setting, they said you should leave if they don't come right?" Rit said.
"Yeah, but where could they have gone, I thought I was the one who would get late, I never thought they wouldn't be able to make it, " said Ash.
"So, are we leaving?" asked Rit.
"Yeah, they can catch up later, " said Ash.
Ash and Rit had just gone about a mile when they heard a loud howl in the distance.
"Wolves, " said Rit.
"They sound far, we shouldn't have anything to worry about, " said Ash.
"What are you talking about? It's an old teaching, if you can hear them then run, " said Rit with wide eyes. Ash gulped and tightened the reigns and the horses picked up speed. The sun was setting fast, there was only a little light left in the sky which was going away very fast. Ash and Rit were sitting in the front of the cart at the driver's bench, since their speed was much faster now, they could feel every little bump. But both of them were too busy looking at the dark trees with fear. Ash was sure he wouldn't be of much use against a pack of wolves, he wondered if Rit could fight, he looked like he could and he looked like he would be strong but the expression on his face told him that he didn't have much confidence in himself either.
"I think we should be fine now, " said Ash. But as soon as he spoke they heard the noises coming from the forest. It sounded like dozens of horses were running straight towards them.
Ash and Rit saw with shock suddenly a number of large four-legged bodies appear on their right, some of them jumped over them some around them. They weren't coming for them, they didn't even through a glance at them and went to their left. At the head were not wolves but big black and brown-furred ugly-looking dogs, they had small cubs in their mouths, and running after them were the big and magnificent, white, grey, and black-furred wolves.
"What the hell are those?" Ash asked.
"Hell hounds, they must have raided the wolves' nests and captured their cubs, " said Rit.
"Why are wolves here so big?" asked Ash.
"Yeah, they are as big as these horses, that's why I warned you, they are really fast, you can't compare their speed to horses, especially in the trees, " Rit said.
"Should we help them?" asked Ash.
"Help the Wolves? What are you crazy?" asked Rit.
"Are you fine with the hounds eating all those cubs?" asked Ash.
"How are we going to chase after them?"
"Don't underestimate these horses, they were raised by amazons, " said Ash as he started to untie them from the cart quickly.
"I knew they looked too muscled for normal horses, they must have raised them on magical elixirs, " said Rit untying his horse.
"Have you ever been on a horse?" asked Ash.
"Of course, I have, master, made sure I learned all kinds of skills, " said Rit and jumped over the horse. It was clear that Rit too didn't want the cubs to die.
Ash and Rit kicked their horses and they shot off into the forest an incredible pace. It was easy chasing after the hurd, they had left a wide track behind them almost carving a path through the forest, they should have more ease following after them like this so they should be able to reach them in time.
"I should warn you about these wolves, as they are bigger than normal ones, they are also much more intelligent, they have different roles in their pack, and are very territorial and wild. So they are sure to attack us too if we went too close, " said Rit.
"My master used to tell, how once he saw these wolves make a bridge across a river to cross it, so be careful," he said.
They were getting closer to the pack because they could hear the howls and growls and their horses were also making noises as of asking them if they were really sure about going forward.
"We need to cut them from the side, " said Ash and they went right to catch the front of the pack and stop the hounds from the front.
"There they are, " Rit pointed to the left and Ash looked. The wolves were in an open ground now to their left running almost alongside them while they were still in the trees. The hounds were a little ways ahead. Ash saw that the open ground would soon end and once the hounds would again get into the cover of the trees it won't be easy to catch them and at least some cubs would get killed in the attack.
"We need to hurry!" Ash shouted and the horses sped up even faster in a last sprint.
They slowly moved ahead of the group and near the hounds. Ash waited for the right distance and moment and with a jump, his horse suddenly came out of the trees and into the open running at full speed, followed by Rit. The wolves and hounds falter at the sudden appearance. Ash could already see what Rit was talking about, it felt like he had just appeared in front of a number of people from the reaction and emotion he saw in the eyes of the wolves and the hounds.
Ash took out his sword and slashed at the head of the hound in the front, it looked like the leader of the group, it was a bit bigger than the rest. It recoiled from the blade and dropped the cub in its mouth. Ash saw with surprise Rit slam with his horse into the hounds and two hounds fell down and the wolves descended on them and pulled the cubs out.