Deborah's POV
Ever since we lost Mark, Cora has seemed like a completely different person, as if she had sunk into a deep pit of despair and hopelessness.
Her eyes were hollow, her face lifeless, as though all the hope and motivation she once had been drained from her in a single night.
She is no longer the strong, lively Cora I knew.
Instead, she is like a shell of herself, mechanically holding Isla, barely speaking a word.
Watching her like this filled me with a profound sadness.
It was as if Cora had been crushed under the weight of an invisible sorrow.
Her shoulders could no longer bear the heavy burdens she once carried. Isla was the only thing left that she clung to, like a final lifeline.
I wanted to say something to her, to comfort her, to tell her everything would be all right, but I knew those words would sound hollow right now.
Luckily, the weather was starting to clear.
The rain had finally stopped.
We looked back at the plains behind us.
The sky was still thick with dark clouds, like an oppressive weight hanging over all of us.
David stood by Cora's side, occasionally patting her shoulder or whispering a few quiet words to her.
I watched as he took Isla from her arms, holding the small girl carefully and gently.
As for me, ever since my conversation with Mary, I haven't dared to walk at the back of the group.
I was afraid she would bring up that unbearable topic again—the one about breaking the werewolf seal and her willingness to sacrifice herself.
From my perspective, breaking the seal was clearly necessary.
After all, it was part of Maeve and Deborah's dying wish.
And Matthew was a werewolf too. Of course, I wanted him to be safe, to regain his full strength.
But how could I just stand by and watch Mary sacrifice herself for this?
Even if she was willing, I couldn't live with that.
My thoughts drifted, and my mind filled with unanswered questions.
Suddenly, Matthew gently tapped my shoulder, pulling me from my reverie.
"What are you thinking about? You look like you're lost in thought," Matthew asked with a note of concern in his voice.
I snapped out of it, trying to sound casual. "Oh, nothing. I was just thinking, what if we don't make it to the cave in time?"
Matthew frowned slightly but quickly responded in a light-hearted tone, "If we don't, you all should keep going to the cave. Don't worry about us."
I froze, a wave of unease washing over me. I couldn't help but protest, "How can you say that? You know how weak you werewolves get—remember what happened last time?"
Matthew smiled, though his eyes flickered with something heavier. "That's exactly why you need to leave us behind if necessary. You have to keep moving forward to ensure everyone's safety."
I had no words to counter that, but the resistance in my heart was strong.
I didn't want to leave him, or any of the werewolves, behind.
Matthew looked at me, his expression serious. "When we're not around, you'll have to protect everyone. Tonight, you're the strongest person in the Murias group."
He tried to make it sound casual, a smile tugging at his lips, but I knew he was fully aware of the danger that lay ahead.
He patted my shoulder again and added, "Just get through tonight. Once the sun rises, we'll regain our strength and protect everyone again."
I nodded, though the unease in my chest wouldn't fade.
The werewolves' strength wouldn't return that quickly.
If something went wrong, they might not make it until morning.
We spent the entire day moving quickly.
Everyone understood the urgency—no one complained, no one stopped to rest.
We had to get as close to the cave as possible before sunset, because once the sun set and the moon rose, the werewolves would become dangerously weak.
But despite our best efforts, the sky grew darker, and night began to fall before we reached the cave.
As the sun disappeared, tension rippled through the group.
The ordinary people started whispering anxiously, and the werewolves' expressions grew more grim with every passing minute.
Everyone knew the danger tonight held, but no one truly grasped the full depth of that fear.
Even though I was a witch, many still harbored doubts and unease about my abilities.
The sun had completely set, and the moon slowly rose, its silver light breaking through the clouds and spreading over the land.
The werewolves' faces paled, their breathing grew rapid, and their bodies began to tremble.
I could feel Matthew growing more tense, his fists clenched tightly, worry clouding his eyes.
Suddenly, the clouds overhead parted, and the moon's light shone down on us.
In that instant, a terrible scream erupted from the rear of the group.
"Ahh—"
It was the cry of a werewolf—painful, anguished, ripping through the stillness of the night.
At the same moment, Matthew collapsed to the ground, his face ashen, his strength draining away rapidly.
His body trembled as he endured immense pain.
I knelt beside him to check his condition.
His breathing was shallow, sweat dripping from his forehead, and his golden eyes barely open.
"Go with David, lead everyone to the cave," he gasped, his voice weak. "It's not far now. Hurry! Don't worry about me. You'll see us tomorrow morning."
My heart clenched.
The urge to stay and care for him was overwhelming, but I knew he wouldn't allow it. More than that, I knew I shouldn't.
The werewolves were dangerously vulnerable during the full moon because of the seal—an unfortunate reality we couldn't change.
So I nodded, handing him and the others some of torches, and stood up, continuing onward with David to lead the rest of the group.
As I glanced back at Matthew and the other werewolves, writhing on the ground in agony, my chest tightened with worry.
These once powerful creatures were now utterly helpless, unable to fight for themselves.
All I could do was pray that no mutated creatures would find them tonight and that they'd survive the night.
As we pressed forward, the night deepened, and a slight chill filled the air.
I gripped my torch tightly, the warmth and comfort of the flames soothing me.
The fire was our most important defense now.
Most mutated creatures feared fire.
As long as we had it, we had a chance to fend off any threats.
Suddenly, I spotted the faint outline of the cave in the distance.
Finally, after two long days of traveling, we had found our shelter.
The group behind me began to stir, everyone rushing forward as if they had found hope.
They surged toward the cave, speeding up as if desperate to reach safety.
Cheers erupted from the crowd, and the look of relief was clear on every face.
Several people holding torches rushed into the cave first, eager to disappear into this safe haven.
But then, a commotion came from inside.
Moments later, the air was filled with the sounds of frantic movement and then screams, followed by the unmistakable flapping of wings.
Thousands of bats poured out of the cave like a black cloud.
"Bats!" someone screamed, and soon, the bats were swarming toward us, their high-pitched screeches chilling me to the core.
They were the size of normal bats, but their sheer numbers darkened the sky.
They swooped down, attacking the people at the entrance with an alarming ferocity, their cries sending shivers down my spine.
"Use the torches!" I shouted, trying to keep everyone calm.
I cast a spell, "Ignis Ardens!" Fire shot from my hands, blazing toward the swarm of bats.
The flames lit up the night, illuminating the surrounding chaos.
But these bats weren't like ordinary creatures.
They attacked viciously, targeting the necks of the people like vampires.
As a few of the bats drank human blood, their bodies swelled grotesquely, growing larger and more monstrous.
Just as I was about to cast another spell, David shouted, "They're bloodsucking bats!"
His words ignited even more panic.
Screams echoed through the crowd, children crying amidst the chaos.
People frantically swung their torches, but the bats continued their relentless assault.
In the distance, I saw Cora protecting a group of Tirnanog children, with Isla clinging tightly to her chest.
She held a torch high, trying to fend off the bats attacking them, but behind her, a few children had already fallen, their bodies covered in the bloodthirsty bats.
I rushed toward them, casting another spell to help her fight off the vicious creatures.
"Ventus Swift!" The words flowed from my lips, and a burst of fire erupted from the ground, driving the bats back, giving us a brief moment of relief.
At that moment, David ran out from the cave, shouting, "Get the children inside! The men will hold the entrance!"
We moved quickly, guiding the elderly, women, and children into the cave under the protection of the torches. Meanwhile, those of us guarding the group stayed at the entrance, ready for whatever came next.
The number of bats gradually began to dwindle, but I couldn't shake the unease in my chest.
I feared the bloodsucking bats might fly in the direction of the werewolves.
"David, hold the entrance.
I'm going to check on the werewolves!" I shouted.
Without waiting for a response, I quickly muttered the spell, "Ventus Swift!"
In an instant, I vanished from sight, becoming a shadow in the wind as I raced toward where the werewolves lay.