Risk and Reward

Chapter Twenty-Three~On the Scent

Confident the pack has moved on; I slide down the tree and take a deep breath when my feet are back on solid ground. I sway a little in place, but I manage to stay upright. Blood loss probably isn't helping things, but I can't do anything about that for now. Food is my most pressing need. I shuffle forward and freeze when I hear soft rustling ahead to the right. I slide behind a tree and nock an arrow, waiting to draw it for when the creature exits. The bushes are thick and green with red berries, but the leaves are spiked. Poisonous berries. Some creatures can digest such foods and hopefully I can digest whatever creature this is.

White darts out of the bushes and I pull back my arrow to strike—only for something black and brown to tackle it instead. Both are small and I keep my arrow drawn as the couple turn and spin before they pause. Blood covers the rabbit's white fur from the teeth digging into it as a naga-pup growls happily at its catch.

I must breathe too loud because brown eyes snap to mine and land on my drawn arrow. Either animal would serve as a good meal, but both would be far better than I could have ever hoped for. Yet as the pup stares at me, all I can see is Shadow. He loved to bring me small game as a pup; squirrels, rabbits, mice. And every time he'd look up at me with those big eyes, so proud to show me what he caught. "I really need that rabbit," I tell the creature softly, knowing killing the naga-hound just isn't an option.

Its head quirks. "I understand that you caught it and you did a very good job, but you belong to a pack and I am alone. You'll get another meal from them. I won't." I shuffle a little closer with each hushed word. "You shouldn't wander so far from them anyway. There are more dangerous things in these woods than you." It blinks and, in that moment, I snatch the rabbit from its mouth. I breathe a sigh of relief and don't hesitate to rip it apart with a sharpened tip of an arrow to get at the liver. There's no time to cook it and this isn't the place for it anyway, so I don't let myself hesitate before biting into the meat.

The texture is the worst part and my stomach roils as I swallow as if in protest. But beggars can't be choosers. A whine leaks out of the pup's mouth and I consider it along with the rabbit in my hands. This could serve as more meals and I need all the calories I can get to make it to the top of that mountain. Still...I stole this from him. Sighing, I shake my head at my foolishness and toss the rest of the rabbit back to the pup. "Sorry for being forceful, but thanks for sharing." I bid as its teeth snap back down on the rabbit's neck with gleeful determination. It's little tail wags and I find myself smiling a bit despite it all. It flounces off after the blood trail and its pack with me behind trying to keep the rabbit liver down.

My family comes to mind as I run, despite how I try to stay focused. They'll all know by now and I wonder about how they've taken the news. Everyone will be furious, I know that, but along with that will come fear. And Azriel...Rhys and Cassian won't let him interfere with the Rite. That's why I told Nesta to go to Rhysand first, but he may still try. I only hope the others can stop him.

Eventually, the naga-pup runs out of sight as night falls and I don't push myself further. I need rest. After climbing a tree and taking a swig of water, I finally am able to fall asleep.

Morning comes and I have to drag my body from sleep before dragging it out of the tree. That liver will tide me over, but I'll need to collect more food soon. For now, I gather what small branches I can to sharpen as I follow that blood trail through the pines. Wind shifts around me and I make sure to keep my senses sharp. I'm not only tracking a male, but also tracking the pack following him. If I'm lucky, perhaps they will have already dispatched him.

The wind shifts again and I freeze when fresher blood drifts to me. Crouching, I move silently through the pine needles covering the forest floor as the sun continues to rise. It's not yet over the tall trees and the shade is cold even with my leather jacket. The fact doesn't make me look forward to scaling the mountain. I duck behind the trees as I pass in case whatever is giving off that scent isn't mortally wounded and wants to pick a fight.