The scraggly raven gazes from its perch atop the crooked fence, as the two black horses rush down the dirt path far ahead of the group of horsemen behind them. Its oil black eyes latch onto the lead horse, and the leather clad girl and green cloak wrapped boy. Then it turns to the other couple and their mount, a man with hair like the golden sun and the woman with locks that shine black as the night sky.
As the two couples gallop away, the main group rides on bye. In their company a young archer garbed in soldier's mail, a powerfully built man with a Captain's gold badge, and an elderly hag covered in bear fur with silver braids trailing down her back.
The haggard raven watches them go by, its keen eyes locating their destination to be the shallow part of the river. An area not far from the very edge of a great line of trees, that seemes to tower over everything around them. The great arms of the trees spreading out in a mix of bare and green covered branches. Their roots curling and twisting into the dark earth, but stopping about a hundred feet from the bank. Leaving a strip of bare ground between the river and forest.
Suddenly, the raven spies movement in the underbrush, the slight flick of a feline like tail. Immediately, the raven pushes off into the air, hurriedly flapping its wings it heads north towards the dark craggy forms of the Mountains of the Lost. Dipping and diving through the blowing chilly currents, the raven eventually comes to a clearing a few paces away from the base of the mountains.
Settling on a branch, the raven puffs out its feathers in an effort to withstand the drastic cold in the clearing. Around it is the remains of burned out trees and forest scrub, hoarfrost covers the bare gray rock of the clearing while piles of bones litter the ground.
Snapping branches cause the raven to shudder even more, despite its ragged appearance the raven is still young. However time, tragedy, and its predicament has changed its once luxurious silken coat to a drab fraying cowl. With fear filled eyes, the raven watches the clump of twisted and gnarled branches part for a lone figure, garbed in a robe of scarlet silk with a rowan staff in hand.
Pushing off the branch, the raven flies to the ground and settles itself on the cracked lifeless dirt. A cloud of white smoke quickly circles the raven, the mist dissipating and leaving a thin white haired girl in its wake. Shaking like a leaf under her ragged feather cloak, the girl throws herself into a low bow at the figure's feet.
"Look at me Infirma, look at your empress," Umbra commands using a red claw to pull up the girl's chin.
Look Infirma did with heart choking fear. Umbra grinned showing her pointed teeth, white as bone, the silken cape covering a gown of darkest night. A belt of bones cinched tight around her narrow waist, ropes of blood diamonds wrapping around her neck and wrists. Her feet bare on the frost covered ground, her oaken staff clenched in a corpse pale hand.
"Good, what have you learned dearest maid?" Umbra croons.
Infirma's fear shrivels under the kind tone of the words. Dark pleasure rippling through her blood, anticipation spiking across her skin for what will happen next. For better or for worse.
"The little prince, his golden haired cousin, and the three Natura females left the fortress and now ride for the Guardian Trees," Infirma answers in shaking awe.
"I saw amongst the leaves a curious thing, a lion's tail. An on the way here my empress, I caught the scent of savanna grass, wild game, and white heather of which only grows in the very heart of the Northern Kingdom."
Umbra stills, her hand clutching the staff tighter, making it split and crack slightly. A crazed smile spreads across her lips, sparks of madness shining in her shadowy eyes.
"So, those scheming hags think they can go against me do they," she hisses, swinging the staff and splitting the tree behind her in two.
The tree halves part, falling to the ground with a crash of half-frozen rotted wood.
"Well shall see about that, send for my guards, tis time to pay a visit to these foolish mortals."
Infirma bows, jumping to her feet the girl changes form in a whirlwind of smoke. Flapping her wings the raven takes off into the sky under the iron gaze of its mistress.
"Fly little maid, guide me to the wolfen prince and his Natura mate, so I may feast on their still beating hearts."
YOU ARE READING
A Wolf's Courage(Tales of Europa Book 1)
Werewolf🥀Heat licks up my bones and into the surrounding skin, my groan of pleasure joining Damaris's low growl of desire. However, his lips stay as gentle as his grip on my waist, allowing me to choose how far this will go. My throat rumbles as I purr fro...
