White

Chapter 4

Washing her face by the stream, Gwen sat down and sighed patting her face dry. One more day till they reached the clan, the trip so far had been as she suspected it would be. Odette had sent three drago beasts to trail her but she had caught them, killing two for fun because they annoyed her and then she sent the last one barely alive and missing two arms back with a message, "Miss me already, Odette? So insecure without me, aren't you? Do this one more time and you won't be receiving any more cute presents like this. I will return soon." Last night wolves had tried to attack them but after Gwen lite their tails on fire and blasted them away with wind they never came back. So far her siblings had awoken twice before she threw nightshade powder at them. If they woke and grew strong enough they could probably fight her then weaken her and her plan would backfire, her hard work for their freedom gone. Checking on her sleeping siblings once more, Gwen took out the last piece of bread and meat in her bag out only to put it back and take a swig of water from her water skin. She would have to go hunting soon if she wanted to eat but it was getting dark, plus something might come venturing around here while she was hunting, leaving her horse and siblings vulnerable, so Gwen started to build a fire. Instead of depending on her bandia gift she tried to build a fire from scratch only to get frustrated when it didn't work and threw a fireball at the twigs and branches, finally starting a fire after long minutes of hard work. After the fire had grown big and high she moved to lean on the wheel of the carriage, looking at her handiwork. She couldn't even start a proper fire without using her gift, bitterly laughing at herself Gwen sat down to stare into the fire, how could she start anew if she couldn't even do something as simple and normal as building a fire.

"What?" Gwen panicked as she searched the ground and trees, "No, no, no."

Upon arriving to her last sighting of the lycan clan there was nothing there. The lycan claw markings on the trees, the fresh prints of lycan tracks on the ground, the fur. It had only been a month since she was last here, tracking the clan. They were close by, had to be because they were her last hope. Breathing fast, Gwen turned around scanning the area for a clue but the sound of one of her siblings kicking the carriage door distracted her from her search. Running to the carriage she opened the door to find Thea, tied and gagged for her safety, awake and now peering up at Gwen in confusion and then eyes bright at the sight of her, she tried to get up. Helping her to a sitting position, Gwen took the gag off her sister.

"Gwen! You have to listen," but before she could say more Gwen pushed the water skin to her sister's mouth, Thea's eyes going wide with surprise then realizing her thirst, she began to gulp down the water. After she drank her fill, "Gwen, please just listen to what I have to say!"

"Thea, you can't change my mind", Gwen shushed her little sister pushing her to lie down again, "We're almost there but I have to put you to sleep again." Tying the cloth around her struggling sister's mouth once again she checked on Theron and Nyx, both were waking too. Reaching for the nightshade powder in her pouch on her hip Gwen heard the snap of a twig a few feet behind her. Pushing Thea further inside the carriage, Gwen put a finger to her lip gesturing her sister to be quiet then quickly closed the carriage door and turned to face the direction of the sound. The forest had gone quiet. Why had she not notice? Heart racing Gwen scanned her surrounding while moving slowly away from the carriage. The mare huffed and stomped her foot, uneasy. Crack, Gwen whipped her head to her left only to hear the deafening whir of an arrow too late as it hit her right shoulder. The arrow ripped through her shoulder sending her back and embedding itself to the side of the carriage. Hand on the arrow, Gwen pulled at it as her blood began dripping onto her hand and down her favorite cloak. Shit. It won't budge! Whoever shot the arrow was extremely strong to send her flying and pinning her to the carriage with it.