Shadows can heal too

Short Cut

"Torden! You're here!"

Bianca ran her hands through the mane of her horse and mounted it. Torden let out a happy sniff. Bianca was staring into the beyond of Ravka. She heard hooves approach her, turning to see Nikolai and Stefan, each on a horse.

"Torden? Creative name for a horse," Nikolai stepped next to Bianca. "Are we all ready?"

"I am" she replied, "where are the others?"

"Still getting ready" Stefan replied, stepping towards the two as well

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" asked Nikolai, "I want you to be careful B, I don't want to lose my niece soon"

"I still value my youth Nikolai"

"If anything happens, no matter how small it is, find your way back to us, alright?" Stefan stepped in front of her

"I will be fine, I've been through the forest loads of times, and what's life without a little risk?"

"She has a point" Nikolai agreed

"Not risks that could cost her life Nikolai"

"I will be fine, trust me" Bianca assured them both, though she knew it was Stefan who needed the reassuring

"When are we leaving?" asked Mal from behind, with Alina at a separate horse beside him. Tolya and Tamar were on their horses as well, taking position beside Bianca.

"Soon," replied Bianca

Bianca accompanied everyone in silence, it didn't take long until they reached the road that separates between the forest and the main path leading to Os Alta.

Kribirsk wasn't the sun of Ravka as it was before, it was gloomy, dark, grim souls, as if it was a graveyard. It was obvious nobody liked the apparat's rule, but Bianca wasn't sure if it was him that is ruling anymore.

"Is Kribirsk usually like that?" whispered Nikolai

"No, but something must be wrong at the Palace"

"Then we must arrive soon"

"I'm going to part you here," Bianca alerted everyone. "Stay safe, all of you"

"You too," they all replied. Bianca shot them a genuine smile before she carried on their own way.

The forest was darker than usual. Bianca kept eying the area with hawk-like eyes, focusing on any heartbeats nearby. It was almost abandoned, but she made sure to stay on the main road

'B why did you pick the forest again?'

'If anything happens I hope both sides of your pillow are warm'

'Oi heart that's rude'

'I agree with them, this place is giving me goosebumps'

'Are we nearly there yet?'

'We should be there in a few hours'

'UGHHHHHHHHHHH'

'I hate it here.'

'Are you sure nobody will figure out who we are?'

'Nope'

'WHAT WAS THAT NOISE?!'

'It looks like we're getting closer to a city, or a village'

'Are you sure?'

'Maybe it's an animal clan'

'DO YOU DOUBT MY ABILITIES?!'

'No sit down'

Bianca tightened her cloak around her, lifted the hood above her head, and concealed her face. She slowed her horse down then laid her eyes on a small town, where life was buzzing in it, unlike Kribirsk. Bianca then strode towards the pack of first army soldiers, all looking like they've just joined the army