Duskwood - Choose or Lose

Chapter 22

A/N: Hey there! This chapter is written in the third POV, so please, don't be confused. I just thought it would fit best with the subject for this chapter. Enjoy! <3

*****************

She woke up to pure darkness, but she felt so different. She tried to take in the surroundings, but it took minutes until she could finally see something. Her breathing was calm despite the fear inside her, she was thankful for it. Her heart was still beating fast, which didn't match her breathing at all. She couldn't remember what had happened before she passed out. She heard a dark howl whizzing by behind her. Footsteps, firm footsteps. Ravens. A cry of a raven. A wolf howled ruefully somewhere in the distance. Several wolves came along and joined in his song. It almost sounded like they were mourning the loss of a member of their pack. She felt a light weight on her back but couldn't identify what it was.

After an eternity, her other senses finally kicked in. She was lying stomach first on the floor, her right arm resting on the floor at an angle above her head. She smelled the wet earth mixed with wet wood under her face. The pricking and itching told her she was naked. She lay naked on the wet earth, thorns clawing at her skin, and twigs tangled in her hair. But she wasn't cold. The weight on her back kept her warm. It felt so unbelievably soft.

She took all her strength and finally stood up. She fought against all her muscles that refused to help her get up. When she finally got to her feet, she saw a light wrapping around her body. A white silk dress decorated with black roses adorned her body. She wasn't naked anymore at last. Shortly thereafter, she felt a stabbing pain in her right foot. She had stepped on a branch and realized that she was not wearing shoes. She stroked her still bare arms to wipe off the wet earth, stroking along something soft. She flinched when she realized that this softness was on her body. She grabbed it and tugged, a brief ache in her back telling her it was definitely hers, but she kept tugging. She ripped something out, she closed her eyes before she looked at what she was holding.

A white feather.

She didn't understand what was going on and finally turned her head back and then she saw it. Panic swept over her.

Wings, white wings.

She had wings on her back like an angel. She turned to the other side and there she saw her wings too. It was real, not imagined. She spun around in a panic to finally understand where she was, ignoring her wings for the time being. She saw pitch-black trees with thousands of ravens perched on them. She couldn't see the sky, it was like there was none.

She turned around again and a moment later she felt something wet nudge her knee. A white wolf stood in front of her, he let her pet him. He turned and walked ahead, realizing that she was still standing in the same place, he sat down on the ground and looked at her, waiting. She understood that he wanted to show her something and she put one foot in front of the other and walked in his direction. When she stood next to him, he got up again and walked on, she followed him. His footsteps had a soothing effect on her.

They went through a kind of cave entwined with branches and leaves. When they came out of the cave, the surroundings were a beautiful forest at night. He stopped for a moment and winced as a figure scurried past the two. She knelt down next to him and caressed him lovingly, quickly finding out his favorite spot. Starting at the corners of his mouth, she ran her hand up to his ears and massaged him behind his ears. He enjoyed the affection and showed her by panting with a joyful look that he liked it. He nudged her hand with his wet nose to tell her they had to move on.