Warlord's Ward

Vexation

The Commander tossed his head toward the windows before taking two long steps closer that had me, straining in my skin. Instinctively wanting to flee.

This was by far the most unpredictable situation I'd ever been in.

And I was taken prisoner by Warlord.

"I thought you were dead, Boy!" The Commander said. He looked about the same age as Killian but with wolves it was hard to tell. Once they attained maturity, they barely aged at all.

"Uncle Vex! It is you."

"Come here, Boy!" The Commander rushed over so quickly, I flinched. Fearing that he'd yet try to run us both through.

But instead, he pushed past me to embrace Killian in a long hug. Slapping his back cheerfully.

"What are you doing with the NightHunters? Why are they calling you Damus?"

They leaned back from each other and 'Vex' explained.

"Father has had me infiltrating them for a long while, in order to find out who is propelling them. A bunch of strays don't get together with this kind of ferocity without some powerful Skin propelling them."

Killian nodded. "A human..." He agreed. Giving his uncle a sympathetic look. "That's an ugly job you've been set to."

"It's been beyond disgusting." He murmured. Disdain distorting his features.

Killian glanced at me and then his eyes widened as if seeing me for the first time. Clearly he was only now remembering I was next to him. "Jade!"

"I've been impolite." He said quickly to us both. "Jade this is my mother's half-brother, Vexation."

"What a name." I reared back with my brow furrowing.

Was that really his name?

"Yes..." He groaned. Rolling his eyes. "My father believed in making it obvious who was in his line. I suppose it is appropriate since we are all something to behold when infuriated."

"Father?"

"We come from the line of Fury, the original." Killian explained.

My head spun to Killian. "Does that mean your mother was the Daughter of Fury?"

I'd heard the lore that such a creature existed but generally it was dismissed based on the common knowledge that the original wolf was incapable of siring daughters. It was part of the curse of his bloodline.

Killian looked at me hesitantly. Before saying, "Yes. My mother was Devastation."

"Deva. We called her." Vexation said laughingly. "Sounds less foreboding."

Not by much.

I blinked stunned eyes at him. "What have I gotten myself into?"

"Seems more like what has he?" The other man slapped Killian on the back to lighten the mood.

Killian groaned.

Vex rounded and returned to the table, to sit and eat some roasted bird. "Tell me, what brings you into a NightHunter camp?"

"I heard my sister's cry."

"What?" Vex leapt back to his feet. His head turning so fast that his hair caught on his shoulder. "The she-wolf scream?"

He heard it too.

"Yes."

"Go." Vexation through open the door. Muttering. "I've been hearing cries all night. I thought it was just the Mating Moon. But that last one..."

"It was a different wolf than the others." Killian said. "I know her voice. I used to soothe her scraped knees next to mother. I know the sound of her wail."

"Hurry." Vexation pushed him faster.

Killian headed out, catching my hand on the way by. Pulling me behind him.

But Vexation caught the back of his tunic to whisper to him. "I'll be right behind you. Let me keep these here."

Killian rushed out, his eyes glittering on the black haze over the camp. He made a pushing motion with both hands. Acting as if he could physically feel some sort of resistance. And forcing the dark cloud to move far enough over that the mages wouldn't come stumbling in.

"There's another camp just ahead." Vex warned. "Watch yourselves. They're probably already preparing to head that direction if not on the way..."

***

Killian caught my hand and pulled me.

"We could go faster as wolves." I said slowly.

"No!" He said quickly. "You can't change."

"They'll smell me."

"In an instant!" He began to jog.

I was on his heels. I ran faster to show him I was with him.

Both of us broke into a full sprint. Racing through the trees. Navigating over the logs.

I looked back once and saw the flickering lights that almost seemed like distant fireflies.

The mages holding the lights they created in their hands. Guiding them.

They can't see in the dark like we can.

Killian reached over as I turned back and pushed the back of my head down. Barely in time to keep me from striking my face on a branch.

"Thank you." I breathed.

He gave me a quick nod.

Both of our eyes flared yellow in the descending dark. Moving at a crashing pace as we dived through the woods.

There were faint cries behind us as a few of the mages likely wandered into the wolf camp.

***

I hoped they were okay and that Vex wouldn't let them be harmed.

But soon the flashing lights were in motion again.

They're okay. I thought in relief.

Soon there was more shouting as guards at the border of the next camp spotted us. Alerting the rest.

We rushed through. Even as they pulled their weapons.

The Commander of this camp rushed out of the back shack, pulling on his pants in a way that confused me.

Killian caught my head, his hand going over my eyes as he whirled me against him and into my shoulder as the door of that shack swung fully open.

I'd caught a glimpse of pink flesh in there. A woman and she was screaming. Even now.

Why?

A guard confronted us with a sword, and Killian quickly tossed me aside.

I agilely leapt sideways and landed flat on my feet. My wolf instincts in full effect under the rising pink moon.

Killian leapt sideways a few times. Dodging the man's swinging strikes with a short, heavy sword. Once there was an opening, he rushed in close. Striking the man in the throat and then ripping his fingers through in a way that left a bit of white visible in a deep gash.

The man's face showed his panic as he gargled a moment.

He tried to bring his sword back around toward Killian's back as he stumbled but Killian whirled and sent out a few currents of blue light that prohibited the sword from making contact with him.

He faced that hand and caught the man's wrist as he fell. Wrenching the weapon out of it as two more guards aimed for us.