[1st draft] Bora's near-death experience caused a brief separation from Gemma, but to live in peace, he must end the Seven Shadows.
Bora Hawk, the polar wolf, has an unexplained target on his back. His enemies want him dead, caged, or becoming the...
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From Sunday till late Friday night, still no sign of this damn bird. I've been waiting on the pier every day, fighting the urge not to search for it. Woolly said this happens from time to time and to be patient. "I thought I would find you here." Manueli sits on the side of me. This is his fifth time checking on me after I told him I sent her a letter.
"It's taking too long."
"I understand, but you have to trust in our judgment."
"Hard to do when your only intention is to keep me here." Silence filled the air. He fished out the frog potion, sipped it, grunting to rest on the pole to face me, letting his leg lazily dangle.
"How did it happen?"
I eyed him. "What?"
"Falling in love with a human? They taught us to stay away from them, and here you are, the opposite of what we have learned."
"We met when I was twelve and have felt attached to her ever since. I could blame it on being childhood friends, but it isn't a solid argument for our connection. If I had known her as an adult, nothing would have changed."
"So, you lived amongst the humans? What are they like?"
"No different from you and I. More sheltered. Good for them. They die easily. I need to leave here soon." It will be my fault if something happens to you.
"I realize it. And I will not stop you, but Miska might," he admitted, and I blew air, staring at the fish under the ice. She may try, but it wouldn't go far. "I have been meaning to ask you about Xannon."
"You can ask, but you won't get anywhere. I told you before, I have never met him."
He shifted in his sitting position to be more comfortable. "Oh, I know. It's a simple question, really. I was wondering, do you hate him?"
"Why would I hate him? Never saw him. I had a good life. No regrets... Well, maybe-"
"BORA!" The urgency in Miska's voice echoed into the mountains. I look back hastings upwards from the wood pier. "You are so stupid!" As soon as I heard that, I didn't want to hear anything she had to say.
"Talks over." Walking past, and she grabbed my arm, but I shoved her off, and the warriors that were next to her stood ahead of her. I noticed two more behind that had each of Woolly's arms dragging him along the wood planks as though he were some kind of prisoner. I picked up my feet toward them. The hell they think they are doing.
I got near to fighting them off. Keko leaped over them in his wolf form, clasping my forearm, tackling me into the ice breaking. I am peeved anyway and itching for a release.
I wrestled his jaw, losing underneath his strength, and morphed into the werewolf to choke him, watching the big bubble head from his snout. I threw him out onto the deck and followed behind. He slid away a short distance and stood back, shaking the wetness off his coat. I spiked my fur like sleek points to let the water fall off. We are face to face. He's been talking out his ass now it is time to show him who stands true.
