The Legend of Moonflower

Chapter 30 - Attacking and Abducting

It was the last day of the Autumn Hunt and as was his usual tradition, Lan Zhan would hunt on his own. This time however, Wei Ying would be accompanying him out into the forest. He made sure the perimeter of the forest was well guarded with only Wen Ning roaming just within the perimeter. This allowed for the privacy he needed to speak to Wei Ying. After everything that had happened, he hadn't found the right moment to tell Wei Ying about his parents. With the peace of the forest around them and with Wei Ying in a better state of mind, Lan Zhan sensed that it was a good time to tell the omega of Wen Ning's findings.

Their paws trod lightly over the soft ground and they ventured deep into the forest. The alpha nudged the black wolf with his snout when he stopped at a rabbit hole. The smaller wolf huffed his discontent but kept moving forward at his alpha's insistence. They stopped to take a drink near a small waterfall that was cascading down an overhang into a large pool of crystal-clear water. Within moments the black wolf was playfully barrelling into him. He nipped at the black wolf causing him to jump back. The alpha stood waiting, knowing the omega wasn't done yet. He watched as the smaller wolf sat back on his haunches with his tongue lolled out and head cocked to one side, staring innocently at the alpha.

Turning back to the stream to take a drink, the white wolf waited for the black wolf to pounce. He lapped at the water once and then again, and still the black wolf hadn't made a move. The alpha glanced over his shoulder with concern and he found the black wolf staring into the forest, ears facing forward trying to listen. His alpha instincts had him moving to stand in front of the smaller wolf. He raised his snout to sniff the air, the direction of the wind made it hard to smell anything but the omega and the pond behind him. His ears twitched but the waterfall overrode other sounds of the forest. However, something told him they were being watched and maybe even hunted.

Just as he lifted his muzzle to let out a howl, an arrow zipped by him. His howl turned into a ferocious growl as he heard the black wolf behind him yelp out in pain. He didn't have time to turn as wolves and humans came out of the forest in droves with jaws wide and weapons ready to strike. His jaws wrapped around the throat of the nearest wolf and he threw the body aside before launching at the next. From behind him the omega howled to call the guards and, in the distance, he heard an answering howl.

They were surrounded from all sides and the alpha fought to keep the enemy away from the injured omega. He was in the midst of tearing through one soldier when another pulled out a loaded crossbow and aimed it at the black wolf. He lunged but was a second too late, the crossbow fired and the smaller wolf was hit. He tore at the chest of soldier and turned to get back to the omega, but was pushed back by another set of wolves and soldiers with long spears. The alpha raged, he could see the omega had shifted back into his human form and was unconscious. He fought viciously to get to the black wolf, claws tearing and teeth ripping through flesh and fur. It barely registered that another wolf had joined into the fray fighting alongside him.

Soon more wolves joined him and enemy corpses outnumbered those of the living. When the last of those that attacked them were captured or killed, he shifted back to his human form ready to tend to Wei Ying's injuries. His eyes searched the area, thinking he was mistaken on where he had last seen the omega. He was sure this was the spot. Lan Zhan knelt down and studied the spot where he had last seen the omega lying unconscious. Confusion turned to fear when he saw the blood on the ground and human footprints surrounding the spot where Wei Ying had lain.

*****

Nie Huaisang was weary with concern. He'd never seen the emperor this angry and distraught in all the years that he had served. For a week the emperor had barely slept, refusing to leave the sight of the Autumn Hunt and scouring every inch of the forest for a sign of Wei Wuxian. He had finally been able to convince the emperor to return to Gusu to wait for the concubine's return. Once they had returned, more reinforcements were sent out in search of the omega. While soldiers were sent out, the emperor had busied himself investigating the traitors who allowed for the enemies to enter into the forest. Half a dozen Gusu soldiers were found amongst the corpses, bodies that had reverted back to their human form. It didn't help matters that Wen Ning had disappeared as well.