The Captive

Chapter 23: Which Witch Is Which

Vasilisa's POV

There were a few problems with my plan.

#1: It was freaking nighttime.

#2: I didn't know where the hell they were.

#3: If I was caught sneaking around in the forest, at night, alone, with a spell book that had the exact spell used to kill Kendra...there's a good chance that wolves without better knowledge of my relationship with their alpha wouldn't wait to ask questions, and would attack me in hopes of revenging their fallen comrade.

So, in theory, at any given moment, I could be killed.

As I gave myself this little pep-talk, I made sure to light the candle in my hand. I was already in the forest, and there was no turning back now.

I figured the most obvious place to check would be the sight of the crime. I had an idea as to where that was at, but not an exact location.

I was stumbling through the woods in my long heavy skirt and I knew I was just making a racket. I cursed, sticking the candle between my teeth before quickly grasping the ends of my skirt and pulling them up to tie them in a knot. It exposed a lot of my legs and would possibly give yet another reason to the growing list I was accumulating this evening of things Scar could scold me for.

Tying up my skirt helped me to be quieter and less clumsy, but that only left more silence to be filled with strange noises.

The woods weren't this loud during the day. I told myself that if a bush rattled, it was just a bunny. Or if a branch cracked, it was just a doe and her fawn, settling down for the night. You'd think if I could string along the majority of a village into thinking I was a man for at least a month that I would be a better liar, but no. I couldn't fool myself into thinking the odd and end sounds were so harmless.

I knew I had to be getting closer to the border when the trees began dispersing.

The founders of our village perfectly planted trees along our border. Though some have still produced children just outside the border, expanding it, it was still relatively round. Beyond was a large expanse of tall grass that went on for miles and miles.

I'd looked at a map once and saw that our town kind of looked like a bubble of forest. There were many trees running from around our village and to Valkaria, and also along the way to Dentrow.

I saw many lights in the distance and that assured me I was going in the right direction. I followed the light and stopped when I felt like I was intruding. I blew out my candle instead of snapping, not wanting to disturb the gathering.

Beasts, both in wolf form and human form were lined around Scar, listening to him as he spoke. His voice rang out, powerful and calm as he talked about life after death.

"Lives are lost in tough times like these. Sometimes we knew the person they once were, but other times they are just a face in the line of many. Though we might not of known Kendra personally, she was part of our pack, part of our family." He said.

I gave a little smile. He was so confident and comfortable. He was a leader.

He was also naked. That helped.

Part of me wanted to cover him from everyone else, because he was mine and mine alone, but then again, they were all naked too.

"A young woman once told me, that no matter who you are or what you've done, at the end of the day, you are someone's child. You are someone's parent or sibling. You are someone's friend. We gather here today not to mourn Kendra's death, but to celebrate her life. In her honor we will commence the hunt." Many calls were let loose as well as many howls.