Into the Realm

Chapter Six: Within the Realm

"You mean to tell me there was another attack?"

The fire in the middle of the tent gave a pop, like it gave its own astonished remark mirroring the one just spoken, and sparks flashed as one of the logs fell over. Smoke rose and exited though the hole in the ceiling specifically designed for the release of the ghastly fumes. The smell of smoke stung eyes and noses. The sound of crickets echoed throughout the forest they were hidden in, and just outside the tent there was the faint glimmer of the different protection spells that stretched over the entire camp.

Red, lowering her hood, ignored the loud insects and nodded her head solemnly. She stood in the presence of the Leader of the Rebels, something only people of high power in the Rebellion could do. The Leader, the person who single handedly started the Silver Rebellion, lived in a tent made from strong silks all in different earthy colors that blended in with the forest around them. The tent was common as to what the other rebels lived in; sturdy, yet easy collapsible in case the rebels had to flee quickly. Originally it supposed to be temporary; now, permanent. The same went for the rebellion that started four years ago.

Three bookshelves dominated the corner of the tent that overflowed with different volumes and rolls of parchment: important documents, contracts, and tomes of history. The desk on the far side of the large tent was also covered in rolls of parchment: battle plans for the rebels written out by the Leader. There was a small pallet in the corner that looked like it had little use (rumor has it the Leader seldom slept, and that it was there for decoration) and there were three wooden chairs around the fire. Lanterns and candles littered any open surface, offering more flickering light besides the fire. Red could tell the Leader had another sleepless night just by a glance of the open bottle of wine next to the fire.

Red had just gotten back from the forest with her Wolf where they narrowly escaped from a warrior from the Silver Queen's side. The Wolf liked to have frequent training sessions in the forest with Red to keep her hunting and tracking skills well exercised. The warrior, a wolf who was a bright silver, a tell tale sign of being under control of the Silver Queen, tried to kill Red. She was forced to defend herself using her bow, and when the warrior was dead they rushed back to the campsite as fast as she and the Wolf could to the Leader's quarters.

Her injury, a deep gash on her upper arm, had significantly hindered the use of her left side. The Wolf had to carry her on his back from the middle of the forest to the Leader's tent so Red could be Healed. After all, the Leader happened to be a magic-user-- she was a Healer.

Red cleared her throat awkwardly as she held out her arm for the Leader to look at.

"It was just one creature this time. Silver. It came from the Queen." She hooked a piece of brown hair behind her ear with her good arm and nervously patted the Wolf next to her. She kept her posture straight and her face even straighter. She was taught to leave her emotions at the flap of the tent when she had to give a report from the field, even when she was terrified of what was to come. There was no telling what the Leader would say about her attack.

The Leader took Red's arm and started to unwrap the gash the Silver Warrior had made and looked at the Wolf, clearly appalled. "Is this true, Wolf? Your own kin attacked you?" She shook her head. "This means the Queen is ready to manipulate more than just families. Now she wants entire beings to turn against each other."

"Yes, madam," the Wolf said in his deep rumble of a voice. "It's true."  He sat straight up as well, mimicking Red. She rubbed behind his ears in his sweet spot and he visibly fought to keep his eyes open. "Perhaps we should think of doing more than just sporadic attacks at the edge of their camps. This war will only get worse if we don't do anything. We need to make our presence known."