From Ashes and Snow

The Night Howls

Chapter Six: The Night Howls

Much to Kohen's delight, we did get a chance to have breakfast. The Captain spooned out a helping into four bowls and handed them off, grumbling something about rations that I didn't even bother listening to. The sight of the food sent a spasm straight through my stomach and I realised then how ravenous I was.

We sat around the fire outside the Captain's tent, eating breakfast while Fyr warded the space around us against spying ears. My long legs were spread out in front of me, my brow knotted intensely as spooned the gruel in my bowl.

"Here," Kohen held out a hand to me and I looked up. Balancing on his slim hand were a small pile of frost-berries. The sight was enough to rattle me and for a moment, it wasn't Kohen holding them out but Kendon. He had always known I loved them and whenever we went hunting together, he would trapeze off to get some for me to 'keep my mood from souring'.

It was grief curling my gut this time. I smothered it, flashing Kohen a brittle, thankful smile and dropped them into my gruel. The Captain watched the exchange silently, his gaze flickering from me, to Kohen and then to the camp beyond so often that I wondered if he ever relaxed properly.

"We're warded." Fyr sat down on an upturned stone with a rough sigh.

"Tell us – what do you know of who attacked Dratlan?" The Captain leaned forward, his hands planted on his knees.

"Whoever attacked Dratlan is either not human, or an un-naturally strong caster." I knotted my hands, swallowing loudly. "The Paladin Commander and Mentor Lhokin, I think, knew that he might be coming to the Keep but they never told us anything."

A surprising flood of bitterness washed through me. If the Mentors knew something was going to happen, then why didn't they warn us? We had been taken completely by surprise. The alarms had rung too late. Our sensors in the valley should have alerted us well before those creatures arrived.

My gaze flicked between the three of them. "Mentor Lhokin and Commander Whitely planned to send out a group of us to retrieve what was left of the Paladins in the valley. There was a storm rolling in and they worried you would be lost..."

My fists curled, while a sharp lump lodged itself in my throat. That felt like only yesterday when we were instructed to search for the Paladins. Fyr was the fire Magister that they thought Kendon would impress. It swamped me, clawing and shredding my insides, the mental pain of grief so strong that I thought it was just curl into myself and melt into nothing.

"I need -" I stood hurriedly, my eyes pricking with unshed tears. Shame was chasing my grief- at how I couldn't control myself in front of these strangers.

No one said anything, no one stopped me thankfully as I retreated back to the safety of the out-house.

≻≺

Kohen held the reins of a gorgeous mare with a smooth bay coat. There was wildness in her eyes, her strong body shuddering as she watched me approach with her head held high. I held out a hand to her, letting her take in the scent of me, and letting the magic of my blood wash over her to comfort her.

"She likes you," Kohen rubbed a hand down her thick neck, smiling softly. "I thought she would."

The mare let me touch her, making soft noises as I brushed my hand down her smooth coat. There wasn't much to smile about – there was nothing actually, but I could never turn away an animal.

"What is her name?" I asked softly.

Kohen's ears were turning, one turned towards the camp and one towards me. "Her name is Arrow. She takes a strong hand to handle, but she runs fast and true."