Two of the Same

Chapter Sixteen *Brynn*

Everything had happened so fast, there was no way for Brynn to be sure that it was all real. Her head throbbed and she could feel something wet dripping down the back of her neck, the metallic tang of blood laced her mouth and she winced as her head bobbed up and down violently, in tempo with each step the person carrying her took. The dark forest floor went past her in a blur of dead leaves and broken branches; she couldn't manage to make her eyes focus properly. Her memory was fragmented, the pieces scurrying away from her searching grasp with each painful throb within her temple.

All she could remember was standing in the camp, watching Avian touch Gwyn's cheek with a gentleness that he had never shown her. She couldn't deny the flash of jealousy that crossed through her like lightning, fast and brilliant, jarring her senses. One moment she's standing there watching and the next it felt as though her head had been cleaved in two, pain coating every fiber of her being, her eyes losing sight to darkness for a few moments. The ground rushed up to meet her as she fell to the ground unable to summon the strength to command her limps anymore. She heard her brother yell her name from somewhere off to her right but she couldn't move her, head she was stuck starring forward and watching. Two black blurs had attacked Gwyn and Avian. One of them was fighting with Avian, Brynn watched as a fountain of blood erupted from Avian, a slash burying it's self deep into his chest. NO! she thought desperately watching him fall in slow motion to his knees, his eyes full of shock at the blindsided attack. She saw his skin shudder with the beginnings of the change, she knew all about his Lucian heritage and she had seen his wolf form many times before, he was even more beautiful in his wolf form then he already was in his human form. But the shrouded attack hit him, with inhuman force, upside the temple knocking him out cold. He fell heavily into the ground, his blood still flowing from his open wound and staining the dirt where he lay. Brynn could feel the tears prick at her eyes and she was left helpless, unable to do anything to help. The other figure had hold of Gwyn's arm pulling her off the back of her horse; frightened the poor creature reared up kicking out its heavy hooves. She struggled, much stronger than what Brynn would have given her credit for, she reached for the knife at her side, twirling it in her hand she tried to stab her attacker, there was no fear in her eyes just set determination. Whatever it was that had hold of her was too quick, it grabbed her arm with monstrous strength, knocking the blade out of her grip and making her cry out in pain. The other one glided over to the two, like a phantom it reached out and forced Gwyn's head back, exposing her neck, Brynn was sure that it was going to slit her throat but she found no amusement in the idea. Some sort of mist swirled around Gwyn, her struggles becoming weaker and weaker until finally they stopped and her head lolled unconscious. Brynn tried to pick herself up, to move, to do something to help her friends when suddenly she felt something dark come over her, a presence smother her thought, making them slow and sluggish. She fought against the intrusion trying to keep her senses, clear her thoughts.

"Be still sister, we're here to set you free, we're here to save you." A voice like silk

whispered through the air. Brynn was finally able to turn her head to see a woman, with hair like living fire and eyes deep and dark starring at her gently, she was beautiful and terrible all at once. Brynn wasn't sure if she should be awestruck or afraid.

"We're here to help you, you'll be safe from them, we won't let them touch you." She whispered her hand reaching out and her finger tips trailing down Brynn's cheek. She felt her eye lids get heavy, it felt like she was being drugged. She couldn't pull herself out of exhaustions grasp, she looked over at Gwyn to see two other women, looking just like the one standing in front of her, carrying Gwyn away back towards the forest and then everything was overpowered by the darkness and Brynn was gone.

Now Brynn could feel herself regaining her grip on reality, though her body was stiff and sore and her movements still groggy, she was able to lift her head just enough to look around. Her kidnapper's footsteps had slowed to a walk, allowing her enough time to asses her surroundings; she was in the forest that much she could tell, but it looked nothing like any kind of forest she had ever been in. There was something about the place, something different, magical almost. Brynn looked over and saw Gwyn hanging over the shoulder of a bear like creature, unconscious; her breath caught, the monster reminded her of a more monstrous version of Avian's Lucian form, it scared her. There was a peal of laughter that seemed to trickle down through the entire forest from the tree tops to the roots. She saw three flashes of red dancing through the darkness, fluid like molten lava, flowing freely amongst the trees but scorching nothing and everything in their path. It was the three women that had attacked their small group but by the looks of it Gwyn and herself were the only ones that had been taken captive; where were the others, were they alright? Were they dead? Brynn felt her mind spinning and all her thoughts were all circling back to Avian. Though she may hate him with almost every fiber of her being there was part of her that wanted nothing more than to know that he was alright and that in itself was aggravating enough. One of the woman danced their way back so that she was walking, more like twirling, in pace with the bear creature; she smiled into Brynn's face.