Ashes

Iorek

"A few years have passed since the day I lost everyone to the Wolf Men. The Cassia Wolf Men. Isn't Cassia a spice?.. It must taste like blood. I still get nightmares from what happened. Me and Ryu found a den to take shelter in these past few weeks. He's been helping me hunt and provide warmth. But it's damp and cold in here. I hate it. I want my home back."

I close my journal and set it on the grass and leaf bed I made myself. I push back the vines hanging from the opening to the den and walk out. My now long dark hair is in knots and full of twigs. I pick a leaf out and sit on a mossy rock. I hold my face in my hands and sigh.

I want to go home.

I hear Ryu up in the trees above me. The branches creak under his weight. He jumps down and comes to me carrying a sizable bird. I ruffle his fur and take it from him. The beautiful feathers shine greens and blues at me. I sigh again and set it beside me.

I wonder what you feel when death comes for you.

Images flash through my head. My mothers face, my friends mangled bodies, the blood. The Wolf Men. The grey fur tinted with blood. Their musty smell. My attackers wolf mask, with that large scar across one eye. They were warriors from the other tribe. I've seen them before when I was a little girl.

"Who are they momma? They look scary!" I remember my mom grabbing me in fear when she saw them. "They are bad people my flower. Stay away from them. They won't show even you mercy".

I'm pulled from my thoughts when I hear Ryu's deep growl. I take my hands from my face and look at him. He's hunched over and staring into the woods with his fur on edge. I look around for my weapon and remember I left it by my bed. Crunching sounds become audible from my left and I panic. I grab my emergency dagger from a pouch inside my leather boot and take stance. As the sounds get closer I grip my weapon tighter. Ryu inches in front of me and stands guard. The sounds stop and I can see a figure between the thick vines.

"Come out and face me!" I call out to it. The figure takes a step forward and stops. I take a step forward as well causing Ryu to take one with me. I glance down at him. His body is partially sideways, shielding me.

If that figure fires, I could have a chance to duck and hide behind him.

The figure emerges slowly, revealing a young man. His wavy, short, auburn brown hair glistens in the light beam shining through the trees down onto us. I raise my weapon and he waves a hand to me. His dark eyes study me.

"The weapon isn't needed, I'm not here to harm you." His voice is rough and deep.

I glare at him and keep my weapon as is. He walks towards me and stops when Ryu lets out a threatening roar. He looks down at Ryu and then back up at me. "Does he belong to you?"

"He belongs to nobody." I reply, "He does as he wishes. I demand you back away or I can not control what he will do to you." He raises his hands and backs up.

"I just want to talk, trust me, I'm not going to hurt you." He repeats, gesturing to make Ryu back off.

I squint at him and nudge Ryu to make him sit.

"Come, sit." I point at a boulder with my dagger. The man slowly walks over and sits down. Ryu stares down his every move and sits at my side. "You're going to answer my questions" I tell him sternly, lowering my weapon. " if you do not oblige," I gesture to my Panther, "he will not hesitate to rip your throat out." The man nods. "How did you find me." I ask him.

"I heard someone crying last night in that den", he nods to my temporary home behind me. "I came by to check it out but I was scared off by him. I figured I'd come back tomorrow to see if, who I presume was you, was okay." I bite the inside of my cheek.

"What's it to you if I'm alright, where are you from. Who are you?" I demand with a raised voice.

"I'm Iorek, I'm a warrior from a camp just down the river."

I take a step back and feel my face drain of blood when he utters the word camp.

Ive been that close to a camp for this long. They could've killed me in my sleep.

He must've seen my face go pale Because he quickly says, "I'm not here to hurt you, I'm here to see if you needed an actual place to stay."

I shake my head and glare at him. Ryu senses the tension and rises to a stand. Staring Iorek down. "Leave!" I demand him as I back towards my den.

He rises confused. "I'm not going to hurt you I swear." His voice becomes desperate.

I start to shake and turn my back.

A camp that close to me. I thought this place was secure.

I feel a sudden hand on my arm, I jump and turn around. I'm now face to face with Iorek. He rubs my arm. "I'm not here to do anything but take you with me to a safer place, i see you're afraid but there's no need to be afraid." He pushes my dagger that I instinctively brought up to his neck with the back of his hand. "I can tell you've been out here awhile. Come with me to my camp."

I look down at Ryu.

We do need a real home.

I look back at Iorek and nod. "I'll go with you" He half-smiles as I go into my den and gather my belongings.

Note:
I've been getting questions on how to say Ioreks name and it's just said like (yure-ick)