Falling Shadows (The Ellocea chronicles) [#Wattys2016]

Twenty three

Lyla slowed as they entered the edges of the village, snorting into the mist that had descended over the huts. An eery silence had filled the air and her heart rate had quickened in her chest, thumping loudly like the beat of a drum. She almost didn't recognise the village from the last time she had been there, she heard no children playing, no mothers talking and no laughing fathers, she heard nothing but her own shaking breath.

As the mist cleared slightly it took a while for her streaming eyes to register what they were seeing. Not a single hut stood untouched, their roofs collapsed, straw strewn all over the dry dirt paths, blowing around in the breeze that whipped her face. Some huts were just a mound of clay crumbs and others barely stood with holes gouged out of their sides; it was as if a giant rock had gone rolling through the village, destroying everything in its path and leaving no survivors.

Her nose tingled and her throat stung as she realise that smoke was mingling with the mist and her stomach twisted as she saw a pile of charred remains where a hut once stood.

Akillah dismounted Lyla, her hopes of finding safety here, squashed like the hut she stood next to. She wandered around the broken skeleton of the village, trying not to look to closely at the ominous red splatters that painted the walls and floor, or at the charred pieces of wood that seemed to pale and smooth; detaching herself so that she wouldn't become consumed by the overwhelming cloud of despair that hung over her.

She walked further into the village the smokey mist thickening and playing tricks on her, making a fallen wall look like an elderly man, or a small hay pile look like a young child until she'd rush towards them to find an unmoving pile of debris. Once she found her way to the street on which, only a few days ago, she'd watched the procession, she gave up. Barely noticing the jarring pain as her knees crashed to the ground, no longer able to support herself. Her body felt as if it was made of stone, too heavy to carry itself and too exhausted to try. The cloudy feeling of exhaustion she'd woken up with returned with full force and the world began to spin again violently. She didn't even have the energy to cry, she just sat there, in the choking mist and deafening silence waiting for it to end. 

Just as she was about to let her eyes fall shut, she felt the steamy warmth of Lyla's breath on the back of her neck. She'd almost forgotten that she was there. Like light at the end of the tunnel Lyla nuzzled her back and a loving tear trickled down Akillah's face. Stumbling as she tried to stand, Lyla leaned down with her strong neck and supported the trembling girl to a nearby pile of rubble that Akillah could use as a mounting block. Akillah almost laughed with gratitude, falling onto Lyla's back gripping her mane with all the strength she could muster, making the world spin even more and bile rise up in her throat with the herby metallic taste that has returned. Lyla, seemingly satisfied that Akillah wouldn't tumble off her back carried the broken girl away from the ruin and destruction in search of safety. 

A/N Sorry that I update so irregularly I just really struggle to find a time that works every week. Also I know that my chapters are fairly short this one especially but at the moment this is what I think works the best for this story. Vote and comment if you like it x