An Eternal Wintre

Chapter 10

All over Lutenia, something shifts as shape shifters pillage and destroy villages, murdering more people and coming ever closer to the capital of Alua. Closer to the king and his heir.

Cain grumbles as he traces paths of burned down villages and where clans are moving to next. At the rate they're going, they'll soon arrive in Alua through the Rein Forest and trample right on through his domain. Cracking his neck, he pushes back from the map and growls low in his throat. "Bloody beasts don't know when they're gonna lose," he mutters.

Running a clawed hand through his hair, he turns to look at the girl lying asleep in his bed. It's not the first time he's had a girl in his bed and it's not the first time he's had Anai sleep in his bed either, but having her sleep in it now as a woman makes him feel reckless and something in the pit of his stomach twists, making him go hard as he watches her turn her back to him, her nightshirt exposing her pale back.

Watching a girl sleep wasn't going to help Cain any better. Giving up on his work, he gets up and pulls a blanket to cover Anai before leaving her to rest.

He stands over his desk, the candle flame flickering across his exposed chest, the silver of the dog tag glaring in the dull light. Taking it off from around his neck, he looks at the line where he carved in his name. Carve your name here, and see, mine's right above the line where yours will go! The voice of a young Anai flits through his mind from distant times. Clenching the tag in his fist, he opens a drawer and stuffs it under papers.

Never has he seen a new clan member so tired and exhausted after the ceremony. The symbol is that of power and death, mostly for show; but the blood was something entirely different. Lore says that when shifters exchange blood, they gain strength and even the powers of that shifter; no matter how little it may be something is transferred. Cain didn't drink from Anai in fear that she would collapse from gaining his blood but losing hers and the fact that she's not a normal shape shifter.

Clan members prepare for the attack, many already transformed, even the children are ready. Humans would call them heathens and ruthless killers for making children kill and fight but they're the ones that enjoy the carnage the most. "Everyone knows the plan?" he shouts to them. They all nod one way or another and the last few humans transform. Cain goes over the plan anyways for posterity. "The young ones will transform into normal kids and act weak like regular human children. From there, when trust is gained, they will shift and kill or wound the helper. After that, the adults have free reign but remember to only kill the villagers present and those in the way. Wouldn't want you all getting too out of hand." They laugh at this and Cain shifts to his natural form before leading them out from behind the waterfall.

His legs are strong and his movements quick and precise as he leads them all to a village close by. Garnak Village lies just on the opposite side of the Hully River at the edge of the Rein Forest and trapped also between the Snaring Sea. They're an easy target and an important port town for Lutenia.

Lutenia is not the only land but it is the largest. It's connected to one other land known as Ulikar which is to the south. It's a tropical place that's separated by the cold lands of Lutenia with a copse of large mountains known as The Passage. They're hard to trek over but not impossible. Traders and desperate merchants travel through them mostly. Other islands dot the Snaring Sea and Garin Sea, to the south and north. These lands are the best to trade with but keep to themselves. Lutenia is cut off but is the ruler of the entirety of the lands.

Garnak Village is mere minutes from the clan's settlement and it takes only minutes to arrive to the little port town. Cain separates the kids and the youngest of them shift to human form and limp into houses closest to the forest. Let the blood rain.