Tainted by Blood

Chapter Five

Chapter 5

It was the fifth day that Terulen had been out in this forest for.  It felt like he’d been out here for a lifetime. It was the third day that Lanyla and Andre had been taken. Terulen knew that the chances of finding them alive were dwindling. He couldn’t even comprehend the thought of finding them as skeletons. He wouldn’t allow that to happen.

Following Draken to this unknown location made Terulen feel like he was wasting what little time he had. Who knows where he is leading them? He knew he had to find that cabin. Terulen didn’t know what he’d do if he found the cabin empty. It was the only lead he had on how to find them. He didn’t know where else he’d look. But he did know that’d he’d never stop searching. Even if it meant getting himself captured by the skeletons.

It was still early in the morning; the sun was only just starting to rise over the tops of the scraggly trees. Clouds gathered angrily in the sky, blocking out the light. Terulen gazed at them anxiously. It looked as if it was going to rain. He hoped it wouldn’t. He would still trek through the forest in the rain, but it would make everyone much more miserable and dreary. They would also get covered in mud. Just the idea of it made Terulen groan.

Into the early hours of the morning, Terulen had been rudely awakened by Drake’s arrogant voice growling in his ear, demanding that they start moving. Terulen was glad to not be wasting any more time and to be on the move. He didn’t like Drake throwing orders at him though. Terulen watched the shaggy grey wolf leading the way through the desolate forest. Anna stuck close to his side. Terulen didn’t understand why Anna was so trusting towards him. She hadn’t moved from his side all morning. It was as if something would grab her if she moved an inch from him.

The air around them thickened as a foul stench blew towards them on the wind.  Terulen knew he had smelt that stench before, but he couldn’t quite figure out where.  It seemed the further they travelled north; the more horrid the forest became. The ground was dry and lifeless and the trees were black and brittle as if they would shatter with a single touch. Death seemed to loom around the place like a shadow unable to be casted away.

 Another breeze whistled past them, carrying the disgusting smell with it. It smelt like a cross between a dead animal and clothes that had never been washed. Terulen hoped fervently that they wouldn’t come across some creature’s body; he hoped even more that they wouldn’t come across anything that could leave a body in its wake. The stench was getting closer, so whatever was causing it must be nearby. Just as it hit him where he had smelt the horrible stench before, Anna shrieked.

“Troll!” Terulen should have known that scent straight away. When one had attacked the low lands, it had been the only thing that he had smelt for months. This one was different from the one that Terulen had encountered. It was a forest troll.

The forest troll was slowly ambling through the blackened trees. It was the height of about ten men standing on top of each other and walked with its back hunched over. Its skin was dark green with thick, black vines tangled around its arms and legs. Pieces of the vines dangled out to the sides, grabbing onto anything they touched. The forest troll had lanky arms that swayed from side to side when it walked and thin, long fingers with dangerous fingernails that looked as if they could take out a dragon with one swipe.

 “Anna, don’t make another noise.” Terulen whispered at her. The troll hadn’t seen them yet. If they were quiet enough, maybe they could escape its notice.            

Terulen knew there was no way that they could defeat a troll. He had seen how strong Drake was when he took down those two skeletons; however he knew that the troll was stronger. One swipe from it would send them sprawling. They had to be very careful.