Grimm Fantasies: Cinder Princess

Warmth

   "W-wait we aren't going to hurt you!" Ashley gasped out, trying to put herself between them and Naiya who stood frozen, staring at the group with wide eyes filled with fear. The woman with long blonde hair, who held the crossbow, dropped her aim without hesitation. Ashley let out a shaky breath feeling Naiya grab a hold of the back of her dress. The white wolf narrowed its eyes at Ashley and lowered its head.

   "What are you doing out here?"

   "W-we...uh..." Ashley's mind locked up for a moment. She shook her head and glanced back towards where the burning building still crackled with fire. "The whole place exploded and..." She looked back to the group to see them staring at each other as if something had just dawned on them.

   "Did we..." The man being held bridal style by the other man gasped out.

   "Haven, no we..." The woman started but drifted off looking back to Ashley and Naiya. "How many others were there locked inside." Ashley realized then from their reaction that these four were most likely the cause of the explosions, and they hadn't even considered the people trapped inside.

   "I don't know; there were two others with us." Ashley said and glanced over to Naiya, her eyes never left the group. "They didn't make it." The man being held turned his head, burying his face in the other man's shoulder and mumbled something. The six of them stood their staring at each other for a moment, something in the burning building made another explosion that shook the ground.

   "We need to get out of here, it's not safe." The woman with the crossbow said. She looked over Ashley and Naiya, "You're coming with us." The white wolf whimpered then. "There's no time to argue Mara." She scolded the wolf before looking back to Ashley, "I'm Karen, that's Mara," She motioned to the white wolf, Ashley frowned at the name, it sounded familiar but only just a little bit.  "And these two are Hunter and Haven." She pointed to the two men.

   "Ashley," She said motioning to her-self; the white wolf's head snapped up and looked at Ashley staring at her wide eyed with surprise. Ashley paid it no mind. "Naiya," She then pointed to the Siren who waved. Karen nodded and they moved out, heading away from the complex.

   "I'm sorry," Haven said after a short while, "I didn't- We didn't know that...If we had we would have-"

   "Don't apologize," Ashley said in a stern voice, "They're better off dead with the place burned to the ground then to still be locked up and tortured every day. I would have chosen death then spend one more day in that hell." Ashley looked at Haven, "You did them a service." She looked him in the eye, those crystal clear blue orbs tugged at her heart, like he was someone familiar or maybe he was a kindred spirit. Either way, Ashley felt at ease with him around.

   Karen led them out of the woods, Ashley and Naiya trailing behind. Karen stayed close to them; she kept glancing at Ashley as if she wanted to say something but never got the nerve to say it. Ashley thought it might have been a good idea to leave, when she mentioned it Karen wouldn't listen. Demanding Ashley stay close by, Naiya was free to go but Ashley was forbidden. For some strange reason Ashley stood her ground, despite her worries about staying. Something about the way Karen spoke made Ashley timid towards her.

   They headed to Haven's home, or at least had planned to before Hunter stopped and pointed out the white wolf, Mara, was still a wolf. After some argument it was decided that they needed to head home to pack some things if Haven's parents were there then things would have to be explained regardless if there was a white wolf following or not.

   Ashley and Naiya watched as the others argued, squabbling over who should go into the house they were currently staring down as if they were getting ready for a jewel heist. Eventually, after much debate and arguing they all headed inside. They had keys to unlock the door, which surprised Ashley; she'd thought they'd been planning on breaking into a stranger's house.