An Eternal Wintre

Chapter 21

Cain wears all black, strapping a sword at each hip and a dagger to his upper arm. Lothian is dressed the same, but only wearing a dagger. The rest of the clan that are coming with him to the castle tonight are all in black as well, hidden daggers somewhere on their bodies. They'll change appropriately on the way there.

Lothian doesn't waste any time in shifting. A hawk soars from the cave high in the sky and fast for the castle to scope it out for them all. Quinn's already in position, waiting outside Anai's door for her to get ready and dressed.

When Corax came to speak with Cain about Anai questioning things, he was nervous. He needed her on his side or everything would turn south. He's already nauseous from the thought of Yulis helping. If Anai went to the other side against him, he doesn't know if he could kill her. Not because she's strong, but because she's special to him.

As he paces his room and tucks the map Anai drew for him in his pocket, somebody knocks on his door. "Enter," he barks, suddenly grumpy. A lanky girl walks in, eyes wide, hair pulled back like the rest.

"He's here," she says and backs out of the room to let him pass.

Cain walks slowly to the main room, wanting to make Yulis wait for once. When he sees the young man by himself, he loses some nerve. Yulis smiles widely, specks of dried blood and bits of flesh stuck in his teeth. "Ah! Cain it's so good to see you after so long!" He runs up to Cain, making the clan go to their weapons or shift halfway. All he does is hug Cain in a large embrace and pat his shoulder roughly before stepping back. "Said ya needed my help. Well, I'm here now aren't I?" His eyes were wild.

Cain cracks his neck as his canines lengthen. He's never trusted Yulis all that much. He's too reckless and bloodthirsty to count as a trustworthy battle partner, but Cain had nowhere else to turn. "Where's the rest of your clan White Tiger?" he spits out. Yulis smiles and skips out past the waterfall entrance. Reluctantly, Cain follows, along with several of his clansmen.

Dozens of shape shifters, some in their human states others shifted, all wait around the pool. Yulis walks up to one girl in particular, half of her body shifted into a serpent's. "Rem, I'd like you to meet my good friend Cain." He motions towards Cain with now clawed fingers. "I want all of you to mind your manners and be polite in his territory." Some laugh sneakily, making Cain growl.

"You are in my land now southern clan, so you better listen."

"We don't listen to no north clan!" someone hollers. They all laugh. He roars loudly, silencing them.

"Enough!"

As they calm down, Corax lands on Cain's shoulder and reviews the other clan. Suik norma. Not much are they? she says to him. Some of them growl at her.

At the presence of Corax, Yulis grows pale and nervous. His clansmen whine at their leader's sudden discomfort. Corax flies off Cain's shoulder to shift. The smile she gives Yulis is one that reeks of death. "Hello there young Yulis. It's been quite a while no?" she says.

His teeth sharpen as he feigns politeness. "Quite." He closes himself off and shifts.

Cain shifts and howls. The others join him in their natural forms and they all make their way for the castle, Yulis and Rem the only ones from the southern clan joining them.

***

Anai's dressed herself in a cobalt blue-colored dress with white shoes and white lace through her braided hair that she's pulled to the side. She admires her appearance in the mirror then straps on a hidden dagger under her skirts. The cold metal of it tickles her colder skin.

She finds Quinn waiting for her outside the door, all dressed in armor, a sword strapped at the hip. "Ready?" he asks. She nods, knowing he doesn't mean for the ball. The scouting.