Kore soon found out that I was hard to track. He began to get frustrated; my trail went just about everywhere, sometimes even backtracking. He managed to keep to the trail though, keeping as steady of a pace as he could so I wouldn’t get too far ahead. The dark grey cat couldn’t help but be slightly worried. If I was this hard to track, who knew how hard I would be to catch, especially since there was only one of him, and not a large patrol. It was beginning to get lighter, making it much easier to find the trail I had left, however little there was of it.
Suddenly he held his breath and stopped in his tracks, his ears pricked and his eyes wide as he saw me in plain view. My back was to him, so he leaped quietly into the cover of the forest foliage, watching me for a moment. The dark cat gave a look of confusion. My beautiful face looked rueful, and tears were twinkling in my orange eyes.
Shouldn’t she be happy? She escaped from certain death! “Hmmm.....” Kore stood up, taking a few deliberate steps out into the clearing.
I jumped in surprise, whipping around as I heard him. The tears quickly left my eyes as my face suddenly twisted into a snarl. “Get away from me.”
The dark grey cat stopped, swallowing nervously, then set his jaw determinedly, taking a few more steps forward. “Come easy, Whitefire, and I won’t have to hurt you.”
Hissing, I lashed out at him, my claws ripping across his cheek as I leaped forward, pinning him to the ground with my hand pressed against his throat. “Did you really think that would convince me?” I growled. “Where is the rest of the patrol to help you? It looks like you’re alone to me.”
Kore coughed, the sweet taste of his own blood filling his mouth. “I was sent alone.” He took a rough breath in, only to start choking painfully because of the weight I was putting on his throat.
Narrowing my eyes, I leaned forward slightly, my mouth close to his ear. “You had better not be lying.” I let go of him and stood up, the grass rustling softly as I stepped away from him.
The dark grey cat sat up, spitting blood onto the ground, his body shaking slightly. He looked up at me with his green eyes. “Gustaf said if I didn’t come back with you he would kill me.”
I snorted, rolling my eyes. “Then don’t go back. It’s quite simple, really.” I walked a few steps, turning my back to him, which I guess was a bad idea on my part because as soon as I did I found myself shoved to the ground and pinned down.
The blood from Kore’s cheek dripped into the grass beside my head as he leaned over me. “I’m not giving up that easily.” he hissed.
He grabbed my hands, about to put the cuffs on, but I managed to knee him in the stomach before he could lock them. Grunting in pain, he fell to the ground beside me, and I leaped to my feet, running.
I looked behind to see if he was following me, but he was still trying to get up. Of course, every time I look away from where I’m going I happen to run into something. “Oof.” I looked up, rubbing my head, to see Mauriz standing quietly over me, his green eyes hard as stone. My stomach tightened and I swallowed hard as he grabbed my arm, helped me up, and began walking straight to Kore.
Kore angrily dusted himself off and waited for the grey wolf to come, thinking Mauriz was bringing me to him. He reached his hand out for me, but quickly found himself in the same predicament as I was.
Growling to himself, Mauriz practically drug us out of the meadow and back into the protection of the forest.
Kore was definitely much more surprised than I was about the whole thing and began trying to struggle away from Mauriz’s tight hold on his arm. “What are you doing? Let go of me, you idiot!”
Mauriz’s nose was suddenly in Kore’s face, snarling. “Say that again and I’ll kill you on the spot.”
The dark grey cat cowered in fear, his eyes wide. He nodded silently, wincing as Mauriz pulled even more tightly on his arm.
After a moment or two of walking- I should have waited longer, I think- I decided to open my mouth. “Mauriz? Why did you come and find me again?”
The grey wolf’s face twisted into a snarl, but he didn’t look at me, which made me feel more than relieved.
I guess the confines of the castle was soon to be my fate once again.
