The She wolfs Return

Chapter Ten

Colette couldn't sleep. It was cold and the storm raging outside kept her on a nerve. She'd been tossing and turning for hours now, who knew what time of night it was now. Eventually, she just gave in and sat up, staring out at the unrelenting storm as a bolt of lightening flashed somewhere off in the distance. Ari sensed her restlessness and sat up sleepily. "Everything alright over there?" he called. "Couldn't sleep she said calmly watching the trees blow and their branches dance in the windy storm. Ari went over and sat beside her. "Something on your mind?" "What do you think happened to Arawn?" she asked without looking a him. Ari paused for a moment. "Ah you now Arawn It would take more than a few assassins to take him out especially if hes not sober" he joked lightheartedly, nudging her gently. She smirked. "I really hope we manage to get out of these woods soon they never seem to end " "I know but they have to eventually right?" he said. "Yeah I guess you're right" she agreed. Ari threw a friendly arm around her shoulders much to her surprise. "Don't worry Colette everything will be fine, It'll all work out" he said reassuringly. She smiled and put her own arm around him. "I'm sure it will" The two stayed up watching the storm for most of the night until their bodies gave into exhaustion and they fell asleep.

Colette rolled over and felt a warm body beside her. She slowly and sleepily opened her eyes to find herself lying in Ari's arms. "Well this looks cosy" a strange voice suddenly said. Before Colette could register this there was a huge metal blade pointed at her neck and a tall massive dark shadow above her. The morning sun blocking her vision from seeing who it was.  She nudged Ari in the side to wake him up. He froze instantly upon opening his eyes. The tall large shadow moved slightly blocking the sun that was blinding Colette's vision. She could now see there oppressors face. She was shocked. "Oh my God Arawn ! You're alive!" He smirked and removed the metal blade from her throat allowing her to sit up but kept the blade on Ari. Ari looked terrified and Arawn didn't look pleased at all.

"So first you betray us then you try weasel your way back on her side by pulling a move on her eh? I should chop your head off right here and now!" he yelled furiously. "Arawn stop this you don't understand!" Colette pleaded. "Its not like that" "I know he betrayed us! I know hes the reason half the village was burnt to the ground,  the reason many children are now orphaned!!!!" he protested. "Look I had nothing to do with that I came here to get Colette !" Ari shouted panickedly. "Arawn please before you go decapitating anyone give him a chance to explain what happened, Its only fair" Colette pleaded with him calmly. Arawn looked at Colette and then back at Ari who's neck was at the edge of his blade. He grunted and slowly removed the blade from Ari's throat before sheathing it. "Fine, but if I don't believe you, you die." he snarled at him. "Seems reasonable" Colette agreed. Ari sighed "Look I came here to convince Colette to come back so innocent lives would be saved, But the master obviously didn't trust me to do it so he sent those assailants that night to burn down the village and probably kill both me and Colette. My mission was to...to bring back her head but I never had any intention on doing that I thought I could convince her to come back and they could work out something and if not I was going to tip her off and help her flee the country." I had nothing to do with that attack that night  and you can believe me or not because that's the truth" Ari confessed.

Arawn looked at Colette for reassurance. "Is that the truth?" "Well he left out the part about killing me" she said unimpressed. Arawn growled at Ari moving closer hand on the pommel of his blade. "Okay yes I left that part out  originally because I thought you'd get mad and I needed you t hear me out but I was never going to do it and I didn't isn't that whats more important?" he challenged. "And how do we know that you didn't just cower out last second, your boss found out and sent real assassins to do the job?" Arawn retorted. Ari cracked. "Because, why would I do it when I despise them! Maybe just maybe Colette isn't the only one who wanted to escape!" he yelled. The forest was dead silent. Finally the truth came out. Again Arawn looked to Colette for some inclination if he was telling the truth. Colette's expression was unchanging almost like she wasn't surprised. "I've been waiting to hear that ever since you first showed up. I'm no fool Ari I knew exactly why you were showed up in the first place. I knew you were here to kill me. I knew my plan had failed and that the master had probably sent you. I was actually surprised that you didn't kill me that first night. When you failed to do so I knew something was up that perhaps your loyalty to them had somehow changed." Arawn relaxed a little at this. Colette and Ari shared a look of acceptance. "So now what?" Ari asked quietly. "Well you two look like  a bunch of scrawny street urchins I suggest you come back to the village with me and we get the two of you cleaned up and work from there." "Is there even anything left of Ravenstone?" Colette asked. A devious smile spread across Arawns face. "Those from Ravenstone have been around for longer than wed like to admit you'll find us to be a very hardy people".