The Nightwalker

Chapter 1

Lena woke up to the sound of howling. Her hands immediately sought the knife under her pillow as the sound grew louder, more incessant. It wasn't a normal howl, it was as though someone was calling her, and then out of nowhere, its significance hung lightly in her consciousness. The howling became more pronounced and Lena's face broke into a grin.

She positioned on her elbows to get a better look at the room. The orphans, twelve of them, were all sleeping on their respective hammocks; jam-packed like sardines at the state of the small chamber. Lena, being the oldest at seventeen, had more room to herself. She slipped out soundlessly,  her feet instinctively avoided the clutter of children's books spread across the floor.

She changed into the first trousers and shirt she found in her drawer, which had the insignia of a red fern just like on her other clothes. On her bedside table, her makeshift glasses laid next to her only cloak. She grabbed both articles, slid the items on her body, and tiptoed outside. Once she reached the door, Lena broke into a run.

Redfern Rock, or simply the Rock, was one of the few colonies near the Black Sea. It housed a modest number of orphans and elders, both who were either too young or too old to be cared for by the Citadel. It was also surrounded by mountains that ran around the colony like a barricade. The mountains weren't as cold as the sea, but they hosted small meat eaters on its trees, just waiting for a fool to stumble in. Redfern Rock was a sanctuary, but its topography reminded Lena of a place left forgotten by the higher-ups and the only way they could survive was through their skills alone.

As soon as Lena felt the gravel turned into earth, she smiled. The howls were louder in the mouth of the mountain and they echoed throughout the area. Lena trekked slowly, her eyes flitting side by side just in case crawlers snuck on her feet. She navigated on her left, ears perked up to the sound of the howling, which had turned louder. In a blink of an eye, Lena found herself on the ground, a massive weight collided on her back with a loud oof, flecks of spittle trickled down on her face. She almost screamed, but the reaction died as soon as she remembered that there were no wolves on Redfern Rock.

"Bane," Lena panted and turned around. She shielded her face against the drooling maw of the wolf. "Ow, get off."

Bane let out a cheerful howl, his large tongue swiped Lena across the head, covering it with slobber. Bane was technically a wolf, but the Citadel domesticated his kind, which ultimately led to his small size. Bane wasn't used to the wildlife, and if Lena was being honest, he was too gentle and charming. She couldn't imagine Bane running around like a wild beast.

"You need a hand?" A familiar voice said, not bothering to hide the mocking tone.

"Hang on, I got this." Lena wrestled the wolf to the ground. She wrapped her hands around Bane's hairy neck and pressed hard. The wolf let out a defeated sound, swayed, and finally played dead in her arms. Bane was an excellent actor.

"Ha!" Lena exclaimed. "That took what? Less than ten minutes?"

"Thirteen actually," Thane scoffed at the reply. "You froze when he attacked you, and basically spent ten trekking the mountain."

"Not my best then?" Lena asked, curious.

"Could be worse, but who am I to tell the Valerian princess that she isn't in her form?"

Lena laughed and looked at the woman in front of her. Thane was a soldier in her late twenties, the proof that humankind could produce a gifted and compassionate leader without the blessing of the All-Mother. She wasn't tall, but her lean frame packed muscles, a telltale sign that the woman could probably take her —no, anyone—down in a hand-to-hand combat. Thane's freckled face looked slightly intimidating because of her flaming red hair that reached the back of her shoulder, and the scar on her cheek, which probably had been broken at some time in the past. All in all, Thane looked like the poster child for the Guild, which she probably was. Lena wasn't sure since Thane was a brooding closed book.