Magics Academy : Divine Warrior

Chapter 40 : A Night Of Survival

H A N N A H

The train slowly stopped and they all disembarked. They were so engrossed in talking or sleeping that they didn't notice that piles of snow had covered the terrain all around them. The trees were covered in glistening white and piles of snow were seated upon the roof of the train station they were in. It was also already daytime.

They shivered, it was very cold, that was for sure. "Where to next?" I asked.

Mrs. Diat rubbed her chin. "We'll need a ride to the Northern Meadows. I have money, it'll be more than enough to buy some horses."

We all nodded, except Veronica. "What's the matter, Veronica?" Her mother asked.

Veronica looked at the ground shyly. "I-I don't exactly know how to ride a horse." She whispered.

"Me too." Daniel confessed.

"Same" Kacey sighed.

Mr. Lock then said, "Veronica can ride with her mother, Daniel you ride with me. Kacey, ride with your brother. Is that everything?"

We all nodded. I was nervous, I rode a horse before, but it was a long time ago. I was afraid I might mess up royally. "Can you buy the tame horses?" I asked hopefully.

Mrs. Diat sighed. "Beggars can't be choosers, Hannah." She said. I sighed, but nodded. We had to make use of what we had.

We all walked to nearby stables, asking if they sold any horses. "Sure we do! 'Ow many er you there?" The stables keeper said.

"We're thirteen, sire." Mrs. Shane said.

The stables keeper rubbed his chin. "Mm. 'Fraid we'nly got ten 'orses 'ere." He said.

"Oh, that's fine!" Mr. Shane said. "Three aren't riding one horse, anyway. They'll be sharing with someone."

The stables keeper nodded. "Alrighty then! A few er a bit wild, 'kay? Follow me!"

He led them deeper into the stables, then we stopped in front of a yard full of snow. And horses, of course. "This er your 'orses! They already 'ave saddles on! Thirty golden pieces ma'am!"

Mrs. Shane looked like she was about to choke. "Thirty?!"

The man huffed. "Your buyin' ten 'orses with saddles and some food! It's 'nly fair!"

Mrs. Shane sighed and handed the man the thirty gold and left with the horses. "Wer you goin' anyway?" he asked. "To the Northern Meadows." Mrs. Shane replied.

The stables keeper gasped. "Don't! The Wolf Maiden won' allow you!"

Mrs. Shane fumed, "It's just a petty story!"

"Who's the Wolf Maiden?" Lara asked, I had the same question.

"There was once a fair lady," Mr. Lock said, probably telling the Wolf Maiden's story. "who lived in a vast but beautiful meadow. Her hart was warm despite the chills of the winter. She loved her family and the animals around her, she loved the meadow."

He paused and continued, "But it all changed when the hunters came. They chopped all the trees and built their stupid cottage. They killed animals for sport, sometimes for food. They burned the meadow to make room for their stupid intentions. The fair lady's parents went to the hunter's and demanded them to stop, but they killed them."

The girls gasped while the boys mutterd curses to the hunters. "In her anger, she called for comrades, and the wolves heeded her call. She banished the hunters out of her meadow and vowed to never let anyone enter ever again."