Dawning of a Seer

The Only Way

'It was too late' Winter thought to herself as she regretted what she had done and then wondered if she had known would her course of action have changed. 'It was the only way," she concluded, but she felt torn. At first, she had been enraged by the betrayal but that was soon overcome by doubt. The problem was she knew Marrok's secret and had always loved him, hoping one day to find some way to break his curse.

She paced upon the soft weave of the intricately patterned rug that covered the oak floor in her private chamber as she lamented the fate she had brought upon him. His only hope now would be the Seer, for the others would surely be no match for the creatures she had sent to punish their treachery. It had been the only way. Treason was punishable by death.

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Marrok stood guard with Nepeta as everyone else slept. Their position in the inlet was sheltered and protected them from the rain that now spat down around them but it also restricted their view. The sound of the river rushing through the gorge would also mask that of anyone or anything that approached he thought, looking out into the bleakness of the night.

He had been saddened to learn of the torment Blossom had suffered at Winter's own hand. He knew she had her secrets. He had saved her from one when he had first encountered her. But the thought of what she had done to Blossom and the others made his blood go cold when he thought of her using dark magic against her own kin.

He noticed Nepeta shiver and rub her hands over her arms. "Go sit closer to the fire," he suggested. "No need to stand in the dark and cold for no reason."

She didn't argue and moved closer to the flames, holding her hands out to feel their warmth. The nights were getting colder as autumn approached. Marrok's black fur was already thickening in preparation for the coldness of winter. He wondered where they would end up, knowing the difficulties of surviving harsh weather without shelter. They would need more than the Seer's tanned hides to protect them all from the elements.

He looked at Luna's peaceful face. Up until now she had lived in a castle, waited on by servants. She had adapted well to life with the nymphs, but still, they too lived within the protection of the tunnels that ran underneath the woodland of the Great Oak. When snow and ice covered the ground above it was only the animals that had to fight to survive, himself included.

Marrok's head turned abruptly. He could not be sure amongst the din of noise from the river that echoed within the gorge, but it sounded as if loose stones had ricocheted down the towering cliff face into the water below. His nose twitched smelling the air but the wind was whirling through the narrow space the river had carved into the rock. This had been what he feared. This place was too enclosed, he would have to venture onto the narrow path that followed the river to alleviate his fears.

He joined Nepeta by the fire. "I going to have a look upstream," he announced in a low voice. "Wake the Seer to keep watch with you while I'm gone."

"What is it?" she asked, concern creasing her brow.

"Probably nothing, but I want to have look just in case."

She looked at him anxiously as he disappeared into the darkness beyond the light of the fire.

Although his sight quickly adjusted to the near darkness away from the light of the fire, he trod carefully along the rocky path. If there was someone there he wanted to find them without drawing attention to himself. There was still no scent in the air other than the damp moss and lichen that clung to the rock. The rain ran down his glossy coat and the pathway was becoming slick. He looked upwards at the towering cliff faces either side of the gorge but all he could make out was a sliver of silver light reappearing in the night sky as the clouds passed through. After a while he convinced himself what he had heard was nothing and carefully twisted his body to face in the other direction back towards the camp. It was then he caught the scent in the wind.