Girl At War

Shyden - 16

**Thank you akinolaifeoluwa for all the votes! Even though you already read through, (and I know you did! Thank you so much!) and probably won't see this, this chapter now dedicated to you! 8/20/19**

"Do you think they're in there?" Kanzia whispered.

"Yea. I mean, there's snow, and even you couldn't miss those bold tracks going straight to the door."

"What do you mean, 'even me'?" the indignant Kanzia pulled her gaze away from the building and faced Eloyse. "I can track better than you!"

"Really? Who was following the trail all day today?" Eloyse returned.

"I couldn't!" Kanzia whined. "You were in front and I couldn't see the tracks from the back!"

The girls continued their playful banter as they made their way back to Damian. They'd been arguing all day about who was the better tracker. The chase had led them up high in the mountains, until there was a good six inches of snow covering everything. They'd come upon the base unexpectedly, and left Damian to get a closer look. The building was white, and set back in a cliff. As far as both of them knew, there was nothing anywhere near. They were about alone as they could get. Eloyse suddenly came to an abrupt halt.

"Where's Damian?"

Kanzia peered around her friend. They'd been riding double since they'd met last night, and Kanzia had learned to like the small black and white horse.

"Maybe he wandered off?" she offered. Eloyse shook her head. She explained Damian's training, ruling out wandering as the cause he was gone. She began looking around for tracks, cursing herself for not starting with that. It wouldn't have been difficult with the snow.

"Stop!" A commanding voice sharply called out. Eloyse froze. She relaxed only slightly when a man in a strange uniform stepped out from behind a tree. He held a large gun, looking too big for him. She obeyed his orders to put her hands over her head. He kept looking around her, but she couldn't read his expression because of his mask.

"Where's your friend?"

Eloyse's heart skipped a beat. Where had Kanzia gone? "I don't have one." she sounded bitter. "Only my horse."

The man chuckled, but it didn't have any humor. "You forgot about your dog. Put down your hands." Eloyse felt something cold touch her hand the instant she lowered them. She resisted looking around. The man came over, and three more she hadn't seen followed him. He roughly pulled her hands behind her back and clamped cold, hard, and solid on her wrists. Eloyse winced as the metal bit into her skin. There was a soft whine, and a dog trotted into Eloyse's line of vision. A beautiful, cream white dog with long silky hair and pale eyes. She stood waist high to Eloyse.

Kanzia.

Eloyse stared into her eyes, wishing she was Devoy. Then she could talk. Why hadn't Kanzia mentioned she was a Zuni? Eloyse knew the answer already; the reason she didn't tell people she could heal was the same reason shape-shifters didn't proclaim their power. She broke her gaze away from the dog, and flicked her eyes toward the woods. If only Kanzia would run! Then she could go find Damian and keep herself and Eloyse's precious horse safe. The men had completely whatever they wanted with her hands, and turned, starting her walking. One walked on either side, with one behind. There was a pattering of paws and soft whimper behind them. One of her captors swung around, raising his gun at the dog. With a mighty bound, the dog vanished in the woods

"Come on!" the man jerked Eloyse forward. She stumbled and nearly fell, but just managed to keep on her feet. They were headed in the same tracks that she'd been following since she discovered Shyden gone. She had started out to find her brother, but apparently whoever had taken him was not very friendly.