The Eternal War: The Dragon's Valkyrie

The Wolf

A silver mist glittered in the morning sun. It hugged the ground as it meandered through the village. Saidy had completely forgotten the icy grip of the spring morning that seeped into her skin as her heart threatened to burst from her chest.

'Stop delaying,' Yrden's voice screeched in her head.

Saidy winced. It felt as if the sound had been made corporeal and shot through her ears. However, it snapped her from the crippling terror that had taken hold of her legs. She rolled from behind the crates and dove under the stable doors.

She looked around hastily, then slower when she didn't see anything the first time. The stable was empty. She stood and began walking down the aisle in search of an occupied stall. To her luck, the last one on the right held a sleeping wolf.

Saidy's eyes widen as they fell on the beast. She'd remembered reading about them. They were one of the first things she'd read about in one of Yrden's bestiaries. Wolves were the chosen mount for most of Tallenheim. Not only could they condense a journey that would normally take days into a single day, but they were ferocious on the battlefield in defense of their master.

Wolves were loyal creatures. Stealing one would be no easy task.

Saidy gently ran her hand through the wolf's fur. She couldn't remember a softer feeling. The fur was dark with flecks of white throughout, save for the tip of its tail, paws, nose, and ears, which were entirely white.

"What the hell do you think you're doing, girl?" a voice came from beside her.

Saidy jumped to see a balding, man in a clean tunic with a flagon still in his hand staring at her. He was swaying a bit, and his feet couldn't seem to find a place to plant themselves long.

He'd be easy to overpower, she thought. She bit her lip after thinking it, however. How could I think such a thin?

"That's my wolf yer touchin."

"I'm sorry... I couldn't help myself, he's gorgeous."

"Aye, that's why he's mine." The man sipped his mug.

"Would you consider selling him?"

The man stretched his neck toward Saidy as his brows furrowed. "Sell him?"

"I'll give you all I have." Saidy pulled the small pouch of coins from her belt and tossed it in her hand. The silver chimed within the leather.

The man snorted and spat a fat wad of mucus into the hay that littered the ground. "What's that, forty drakes? Maybe I'd consider it for three hundred. Get lost, wench!"

A low growl came from Saidy's left. The wolf had woken and sensed his master's agitation. Saidy's free hand began to reach for her sword in case either one attacked. The man lifted his flagon to his lips and gulped its contents. His feet stumbled backward, trying to account for the sudden shift in his weight, but they couldn't. He fell with a yelp and the remainder of his ale soaked his upper body and face.

Saidy felt the hairs on her left side shoot up. She turned, dropping her coin pouch as the wolf's fangs burst through its stall door for her neck. She caught the mouth in her hands, holding both its nose and chin in an iron grip.

She'd expected to feel her hands get torn open, but to her surprise, the leather gloves she wore had repelled them for the most part. The wolf's bite was strong as she stepped backward to keep on her feet. It took every ounce of her strength to keep the wolf from crushing her hands with its jaw.

The wolf snarled at her as it pushed her back. She looked into its eyes as its hide wrinkled under its fur. They were cold. The intent to draw her blood was absolute. She could feel the fangs beginning to penetrate deeper into the leather. It didn't surprise her, he was made to tear flesh, and leather was treated, hardened flesh.

Saidy's heart raced. She felt her arms beginning to give and knew she couldn't hold him back much longer. Worse, her back was beginning press against the wood wall that was behind her.

As the wolf took another step toward her, she felt its weight shift. This was her chance.

Saidy twisted her body, throwing the wolf down onto its side. She swept her leg over it, slamming her butt into its neck to stun it. She pushed its face down as the beast tried to gnash at hers. Then, she bit its ear. The wolf cried in surrender, but Saidy held tight for a moment longer before caressing the wolf into a calm.

"Shh, I am yours, and you are mine now," she whispered as she relented her bite and began stroking the wolf's fur.

"What the hell are you doing, you crazy bitch!" the man yelled, recovering from his stupor.

Saidy swung her leg off the wolf and stood as the wolf rose and faced her. Its sapphire-blue eyes stared into hers. Saidy glared back into his as his low growling began to subside.

"Ash! What are you doing? Kill her!" he commanded.

"He's not yours anymore," Saidy said, still fixated on the wolf. "Wolves are loyal to power. Show them you're stronger than they are, and they consider you the new alpha." The wolf bowed its head to her, and she nuzzled it before turning back to the man. "How does forty silver sound now?"

A wet stain grew fast in the man's trousers, adding to the pungent smell of nitrogen that clung to the stable walls as he dropped his flagon. He stumbled out of the stable as fast as his drunken legs would carry him.

"Ash, huh?" Saidy said turning back to the wolf and running her hand through its fur again. "How about we go for a run? How's that sound, boy?"

She cocked her head to the side, eyeing a sturdy leather saddle that hung on a metal hook in the stall where the wolf had slept. Saidy fumbled with it a bit, but eventually figured out how to secure it to the wolf's back. She led the wolf outside and into the street.

"How am I going to get on you?" She peered at the saddle that sat just above her head on its back. "Hmm..." Saidy scratched her head with a hand, holding the reins in the other. "Kneel?"

The wolf looked at her, and with a small whimper, nudged her face again. Saidy winced and pushed his nose away.

"Lay down!" she commanded.

The wolf dropped to the ground, bringing the saddle to her chest. Saidy's eyes lit up, and she reached over his back, hoisting herself into the saddle. However, the wolf remained on the ground after she'd mounted it.

"Umm... up?"

The wolf yawned.

"Go?"

The wolf's ears twitched, and it turned its head down the street, observing some festival goers who were gushing about the fireworks they would see tonight. Saidy turned her head to see them. They seemed to be a young couple.

"Come on!" Saidy yelled as she slapped the reins onto its back.

The wolf shot up and lunged forward into a sprint as Saidy nearly toppled off the back. Had she not tightened her grip on the reins instinctively, she would've been thrown into another mud puddle. Alas, the wolf bounded through the streets, and Saidy found he would obey the pull of the reins. However, they were heading south.

Saidy reared the wolf around and within minutes, the town was behind her.