The Wings of the Raven

Chapter 1 - Escape

     The forest floor was still wet from last night's rain, causing her to slip and slide as she ran. The soldiers were fast approaching from the southeast part of the woods, and if she were to make it to the next town she would have to skirt around the edge of the troops, where my elite soldiers are stationed, she thought to herself. She promised to meet me there, she thought to herself, I can't keep running or the soldiers will surely spot me.

Raven stopped running and pressed herself tightly against the nearest tree, pulling her hood down she wrapped her cloak around herself. Where are you, girl? Come on, Kita! I can't last much longer.

The sound of many armored men running filled the forest as two hundred and seventy expertly trained soldiers searched the woods. As they drew closer, Raven inhaled. The scent of lavender oil, aftershave, and body-odor berated her nose. Cyan, the youngest soldier in my regimen, she thought to herself, and one of my best. Peering around the edge of her dragon-scale cloak she saw a shock of blue hair darting about the forest. Cyan's pale skin practically glowed in the moonlight accenting his sharp features. His cold grey eyes scanned the forest as he approached her hiding place. 

Raven's breath hitched as his dark blue combat boots came into view. This close to him she noticed that his standard issue uniform was still wet from last night's training session. His black trousers even had a few splotches of mud.

"Raven?" Cyan called. "Come out, come out, wherever you are!" Pressing closer to the tree, she prayed that he wouldn't notice her in her terrible hiding spot. 

The troops continued to call out for her as they all bypassed her hiding spot. In twenty-seven agonizing minutes the troop moved on heading northwest towards the sea. Raven stepped around the tree, tasting the air.

Strong arms grabbed her from behind, wrapping around her torso and squeezing. Instinct kicked in and she exhaled. Raven slithered out of her attacker's grasp, dropping to the ground. From her position on the ground she spun towards her assailant and kicked out his legs. The man dropped to the forest floor with a surprised grunt. Stepping back, her eyes took in a quick analysis of him. Broad shoulders, light orange shirt, dark red pants. No shoes? He seemed quite familiar but she couldn't place his face. Dark tan skin, flat nose, cruel smile. Deep set, orange eyes that can only be described as evil. And those eyes are locked onto mine.

"Since you obviously don't remember me, allow me to introduce myself," his deep voice sent chills down her spine as recognition slowly slid into place. "My name is Solace. King Kade hired me to track down some good for nothing general who was trying to take over his throne."

An animalistic growl escaped her throat as they circled each other, her face betraying none of her fear. "Looks like you found me."

Solace smiled his cruel smile and whispered, "You know he wants me to kill you, right? However, I am prepared to offer you a deal..."

His trailed off when out of the underbrush came a tall girl with wispy dark blonde hair. It turned shockingly silver as she walked into the moonlight. Her dark blue eyes glittered with star-like white flecks. They gleamed with amusement as she looked at the pair, like she was waiting for them to get the punchline of her own personal joke. She wore blue knee-high boots, black tights, and a long dark blue shirt with stars that danced as she moved. She also wore a opalescent crescent moon pendant on a silver chain around her neck.

"I don't think she's going to accept that offer," The girl said, her voice dripping with false enthusiasm. Her delicate pink lips turned up in an unnerving smile as she snarled out her biting remark "Though I'm sure you can give her your sales pitch anyway,"