Rise of the Warrior of Everfen

Chapter 95: I Still Love You

She heard the heavy sigh filling the air behind her just as she sensed his looming presence. Cold Hammer wasn't someone you easily missed. Even when your back was turned, he filled the space around him with all the intensity of a seasoned warrior. She knew he was going to speak, she just didn't know when or what was on his mind as she continued tightening Lothar's saddle. Some orcs watched from a distance with varied reactions. A few faces held clear disgust at having a human in their camp, others were curious, and plenty studied her waiting on a mistake that gave them permission to take on the Warrior of Everfen.

"I don't think this is a good idea."

There it was. She mirrored his sigh and looked at him over her shoulder, "I'm going to see my son."

"Not just that. A human traveling through orc territory right now isn't safe. You're not safe. And Andol..."

She made a low noise in the back of her throat and he didn't finish his sentence. She knew what he was going to say anyways. Andol was terrified of her. "I just found out he's alive, I have to see him."

Cold Hammer lumbered closer until she could feel the heat of his body at her back, "It won't be what you want. I'm not sure how he will react either, Erinne."

"You think I should stay away."

"Yes."

His words were harsh and short and they cut into her soul, but she shook her head and said, "If I don't start showing him now that I am not...that I didn't hurt him, how will he..." She'd never tried to speak a more difficult sentence in her life. Telling Lohke they were dead might have been easier than trying to understand how her child was enslaved just like her. At least then she'd had words. Now she had none. Nothing except a fire growing desperately inside her. She didn't know if that fire would consume her, her family, or the whole world. It'd been a long time since she'd been the Warrior of Everfen, but now she felt that rage deep inside again.

The warrior was rising.

She used the anger boiling in her soul and turned to face him, "We go to him. Now."

"I'm coming with you." A new voice joined them craned her neck to see Lohke leading two dire wolves towards them. She recognized Lohke's beautiful lady, Sheshal, but the other wolf she didn't. "And don't tell me no because I've readied your wolf and mine."

Erinne frowned and studied the gray and brown dire wolf. "Who's wolf?"

"Mine." Cold Hammer stated gruffly.

"Where's Bukoo?"

"He's too old for battle and I didn't dare take him or Larken away from Andol. This wolf belonged to one of our warriors. I saved them both in battle, but he passed from his wounds a few days later. Moen survived and hasn't left my side since." Most dire wolves bonded with only a single family or person, they rarely switched masters, even after their master's death, they usually took no other, unless they had great trust for their new master. Saving the beast's life would certainly do it.

A sharp whine pierced the air as Sheshal caught a whiff of Erinne's scent and bolted forward, nearly tackling her. "Beautiful girl," she cooed and scratched her chin as the white wolf wrapped herself around Erinne. It was like a cocoon of fur, a soft blanket of warmth. "I missed you, too."

As Lohke reached them, he and Moen stopped, but she could see the dire wolf watching curiously as Cold Hammer reached for her, patting her head, "She is a much more hesitant beast than the others. Not shy. Wary. She's bitten Lohke twice already, but she will protect what's mine." He pointed to Erinne as he looked the wolf directly in the eye. "Mine." She gave one short wag of her tail but remained away from Erinne. It didn't matter. All dire wolves loved her eventually.