The Mage Wars

Into the Forest

Surviving alone in a forest is not the easiest thing to do. Especially if you were raised as a princess. Luckily I read a lot. Novels about adventurers and how they survived in the wild.

A grand treat for someone who's never left her kingdom...at least not on her own.

They said there are five things you need to survive. Some noblemen would never assume they needed them. That is, if they were thrown to the wolves and stripped of these necessities.

Number one, find clean water. People get thirsty, and water is a necessity. Number two is food. Who doesn't need food? Number three is heat. Even at night, it can get too cold, and people need warmth. Number four is shelter. We all need some sort of shelter, whether it's a fort or a tree. Number five is weapons. In case you need to defend yourself.

Spirits and souls. How did I lose everyone?

I swear I went the same way as Kaelen. How did I end up lost? I was following Kaelen and Mal. Or did I pass them?

Shit.

I pull up two circles. The ones needed for a tracking spell. When Father would take us hunting, he liked to use these. A useful spell.

Hopefully, I can track my comrades. I focus my magic on Kaelen. Being twins, our magic has always been intertwined. Not in the terms of being able to draw on the other's energy but being able to feel how they are or where they are.

I activate the spell.

A light blue orb appears and moves away from me. I urge Hunter to follow the orb. This may lead me to my twin, but it may not. I can always try again.
_____

Galen's Pov

"EVEREST!"

"KAELEN!

"ALTAIR!"

This is useless. How did I lose them? How did they lose me?

"Walk on, Keith." With a swift nudge, Keith begins moving.

I only noticed the others weren't with us when I went to mention. I was going to panic because how did I lose the two royals? Then I remembered Altair. He's going to panic too.

And at least one of us has to stay calm.

Great job, Galen. Panicking in the middle of a forest is not the way you want to die. Thankfully there are no beasts or dragons in the area. Or at least I hope there are none. But there are syrpants. Those are nasty.

A deep growl resonates from behind me. Keith falters in his gait. Slowly I turn my head. Standing on the path behind me is a large grey wolf. Its yellow eyes follow my every breath. The beast howls. Keith takes off. And for one, I am thankful my horse spooked.

Through the forest, we race as fast as we can. The wolf begins its chase. We weave in and out of trees. I sneak a look at our purser. Its jaws snap as if telling me he will have his prey.

I turn back to the front of Keith. Lo and behold, I smack my face off of a low-hanging branch. In the seconds I have, I grip Keith's reigns tighter. I am determined not to fall off.

Keith rears.

I struggle to stay in the saddle. Just as I regain my posture, the wolf jumps. I barely have time to grab at the wolf's mouth before we topple off of Keith.

Keith takes off. Shit.

The wolf struggles to throw my hands from its maw. I struggle to keep its jaw away from my face. Another howl pierces my ears. Instinctively I shy away from the noise.

Oh, dear spirits, this is how I die. This is not how I want to die! With a mighty heave, I hurl the wolf and throw up a shield. It comes back to tear me to pieces but runs into the magic protecting me. It begins analyzing my magic.

Another howl echoes. It's closer this time. Then a large dark-coated wolf with gold-tipped ears and eyes leaps out of the brush.

I watch as the golden-eared wolf fends off the grey one.

What?

It doesn't take long for the golden-eared wolf to be victorious. It stares at me and blinks before...smiling?

What?

I've never questioned the existence of anything until now. Can wolves smile, or am I being delusional? Am I dead already?

It walks into a bush and disappears. A flash of light comes from where the wolf disappeared.

A few seconds after the flash, a girl, with black hair and golden eyes, pops her head out. "Would you mind taking off your shirt?"

Like the fool that I am, I stand there staring. How did a woman come out of a bush a wolf went into? Is she a shifter?

She asks again, and this time I come to my senses.

She disappears again, and when she emerges from the bush, she's wearing my shirt. She extends her hand, and with a large smile, she tells her her name is Jaen.

We clasp hands.

"Galen Arthurion,"

"Nice to meet you. As you can tell, I'm a shapeshifter, and yes, before you ask, all the animals I turn into have golden ears or gold somewhere," Jaen grins. Interesting. What other animals can she turn into?

"I should find my horse," I crane my neck as I take a look around for Keith. He knows not to go far. Unless...no, I don't want to think of that. He can't be dead.

"Oh! I know where you can find your horse,"

"You do?"

"I do," Jaen smiles. "I can give you a lift."

I quickly agree. It's not like I have a choice. Travelling by foot is slower than by horse or, in this case, wolf.

Jaen heads back into the bush to change. Another flash of light emits from the bush. She comes out a moment later with my shirt held gently in her mouth. She drops the shirt on the ground, and I pull it back on.

For a second, my head spins with the amount of dog smell that is on the shirt. Jaen wasn't even wearing it that long. How does it smell this strongly of dog? Spirits.

Jaen blinks.

It's as if she's telling me to hop on. I grab her fur and adjust myself so I'm comfortable. Jaen snorts. I grip her fur tighter and hold on with my legs. Just like riding a horse. An extremely furry horse.

Jaen takes off. Faster than the other wolf. No wonder she won. The other wolf didn't stand a chance. I have to tighten my grip as she bolts through the forest.

Out of nowhere, other wolves begin chasing us. Ugh, I thought we were done with wolves.
_____

Come on, Jaen. One of the wolves in the chase jumps. It aims for Jaen's neck. I throw a shield up around us. The wolves who jump at us bounce harmlessly off. Up ahead, a clearing opens up.

Is that an Oasis in the middle of the forest? Is that Everest, Kaelen and Altair?