make me stay.

seven

♜

currently, all that mattered was distance.

getting as far as possible, as quiet as possible and fast. keeping ahead was my only chance of survival, and despite being well aware of my success rate barely making it past a clean zero; i kept going.

my count of pursuers had been at least two digits, and comparing myself to any of them, would do no good. they were stronger, faster, familiar with the difficult terrain and working on a mutual target.

me.

a sole blurred glimpse over my shoulder, showed pale buildings slowly crumbling in the horizon. i was moving farther away from the town, at a pace i hadn't known i could keep. panic was pushing my boundaries, the unknown outcome of being caught, terrifying nonetheless.

i hadn't even allowed myself a minute to think before i ran. somehow, i had been spotted amongst hundreds of people making out the crowd. thousands of lights, music blasting from every direction your head could turn to, and yet, his eyes had fallen upon mine. i, myself, had felt the pull long before we entered the town borders, but back then, i had passed it off as nerves.

it hadn't been.

the second his head turned, it had seemed like he was purposely searching the many eyes staring back at him; looking for someone. if it had been intentional or not, i wouldn't know, but it had certainly looked that way.

soon enough, all that had been able to enter my mind was what he had wished. everything seemed to have slurred for a moment, no thoughts making it far before they sieved out through my ears. his eyes had had a bold grey colour, one that pulled you in until you got lost. one that brought on too many memories to count.

he had been in complete control before glancing away to send guards in my direction. as soon as the stare broke, i took in a breath, feeling like i had forgotten how to.

and that's where i had run.

almost like had my brain been turned off, and my instincts turned on, i had broken into a run, heading for the woods surrounding the town. my first mistake had been heading upwards, the opposite way of where we had come from earlier that day.

but i hadn't run for nothing. they were in pursuit, their howls cutting through the air like blades, making it impossible for me to tell if they were miles away, or just behind me.

straining every part of my body, i pushed to go even faster. my head flicked over my shoulder once again, my eyes scanning the area, before focusing back on the terrain i was making my way through. i was alone, but surely wouldn't be for long.

tree roots had twirled in the paths leading up ahead, traps made by nature. my scent was the ideal trail for them to follow, so even if i were to succeed in finding a hiding spot, they would be led straight to it. i had to keep going.

my vision momentarily clouded as i made a turn around myself to check all directions. luckily, all i saw were trees and the black amongst them. it wouldn't take more than a few hours for the sun to start setting, which meant i would have to be hidden by then.

i had slowly been making my way up the mountain, having no where to go, but certainly no choice of going back down. i had never been this high before, but i knew that going up would only lead me one way: towards the castle.

it hadn't taken me long to notice how castle walls were rising out of the darkness, crowning over every single tree in front of me. soon, runners would show up in the woods, the closer i got. i had to go in another direction, but i knew nothing of this terrain, and they certainly wouldn't be behind me for long.

forcing my lungs to take in the crisp air, i swallowed it, inhaling deeper, faster. i needed to catch my breath more than anything at this point, the feeling of my burning lungs only a painful reminder.

throwing myself forward with even greater abandon, my lungs and heart were pumping but the air didn't seem to be enough as i sprinted forward, panic trembling in my exhausted limbs. i hadn't been going for long, but it was more than enough to drain me of energy already.

my heart had been beating in my ears, almost as if threatening to give out at any moment, when it seemed to skip a beat. it registered what was suddenly in my way, before my own eyes did.

glowing eyes planted in the exact direction i had been going, forcing me to a sudden halt. a threatening growl broke the silence, a wolf larger than any being i had ever seen, moving out of the shadows.
the message was clear: don't move.

i stumbled backwards, watching as beasts hesitantly neared me from every direction, forming a circle.
pure terror made every hair on my body stand, as i felt my limbs begin to shake uncontrollably. a single tear made way down my cheek, as i turned around, looking for any way of escape, but there was none.

the chase was over, and i had lost.

no second chances.

amongst two wolves, someone entered the circle. i couldn't recognise him, but despite his size and current stranger status in my life, he seemed safer than the growling wolves surrounding me.

and with one swift hand movement from him, they all went silent. most of them even stepped back, widening the circle. 

"i sincerely apologise but we still do have a long way up towards the castle, and i expect you to be easier to transport if you aren't struggling," he speaks up, his voice respectful and clear, as he takes three quick steps towards me, suddenly having turned me around. he pushes me against himself, holding me steady and i fight against the cloth he is holding over my mouth and nose. 

the sudden action took me by surprise causing a reflex of taking in a deep breath, but i instantly hold my breath afterwards, knowing whatever has been put on that fabric wouldn't do anything good. 

this gave me the strength to keep myself awake a while longer than expected, as i felt how i was lifted up onto something wide and soft, that began moving faster than i think i would like to know. 

my eyelids drifted apart slowly and sleepily before i forced them open for the last time, failing at counting the trees i'm currently passing without being able to understand how i am going so unbelievably fast without having any strength or energy left in my body, before feeling the fur beneath me, and falling deeply asleep.