Anthiel knocked on the door of Ale's apartment. It was a few hours after sundown, but she hoped she would still be awake. Nobody answered so she knocked again. And again.
Finally, Ale replied. "Go away.""It's Anthiel,""Go away," she repeated, though less firmly.Anthiel thought for a moment, then reached into her satchel and pulled out a small flute. It took her a moment to remember what Ale has said was her favorite song. Her mother would sing an old Elvin lullaby to her when she wasn't feeling well, and Anthiel thought that was a perfect fit. She started playing, and it took only a minute for her to open the doors.She looked decidedly the worse for wear.Her rich chocolate-brown hair was a tangled mess, her green dress was rumpled, and her eyes betrayed signs of crying."Oh, dear girl," she said while folding the wood elf into a motherly hug. Ale didn't say anything for a minute, so she just held her cFalkaan leaned over the side of his airship and peered through the spyglass at Lord Borden's airship. Despite the only illumination coming from a half moon, his dark elf eyes could see well enough. There were shadowy figures moving on the deck of the other airship, many of whom looked to be carrying large boxes."They're running alright," he said to no one in particular. "Lord Delmar certainly knows his enemies.""Orders sir?" Damon asked. The grizzled first officer looked like he was sixty, although he hadn't turned forty yet.Falkaan closed the spyglass and dropped it into his coat pocket. "Give us some height Mr. Damon and put us directly over them. We'll attack once they reach cruising height and before they deploy their sails.""Aye aye captain," Damon said, and turned to the ship's wheel. Moments later, Falkaan felt a momentary tug of gravity as the ship started to gain altitude."Get the mercenaries ready for boarding," F
Alpha Samuel was looking at the woman who had just fought the werewolf before her single handedly without even thinking and blinking. It was like she was a human killing machine and she had tore open the jaws of Rick’s familiar brown and grey wolf with her bare hands. The cubs were still looking at her with awe in their gaze and Samuel himself was almost in the same state as Beth and Taylor.“You saved them,” he said as the woman looked at him. There was a hint of recognition in her eyes as she said,” Robert?”“No my dear. I am not Robert. I am Alpha Samuel. And since you have seen the werewolf and the cubs I think that you know what we are in reality and still you chose to help them. And you smell utterly like a human. How did you do that?” Samuel asked at the woman looked back him blankly and said,” I have never killed an ant in my life. I don’t know how this happened.”And then she looked at her hand
"The Pretty Broach," Beth was clutching her side laughing and barely got it out. This went on for some time as each one tried to come up with more outlandish and silly names than the rest.Finally, Seth said, "I've got it: the Hindenburg!" And he burst out laughing again. Everyone stared at him blankly."It's an airship from my world that met with an... unfortunate fate," Seth explained. "I was kidding.""I thought you didn't have airships?" Beth looked at him suspiciously."Not many anymore. And certainly not airships like this," Seth replied. "Ours are more like massive bag of gas that are lighter than air.""You say the strangest things sometimes," Beth said. Her head was cocked to one side and he wasn't sure she quite believed him."In all seriousness though, you should probably pick a name," Ale suggested.Seth thought about it for a minute before responding. "How about the Argo? It's from the mytholog
"What's so funny?" the pirate asked suspiciously."Nothing," Seth said. He took a couple steps to the left so that if he raised his hand, the pirate's head would be directly between the war hammer and his hand."What you playing at?" The pirate rotated his wrist to that his arm still pinned Ale's neck, but the knife was now pointing at Seth instead of her jugular."That," Seth said the moment the pirate's blade left Ale's neck.He called his hammer with all his might.The hammer took off like a shot and the pirate never knew what hit him. The crack from the impact was loud enough that the two other pirates glanced behind them for a moment. The pirate who had been holding Ale dropped like a ton of bricks, and his knife opened a shallow wound on her arm as he fell.The sight of her blood made Seth's blood run cold.A deep primal rage welled up in Seth's chest. His heart felt like the arctic wind, but not beca
As she lay in bed trying to fall asleep, the events of the day finally caught up with her. Seth's wedding, the emotions during his wedding night, Rachel's attack, Seth convincing her to come with him on the Argo, the fight with the pirates and the conversation afterward: it had been a full day. Her emotions were all jumbled up and they didn't want to separate so she could work through them.She was exhausted, physically, mentally and emotionally. Her life had changed so much the past month it was unbelievable. She had lost her farm, found love, been bonded, lost love, and then watched her man marry another woman. To top it off, she has traveling with them. Ale had heard many stories about heroes and heroines in similarly awful circumstances where the story always ended well.But this wasn't a story.This was real life.There was no guarantee of a "happily ever after" and it looked like she would live out her days bonded to Seth while he wa
Red’s POV"Red," my date said, as I arrived, "so nice to meet you!" he had risen and was leaning forward to grab my hand.His palm was cool against mine and a little damp. Katie had been right about him. Blonde and tall, but I got the impression he put more time into his hair than I had. He also had the strangest, most perfect tan. I assumed that came from the inside of a lighted box."Jeff, thank you so much for the invitation. I've always wondered about this place. Everyone speaks so highly of it." I used my hands to gesture to the surrounding walls. I really did not want to continue holding that hand when we sat down across from one another.Sitting across from Jeff I had even more time to analyze him, mainly because he never stopped talking. The way his charcoal grey suit was tailored I assumed he was making money at, what was it he was talking about? Real estate, how could I forget.After the first course I dropped my nap
Running through the woods I can barely see 50 ft. in front of me for the fog, but I can hear his heaving breaths and the thuds of his paws on the frosty earth behind me getting closer and closer. I run in a blind panic, looking for somewhere, anywhere to hide where I will be safe.The frosted path in front of me glistens white and hard, lined by impenetrable woods on both sides with the fog rolling in thick from the left. The air is cold on my face as I propel myself forwards, urging myself on but conscious and panicking that I am heading deeper into the forest and further from the village. His snarling is getting louder and I dare not look behind me, but can see him clearly in my mind, that horrifying beast that is pursuing me.Then I see it, up ahead, a break in the trees; I have to get some cover -- I can't outrun him. My cloak snags on the branches as I make my way as quickly as I can down the narrow track, which suddenly opens up into a clearing. A sudden
We have entered a clearing in the forest. Trees are lining the outside but at the far end are sheer cliffs of grey rock stretching miles high and a glistening waterfall cascades at one end. I can see the opening to a cave at the foot of the cliffs and I can hear what sounds like a river. He carries me on until we are not far from the cave and sets me down on a rock. He looks at me with want in his eyes but not in a predatory way, he seems more caring. But I also sense hurt and pain. I am curious.Backing away from me he turns and heads closer to the cave and sits on a rock at the edge of the water and starts to check over his wounds. His breathing skips as he inspects himself and I cannot help but feel empathy for this creature. I rise slowly to my feet and gently approach him from the side. As I get closer, he lets out a low rumbling growl. I check myself but do not stop. If he wanted to kill me surely, he would have done so already.As I get closer I can see
First light found Red and Makaran seated on the house-sized boulders in the midst of a nearby river. The wood was beginning to wake as the wind changed with the rising of the sun. Small creatures crept amidst the giant rocks, and birdsong began to accompany the rush of the river. There was still a chill in the air and Red saw Makaran's breath in vapor as he spoke."First I must ask a potentially awkward question. How comfortable are you with being naked?""I have nothing to be ashamed of," Red shrugged."Good. I spend so much time in other skins, that I do not actually own any clothes. Obviously I had to borrow these from Mother Hannah. Shape changing in clothes does not work at all. They do not change with you when the Spirit transforms your body.""Spirit?""Aye, Spirit. That is what Mother Hannah and I have reckoned this to be. I have a very strong animal part to the Spirit inside me, and it allows me to wear its skins.""How many?"
It was during one of those rambles through the woods that she had come upon the castle. The trees had thinned, melting into brush and then into a meadow, unkempt and overrun, and there it stood ... in the middle of the sun drenched clearing – solid, unforgiving, a wall of unremitting black broken only by thin embrasures from which arrows could be fired at unwelcome intruders. As she stood within the fringe of trees, concealed by the broad trunk of an ancient oak, peering at the battlements, she felt a shiver run down her spine. It was a clear sunny day, but around the castle, the air seemed to thicken and she wrapped her arms around herself against the sudden cold.Her first instinct was one of flight, but her curiosity overcame the sudden rush of panic and she settled herself to survey the place more carefully. The castle was laid out in a rectangle, its smooth straight lines broken only by the swelling of the towers that marked each corner. There was no sign of life.
Somewhere in the Cathalian wilderness...Red swept her red cloak out of the way as she stooped down to pick another mushroom. She added it to the collection of its kin in her basket and danced off to find another. Soon it would be too warm to wear her cloak and hood, but her mistress insisted she wear it this evening in case she got caught out after dark in falling temperatures. Spring had just begun, after all, and Winter still thought it ruled the night.Indeed a chill did seem to be creeping through the wood. The sun was fast setting and the shadows were long. The red dusk peaked through the newly budding branches of the hardwoods and colored the girl's pale skin in bloodtones. Soon it would be dark, and Red did not know that she was being shadowed.The monster had been following her scent for miles, and now its luminous yellow eyes spied the girl in the gathering gloom. Her red hood bobbed along in the undergrowth as she worked her way toward the cottage in
Once upon a time...Three massive wolves stalked through the village streets, growling and snapping at the frightened citizens that dared peer through their windows. A young beggar ran across the street and the largest wolf, wind rushing through the shining black fur, pounced, pinning him with one large paw and leaning his head down, tearing out the young boy's throat. He let out a howl and his companions joined him, howling up at the moon, full above them. The eldest of the three, who was as black as his nephew, though the smooth fur bore streaks of silver, paused, lowering his gaze to a young woman who stood calmly in the middle of the street. A long hooded cloak of vibrant red silk hung from her slender frame and beneath the hood the wolves caught glimpses of soft blonde curls and blue eyes, dark as the sky above. She stepped back and they stalked closer, sniffing curiously."Creatures of the fullest moon, great wolves, I offer myself, my body in exchange for the sa
When Red awakens she can only see darkness. As she come to she can feel the smooth silk bedding beneath her and then she realizes that her robes and undergarments had been taken from her. She was here in a strange place, naked on silk linens. When she tries to cover herself her hands were halted but the leather bonds around her wrists that were connected to the chains that hung from the wall behind the bed. This came as an amazing shock. But what was the biggest shock was when she discovered that a steel rod separated her ankles so she couldn't close her legs. Now she was fully awake and terrified.Then, in the middle of her terror a light came from the hall. Dimly at first be then growing brighter. It wasn't long before she heard footsteps approaching. She did her best to struggle against the chains and bracer, trying to hide herself from whoever was approaching. But it was too late. A candle's flame peaked it's way around a corner and behind it followed a man so dashing tha
"What does that mean?""Young dragons--well, relatively young, to you they would be very old indeed--have the great desires. It is they who kidnap princesses, crush knights, sack towns and generally make nuisances of themselves. Not unlike young humans, they have to find their way and that often includes some temper tantrums and fits of pique. Over time, they mature and the need to prove their potency to themselves diminishes. Like old humans, they get set in their ways and a nice long nap in the sunshine seems a much better way to spend a day than burning knights to a crisp or gobbling up maidens.""I don't mean to be rude, but I thought dragons were evil? Don't you...do things just to be bad?"The dragon laughed then, so deeply and completely that small flames shout out of his nostrils and smoke curled up. When he had mastered his mirth, he at last spoke."We're no more evil than any other race. There are good and bad among us. The good can be very good
Red looked at Seth and said,” You need to begin the ceremony now..”Samuel was going say something when Seth growled at him and said,” For that we will have to do this in a different setting altogether..are you ready to take a trip in fantasy?”As soon as Red nodded she was covered in a fine mist ad everything was gone.They came for her while the sun was still high. Proctor Vesle, Constable Varlet, and the town elders. She saw them coming long before they arrived and her sobbing mother begged her to run, but it wasn't in her nature. Someone would have to die today, and she couldn't allow this mantle to fall onto one of her friends.She made tea and had it poured and ready by the time the men arrived. She could smell the sweat, see the stains in their somber attire, and sense their fear and hate. It no longer bothered her. She knew very well she was signing her own death warrant when she refused the Proctor's advances
Samuel’s POVI smell blood. A wounded animal. An easy kill. The blood is still fresh. Not dead yet. A noise ahead, whimpering. Getting close. Big animal. No not animal.The part of my brain that is still human tries to comprehend. No fur. Clothing. Human. Must not kill. It's female and injured. Blood covers her ragged clothing.Smells like sweat, blood and desperation. Can't smell her. Can't smell animal on her.She trips and I move closer careful not to frighten her. A twig snaps under my feet and she sits on her heels terrified. The terror leaves her eyes almost instantly when she see me and is replaced by hope. She reaches a hand towards me and I see the other arm is being held awkwardly. It is broken and the bone has torn through the skin.Wolf. Not pack. Strange wolf. Injured wolf. Not pack. Not enemy.After sniffing her skin I move closer letting her palm glide over my head, down my neck. She screams an
Samuel’s POVThe moon was luminescent, casting its silvery shadow over the trees like some snowy net, lighting a dirt path that wound deeper and deeper into the thick, dangerous forest. But the cloud covered orb was robbed of its full lustre, far too darkened by the wispy fog rising in off the marsh to the east.I pulled my flashlight from my knapsack and let it shine a reflection of precious light, causing snakes to coil away, and poisonous spiders to rise on silky strands back into hiding.The sound of her panting breath, still hot and desperate, led me uphill toward the meandering stream, whose running water echoed like some rushing wind, rustling fall leaves until a hundred colors struck the ground.I was closing in on her, and could almost see her now, smelling her running shapely curves as she weaved and bobbed past dangling branches that tore, gouged and scratched her human flesh. But still she pressed on at full speed, her slender, racing an