Chapter 78 Dark Forest

Chapter 78 Dark Forest
Luna’s POV

At first the pace we set was neither too fast nor slow. Out in the forest without anyone bothering us, the sun’s rays bearing down on the canopy of trees gives off a warm ambience, not unlike the Dark Forest before.

My mind wanders furiously, aimlessly.
The news Ymir brought leaves much to be desired. However I do not wish to be a pessimist.

The world is too dark for me to be.

Gale stiffens and turns to me, eyes narrowed.

“We may have a follower,” she says, and the tension rises in a split second.

“A follower?” Calla follows Gale’s line of sight but her voice is low, tinged with concern. “How many?”

“Perhaps one, or three.”

It does not bring any comfort.

I exhale, tucking the Compass in my jacket.

“Pick up the pace,” is all I can say.

It goes without saying.

An aura of tension permeates the previously peaceful atmosphere.
The more we walk, boots crunching over fallen leaves and sticky mud left behind by the rain earlier today, the more unease fills me.

I clench my fists.

“The person is still there,” I say.

Gale nods, and I tilt my head.
“Take care of it,” it is not a suggestion.
She is an assassin, and definitely does not shy away from such things.

With a small smile she pulls back a bit, and Calla and I continue to walk despite it.
 As we proceed, loud growls fill the air, coming from behind us.

My ears pick up the tail end of a statement.
“…leave without his permission.”

“I don’t give a damn,” Gale’s words are full of menace.

Their conversation quickly devolves into a soar, and I lower my head, heart skipping.

Whoever it was that followed was alone, I surmised. And not only that, but was someone who had been tailing us since we had left the Ironfang pack.
Likely someone from Kael…

I press my lips together, and increase my pace even more. I do not wish him to find me. Not now.

It takes more than an hour before Gale catches up with us. By that time Calla and I stop for a break, waiting on a hill that overlooks the area.

I keep my eyes on the horizon.
She sports a bruise to her lip, appearing a little disheveled, but otherwise fine.

I do not bother asking what happened, but she reports to me anyway.
“It was a shadow guard of that Alpha. Hmph, to think he put a tail on us. He’ll likely find out everything we discussed earlier too.” Gale scrunches up her nose and I refrain from snorting at the way she looks.

Despite her fierceness, we do share the same face. Adorable, I muse, before turning to the matter at hand.

Calla hands Gale a bun to munch on while we move.
I consult the Compass.
‘Point the way,’ I say.

It carves a path before me, one that makes my brows furrow.

It leads further than the eye can see. But I follow it with confidence.
“Don't forget, we have to be careful,” Calla points out, panting as she keeps up with me. Gale moves fluidly on my other side, her hair flowing in the air. “The Hounds have acted twice now. They must have people close by…”

She trails off but I know exactly what she might be thinking. It is only the three of us and we have no one to defend us. Should anything happen…

“That’s fine. All we need to do is reach the Stronghold before nightfall.” I conclude.

Throughout the daytime, we set a punishing pace.
Everything changes as the sun begins to set.

My nose wrinkles. Something sharp catches my senses. Something… strange.
We are currently resting at another clearing, silent as possible, eating another bun from Calla’s bottomless bag.

The full moon emerges from behind the canopy of trees, mingling with the slowly fading red-orange hues that blanket the sky in warmth.

I am unable to settle. I stand and begin to pace about, my eyes searching left and right.

Gale and Calla watch my pacing and they both look visibly nervous.

A whistle rips through the sky in a long beat.

I spot them. Shadows.

“Let’s go!” I call out to them, turning to run when I see the path is blocked.
Wolves, each looking ferocious with long fangs, eyes glowing red, surround us from all sides.

“Oh Goddess,” Calla whispers.

I shift instantly, pushing past the discomfort and pain. Almost immediately a wolf charges towards us. I let my instincts take over. The Wolf yearns for blood.

Within a second, the wolf is on the ground, blood pooling on the forest floor, sinking into the soil and permeating the atmosphere. It drives my hunger.

Gale and Calla have shifted as well. I raise my head to the moon, letting out a howl.
A signal. The rogue wolves flatten their ears, growling louder, reverberating in my ears. They charge at us.

I take on two at once. I do not think, only act, react. Dodge, bite the shins, rip out a throat. The taste of blood drips from my mouth, sweet and unbelievably heady.
My movements speed up, fire igniting in my veins.

Only when the last one is down do I relax. Gale and Calla pant, both crouched beside me.
The aura of death hangs in the air.

I look around, still uncertain. My blood cools when I do not find any obvious foes.
Until…

‘Watch out!’ Calla howls at Gale. I see the arrow, and in the distance, an attacker hidden behind the trees.

Gale is unable to dodge quickly. I move on autopilot.
Only when the piercing, agonizing sensation shot through my shoulder did I realize… I had pushed her out of the way.

‘Luna!’ Gale’s voice broke.

Blood dripped down my shoulder to my leg.
‘I’m fine.’ I promise, and point towards the attacker who was ready to fire another.

Gale acts.
And for the first time I see something I am uncertain of. She grasps the attacker by the neck, pulling him down to stare into his eyes. Gale’s eyes glow, her pupils dilating.
The attacker screams, face reddened. He is thrown to the ground and begins to convulse before our eyes.

Calla gasps.
I too am stunned by the revelation. Gale has powers too?

At first it doesn't register, then I feel the anger simmer underneath my pain.

Wordlessly, I reach up and pull the arrow out, ignoring the pain as I shift back to my human form.

Calla runs to support me, and I grunt. Gale turns, satisfied, freezes on the spot when she sees both of us staring right at her.
She opens her lips to speak, but then, something happens.

A shadow appears from the darkness.
My heart skips.
Another foe?

“Master,” a voice whispers through the mist. A dark wolf jumps into the clearing, and I recognize it.
Ymir.

On instinct I growl.
“Kneel,” the words leave my lips but it comes from the most primal recesses of my mind.

The dark wolf - Ymir - bows to mine, lowering its head. It is almost comical, seeing how tall its limbs are.

“I apologize for being late, Master.”