The moon was disappearing behind a black cloud and as the stars were starting to vanish behind the wall of roiling storm clouds the Adaryn were starting to shift uncomfortably. They didn’t want to get caught flying in the storm that was to come.
Lonan continuously cast glances at his daughter, and Freya was refusing to look his way. Although the longer she sat next to Vistra she could feel both of them giving her that parental glance.
“Freya,” Vistra cooed in a low hum to catch her attention, “the birds will leave soon. Please, say goodbye to your father.”
“I hate to sound like a petulant child, but why should I?” Freya questioned back; voice just as low as Vistra’s to avoid the Adaryn overhearing.
“Little bird, I also promised my child to the ones I was raised to think of as the enemy. It is no easy task for a parent to agree to such terms. If you are right in thinking that the birds set your family then they must have been heavily persuading your father into this, more so than what we experienced. I at least gave Cain the option to make the final decision for himself. Your father had already lost a child and I’m sure he was forced into losing you. Don’t be so hard on him,” she leaned close and pressed her forehead to mine. It was a common move for the Vargar to comfort one another.
“I will say goodbye to him,” she finally sighed out. Vistra settled back into her massive wooden seat, unbothered by the cold rushing over them in waves now with an easy smile across her red lips.
“I’m glad to hear it. I don’t want to be at odds with the one I shall soon share a grandchild with,” Vistra smiled “Well, someday at least.” The Wolfmother pat the back of Freya’s hand gently as a last show of encouragement before she stood from the table.
Cain looked over at Freya in question, and her response was to look in her father’s direction. He nodded in understanding before diving back into conversation with the Adaryn King. It made Freya so glad to see that the conversation was flowing smoothly, despite how uneasy a few of the Councilmen looked. Namely Allen Grouse.
The entire time they’d been feasting at the tables he had the nastiest look on his face. And when he noticed Freya standing and walking back in the direction of her father, he had a smile plastered on his face that better resembled a grimace. She knew she hadn’t liked him that first time he’d shown his face at her old family home.
“Father,” Freya approached Lonan and kept her hands on the solid armor acting as a corset around her waist. That last trace of her sister giving her what she needed to face their father. She said she forgave him, and she need to act like it. “I came to say goodbye before you all leave-”
Before she could finish her sentence Lonan had rushed from his chair and threw his arms around his child. He was nearly crushing Freya from the force of his hug as he poured all he could into it.
“You are brave, and you are strong, and Raga would be so proud of you and I’m so sorry. If your mother was well, I know she’d hate to hand you over, but to see you happy and cared for would bring her joy.” He pulled back to look Freya in the eyes while keeping his hands on her shoulders. “You look so much like your mother, and I wish she were here to see you smile again.”
Freya relaxed, finally letting the tension ease from her shoulders as she smiled back at her father.
“Please, take care of mother when you go home. She’s still in there somewhere.” and she hugged her father one more time before the Adaryn’s decided the incoming storm was too close for comfort.
“Come, my fellows, the night ends for us and we can’t be caught in the storm. We’ll stay at the Valkyrie outpost and then finish our flight in the morning. Now that we know our future brings peace, I think we can all sleep easy tonight,” Hawke turned from Lonan and the other Councilmen to bow low at Vistra’s feet. She raised an eyebrow at the motion, only nodding her head in return.
“Cain, I think working with you in the future will be splendid. You have a head for leadership and I trust my son will work with you to meet our efforts for peace when the time comes for you both to lead,” Hawke clasped his fist over his chest and bowed to Cain who lifted his mug in salute to the Adaryn king.
As they left Freya felt a tug at her heart watching her father’s wings lift up into the black night. Her head was swirling with memories of her father holding her tight and flying her into the sky with her mother and Raga at their sides. There was a small bit of wing envy still in her heart, but now it was less as she had found a people of her own and a love on the ground.
The sight of the king’s golden wings brought Aurik to mind, and as the Adaryn flew out of sight she was so relieved he hadn’t been there. His friendship had gone sour and she wouldn’t want him to be in the audience to witness her union with Cain. Especially after she had turned him down. Hopefully what transpired between them didn’t affect their future alliance between the Adaryn and Vargar.
He would be next King while Cain was the next Alpha with Freya at his side. She hoped Aurik would move on to some other nobleman’s daughter, one who made sense to be on the throne beside him. She still wanted him to find happiness, despite his misguided affections he would still make a good king when it was his time.
“Freya, now that the birds are gone would you like to retire to the tent? We need to make sure we’re ready for the journey tomorrow and I want you well rested. It won’t be an easy trip in this weather it looks like we’ll be getting. The canyon separating our lands is treacherous to traverse, even in good weather.” Cain had scooped Freya up into his arms as he spoke, holding her tight to his chest to share his warmth with her.
“The pack is enjoying the feast still, look at them,” Freya gestured at the warriors dancing around bonfires and picking at leftover roast pieces on the long tables. “Let us just watch a moment. I want to burn this happiness to memory.”
“As you wish, my little bird. We will look at all the happy faces of a pack that doesn’t have to worry anymore if they’ll be called to war. See how they celebrate knowing that soon we will go home?”
“I am happy to be a part of this historic night,” Freya mumbled as she snuggled in close to Cain’s muscled chest.
“I am happy to have you, no matter what,” Cain stated before pressing a gentle kiss atop Freya’s head and wrapping part of his cloak around her small frame in his lap.
The wolves were dancing, some of them shifting into their fur after the Adaryn left to play fight and race around the camp. The energy was high and despite the storm threatening overhead everyone was thoroughly enjoying themselves and ready for the journey home. Back to love ones left behind.
It wasn’t long before Cain realized that Freya had fallen asleep in his lap. He looked down at his little bird, glad to see a small and content smile on her face as she breathed gently. He would do anything to keep her smiling.
~
“Freya, wake up.” She was startled awake at the serious tone in Cain’s voice and realizing they were still out in the cold. “There’s a fire that just burst to life near the camp. I have to go with the warriors to make sure it doesn’t reach the encampment.”
She slid off his lap on tired legs as he stood up in a rush. Cain began to disrobe like the other warriors who were already running in the direction of the blaze. Freya could see the flames in the forest in the direction the Adaryn left in.
The strong winds of the coming storm were blowing the flames higher into the black sky and the sight caused fear to grab hold of her stomach.
“I will stay with her, Cain,” Freya felt Vistra’s calm hand on her shoulder from behind. “If we cannot stop the flames, we will leave what we must and cross to the mountains tonight.” The command in her voice was clear. Cain nodded to his mother in response before falling on all fours to shift.
The sudden appearance of the forest fire and watching Cain strip bare before changing into a massive wolf was more than enough to wake Freya from the exhaustion she had fallen into. Now her brain and body were on high alert.
“Come, Fre
ya, we have to rouse the camp for any who are asleep and get them somewhere safe. Will you help me?” Vistra questioned although she was already walking away with purpose knowing the answer.
“Of course, we can gather them near the canyons edge in the opposite direction of the flames,” Freya responded following Vistra.
“Good thinking. We’ll split up here and go around the tents waking any who are asleep and meet in the middle closest to the canyon.” After Freya sent Vistra a quick nod they went their separate ways.
Although it was nearly frigid Freya was sweating as she ran through the camp searching each and every tent on one side of the clearing. Nearly everyone was empty as most wolves had already smelled or heard the commotion and left to help. She was almost run over a few times by massive wolves rushing through the tents to get to the forest fire that had erupted.
Freezing rain began to sprinkle down from the black clouds above as she made her way through the encampment. Her breath was visible as she huffed breathlessly while stopped to rest a moment. Freya’s body was exhausted and tense from the cold and running.
Then something caught her attention that she wasn’t expecting to hear. She was near to the spot of the camp closest to the canyons edge, Vistra should be near and yet she didn’t see the Wolfmother. Instead she heard growling.
A haunting howl floated into the night air and the sound was followed by a monstrous snarl. Freya could hear bodies clashing and maws gnashing. There were wolves fighting, and it didn’t sound like the play or practice fighting she’d grown accustomed to.
No, there was something about this sound that drove a violent shiver to creep up her spine in waves.
Freya’s instincts told her to run in the opposite direction. Generations of fear buried deep in the back of her mind made her want to turn and flee from the beastly noises she was hearing.
Then there was the sound of tearing flesh and a yelp of pain. That sound alone was like a knife to the gut. She didn’t know what had happened, only that someone might need her help and she had to go to their side.
Despite the fear in her entire being she had to do something.
Freya began to run around a few of the large tents to follow the sounds of fighting. She noticed it was taking her back into the heart of the camp. She could see the fire blazing in the forest casting an eerie red glow on the camp and surrounding trees not yet ablaze.
Time seemed to come to a halt as Freya’s eyes were drawn to the shadow of someone leaning against a tent and clutching their sides. The storm overhead sent a bolt of lightning streaming across the sky and in that brief second Freya saw blood. Too much blood.
“Vistra!” Freya cried and her feet moved of their own will as she ran in the direction of the Wolfmother just as she collapsed on the damp earth.
The Wolfmother was bare from shredding through her clothes, and Freya gasped to see in the light of the forest fire that her body was torn and mangled beyond repair.
She fell to her knees at Vistra’s side after removing her cloak. Freya threw the cloak over Vistra’s bare and lacerated frame to block her from the wind and rain. As gently as she could Freya put her arms around Vistra’s torso and lifted the Wolfmother into her lap. Her eyes were closed and her breathing was coming in ragged while blood pooled slowly from her split lips.
“No. No, Vistra, you’ll be fine. Please, be fine,” tears were spilling from Freya’s eyes as she wasn’t able to contain the excess of emotions building up inside her at the sight she was witnessing.
“Freya,” Vistra reached up and weakly took Freya’s trembling hand. There was a weak smile on her lips as she looked up at the frightened Adaryn holding her. She coughed up blood but didn’t lose her smile. “Little bird, daughter, I need you to run. Get as far away from here as possible-”
“No! No, I can’t leave you!” Freya interrupted clutching at Vistra’s hand that was only getting colder by the moment.
“Ivar is here, little bird. He is after you, and I need you to run before he finds you. Please, run.” She coughed again followed by a violent body spasm where she groaned in pain. “You are the Wolfmother now. And you must go.”
“No, I’m not ready. I cannot be what I am not. It has to be you, Vistra.” Freya attempted to argue between sobs.
“My dear, do not think of what you are not. Just be who you are,” Vistra croaked with a fading smile. And then she was no longer staring into Freya’s eyes, but through her. Staring into another world. Staring at nothing.
She was gone.
“Vistra? Vistra, please no. You can’t leave me. Not here, and not like this,” Freya scrambled to brush back Vistra’s red hair sticky with blood. She wasn’t even aware of all the dark blood seeping into the delicate layers of her gown and she didn’t care. “Please, wake up.”
Freya was gently shaking Vistra’s shoulders as though it could possibly wake her from what had happened. She didn’t want to and couldn’t believe that this powerful woman was gone.
But then the sound of cruel laughter caught Freya’s attention. She looked up in time to see Ivar standing covered in blood and stark-naked glaring in her direction. In that moment she wasn’t afraid, but she was angry.
“You killed her! Your sister... your own sister!” She wailed at him while clutching tightly to Vistra’s body as though she could still protect her.
“She was weak, and she deserved what she got,” he growled. Ivar’s face was sliced through from what Freya could assume was damage Vistra had done in trying to defend herself. It made Freya proud to know that Vistra had fought to the end. Ivar was still standing but he was covered in bloody wounds and bruises. “No family of mine will live to take in you pathetic birds. Your kind are filth.” He spat at the ground.
“You’re a monster!” Freya screeched back at him, not holding back all the anger rushing through her small frame.
“Then you are the prey,” Ivar snarled. His eyes darkened and he opened his mouth wide as sharp canines began to emerge. The bloodied man took one step forward before collapsing to the ground and beginning to shift into a bloody beast.
Only for a moment was Freya rooted to the ground in fear. She watched as his bones cracked beneath his flesh followed by the fur that began to sprout.
Freya pulled Vistra’s body tight against her chest one last time, embracing what was the fierce woman who had welcomed her with open arms and loved her as her own daughter even in such a short period of time. The tears wouldn’t stop spilling, but Ivar wasn’t done changing.
He would chase, but she had to run.
Chapter 16
It was freezing cold, and dark. Freya’s breath fogged around her as she ran with her feet always nearly tripping in the slippers that she’d worn to match her dress. The beautiful gown was now weighing her down as she tried to get away from the threat at her back. All those layers of soft fabrics were now soaking up the rain as if the entire dress were no more than a drenched dish rag.
Ivar had shown himself in the space between her and the forest fire where Cain was currently fighting back the blaze with his fellow warriors. She had no option but to run in the opposite direction from where her potential saviors would have been. If her assumption that Ivar had started the blaze was correct, then he’d planned this attack perfectly. His prey had been separated from the safety of its pack.
Most of the wolves had been drawn to the flames to do what they could to keep it from reaching the camp. It had left Freya trapped between Ivar and the canyon’s edge. Neither option would ensure she made it out alive.
At this moment, Freya was thrown back into her old thoughts of missing out on the flight her kind was capable of. If she had wings, then escaping the monster at her back would have been a simple feat. She had enough of a head start that any normal Adaryn would have flown away without a second thought.
But she didn’t have wings. Freya was again in a difficult situation due to what the Adaryn would think of as a disability. A bird with no wings. And now here she was, helple
ssly slipping across the muddied forest floor as she tried to run from a threat.
That head start she had moments ago was quickly slipping away. Her breath came in ragged as Freya tried to run through the line of trees at the canyon’s edge. If she could run fast enough maybe she could run around the camp and make it to the pack. Just maybe she could make it to Cain. If only she was fast enough.
Heavy paws were pounding on the damp forest floor. Each beat of those massive beasts’ claws on the earth were driving Freya further from safety and flooding her frozen frame with a fear unlike anything she'd ever experienced before.
The monster that was Ivar was getting closer, she could hear his massive body crashing into the brush behind her. It was all too easy to imagine his open jaws ready to catch her as the sound of his strenuous panting reverberated in her ears.
Despite the slight advantage Freya had being small and nimble as she ran through the trees, she was no match for the sheer size of Ivar's wolf and the distance he could traverse on paws.
Jaws snapped just behind her legs and terror shot up Freya's spine, but she continued to run. For a moment she dared to look over her shoulder and then she couldn't help the scream that ripped from her throat as she saw Ivar's fur covered form leaping at her. Fangs flashing in moonlight and claws reaching forward, ready for blood.
The Bird and The Wolf Page 17