The night journey to the West Wood Pack was shrouded in an unsettling darkness, the only sound was the thudding hooves of galloping horses and squeaking carriage.
They were nearing the territories of the West Wood Pack, but Reana could feel the growing sense of unease, as the distant howling of wolves and the amusing cackling of what she presud to be Nightwings, in the distance tore through the night sky.
’We watch from the hills.’
She mindlinked her group, and instantly, they accelerated, the horses’ hooves pounding the earth in unison.
"Hyah!" Reana yelled, cracking the reins as they surged forward, the wind whipping through her hair.
Ryder rode behind her, his eyes fixed intently on her proud back.
The hills lood ahead, their dark silhouettes rising like sentinels from the night-shrouded landscape.
Soon, the group stopped by the hill, the horses’ labored breathing and the creaking of leather the only sounds breaking the silence.
Reana slid off her horse, her eyes scanning the terrain as Ryder followed suit, his movents fluid and deliberate.
From the hill, they could see the battle going on in the West Wood territory.
The West Wood Pack’s warriors were fiercely defending their territory against five or so Nightwing monsters, but the warriors were at a loss; They had no idea what to do.
They could only watch with dread, panic, and resentnt as the monsters plucked their warriors one after another and soared into the air, only to return shortly after with mingled and dismbered remains, the grueso spectacle fueling their terror and helplessness.
Reana and her group shuddered at the sickening sight. If it wasn’t for Ryder, they would have had the sa grueso fate.
The group couldn’t help fixing gazes of appreciation on Ryder, who seed not to be interested in whatever was going on, as he glued himself to the Luna.
Right, a shaless seducer, Mirian, who just stepped out of the carriage couldn’t help rolling her eyes so hard that she almost lost her eyes.
She wasn’t there, so she didn’t witness Ryder’s heroic performance earlier, nor would any warrior tell her what happened, as everyone looked tense and worried, including the wounded warrior she shared the carriage with. The guy was drifting in and out of consciousness and Mirian worried he might die if not treated as soon as possible.
That was why she ca out of the carriage to report to the Luna, but upon seeing what the others were watching, Mirian’s heart sank.
Earlier, she’d only heard the distant scream of the monsters, and was told by the Gamma to report to the Luna. Mirian didn’t see the creatures, but beholding them now, her legs trembled beneath her, and she felt a cold sweat break out on her forehead.
The Nightwing monsters were even more terrifying than she had imagined, their twisted bodies and razor-sharp claws seeming to embody the very essence of evil.
Mirian’s gaze flickered to Ryder, who still stood transfixed by the Luna, his expression unreadable. How could he remain so calm in the face of such horror? A powerless servant like him should be scared witless.
Her thoughts were interrupted by the Nightwings’ eerie, high-pitched cackles of excitent, making Mirian’s heart pound relentlessly. She wanted to escape into the carriage, but she couldn’t even feel her legs anymore.
"This is bad," a warrior muttered.
"Perhaps we should seek aid from the other packs," Steve suggested, but Kira shot him a withering look. Steve wisely backed away, his head lowered.
He didn’t feel he said anything wrong. Those they sought help from couldn’t even help themselves, so why would they lend them workers?
The silence that followed was oppressive, until Tara spoke up, "What should we do, Luna?"
Reana didn’t reply imdiately. She turned to Ryder, her eyes seeking his expertise. "How do we defeat them?" she asked.
Reana couldn’t say that she knew how to defeat them from watching Ryder do it earlier. Moreover, he caught them by surprise, and his movent was too fast to be studied.
"Strike their weak points with precision and force," Ryder advised, his voice low. "You miss on the first strike, and you die. Aim for the knee caps and wings."
Reana turned her head to observe the battle one more ti, her eyes narrowing as she studied the Nightwings’ movents. "What about when they fly?" she asked, "They have the advantage of speed and agility in the air. How do we counter that?"
"Fire," Ryder replied, "Shoot them down with fire."
"And when we have no fire, like right now? How do we bring them down from the sky?" Kira chid in.
Ryder’s gaze locked onto the Nightwings, his brows creased with annoyance. If not for them, Reana would have been in his arms right now. "Then, you attack their wings when they land. But unfortunately, that’s almost impossible."
"In the woods, the Nightwings would have to either perch on trees or walk," Reana said, a strategic glint in her eye. "Either way, it’ll limit their mobility and give us a chance to take them down." Saying that, began walking back to her horse.
"Luna, what do you intend to do?" Kira and everyone else panicked.
"Lead them into the woods." But just as she reached for the reins of her horse, Ryder grabbed her arm. Reana turned to him, her eyes narrowing slightly in inquiry. "What is it, Ryder?" she asked, her voice firm but curious.
"You can’t go." The frown on his brows deepened, and his grip on her arm tightened. "It’s too dangerous."
"But I have to," Reana insisted, her voice steady. "If I want them to help us, I have to give them sothing in return. And right now, that sothing is right in front of ."
Ryder’s eyes flashed with a fierce protectiveness, his jaw set in a resolute line. "No," he said, his tone brooking no argunt. With a sigh, he continued, "You stay here and don’t go anywhere."
Reana was stunned by his sudden ferocity, her eyes widening in surprise. "Ryder, what’s gotten into you?" she asked, trying to keep her voice steady despite the turmoil rising within her.
But instead of answering, Ryder’s gaze shifted to Mirian, his eyes glinting with a deadly intensity. "Keep an eye on her," he commanded, his voice low and nacing. "If anything happens to her, I’ll kill you."
The pale-faced Mirian nodded like a rattlesnake before she could even process what he said.
And suddenly, right in front of everyone, the brazen servant kissed their Luna.
Reviews
All reviews (0)