4 The dark forest

I wasn't used to the bumpy ride of being on a horse. And I could not describe how tiring it was to stay on. Thankfully the guy held on to me and made sure I didn't fall off. I held onto him too.

I wish I knew his name. He knows mine and hell, I know the name of the horse. I wanted to ask but I couldn't tell if I was too nervous or too scared to ask.

We rode for what seemed like hours but to him it seemed like nothing. I guess he was used to it. I mean we did live in different worlds. I'm used to driving not riding.

If started getting dark and we stopped to set up camp. That was another thing I wasn't used to. Camping. Being outside like this.

I sat down in a fallen tree and watched at the man started a fire. He had the whole thing set up. He was like a pro at this. He finished and sat on the ground and leaned his back onto the tree next to me. He watched the fire intensely as if deep in thought.

He pulled over the small bag and started rummaging through it.

"You hungry?"

I looked at the roll he had in hand and felt my stomach turn. The horse ride made me nauseous if anything.

"No thank you. I'm fine."

He shrugged and took a big bite out of it feeling satisfied with its taste.

We sat in silence for a bit. That is until I got the courage to ask him his name.

"What's your name?"

"What?"

I cleared my throat and spoke a little louder. "What's your name?"

He stared at the fire again. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck.

"Why do you need to know?"

"I'd like to have something to call you. Besides, you know my name."

"Erevan."

He said it quickly but loud enough for me to hear it.

"Erevan? Do you have a nickname I can call you? I'm not used to a name like that."

"I don't have a nickname. If you couldn't tell I kind of live here alone."

"Well then I'll just have to give you one. Because I'm not calling you Erevan."

"Or you could just not worry about it and just not talk to me."

That hurt a bit. I was just trying to make my situation better by at least getting close to this guy.

"Ok," I whispered lowering my head away. I looked away from him.

I repeated the name in my head over and over again. It felt weird to me. But it did suit him. It did remind me of an elf which I assumed was what he was.

I was about to open my mouth and say something when he raised a hand as if to silence me. He slowly got up and reached over for his bow. I felt the hairs on the back of my neck stand. I got the sense we weren't alone here.

"Erevan-"

"Shh!"

He cut my off and then out of no where a large wolf pounced him and he groaned in pain. I screamed and fell off the tree I was sitting on. I stumbled to get up. I heard growls around me and was too scared to move. Erevan was using his bow to keep the wolf from biting him but was slowly failing.

There was a distant howl in the distance and I knew deep in me that it was no normal wolf. The ground shook as it walked toward us. Erevan's eyes widened and I look back only to see a wolf the size of a house staring down at me. It's breath was hot on me and it's slobber pooled down under it. The other wolves went to surround it but the one on Erevan stayed.

The large wolf stared at me. Then it did the strangest things. It bowed its head to me.

"Welcome goddess."

I gasped and took a step back.

"Y-you can talk?"

"We have been awaiting your arrival for a while now."

It's mouth didn't move as it talked. I heard a grunt behind me and quickly turned around.

"Wait! Please leave him alone."

"He has killed many of my children. Why should I?"

"He said he'd help me get out of here. He plans to take me to the king."

"The king is more wicked then him."

I opened my mouth and staggered not knowing what to do or say. After a moment of silence the large creature nodded its head and the wolf got off of him. I turned back to face it.

"Do you know why I am here?"

"Sadly I do not. But I will gladly give you this as a gift."

"A gift?"

A small wolf walked up and dropped a small necklace with a rainbow crystal on it. I slowly picked it up and admired its beauty.

"What is this? It looks nothing like a diamond."

"It's the heart of this forest."

"Thank you." I put it on and felt the small weight on me. "You said the king was wicked. What am I supposed to do?"

"Be weary of him. His only interest is your power."

"But I don't even know how to use it."

"You will soon. Now listen-"

The creature was cut of with a loud squeal of pain I looked behind me and saw Erevan behind me breathing heavily with his bow in hand.

"What was that for!" I yelled as I ran to him.

He fell to one knee and readied another arrow. I tackled him over and I watched as wolves surrounded us.

"You idiot they weren't hurting us!"

"You're wrong. That creature is the devil himself."

It growled and it's eyes glowed red. I felt my heart drop.

"What..."

"Look at that thing and tell me you think otherwise."

"Forgive me goddess but I do have a limited amount of time."

The air grew cold and thick. The creature seemed to have started shifting forms and Erevan quickly got up and drew another arrow.

"I don't want to hurt you but we could do without the reject," the wolf said. That when I realized the wolves were only focused on him.

"Stop! We'll leave. Just don't hurt him!"

"That's not what I want though."

"Stand behind me. When I fire run to Ebony and get out of here."

"I'm not leaving you."

"I don't give a damn! Your safety matters. You have to do your job. And I must do mine."

And then just like that he fired. Time seemed to slow down. I ran for Ebony and jumped on as best as I could and help on tight as she started running off.