Chapter V

RED

The rush of air made my hair and red cloak swirl, as we both galloped faster than the wind. A blinding white surrounded us, as the snow was thicker in these northern parts. It seemed like it never stopped falling. Mountain chains with sharp peeks appeared in sight, watching from afar as guardians of the valley. We rode like crazy for two days, trying to reach our final destination without delay - Wolfhagen, the supposed Lycan territory.

We spent the first night in a small town named Waldeck, at the first inn we encountered. A snowstorm prevented us from going forward, as it was very cold and impossible to see. We entered, frozen and covered in snow, sighing relieved by the warmth inside. It wasn't too crowded, being late at night. At least we ate a hot supper by the fire. We paid for two rooms as well. It wasn't much, as it smelled of mold everywhere, but at least the bed and sheets were clean. I fell tired between the pillows and dozed off quickly while watching the snow through the window. The next morning the storm died down and we were able to continue on our journey. I wished I had more time to look around, but we were time-pressed. Also, we didn't need to attract too much attention. We passed from scenery to scenery, admiring the wonders of Mother Nature as we galloped the entire day again.

Still, our horses soon got tired and we had to stop. My belly was growling and my backside was stiff from so much time spent in the saddle. Theon pointed out a good spot at the mouth of a cave. It was safely hidden behind a thicket of trees. A small stream of water passes right beside it.

" I think we will have to spend the night here. We should check if this cave is safe first" he said, tying the horses to the trees. They quickly sated their thirst in the icy water. We lit up an improvised torch and started to explore deeper inside, our weapons at the ready. Besides a couple of bats and lots of humidity, we didn't find much else. As Theon turned back, I noticed something on the walls.

" Hey, look at this!" I said, bringing the torch closer for more light. All over there were scribbles, like prehistoric art. " I think it's a sort of story".

The first depiction was definitely of a woman, whose circle around the head made me think she was a kind of deity. At her feet, there was the sketch of a quarter moon. " A Moon Goddess" I whispered more to myself. Four subjects surrounded her in the next depiction, all bowing before her greatness. After a line of unknown runes, came the scene of all men transforming into wolves under a circle, the full moon. " Could this be the legend of the first Lycans?" I asked Theon, who stood beside me. " Look, this Goddess transformed them, maybe this is the incantation" I said fascinated while touching the carved runes.

" Maybe, but we should get back, settle before it gets too dark" he said with an uninterested voice and went for the exist. I looked at his back puzzled, wondering how could someone not be interested in such a beautiful thing. Next scribbles showed the wild beasts hunting in a pack, as brothers, at the roots of the mountains. I could clearly see the images in my mind, rewinding like a vivid dream. The last depiction showed the Goddess again, this time floating with her arms wide open over a pair of Lycans, man and woman. " A divine blessed couple" I thought narrowing my eyes. I stood a moment longer gazing hypnotized at that precise cave art, goosebumps appearing all over my body only by imagining the connection such a match would have. My heart started beating fast, feeling a needle inside. Somehow it seems like I discovered something huge, but how could it be? There were just some stupid markings, that probably had no meaning. With a lot of effort, I pulled myself from the painted wall and left the cave.

I started unpacking some of the food provisions my horse carried in the saddlebags, while Theon made a fire. I kept thanking grandma over and over in my head for the warm furry cloak and the supplies. It would have been a pain to hunt now, being so frozen and tired from the journey. We warmed ourselves by the fire, dinner roasting in the center. The rabbit meat smelled mouth-watering. Lost in thoughts, I wondered how old were those cave runes and who carved them. To possess such powers, God-given, made me think that facing such a creature was a mistake and if we actually stood a chance defeating one. Guess I will find out soon enough if the legends proved true.

We ate in silence, watching the snowflakes falling gently, covering everything around. The fire lit up the cave's walls, making it comfortable and safe. Still, I felt uneasy, a weird thumping in my chest being constant after I'd seen those stupid scribbles. There was also something strange about Theon, he seemed different, elsewhere.

" Are you ok?" I said taking a bite out of a chunk of meat.

"Sure, why do you ask?" he said lifting his gaze, eating his share of the food.

" You seem off".

" I'm just planning ahead, thinking about what's to come". He gave me a small smile and remained silent again.

" We will meet your father's men tomorrow, right?" I tried keeping up the conversation.

" That is the plan. They will help us sneak into the town. I hope we will make it in time" he said, playing absently with his food.

" Are you scared of the big bad wolf?" I grinned at him, trying to be funny, even though I was scared myself. He laughed and pulled his coat tighter, relaxing a bit.

" We would be foolish not to". His face became serious, the fire reflecting in his big eyes.

" We don't even know if the rumors are true. Might all be just a ruse".

" Who knows.." His tone made me feel again like something was not alright. Was he hiding something? Or maybe I was just being paranoid. Theon ran his fingers through his hair. He looked so good, his curls being messy, a stubble covering his square jaw. I blushed a bit because of my naughty thoughts. As he seemed to notice, a smirk appeared in the corner of his mouth.

" You know, it will be warmer if we sit next to each other" he pointed out casually. My eyes almost popped out, being taken by surprise by his blunt proposition. I turned a scarlet shade of red but kept his intense gaze. He took it as a yes, quickly jumping on his feet and sitting beside me. He gave me one of his charming smiles and placed an arm around my shoulders. I giggled nervously, not knowing how to react. He was right, it became so much hot laying here together. Gently, he played with a lock of my hair, which made me suck in a shallow breath.

To disperse the sexy tension a bit, I whispered " You know, my Grams will be so much more dangerous than the werewolves if something happens to me".

He laughed heartily and added, " Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to you". I knew by the look in his eyes that he wanted to kiss me, but something made me turn my head in shyness. He then planted a small peck on my cheek.

" We should get some rest, it will be a hard day tomorrow" he said, squeezing me closer to him. I let my head fall on his shoulder, sleep taking over me swiftly.

I woke up frowning, a bright sun hitting my face. I mumbled and opened my eyes slowly. Theon was preparing the horses near the stream. I watched him as he washed his face with the icy water, drops falling from his curls and straight nose. A small sigh of desire left me, trying not to drool too much. I rose from the spot, stretching my back like a cat. I caught him starring and giggled to myself. He too smiled.

" Good morning. Slept okay?" he said drying his hands on a cloth.

" Yes, like a lamb" I said, crouching near the stream and taking a sip. It refreshed me on the spot.

" Good, because we still have a couple of miles to ride before we reach the Habicht Forest " he told me, putting his cloak on.

After half an hour, we were on the road again, our horses running swiftly through the snow. I felt adrenaline and fear coursing through my veins at the thought of soon facing a true Lycan beast. Would they be as powerful as I imagined? Even so, I was ready!

Time passed quickly and night was almost upon us when we finally reached our destination. We descended from the horses, treading carefully through the trees. These woods were much thicker and creepier than my small Blue Forest. In the dark, every withered branch seemed like a large claw ready to strike. From the deep, we heard a howl that made us grasp our weapons with worry. Tension was building up as we kept on moving through the enemy lands.

" Where do we meet them?" I whispered, guiding my horse by the reins.

" We should be close. They will signal us" Theon responded, with his crossbow at the ready. Not two minutes later we heard it, a hoot coming from the trees. I went ahead, trying to see them in the dark. Three figures appeared from the shadows, their footsteps barely audible. I should had felt relieved, but then I heard one of them say: " Is that her?". From behind, clear as crystal, Theon responded " Yes". Before I could react in any way, I felt a heavy blow in my head and everything went dark.