Page 69 of To Touch A Silent Fury
The man stopped, more out of surprise than fear. When the howl ended, there was a moment of chilling silence, those behind him pausing at the edge of the clearing.
The first man raised his sword, and those behind jeered.
Then a thunder of paws raked across the clearing. Streaks of fur and flashing yellow eyes appeared as yowls filled the air. They flashed in the darkness, jumping with great bounding leaps towards the men. The beasts’ paws alone were the size of my head; their haunches thicker than half the yew trees, and their heavy long fur cast their shadows long past the tree line.
A huge wolf pack had descended.
I watched as a grey wolf sunk its claws into the first man’s chest, knocking him to the ground and pulling his head clean off his shoulders like a toy.
I froze, entirely stiff, as my shadow jumped over Vellintris’ tail, and whimpered next to me. He licked my hand, and I shuddered. It wasn’t like with Vellintris, I couldn’t understand his emotions. But I knew he wanted to run. He wanted both of us to run.
I turned back to the dragon as flesh tore behind me. My terror had reached such a point I no longer understood how to feel it, but I knew without touch that Vellintris was dead. I had given her the strength to aid her final act, and I wouldn’t let it be in vain. This was her forest, hers and Amune’s. I understood why the Sons worshipped her as they did.
I would not let her egg fall to the cacofs.
The ground around the egg was almost molten, and I jumped between the patches of mud untouched by her flame until I was a few feet from the shell. The egg cracked further as the screams and snarls behind me reached a crescendo, a hairline fracture all the way down its side.
“Come on,” I muttered under my breath. Just a little more, I thought, as tooth met steel.
I risked a glance back, and my heart jolted as three men cut down a russet wolf. Why the wolves had attacked, I could only guess. Whatever magic this forest held, however, I did not trust it enough to believe myself safe from the wolves’ instincts now that Vellintris was gone.
The men were winning, already. There couldn’t be more than a span of wolves left. Shadow was ahead of me. I knew in some natural way, as one knows the sun follows the moon, that he was waiting for me.
The ones nearest the front shouted to the others, pointing at me. “Kill the tribeswoman.”
Another barked. “She’ll die clean upon my blade.”
“Don’t shoot. You could hit the hatchling.”
I flinched, more from the noise than the threats. A large chunk of shell fell away as a thin and papery purplish wing, coated in grey mucus and slime, pushed against its confinement.
I reached my hands into the carcass of the egg, the hot air still escaping from its sweltering chamber, the steam burning my neck. I felt warm flesh and pulled the thing up, holding its boiling, squawking form against my front and knowing my hands would be blistered if I lived past this night. Opening my coat, I pushed the baby inside. The warmth would be a fraction of where it had just come from, but I had no other choice.
Then I turned. Only two wolves remained, baring their teeth. The men bared their teeth back, swinging swords as a handful ran towards me. I heard more shouts in the distance. More would come.
I didn’t want to leave Vellintris here. Even knowing she was dead, it felt wrong to leave her to the plunder of lesser men. But there was nothing left I could do. I had to keep her baby safe.
Scanning the forest for any gaps, I cradled the tiny creature against my belly through my coat. There was no way I was making it on foot. Acting on some greater instinct now, I jumped across the molten embers to Shadow’s side.
He waited, and the moon caught in his eye as he looked at me. I touched my hand to his head, and through his thick fur, I felt the warmth of him. His assent. This was insane. This was completely fucking insane.
With my free hand I grabbed the scruff at his neck and hoisted myself across, clutching the baby dragon closer as I lay along his back.
And then the wolf flew. His muscles rippled and contorted under me, and I held on as best I could, which was poorly with only one hand free and a precious burden locked against my front. I barely managed to stay on as he ranthroughtwo of the men, knocking them off-balance as shouts called for our pursuit.
I laughed, then. A strange choke, feeling this would be my end, and knowing it to be something I could never have predicted. I was riding a wolf. A cacof girl, clinging to the fur of a feral beast. Only the dragon at my side kept my hold firm and my mind in the present.
Shadow ran through the dark woods as lights converged around us. More of the Dragon Prince’s men. More than I’d ever seen. Horns blared and arrows flew past. I ducked, my head buried in the fur at the beast’s neck. He skidded to a stop, and I nearly fell off entirely as the wolf dug his claws in to swing around. He ran hard in the opposite direction, away from the approaching lights.
But even in the other direction, there was light again. I glanced up as he panted beneath me, saliva dripping from his open jaw as his hot breath came thick. He wasn’t built for carrying an adult woman, and he would tire soon. He jumpedover a log, and my legs screamed as I locked them around his middle to stay on.
Two men stood ahead of us.
One, dressed all in black and holding a torch. The light bounced off his face, and a flash of recognition put my heart into my mouth. Pale cheeks and dark hair weren’t enough to stand out in the forest. But I would know those eyes anywhere, and the grim set of his mouth stirred against memories I thought I had buried.
It wasn’t the first time I had seen him in my forest, but it was the first time he had seenme. I ducked my head, hoping he hadn’t seen my eyes, and couldn’t draw a straw of connection.
The other raised a bow, his eyes wide with shock, and pointed it straight at Shadow’s head as we barrelled directly towards them. Langnathin’s companion said something I couldn't hear over my own growl.
