[A/N] Not much to say here, except Oath Breaker is awesome IEFISUHFKALO. Halfway through that book now. I was so sad when Bale died. He was my third fav character ;(
Wolf loped across the plain, stopping once only to chew some delicious tree blood that was left by an elk. The scent was beginning to get stronger, making his tail hurt and his whiskers twitch. He remembered when the Bitten One had stomped on his tail. And laughed.
Wolf raced on.
At last he began to slow down, warily moving forward. The stench of rottenness was so strong now that Wolf could snap at it. He sensed something behind a boulder and tensed, baring his teeth. A Child Demon sprang at Wolf, claws ready to sink into his flesh.
Wolf swiftly twisted out of the way, snapping and growling at the Child Demon. It dodged and roared angrily. Suddenly five more demons sprung at Wolf, clawing and biting at him. He tried to run out of the way, but one of the demons threw a Long Claw at him, forcing him to turn away.
Wolf was about to attack when a sharp pain pierced his side. He saw a Child Demon biting him, and it didn't let go. More demons threw themselves on him, using their Long Claws or teeth to hurt him. Wolf tried to shake them off, but failed. He regretted not alerting Tall tailless of the scent. Now he was going to be beaten.
Using his last amount of strength, Wolf howled desperately.
Help pack-
A net encased him in blackness, cutting off his howl.
...
Renn tried to keep up with Torak. He was walking as fast as he could, almost running. She could read the fear on his face, the fear of the unspeakable. Wolf was his closest friend since his father had died, and Renn understood that. He would be devastated if something happened to him.
But Renn had a distant look on her face. Why Wolf? Why now? And most importantly, who? Eostra and the Soul Eaters were defeated, and most of the demons had fled alongside. So what could have been attacking Wolf?
Torak continued walking, occasionally muttering something under his breath, relentlessly tracking Wolf. Renn had her Mage's sense to guide her, but sometimes she wished she didn't. Her uneasiness had grew the further they walked. Something bad was happening.
She could feel it in the air, in the rowan and birch trees. They were holding their breath. Waiting.
Torak stopped abruptly, causing her to walk into him. Renn peered at the forest floor and saw what he was looking at.
...
Torak studied the tracks intently. Wolf's long lopes slowed into a walk. He must have sensed something. Then additional footprints were found.
Small. Child-like.
With claws.
Tokoroth.
Torak's heart wrenched with fear. They were dead! They were all dead! Or were they? Torak forced himself to concentrate on the tracks. He pictured the tokoroths leaping at Wolf, leaving a deep footprint in the muddy soil.
Wolf must have leaped out of the way, and tried to attack. More footprints appeared. Torak couldn't believe his eyes. 'How many were there?' said Renn, voicing out his thoughts. Torak guessed about...'Six.' Renn gasped in shock.
How could there be so many? 'We have to get back to the clans. Something bad must have happened. We need to warn them!' She cried.
'But what about Wolf?'
Renn paused. Her throat worked. 'We'll...we'll have to split up.'
Torak thought deeply, then nodded. He threw a nervous glance at Renn. She tried to smile reassuringly, but it twisted into a frown. They both knew this could be the last time they saw each other.
'Renn...' started Torak. He hesitated, and she saw that he was barely holding back tears. She walked over to him, and, before he could react, pulled him into a tight hug. 'I'll be back.' she murmured resting her head on his shoulder. Truth was, anything could happen, but she tried not to show her fear.
Torak stood stiffly in surprise, then relaxed and hugged her back. 'Be careful.' They released each other, both blushing softly. 'We'll meet at the place.' Torak decided, breaking the awkward silence. Renn nodded. 'The place' meant the area where she and Torak had made their first camp in the new forest, and now Wolf had claimed it as his new resting place for Darkfur and Pebble.
Renn's stomach twisted at the thought of Wolf. It'll be a long way back to the Raven clan, and she'd have to get a head start. She exchanged one final look at Torak, then set off, her bow clinking softly at her side.
...
The juniper bush beside the girl and boy rustled slightly, but they were too caught up in their conversation to notice. Evil black eyes stared at the two as they pulled each other into a hug. The creature shuddered in disgust. Love.
It pulled back its teeth in a gruesome smile as they separated. Good... It'll make its hunt so much easier. I shall become the ruler of the living and dead. All shall fear me. Nobody can stop the mighty power of the Dark One.
Nobody could stop the power of Eostra.
...
Torak watched Renn leave, until she was a tiny red speck in the distance, and then was swallowed by the forest entirely. He sighed and bent down to continue tracking. The tracks showed that there was something big and wide, criss-crossed like a net...
Torak jumped as he heard a bush rustle. He looked around wildly, trying to calm his thumping heart. Then he exhaled. It was only a jack rabbit. Ignoring further rustles and disturbances, he fell into the familiar trance, focusing only on the prey and nothing else.
The kidnappers seemed to have dragged Wolf in the net for a distance, then the heavy footprints melted into a straight, long line occasionally interrupted by paws. Examining it in closer detail, he realized that the paws were smaller than a wolf's but bigger than a fox's, which, meant one thing.
Dogs.
A sickly feeling came to his stomach, and he tried to wave it away. But he couldn't stop the visions that overwhelmed him, vision of Eostra's ruthless pack, always hungry for blood and destruction... And all the while, Wolf had been with him, guiding him, protecting him.
He remembered the last time Wolf had disappeared. Taken by the Soul Eaters, narrowly avoided being sacrificed...
A flash of black, an Torak came face to face with a snarling girl. Her hair was matted, jerkin torn and muddy, and her nails...all black. In a heartbeat he sensed her hunger, her hatred. The only time he saw that kind of expression, so cold and uncaring that it sent shivers down his spine.
'Eostra.'
She lunged, and her nails morphed into claws that dug into his chest. Torak yelled and backed away, feeling the warm liquid staining his jerkin red. Pulling out the knife Fin-Kedinn made for him so long ago, he circled the wild Soul Eater.
Questions whirled in his head. How is she still alive? And her appearance...
He dodged as she struck again, this time using her teeth as well. Torak caught the stench of rottenness, only alive to kill. Mad. This Eostra was different. Last time, she wanted his power, wanted to steal his World Soul to become a spirt walker and rule the Forest.
Now she only wanted to kill.
Revenge.
And Torak knew that feeling better than anyone else, when he set off to hunt Thiazzi, who murdered Bale. Revenge can consume. Revenge can make you powerful. Unstoppable.
The black haired girl renewed her attack, and the last thing he saw was her eyes, as dark as night.
[A/N] Looks like the evil Soul Eater has made a comeback... Hope you enjoyed.
