Author's Note: Again, thank you all so much for the support! I've posted several chapters on my Deviant Art, as well. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy! :D
Days passed. Though Bruma wasn't far, it was far enough, and the days seemed to only grow longer as the chill of Cheydinhal became bitterly cold mountain winds as we moved further North. Keep moving - that was our mantra, what little we said to each other when we spoke. We must keep moving. We stopped only to relieve ourselves and hide our tracks, a task becoming more difficult in the pristine powder that coated the trails. We slept in shifts - one of us would steer Shadowmere as the other slept, and the final followed on mum's horse. Lucien only grudgingly rested, and only for short periods - at even the snap of a twig underfoot his eyes would flash open, his hand would fly to his sword. Mum slept soundly, for longer than either of us could - I worried my lip, glancing at her slumped against Lucien. The wound had taken more out of her than she was willing to admit.
Despite the bitter cold, the constant fear, there was a certain intimacy to it all. To sleep in the arms of someone you hardly know - or perhaps worse, know all too well. To trust them with your life. Knowing we had only each other as we travelled through the mountains towards what Lucien had called 'Applewatch.'
I braced myself, gripping the reins of mum's filly with numb hands as the wind bit at my cheeks. I rode alone, then - mum was resting once again, and Lucien moved Shadowmere solemnly along. The storm swirling around us pushed us ever forward, ever faster, and yet I felt as though we only moved in dizzying circles. I pressed the horse onward, gazing at mum once again before jerking at a sudden flash of silver - Lucien, drawing his sword.
"What is it?" I could barely hear my own voice above the cry of the storm, but Lucien looked up, grim. As he parted his lips, I received my answer. A long, almost mournful howl echoed.
"Wolves." He grimaced, voice low and harsh. "Be on guard."
"…Oh." He hadn't heard - had already turned and was pressing forward. I stroked the filly, more for my own comfort than hers, following the trail Shadowmere had left. It won't last long in this storm, anyway. The wind had created dunes, leaving some areas bare rock, some swept with high, arched curves of deep snow, sweeping our trail away. But Lucien seemed to know his way. Why do you trust him? Vicente's question echoed, and I sighed, shivering. I don't have much choice, now. I shuddered, moving my gaze from the reins to the snow as we walked. Poor creature. I lay my hand on her neck, feeling her tenseness, and frowned as she gave a high whicker. "What's wrong?"
Another howl - close. Too close. Before my hand could fly to my dagger and as Lucien looked back, she bolted, shrieking. Suddenly the world flew by and I couldn't keep up, numb fingers desperately grappling for the reins, trying to shout over the storm. "Stop - stop!" I tried to pull back, cringing as she bucked and almost threw me off, as I heard mum's frantic voice call to me.
And as I heard barking. Growls.
It happened very quickly. Hearing the patter and scrape of the hungry beasts behind, forced forward into the blistering winds and blinding snow, gripping the reins so tightly it seemed my hands had frozen onto them. The pounding of Shadowmere, coming after us. I gasped for breath, filling my lungs with gusts of chill air that crept into my very marrow. Chased, yet no clue where to go.
Run, run, run, stop, run -
Crrrrrkkk.
A sharp, screaming sound, like thousands of glasses shattering. Following us, it seemed, below us, and suddenly there was no more below us, only blackness and bitter cold, dragging me. I could do nothing but sink as the frigid waters seeped through my cloak, my skin, as the shock stole my breath away.
Air. Need air. Water breathing.
Desperate sounds - the wails of the horse, the snapping of the wolves and whimpers as one scrambled above me to try and get back on the ice. The filly - in front of me, trying to get up, hooves thrashing. A spell on my lips, until the steel and bone of her foot hit me. In blackness flashed spots of white, until they were consumed.
I heard my name, felt something grip me. Then felt nothing at all.