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Winter

Winter's heart thundered in her ears, drowning out any sounds that used to exist, assuming they ever existed at all. She wondered if the others could hear the loud drumbeats, and why the wolves hadn't switched their attention from the stiff, still body lying before them to Winter, with all the noise her heart was making. But they're ears didn't so much as twitch as they slowly advanced on their prey, their jaws open and panting with excitement.

Winter tried to block out the noise of her own heart as she fumbled for her wand, trying to recall an incantation, any incantation, to help Cinder, and keep her blood from flooding the already dead forest. But her thoughts couldn't scream at her loud enough with the deafening pounds reverberating through her skull. A wail of frustration tore through her throat and a jet of silver sparks shot from the tip of her wand with a crack like lightning. The werewolves froze, their wild eyes staring at the beam arcing above their heads with something akin to fear. But it didn't hit them. It didn't even singe their fur. It just sparked in the air, reaching outward until it blasted into a nearby tree, leaving nothing but scorched bark to show of its existence.

The wolves stared at the darkened spot of wood for a moment, as if expecting more magic to come from the soot. In a mad panic, Winter shakily pointed her wand at Cinder's prone body. The tingling of magic from the wood seem to muffle the loud, frantic music of her heart and an incantation popped to life in her mind. Reparifors.

Instantly, Cinder's rigid form relaxed, with her arms and legs becoming unstuck. Winter watched as her friend hurriedly scrambled to her feet and dashed off into the trees, the wolves barking and howling with anger and disappointment at their lost prey.

Winter risked a quick sigh of relief and stepped back, as quietly as she could to avoid being noticed by the savage monsters before her, but they were already turning in her direction, their eyes brimming with an almost human hatred.

Winter's chest locked down, refusing to let any air in or out as the wolves slowly padded towards Winter's hiding spot, sniffing the air and twitching their ears.

Her lungs aching from the lack of air, she took another step back and, as one, the wolves pricked their ears at the unmistakable rustle of leaves.

With a noiseless shriek of fear, Winter turned on her heel and tore through the trees, trying to ignore the excited baying of the animals at her heels and the screams of her lungs as they begged for air, air that her chest refused to let in.

Tears flowed from her eyes as her throat attempted to sob without oxygen, resulting in a hacking, clicking noise. Her feet flew over the ground, ignoring the roots and sharp rocks that attempted to slow her progress as her fear made them numb. Or maybe that was just the lack of oxygen. Winter had no idea at this point.

She was so focused on keeping those hateful barks and howls behind her, and distracted by the pain in her chest, that she didn't notice the familiar red robes until she ran into them.

The jolt of running into a solid object finally managed to open up her chest, allowing the sweet, cool night air to rush in to fill her crying lungs, though the sight of the arrogant smile above her was nearly enough to make Winter's chest lock up all over again.

"Why Miss Hayle." Aimery practically purred, "Fancy seeing you out here tonight."

Winter frantically tried to run away, considering going back to the wolves in order to get away from this far worse threat, when Aimery suddenly grabbed her arm in a vice-like grip. "Ah, ah, ah." He said mockingly, "You can't leave yet. It is forbidden for students to be wandering around at night. Care to tell me what you're doing out and about?"
Winter didn't answer, instead desperately trying to tug her arm to freedom as the mad barking of the wolves grew closer.

Aimery looked up at the noise, a flash of annoyance crossing his face. "It seems you've attracted the wrong kind of attention."

He waved his wand and a semi-transparent wall the colour of blood materialised around them. As the wolves finally came into view, they stopped short of the magical barrier, and instead paced around it, their snouts wrinkled with hatred as they looked at the two humans inside.

Aimery sighed dramatically. "I wish I could say that will hold them forever but unfortunately it'll grow weaker with every minute that passes. I'd say we have about ten, maybe fifteen before those beasts can attack us. Of course, I will try to protect you my dear," Aimery assured Winter with a grin that made invisible bugs crawl on her skin, "but I might accidentally nudge you just a little too close to one of them. It would be such a shame for such a gorgeous face to be torn apart." As he spoke, Aimery gently stroked Winter's cheek. Panting with fear, she tried to pull out of his hated reach, but that only made him switch to caressing her neck.

He sighed. "If I were motivated in the right way, I'm sure I could keep you safe and dispatch those vicious monsters for you. What do you say, Miss Hayle?"
Swallowing, Winter dared to look him in the eye as she told him, "I believe the most vicious monster in these woods, is the one holding me right now. Compared to you, these wolves are just like puppies. I would prefer to be killed by them, than to be protected by you."

It was amazing what a sneer could do to a person's face. Aimery, though Winter hated to admit it, was quite handsome. It was one of the reasons he was in Levana's inner circle. But as his arrogant, charming grin turned into a disgusted sneer, Winter thought she had never seen something so hideous in her entire life.

"I will give you a moment to rethink your answer." He hissed in her ear as his grip grew painfully tight around her arm. "Clearly you were having one of your… episodes and weren't thinking clearly, weren't you?"
Winter cocked her head to one side, feigning thinking, before shaking her head and saying brightly, "No, I don't think I was. Would you throw me to the werewolves now, please? I think your blood-wall is growing weak."

The barrier did look like it was running out of power, its vibrant red colour fast fading away. Some of the wolves risked touching the wall with a paw, only to yelp in pain and jump back, the paw smoking slightly.

Aimery snarled in Winter's ear. "Then be my guest." And shoved her towards the hungry animals.

A/N: Sorry, I have a bad habit of leaving off chapters with characters about to die, I know. Just hang in there until next week! Winter will be okay until then (hopefully)

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