Long chapter finally…

Anyways enjoy and tell me what you think

It was not difficult to reach Ormaine's small abode but Auria had taken her time to get there. After all, it was also her home and Ormaine rarely reprimanded her for arriving late. The sky which had been bright with the sun's light had now begun to welcome in the night.

Ormaine lived deeply hidden in the forest, in a small cottage made of the earth's raw materials and adorned with a lush garden of herbs. She walked in unannounced while feeling the pungent smell of honeysuckle hit her nostrils and fill them with the sweet scent. She found Ormaine deep in thought as she separated and cut a few herbs that lay on a small table in the corner. It was a normal everyday task that required concentration in order to never mix up the herbs and cause damage to others who consumed them. Though it was time consuming, it also served as a method of relaxation.

"Did you find anything interesting near the pack?" Ormaine looked up for a moment at Auria before she bent down once again to her herbs.

"Some progress with the pack but I do not expect much." Auria sighed out tiredly as she flopped on a soft sleeping pallet of fur-covered straw. Ormaine said nothing more and resumed to working diligently on the herbs. If it had been any other day, Auria would have helped her but she had been feeling drained from the whole day to offer help. Ormaine would understand as she always would. Even though she was not her true mother she had taken her in when no one else wanted her and taught her the art of foresight though Auria was never quite good.

Auria placed an arm across her eyes to block out the flickering light of the fire and candles that lit the room and rested her mind. If she was lucky, she would see something to reveal the future and if luck was not on her side, she would see the past that would often torment her.

Memories of the past raced back into her mind mixed with other scenes that she had never before seen or experienced. This was no dream nor was it a vision. It was not rare for the past and the future to tie together in her dreams but she had no patience at the moment to decipher their true meaning. For a while, she saw the pack as it had once been and she saw Orien in her mind alongside his regal and proud queen Ivanka. He had been loved by all and had set the example of an able leader with values. Istain had come into the pack and befriended Orien only to take his place, take his queen, and kill him in the end. Ulrik had run away to save his own life though nearly all believed him to be dead. What caught her attention were not the visions of the past, it was something far stranger that could only be the future or something from her tired mind.

Auria awoke with a start from her dream-like state and adjusted her eyes to the dimming firelight. The young girl that she saw in her dreams was still vivid in her mind though she had never seen her. She only knew that she posed a threat to her for the cold shiver that Auria got down had back was strangely ominous. Her visions had been far to jumbled together for her to decipher any true meaning but she knew clearly well that this young girl belonged to Wyvern's Court. No, it was not their wyvern queen Oliza nor any one she had ever met.

Auria shook her head thus shaking off the vision as a figment of her tired mind. She stretched her arms and body out for a bit to loosen the tight muscles and then stood only to find Ormaine deep in sleep as it was already night. The sound of the drops of rainwater could be heard outside in the forest as rain began to fall. She sat down and placed her hands on her face and listened to the rain for a while. It had been a long time since she had the pleasure of doing something so simple and yet relaxing.

There was a sharp knock on the small wooden door that startled Auria from her tranquil state. Who could have the wits to be calling so late with such weather? "Please! I need to speak to either one of you!" the woman sounded worried and her voice was quite familiar to Auria.

Auria walked to open the door only to find the poor Lumina in tears and in a state of despair. Her silver white hair was matted to her body and her eyes showed that she had been crying. In the state in which she came, she looked completely defenseless and very much like a child who is lost. Auria took her in without a word and looked back at the sleeping Ormaine. It was best not to wake her.

Lumina mumbled a few words to Auria as she placed a warm fur cover on her shoulders to keep her warm. "Ierek… he has agreed… the pack… I cannot bear it!" Auria attempted to understand Lumina's garbled words as she relit the fire and then sat before her. They had not spoken to each other in years and she could only wonder what had gone wrong with Lumina to force her to go to them.

"Lumina you must breathe and remain calm. I cannot understand you if you mumble like that." Auria placed her hands in Lumina's in attempt to bring her old friend comfort. Her hands were cold as ice and they trembled with fear.

Lumina closed her eyes and opened them to look at Auria. It took her a little while before she could regain some composure but soon enough she was well enough to speak.

"Ierek has accepted to go through an Ordeal with the pack's males. He has agreed to show them that he holds power among them but I am afraid. I have dreamt things that I do not wish to remember and I am afraid."

Auria looked down to the ground and closed her eyes as she attempted to hide her pleased smile. She had not underestimated the pack after all. She had known that Ierek's weakness would prove to be a valuable tool to destroy him. Once again, Auria looked at Lumina once more and maintained a faux concerned look on her face.

"What have you seen that worries you?" Auria asked gently as she tried to coax Lumina's dreams from her.

Lumina shook her head as a few more tears slid down her porcelain cheek. "I fear for his life… this challenge will not only require his strength to be put to the test! It will also require mine when I have none!" she let out a few sobs as she pulled her hands away from Auria's.

Auria stood and turned her back from Lumina. A wide and satisfied smile spread across her face as Lumina kept on talking.

"He thinks he is strong but I know that there are others who are all to willing to see him die. He shuns me now and considers this challenge the best option for him. I love him but I cannot be as strong as he is. He is in want of a mate who can bear him an heir but… In this challenge he will win but I will no longer be with him. I cannot fight Auria and I am sure that he will choose someone who is worth being his queen."

Auria's please smiled erased from her mind and replaced by a scowl at the notion of Ierek winning. She could not deny that Lumina's vision were far more credible than Auria's trifling visions could ever be. The fact that she had seen Ierek win startled Auria and prompted her to do something Ulrik would not like; it was all for the sake of the pack.

"Why have you sought me for?" Auria measure her words carefully as she regarded Lumina with a wary eye. She had a slight suspicion of what it was that Lumina wanted but she wanted for Lumina to tell her herself.

"I want you to indispose Ierek… if he is not able to participate tomorrow then his place as our leader will be relinquished as the rules of the Ordeal demand. Even I do not want him to take another queen."

Auria nodded and looked back at Ormaine to see if she was still asleep. When she had assured herself that their conversation had been secret she then walked over to the small table and began to work. She gathered a few of the arranged herbs that Ormaine had set off to the side and began to create a potion strong enough to indispose Ierek forever. Her intention was to kill him and she would not throw away such a precious chance. So what if she betrayed Lumina's trust? Lumina had been childish in becoming infatuated with Ierek as he was infatuated as her. The potion would slowly creep into Ierek's system and weaken him with time until he was finally dead. It was foolish for Lumina to think that Ierek would bend to the rules of the elders in the Ordeal and give up his place as king. Auria needed to get rid of him as soon and as quickly as she could.

Lumina took the small vial in her hands and looked at Auria in appreciation. The rain had quieted and Lumina took that as a chance to leave.

As she walked towards the door to leave she turned to speak to Auria once more. "I ask of you to please keep this between us. If Ierek finds out about what transpired here…"

Auria cut off Lumina gently with a soft whisper. "I know. You may rest assured that no one will know." With that said, Lumina walked into the forests and all was silence once again. Auria sighed out in frustration and only hoped that everything would be well in the Ordeal. The knowledge that Ierek had the possibility of being undefeated was haunting and thus prompted Auria to take matters into her own hands. She had to seek Ulrik and prepare him before any deadly mistake would occur. Ormaine was still deep in sleep and it was still dark. Auria opened the small door and crept out into the forests and noticed that it was still dark. She breathed in the night air and made her way to Wyvern's Court.