Disclaimer: I don't own Narnia or any characters you may recognize from the books or the movies, I wish I did but I don't... I also don't own the Narnian Calendar. It belongs to Elecktrum who was kind enough to let me borrow it for my story. Her own stories are awesome and you should go read them too.
Summary: 21 Yule 1006 will see the first lunar eclipse to occur on the Winter Solstice in four hundred years. Enemies of Narnia rejoice! For the time of the Golden Age will come to an end with the spilling of royal blood and Jadis will be revived!
A/N: If you have not read the first three stories in the A Light in the Darkness main story arc (Awakening, Shadowed, and Revealed), I highly recommend you do so. However, if you want to give this one a whirl on its own, you can.
Chapter Seventeen: Interruptions
Oreius increased his pace, as did the Kings, surging through the snow to meet the small party headed for them. His gaze swept over the small group, cataloging each of the six soldiers, Caia, Ptah, Bjorn, Artur, Vas, Pythian, and then the two dumb horses, one Queen Susan's mount and the other, the one with the rider, was Pepin, Sepphora's latest chosen mount. But, was the rider Sepphora or Queen Susan? That question, he knew, was burning in the minds of all present.
He knew Alambiel...she would not return without Queen Susan. Unless...unless, there was no one to bring back and if she were injured to the point of offering no countermand to Caia and Ptah. The rider's posture told him she was injured, but they were not yet close enough that Oreius could discern the identity of the rider beneath the voluminous folds of her cloak. The Kings straightened, urging their own mounts even faster in an attempt to close the distance as they called out. "Susan? Kat?"
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Frome snarled. It had been difficult to follow at such a distance where the Narnians would not detect their presence, but it had been even more difficult to follow that Centaur and not take his revenge on him. The only thing that had helped stay his thirst for revenge from overruling his better judgment was the lack of the presence of the Centaur's mate. But, now the Bird and the Gryphon had landed, no longer scouting the land surrounding the two parties. Frome and the rest of his brethren crept closer to the Narnians, watching and waiting for just the right opportunity. The wind shifted slightly carrying the scent of the new Narnians to him.
Frome froze, nose twitching as his nostrils flared, there, barely detectable, was the Centaur's scent mixing with the scent of a female. It was the mixed smell that lingered when mates were long parted. His mate was among the newcomers. Finally! Frome cared no longer to wait or to heed Brutus' foolish plan. He would have his revenge. The Werewolf tossed his head back and howled for the attack. The Narnians were scrambling below them, but Frome knew he would at least kill the Centaur's mate before the day ended. Nothing, especially not the Centaur, would be able to stop him from exacting his revenge now.
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Peridan could see the frustration on both King Peter and King Edmund's faces as they were forced to immediately wheel around and face the attacking Werewolves instead of discovering the rider's identity. General Oreius reared up, shouting orders as their party rushed to form a protective barrier between the charging Fell and the much smaller group of Narnians with the rider, who was clearly wounded. Peridan guided his horse to the left of the Kings and drew his sword, bracing for what was only his third encounter with Werewolves. He had fought many Fell over the years as they occasionally raided over the Archenland-Narnia border during the Long Winter, but never had Werewolves been among their number.
The Werewolves slammed against the Narnians. Peridan's horse reared and kicked at the Werewolf nearest, tossing his head as Peridan cut the foul beast down. Another Werewolf attempted to leap on the High King's back as his horse stumbled in the snow. Peridan forced his horse to charge, bringing his sword down at an angle, and cutting into the Werewolf's back and through its spine. A snarl sounded. He turned a half a moment too late to fend off the attack. The Werewolf fell, outstretched claws catching on the stirrup, as an arrow pierced its throat. Peridan kicked the Werewolf's claws free of his stirrup then twisted in the saddle and gave a curt nod to the Satyr archer before throwing himself back into the fray.
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Peter swung his shield out, catching a Werewolf hard in the ribs, knocking the Fell Beast off-balance enough that it didn't even have time to react before he drove Rhindon into its chest. He gritted his teeth and jerked Rhindon free then twisted to cut down another Werewolf snapping at his horse's belly. His shield arm lowered slightly as he noticed the rider was apparently too wounded to be able to participate in the fight. Fear sparked. Was it Susan? Was it Kat? He didn't know. He just wanted to protect the rider from being further wounded. And, if it was Susan- "Wolfsbane! Shield up!"
He automatically raised his shield at Oreius' sharp command. Pain radiated from his shoulder and upper leg as a heavy weight slammed into the shield, driving it against him and nearly toppling him from the saddle. He drove Rhindon up across his body and over the top of his shield, pushing against the Werewolf's weight as he strained to center himself in the saddle. The Werewolf's snarl abruptly changed to a whining yelp before the weight against his shield vanished.
Fury at the Fell and what they had done to the Narnians at the outpost, Susan's guards, and Susan herself coursed through his veins. He wheeled his horse around sharply and cut down every Werewolf in reach. A growl echoed just as a weight slammed against his shield once again. He couldn't bring Rhindon up and around in time. The Werewolf knocked him clean off his horse. Rhindon fell from his hand. The Fell Beast slammed him hard into the churned-up snow, and held him down. Blood covered the Werewolf's claws and grey muzzle. Peter struggled to throw the Werewolf off with his shield, but to no avail. He couldn't move his shield arm. He heard Edmund's alarmed shout off to his right. The Werewolf looked down at him and snarled quietly, "Soon."
Peter's eyes widened as the Werewolf looked up and snarled defiantly. Following his gaze, he saw Oreius had nearly reached them. He grunted as the Werewolf leaped off him. Peter rolled to his feet and watched in horror as the Werewolf set a course for the wounded rider. No! He snatched Rhindon from the snow and raced after the Werewolf.
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Brutus snarled in anger as he paced. They had their sacrifice, but Frome was becoming dangerously unpredictable. He could not allow his beta to get away with disobeying his orders. His nostrils flared as he caught a familiar scent, "Since you are watching, you will aid me in summoning Frome." There was no answer, but magic flared as he howled the signal for a return to the alpha and the pack.
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Peridan blinked when he saw a grey Werewolf pin High King Peter, then snarl defiantly at General Oreius and leap over a wounded soldier to tackle the wounded rider from the back of her horse. He rushed toward them, as did the High King and General Oreius, but the Werewolf was poised to kill. They would not reach them in time and all the Narnians closest to the rider were too embroiled in their own struggles to free themselves and aid the rider.
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Frome snapped his jaws as he crouched over the wounded female, hoping to frighten her into screaming. Her breathing and heart rate picked up. He growled as he inhaled her scent. Frustration flared and he opened his jaws to snap them shut on her neck, but then he heard the Brutus' faint summoning howl. He tried to ignore it, but the magic accompanying the howl would not allow him to do so. He, and the rest of the still living Werewolves, were forced to abandon the battle and race away from the Narnians. He snarled low in his throat, "Soon."
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A/N: Please and Review! So, a decent length this time for the chapter and lots of action. The identity of the rider shall be revealed in the next chapter...unless I change my mind again. Leave a review and let me know what y'all thought about this chapter.