-58-

Morning dawned crisp and cold. Ryll could feel the dew seeping into her blanket underneath her as she woke from her restless slumber. She sat up, pulling her cloak closer to try to preserve some of her sleepy warmth. Merlin stirred beside her, opening his clear blue eyes. He gazed up at her, smiling.

"Morning," he said sleepily.

She smiled back. "I'm growing soft," she told him. "I'm actually wishing I was in a soft, warm bed and not lying on the cold, hard ground."

"Then I'm soft too because my back is wet, and I really just wish I could go back to sleep in my own room."

Arthur and the knights were rolling up their blankets, and Ryll shrugged hers off, rolling it in a tight bundle before packing it behind Owl's saddle. They ate bread and cheese for breakfast before mounting and moving on toward the White Mountains. They were now very close, growing up from the earth with an air of majesty. Ryll's anxiety grew with each mile that brought them closer. Finally, when morning was fully upon them and the air had finally warmed, they reached the base of the mountains.

"As I recall, the ruins should be located just through there." Arthur pointed to a gap between the middle mountains in the range. "Be on your guard. If Morgause is still there then chances are she'll see us before we see her. She's a powerful sorceress, and there's not telling what she could do."

They followed Arthur single file through the narrow road that led into the mountains. As soon as they were swallowed by the shadow of the mountains, the air turned cool and fresh. Ryll shivered, wishing again that she was back in her warm room. Then she thought of Morgana and mentally kicked herself for being so selfish.

They travelled on through the eerie silence for some time as the sun flickered in and out from behind the tall pine trees that grew around the base of the mountains. The path widened out, and Merlin rode up beside Ryll, casting her a worried glance. Ryll knew they were both thinking the same thing – it was too quiet. That wouldn't have bothered Ryll only she couldn't hear any birds singing and late spring was a time for them to be out in the trees. And then Owl started to prance nervously, bobbing her head up and down. She was trained to sense danger, but Ryll had no way of knowing what kind the mare sensed. She kept a wary eye out for any movement in the forest, but she could see nothing. She couldn't hear anything besides the clomp of horse hooves and the occasional creak of leather as a knight readjusted himself in the saddle.

"How far to the ruins?" she asked Arthur in a whisper, nudging Owl up alongside him.

"It shouldn't be far."

"There's something very off about this forest," Ryll told him.

"You noticed too?" He kept his voice light, but Ryll could see the tenseness in his shoulders and knew he too was worried.

"There are no birds singing. That tells me that they have either been frightened off recently or that they no longer come here for a good reason."

"Then we must be on our guard."

They rounded a bend and suddenly the ruins of a castle rose up before them. It was a small castle, minimized greatly by the amount of it that lay in ruins. Ryll took in a sharp breath. She could almost hear the screams of the people as the knights of Camelot attacked their city. What harm had they ever caused Uther? What crime had they committed? Magic alone was not a crime in any eyes but Uther's.

"It's sad," she said softly as she and Arthur sat staring at the ruins. They could see more of the castle now, see the extent of the damage.

Arthur said nothing, but she could see her own feelings reflected in his eyes. "Fan out," he said to his knights. "See if you can find anything. We leave our horses here and continue on foot. Try not to destroy any evidence of tracks. Ryll, can you scout around for any signs that someone has been here? Take Merlin with you."

"Alright."

"If any of you see Morgause, don't try to take her on alone. Call for help. She's not only a powerful sorceress but she's very skilled with a sword." It sounded like it pained Arthur to admit this, and Ryll thought back to the time Morgause had defeated him in battle. Even if she hadn't seen it, she could imagine how mortified Arthur would have been over this.

They left their horses on the path, and Merlin joined Ryll. She wandered toward the center of the ruins, keeping her eyes alert to any signs of footprints. The ground was soft from the morning dew, but Ryll saw no footprints. She and Merlin wandered around the ruined castle, but there were no signs that anyone had been there in years.

"Maybe we should try-" Ryll cut off as she saw something. She moved forward, crouching down by a pile of rubble. She picked up an object that she recognized well. She held it up for Merlin to see. "This is Morgana's ring," she said. "I'd know it anywhere, she used to wear it all the time. She's been here recently."

"Let's keep looking."

They skirted around the outside of the castle, Ryll scanning the trees for any signs of torn fabric or broken branches. When they had circled around to the northwest side of the castle, Ryll stopped again. She fingered a branch on a bush near the corner of the castle. The branch was broken, but it was impossible to tell whether or not it had been broken by a human or a deer.

"Someone might have come this way. Let's look for tracks."

She walked carefully through the edge of the pine trees, eyes set on the ground before her. She stepped lightly, trying to avoid making tracks. A few yards away from the castle, she paused. Merlin bumped into her.

"Sorry," he said, looking flustered.

"There's a print," Ryll said, crouching down and touching the outline with her fingertips. "It's from a boot. Someone stumbled here."

"How do you know that?" Merlin asked, sounding impressed.

"There aren't any other prints, and this one is deeper than a normal print meaning that some pressure was put on it." She glanced around and saw what she was looking for. "There." She pointed to another broken branch. "She tried to catch herself."

They walked in the same direction for ten minutes, but Ryll didn't see any other evidence. "Morgause is a sorceress, she could have hidden their tracks. What if she set a false track?" Merlin suggested.

"I suppose it's possible, but she wouldn't know that the druids would tell me where to find her."

"Should we keep moving northwest?" Merlin asked.

"Let's go get Arthur and the knights. This track is fresh. Probably a day or two if even. If it was Morgana or Morgause, then we're on the right trail and close."

They turned back to the castle ruins. Suddenly a roar cut through the air. It seemed to shake the very ground. Merlin and Ryll gave each other a fearful look. "What was that?" Merlin asked.

"I think we're about to find out," Ryll said. They edged toward the castle ruins where they saw the knights backing away from something. Arthur headed them, sword drawn. Then the creature strode out from the ruins, claws sinking into the ground with every step. Ryll let out a little gasp.

The creature was like nothing she had ever seen before. It was a large black cat with wings protruding from its shoulders. They looked like bat wings – bald and veined. They had hooked talons though and looked deadly. The cat's tail was that of a serpent and spikes ran along its spine. Green eyes glowed as it watched the knights. It seemed entirely unfazed by the swords and spears.

"What is it?" Ryll asked aloud.

"I have no idea," Merlin said. "I've never seen anything like it."

"I'm going to hazard a guess and say that it's not friendly," Ryll said. She drew her bow from across her back and notched an arrow.

The creature roared again.

"I'm going to agree with you on that," Merlin said.

"Here." Ryll drew her sword and handed it to him. "Take this." He took it, grasping it with both hands and looking a little unsure of himself. "If it comes at you, just start swinging," Ryll advised.

"I've used a sword before," Merlin assured her.

"Effectively?"

Merlin's retort was cut off by another roar. The cat turned its eyes to them. "I think it heard us talking. Now it knows I'm an easy target," Merlin said.

Ryll watched the cat, but it did not move toward Merlin and her. Instead it leapt at Arthur so quickly, that Ryll hardly had time to draw her bow back. She adjusted and shot just as the beast reached the prince. Arthur slashed at it with his sword a second after Ryll's arrow pierced its side. The cat reared up in anger, and Arthur's sword sliced thin air. The cat turned its great head and ripped the arrow from its side. The knights had taken advantage of the distraction and spread out around the best. Ryll drew another arrow, keeping it aimed at the beast.

The creature turned its head around as if trying to decide who to attack first. Then it darted at a section of the knights. They slashed at it, but two were not so lucky. The cat swiped out a great paw at one knight and grabbed another in its great jaw. Ryll winced as the knights cried out in pain. The beast threw their lifeless bodies away. Just like that their number had dwindled. Ryll didn't have a clear shot with the remaining knights surrounding the cat. She had to find a weak point and a place to shoot. Looking around, she noted a set of decrepit steps leading up to a wall where she could stand to shoot.

"I'm going up," she told Merlin. She sprinted toward the steps, taking them two at a time. Bits of stone crumbled beneath her feet. She reached the top and balanced on the narrow wall. The cat was taunting the knights now, reaching out a clawed paw and retracting it before they could harm it. Ryll studied the cat. The spikes protected its back, and the cat's torso was so thick, her arrows wouldn't penetrate deep enough to reach its heart. She looked at its head. The skull was bound to be thick, but if she could shoot it straight through the top of the head, she would kill it. The trick was shooting at a time when the cat was still. The cat was darting back and forth though, trying to catch another knight off guard while avoiding their weapons. Arthur managed to dart forward and slash the cat's side, barely escaping the beast's fangs. Ryll stood and pulled back the bowstring, aiming the arrow at the cat. She readjusted over and over, but it wouldn't hold still. Then the cat grabbed one of the knights by the leg. Ryll cringed at the sound of breaking bones. It gave her a chance to shot though. She pulled back as far as she could and released the arrow. It sailed down and went straight into the top of the beast's head. It roared in pain, tipping backwards and releasing the knight. It reared up, flapping its wings in a desperate attempt to escape. It managed to take off, but the arrow had done its job, and the beast came crashing back into the ground. The vibration from the fall caused the wall below Ryll to crumble even more. She struggled to balance, but the wall was unstable. With a sense of horror, Ryll felt herself begin to fall. She tried to grab the wall, but she was already falling. Time seemed to slow, and she heard someone call out her name. Where was Merlin? She wanted to see him one more time. Time seemed to slow, and then she hit the ground.

…

Merlin watched with apprehension as Ryll scaled the crumbling stone steps of the ruins and crouched on the top of the thin wall. Her balance was precise as she stood, drawing back her bow. She wavered as the cat moved around, and Merlin wondered if she was going to be able to get a shot in. Then the beast grabbed one of the knights by his leg. The jaw instantly broke the man's leg, and Merlin winced. This gave Ryll the chance to shoot though as the cat focused on its quarry. There was a twang and an arrow flew down to embed itself in the beast's head. It let go of the knight and reared back. Merlin wondered how it was still moving. The arrow had gone in halfway – surely that was enough to penetrate the brain. The cat flapped its reptilian wings and gained some air before falling back to the ground, dead. The rumble in the ground was tremendous, and Merlin heard rocks crumbling from the ruins. He looked up at Ryll just as the wall beneath her began to crumble.

"Ryll!"

She fell backwards, and he sprinted forward as if he could stop her. He could though. They were not in sight of the knights, and Merlin reached out with his magic. His eyes flashed amber and time slowed. Ryll slowed in her fall, the rocks around her hanging suspended in the air. He ran forward and just before she hit the ground, he caught her in his arms. Her eyes were closed, and he could tell that she had been expecting to die.

When she realized that she hadn't hit the ground and that she wasn't dead she opened her eyes, peering up into Merlin's. "You're okay," he said.

"I thought I was going to die," she whispered, eyes wide in fear.

"I caught you in time."

"I didn't realize you were so close."

"I was right there. I saw you fall and ran as quickly as I could. Just in time, it seems. You killed it."

"I know." She smiled. "I knew they'd need me on this journey."

"And now that I've saved your life, maybe you'll consider taking me with you more often," Merlin teased her.

Ryll smiled up at him. "Consider it done. You can put me down now. I'm alright." Merlin set her on the ground, steadying her as she swayed a little. She gave a nervous laugh. "There's something about seeing your life flash before your eyes that you never really get used to."

"I wouldn't imagine so."

"Ryll!" Arthur was calling out her name. He rounded the wall and saw her. "I saw you fall. Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," Ryll assured him. "Merlin caught me before I hit the ground."

Arthur lifted an eyebrow at Merlin. "I guess you're not completely useless after all," he said, sounding mildly impressed.

"Such praise." Merlin grinned at Arthur.

"Yes, well, don't get used to it. That was an impressive shot," he said to Ryll.

"I wish I could have killed it before it killed two knights," she said. "Is everyone else alright?"

"Besides the knight who had his leg broken, yes. He'll mend, but he's going to have to stay behind. I'll leave another knight with him. They can make the journey back to Camelot so that Gaius can treat him."

"What was that thing, do you know?" Ryll asked.

"I've never seen anything like it," Arthur replied. "And I don't wish to again."

"I found tracks in the forest," Ryll told him. "Someone has been this way within the last few days. And I found this in the ruins." She held out the ring.

"That's Morgana's," Arthur said. "Where do the tracks lead?"

"Northwest," Ryll told him

"We'll set out immediately," Arthur said.

"I'm going to track ahead. Take the horses just in case. I'll go on foot. I don't think they're too far ahead."

"I'll come with you," Merlin told her.

"We'll bring your horses with us," Arthur said. "And ride slowly so we don't get too far ahead."

"I'll find you if I see anything," Ryll said. She turned to Merlin. "Ready?" He nodded and she took off into the forest, keeping her keen eyes on the ground and the trees around her.

"What are we looking for?" he asked.

"Anything out of sorts. Broken branches, foot prints, pieces of fabric torn off."

They travelled through the woods for several hours before Ryll caught sight of any evidence that someone had passed that way. "Look." She stopped Merlin and crouched down next to a tiny strip of green fabric that had torn off of a dress. "It's from one of Morgana's dresses," she said. "The one she was wearing when she disappeared. They've been this way recently. We're getting close."

Merlin felt a jolt of nervousness. The thought of facing Morgause again was one that frightened him. Ryll had already almost died already. If he hadn't been there… He didn't know what they were going to find or how this was going to end. But they had to try. He knew that Ryll would never be happy until she found Morgana. He just hoped that the king's ward would be willing to come back to Camelot. If not… He couldn't imagine the heartbreak if she refused. She was a sister to Ryll, and Ryll had lost so many people already. If she lost Morgana too…

He looked over at Ryll's eager face. She was so confident that they would find Morgana, that she would come back with them willingly. What if she didn't? Ryll was aware of the possibility, but would she really be able to handle it? She hid her vulnerability behind her tough exterior, but he knew how much it would hurt her to lose her friend. Deep down inside she was terrified of loss. She'd suffered so much. Merlin wished he could save her from the pain, but he knew that nothing he could do would be enough to fill in the gash that betrayal left. If Morgana chose to stay with Morgause. They didn't know that yet. And then there was the matter of Morgana and Merlin's last meeting…

He'd poisoned her with hemlock. He didn't know if she realized what he was doing, that he was trying to end the enchantment. She had every right to hate him.

"What's wrong?" Ryll asked. She had noticed the worry on Merlin's face.

"Nothing," he said too quickly. "I'm just worried about Morgana. That's all."

"Me too. One way or another it will all be over soon though." Her words were somehow ominous and left Merlin feeling more worried than ever.