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Chapter Fourteen - Awoken World

Light from the failing torch wavered in the growing breeze. I carried the object with both of my paws but the torch did little to illuminate my path. It was reflecting everything back at me in a deep and rich yellow, which was made more predominant because everything was covered in a light ash.

The radius of the light constantly wavered, with the dying flames flickering in the wind. The wind not only carried the overwhelming scent of the blood spilled on the ice to me, but with it affecting the torch, the wind only further added to my disorientation.

The scent of blood was so strong it made my stomach curl. I could not shake the sight of the raw violence; the sickening sounds of those shadow creatures tearing the flesh of those reptilians, it all made me feel nauseous.

Trying to escape it, I had tried to follow my paw prints back toward the road but the ash was too light to form any solid prints. The wind was strong enough to brush across the top of the ash, which completely disrupted any chance of my paw prints leading me back to safety. The blood overwhelmed every other scent so nothing smelled familiar, and all the ash-covered trees looked the same which affectively removed any chance of visual guidance.

Lost and disorientated, I only knew that I had to escape the scent of the blood. I had to forget the haunting image of those shadow creatures' violence.

My determination was all the power I had to keep walking. To keep myself orientated, I stared directly at the ground in front of my hindpaws. The ash was piling up on my hindpaws, turning my white coat a light grey as if my fur was already thinning for this coming spring. My hindpaws stepped over buried roots, carried me around large tree trunks, and left wisps of ash in my trail. One darker part of the ash seemed to be a bit taller than the rest though, and it moved very slightly.

Sharply inhaling, I flinched back from the small black creature that nearly blended in with the ash. It wasn't very small, almost as tall as my knees, but it stood there facing directly at me. I stared back at it, feeling my nausea stirring more and making me light headed but there was something unique about this creature.

It looked nothing like any animal that I have seen before. It had wings, but was covered in scales instead of feathers. It took me a second of staring at it to notice that from its stance, it stood on four legs. The wings sprouted from its back unlike any avian creature I had previously seen. It's long neck and elongated head stared with reptilian-like eyes, that appeared black in the torchlight but had a hint of a blood red to them. Staring at it, it started to give me an uneasy feeling.

Without warning, it opened its wings and screeched at me. I stumbled back away from the creature, and fell to land on my tail without taking my eyes from it. The ground itself seem to shake underneath me again, similar to the earthquakes that I had felt back in Sirmiq Harbor. It must have been an earthquake, because the creature was so suddenly disturbed that it flapped its wings and took off into the air.

Having dropped the torch, it's light had been nearly spent. With the failing light, the black scaled creature completely disappeared the moment it took the sky. It was perfectly camouflaged with the night sky.

The ground didn't shake very hard or for long, but it had disturbed the trees and shook a large amount of ash from their branches.

With my nausea disturbed, I felt too light headed to stand so I just rolled over and tried to rest for a moment. I felt my stomach lurch, threatening to empty any contents that remained. Pushing myself up to my paws and knees, I dry-heaved once. However, the single action exhausted me and took away my breath.

Panting, I resisted the painful urge to heave again until my stomach started to settle. With the strong breezes growing more frequent, the ash shaken loose from the tree branches stirred and failed to bring more than a tiny smoky scent to me. It still gave way to the rusty scent of the reptilian's blood.

Rolling to my side, I curled myself up against the cold. I could hear the blood pulsing in my ears, along with the roar of the wind.

The torch was dying but I didn't care anymore. I was still as lost as I was when the reptilians first attacked me. I tried to huddle myself against the cold, and to help comfort my tortured body but no matter how hard I tried, I could not shake the nauseating scent that had been following me. It almost seemed to be lingering in my very fur.

"Snowy!"

With the wind and blood pounding in my ears, the first call I could not detect and I ignored it.

"Snowy!" The second call seemed more real though, even if it was paled by the other noises. One of my ears perked up, but I didn't move or want to risk upsetting my body any more.

"Snowy!" Third call was closer this time, but I still did not move. The dying torch was nearly spent but it seemed to be leading the owner of the voice towards me.

With branches cracking, and heavier paw steps, I could hear someone approaching now. "Snowy," exclaimed a familiar voice. "I found him!"

The wolf, whose voice I recognized, ran up and knelt down next to me. With the wolf came a brighter light that was painful to my eyes. I tried to keep them closed but I still listened carefully. A gentle paw was placed on me, but it tried to roll me over, upsetting my queasy stomach further. I tried to resist but I lacked any strength to do so.

Being rolled over, I opened my eyes but was forced to keep them squinted by the wolf's bright torch that he held in the other paw. Alec stared down at me with his eyes full of worry while he searched my body for any injuries.

The sound of some one else approaching reached my ears, until a second light source broke through the trees. My torch that I took from the slain reptilians was finally dying out for good now.

"He's unharmed," Alec said turning to the other individual. I didn't care who it was, I just closed my eyes and rested. Alec was here now, he'd help me get back.

"It still reeks of blood," said another voice belonging to the other individual. "Stay with the kit, I'm going to check it out."

Only able to listen, I heard the other individual that sounded somewhat familiar wander off. Whoever it was headed in the direction that I had been trying to escape.

"It's all right, Snowy," Alec said soothingly. "Are you hurt anywhere?"

I felt too weak to even answer so I remained silent. No, I was not hurt but something I could not explain had happened and the world refused to let me forget it.

As if sensing my thoughts, the sky crackled and split open with a thunderbolt high above us. Reflexively I brought my paws up to cover my ears from the thunder. The wind was bringing a strong storm, and Alec noticed it too.

Carefully Alec placed his paws under my knees and under my shoulders and he lifted me from the ground.

"I'll get you out of here," Alec muttered.

"Alec!" came the distant voice of the other. Alec had not even had a chance to take a step before the voice called for him. "Get over here, now!"

Alec hesitated for a moment, but he promised me that we'd back in the safety of our shelter soon. Then he started to walk toward the source of the wind, toward the violent scene that I had tried so hard to escape.

I pressed myself against the armored chest of Alec, whose fur brought a welcome and homey scent that finally overpowered the scent of blood. The closer I was carried toward the grisly scene, the harder I tried to keep Alec's scent close to me over the scent of the deceased reptilians.

Alec stopped suddenly when I could feel the light from the other guard's torch. They were witnessing the scene that I refused to acknowledge.

"How..." muttered Alec astonished.

"They're two of the Talons," the other guard muttered. His tone was heavy with concern and shock. I could hear the guard moving in his uniform and felt his gaze fall upon me. "Take that kit back to camp. Wake Lord Naali immediately!"

"Yes... sir," Alec responded hesitantly. His astonished tone didn't waver but he obeyed by slowly turning before he briskly paced away from the scene. Strong winds and fierce lightning seemed to accompany us on our way back to the camp. I had an uneasy feeling about the whole situation and the storm wasn't helping at all. I was trying to force myself asleep but every time I was drifting off, a crack of thunder rolled across the sky.

"I don't know what's going on with you, Snowy," Alec said after his walking seemed to be on more stable ground. We must have reached the road by then. "But it's certainly escalating to beyond my understanding."

I only responded by clutching onto Alec's fur tighter. It wasn't like I knew why all these events were happening to me. The world would never relent on its attempts to torture me, even now by denying me the escape through unconsciousness.

Alec had been carrying me for nearly fifteen minutes before I started to hear the sounds of the camp. A few refugees still awake and working, while the sound of crackling dying fires were heard from near and far.

"You found him," I heard Lexandra say when Alec finally slowed.

"He's not hurt," Alec responded. I tried to ignore them all. I hated this much attention on me, especially when all I wanted to do was to disappear.

"What happened?" Lexandra questioned. I was being moved into the warmth of the hut until I was gently placed on a cot.

"He's scared, don't pester him," Alec said, taking a step back from me. I didn't want to answer any questions, I wanted to disappear. Rolling over in my cot, I pulled the only blanket I could feel over my body and brought it over the top of my ears too. Snug in the blanket, I felt safer than I have been since the reptilian band appeared just a couple nights ago. Under this sheet, I could tune out the rest of the world.

I still knew that the adults would want to know what happened, but I had no idea what happened. How would I explain it? A pack of these creatures rose from the shadows, attacked and killed two armed warriors, only to disappear back into the shadows? Who would believe that?

"Stay with him," Alec ordered. I could hear him stepping for the exit. "I'll have a couple guards stand here to protect him." Alec's voice got quieter all of sudden as he stepped out of the hut.

"What's going on?" Lexandra, who followed him out, questioned again. Her voice was now a whisper, as if they were hoping I wouldn't be able to hear them anymore.

"We found two members of reptilian band slain," Alec's voice replied with a whipser. "I don't know who killed them, but it was a violent attack. Stay with Snowy, he's terrified. Just let him go to sleep. I must go inform Naali on this."

"Be careful Alec," Lexandra said, worry on her expression. I heard her step back inside, sensed her gaze fall on me but she didn't bother me. I could hear a couple more logs fall on the fire, and with the flames licking up at them and crackling, it was enough to finally help me ignore the thunder outside.

I could not explain why all this was happening to me. Those black shadowy teeth sunk into the reptilian scales until blood came gushing out. How those shadowy wolves were able to so easily kill the reptilians, I did not know. They did not attack me and I could not explain that either. I had seen the large one in my dreams and it seemed threatening then too but was it really trying to just protect me?

I didn't want its protection, I didn't want to be anywhere near that creature. Ever since I had come to this valley, it had been nothing but trouble. All I want is to go back to Sirmiq, and help Midnight find food for both of us. I just want Midnight back.

Alec was helping me a lot, but it just didn't feel the same as it did with Midnight. Alec had others to worry about and he is always talking to others or doing other things that I didn't understand. I felt better with Midnight, where he and I could worry about each other, help trying to find food and stay warm in our gazebo shelter back in Sirmiq. For the most part everyone ignored us, no one tried to interfere with us and I would choose that rough life of scavenging for food any day over this violent and cruel world that seems to be following me.

I even missed Midnight's constant chatter. His stories I had usually paid not much attention too them but now I would do anything to hear him tell me about one of his adventures of stealing food from a crowded market. I liked it more when he told about some stories that I was in, like the time we fought off a large lynx orphan who tried to steal some food from me.

Ultimately it was Midnight who gave me the opportunity to clamp my teeth down on the sensitive ear of the lynx. That same lynx had attacked me after I ran away from Alec and nearly starved. I could still see the scar marks on his ear when he stole that poor animal from me.

With my mind wandering from one thought to another, it wasn't long before I had finally lost consciousness. My confusion and stresses subsided for the night at least, allowing me to stay sleeping throughout the night. My dreams were relatively peaceful that when I slowly started to wake up the next morning, I resisted and tried to remain in the realm of dreams.

The scent of food is what eventually lured me out of my dreams. Keeping my eyes closed, I sniffed at the air and could smell some meat being cooked over the fire and it smelled delicious. The nausea that I had felt the night before seemed to have completely disappeared, and gave way to my starvation.

Slowly opening my eyes, I saw a familiar fuzzy wolf sitting at the fire and prodding at something over it. Slowly, I pushed myself up and sat up on the cot while I took my time waking up from my deep slumber.

"Good morning Snowy," Lexandra said once she took notice of me. She was obviously trying to be kind and avoiding talking about last night. It was appreciated because even though those haunting memories lingered in the back of my mind, I was resisting from bringing them to my awareness. "Are you hungry?"

I nodded slowly in reply. "Thirsty too," I said.

"Breakfast will be done soon," Lexandra said, tending to the breakfast again after pointing out the bucket of water retrieved from the river.

I took a small cup, ducked it into the water before pouring it down my throat. With my thirst satisfied, I also noticed that Lexandra's pups weren't there.

"Where are the others?" I asked. Looking around the hut, it seemed that a lot of their property was missing too.

"We're being invited to stay in Arktiline for the time being," answered Lexandra. "The pups are already there with Alec. They'll be back shortly for us but we should stay here until they return. Alec will be back later today."

Subtle as it was, I could smell the scent of a stranger nearby. The breakfast overpowered everything else, but the scent drew my gaze to the flap of the hut. When the wind moved across the flap, I could see the shadow of another guard standing right outside. I then remembered that Alec said that there'd be a couple guards standing outside, probably until I moved inside the walls of Arktiline.

"Who are they?" I asked.

"They're some guards from Sirmiq," Lexandra answered after a brief glance at the entrance hut. The persistent breeze moved the door flap just enough to make the guards visible frequently. "Here's some breakfast Snowy. Today just relax."

I knew why the guards were there. I didn't forget what happened with the reptilian band of assassins. And even though I wanted to forget all about it, it bothered me more not knowing what the consequences of the slaughter meant for me. Guards have never protected me before, so why would they now? True, Alec has protected me but that was a unique case, and Midnight and I had offered his family food before and helped him gather food for his family.

"I don't want them here," I admitted to Lexandra. When I turned back to gaze at her, she was staring at me with a confused expression.

"Snowy," she said in a soft tone. "They're here to protect you. Alec and I don't feel comfortable leaving you unprotected after what has happened with the reptilians."

Not a chance was I comfortable with the reptilians either. In fact, everything about that night seemed as if it was a wild dream. The shadows emerging from nothing other than darkness, the strange black creature that looked so different from everything else I've seen and the reptilians trying to claim my life.

I stepped up from my cot and pulled on my rough clothes that were folded nearby. Lexandra took it as a sign of my compliance, and resumed to stir the strips of meat that was cooking over the fire. The smell made my hunger stir more, and I found myself craving some breakfast.

Alec was likely still making active decisions for me, wherever he was at that moment, but I decided to first eat before I pursue the issue any more.

"Can I have some?" I asked Lexandra, with my eyes hungrily staring at the food.

"Of course you can," she replied. Smiling up at Snowy, she seemed pleased that I was more focused on the food. Removing the strips from over the fire, Lexandra placed them on a wooden plate. "They're still hot so be careful."

With the warning, I accepted the plate and carefully tested the sizzling meat with my paw pads. It took a few seconds before it was cooled off enough for me to place a strip between my teeth. The fatty juices flooded my tongue bringing a hearty and delicious taste with it. Eagerly, I ate through the plate that Lexandra had offered to me.

While I was swallowing down the last piece that had been offered to me, I heard a familiar voice speaking to the guards outside. Moments later Alec pushed his way through the entrance and his gaze was instantly adverted to me.

"Snowy," he said speaking clearly. "Do you remember Lord Naali?"

The arctic fox like me that I spoke to about the assassin? Yes, I did remember him. I nodded in response with little doubt in my mind on what that arctic fox wanted to speak about this time.

"He wants to see you again," Alec said. His expression betrayed some of his worry, and whatever was causing for Alec to worry made me feel uneasy. "Lexandra, you can come into Arktiline too. Stay with the pups while I take Snowy to Lord Naali."

Walking over to Alec, I could hear Lexandra standing up and walking over to him too. With me in tow, we walked out of the hut and into the morning sun. The two guards that were guarding the hut followed me as I followed Alec toward the city walls of Arktiline. Ignoring the guards, I walked at a quick pace to keep up with the taller adults.

There was no evidence of a strong storm passing through the previous night except for the persistent winds that still seemed to push its way over the forests. There seemed to be a fresh scent of stale smoke over the area too. I imagined that the consistent winds were stirring the ash and that stale scent.

The refugees seemed a bit more active now too, as many appeared to be tearing down their makeshift shelters. Alec and his family were being moved into the city, but I doubt that all these refugees would be allowed to move in too. They were definitely moving somewhere though so maybe a lot more were now being sent back to Sirmiq.

Approaching the walls of the city, I noticed that there were extra guards standing around the gates. There were a lot of changes in the behavior of all these adults, and I couldn't help but to wonder if it was because of what happened with the reptilians. Maybe it had something to do with those shadow wolves that killed two of the reptilians.

No one bothered me because Alec, Lexandra and two other guards were escorting me so we passed into the city with ease. Inside the city, the residents were also acting different because the very walls and buildings were now being repaired or reinforced.

Staying close to Alec while walking through the streets of Arktiline, I didn't pay much attention to the busy activities of everyone around me. The streets still seemed to have a light layer of ash, even though it had fallen back in the dead of winter. I tried to stay back from Alec and Lexandra's paw steps to avoid having ash being accidentally flung up onto me.

Before too long, we approached a familiar looking building that was the inn I first met the arctic fox, Lord Naali, in. Entering in, I saw that it still looked the same but was far less crowded than it had been before. However, the arctic fox was sitting in a chair at the far end of a table, flanked by a few other well-dressed individuals.

"Alec," Lord Naali said, looking up. Even with the fox sitting on the other end of the room, I could tell that he looked tired and stressed. "Bring the kit forward."

The guards that had been following waited at the entrance of the inn. Alec looked down at me and gestured for me to approach Lord Naali but he kept close to me. I was brought up close to the adult arctic fox until he sat up and looked directly at me.

"Hello Snowy," Lord Naali greeted me. I was sat down in a chair adjacent to the adult fox that wore a circlet around his ears. "Do you remember me?"

"Yes," I answered, staring at the large eyes of the fox. Why did they always ask me such stupid questions?

"Then I am sure you know why you're here again," said Lord Naali, his expression being serious. "You seem to be of great interest to these reptilian bands that are up in the North on the off season. It is highly unusual, and I need to know why."

"I don't know," I answered. If he thought I knew why the assassin originally tried to kill Midnight and me, then he was more confused than I was.

"You were involved with the assassin's death, even though Alec admitted to killing him," Lord Naali said. Although serious, I could sense that he was being patient with me. "The Enes faction that these reptilians come from are not forgiving, even when it is their own short-sightedness and mistakes that cause them trouble. You had an experience of that when the assassin's brother came here vowing revenge for the assassin being killed while targeting younglings like you and the young wolf pup.

"It is not safe for you here Snowy," Lord Naali continued. "In fact, I fear that you may have caused us a great deal more trouble than we would have ever liked. First, I'd like to know what happened that night we found you in the middle of the woods. Alec and Evan had found two of the reptilian band killed, and you nearby. We all highly doubt that you killed two armed soldiers with the dagger you keep concealed under your clothes, so can you please explain to us what happened?"

I knew they'd ask me this, but I still did not believe that they would believe me if I told them what really happened. I couldn't even explain what happened so I answered in the only way I knew how, "I don't know what happened."

"Snowy," Alec interfered. He knelt down to me and looked direct at me. "You won't get in trouble. We just need to know what happened."

"I don't know," I answered again. I looked from Alec to Lord Naali. "I don't know what happened. It was really dark."

Lord Naali sighed and brought a paw to his eyes before rubbing them lightly. "Let's start with how you got out there. Did they take you from the shelter you were in?"

"No," I answered. "I heard them talking about Midnight and me so I followed them. I thought that if I could hear a little more then I could prove that they attacked us."

"You mean the assassin attacked you," corrected Lord Naali.

"Yes," I replied. "Only the assassin attacked me before then."

"So you were following them?"

"Yes, but they went off the road. I shouldn't have gone into the woods but I did. I followed the light from their torch, but they disappeared."

"You didn't see them again after that?" questioned the arctic fox adult. He seemed persistent on knowing all the details.

"They found me," I hesitantly answered. I didn't want to think back on that part. They attacked me. That feeling of helplessness left me with my paws shaking lightly. I had no way to fight back, and no way to run away from them. I was certain they were going to kill me. I could still feel the sight of that blade, it calling out to claim my life.

"What happened next?" said the arctic fox adult, being patient with me.

"I don't know," I answered. How can I explain it? "These animals attacked them."

"Animals?" questioned Lord Naali. "But they didn't attack you?"

"Well, I don't know what they were," I answered. "They were like shadows, and looked like Midnight but different. They rose from the ground and disappeared into the ground."

"Try to describe what they looked like," said Lord Naali. His ears perked up and he leaned closer to me, showing some real interest in what I had to say.

"They were all black, and I couldn't see them," I answered. "It looked like smoke was covering them. They were on four legs like an animal but looked somewhat similar to Midnight."

"That's..." started Lord Naali, his eyes lost focus of me as he thought on something. "Not possible."

I knew they wouldn't believe me. I frowned at the adult and folded my arms, with my ears pulling back. "I don't know what happened! Something attacked them but it wasn't me!"

"It's all right Snowy," Alec said, trying to calm me down. He places his paws on my arms and kept his gaze directly on me.

"I'm sorry Snowy," said Lord Naali. His gaze refocused on me. "I believe you, I do. I just want to be clear about all this. You're saying that shadow wolves of a quadruped stance attacked the reptilians?"

"They were on four legs," I answered. "They didn't look like wolves, like Alec."

"Zemisks and his band would have no idea what they were either," Lord Naali said, speaking not to me anymore but I didn't know to whom he was speaking to. "They'll probably pass it off as something irrational. This is worse than I thought."

"The Enes faction will freak out over this news," said a lynx that was standing in one of the corners. He too wore a circlet of a different style. "They won't let this go. This kit may have just invited far more trouble than we would ever want."

"Do you believe him about the wolves?" asked the bear I heard being called Prowler. "It's not even possible. And why didn't they attack him too then?"

"The big one growled at me," I exclaimed. They seemed to be ignoring me now while they just talked among themselves.

"I don't know what's going on," Lord Naali said. "But we have to deal with the more pressing concerns. First we need to take care of this kit. He's inviting a lot of trouble here, and it's not safe for him anymore. Alec, you said that guards from the Leakhos faction took away his orphan friend, right?"

"Yes, and I believe that's what started this whole mess," Alec answered. He now stood next to me and was no longer trying to comfort me.

"I don't want to make assumptions but for now we should send this kit to Kietan," Lord Naali said. "There's a small port that's transporting supplies back to Sirmiq but it'll make port Satama before heading to Sirmiq. There the kit can jump to another ship bound for Kietan."

"Is that where Midnight is?!" I asked, taking a far greater interest in where this conversation as leading now. I had heard the adults talk about Kietan when they took my only friend; it must be where the wolf was now. "I'm going to Midnight?"

"Yes," Alec answered, looking down at me. He almost seemed to smile at my excitement but he stayed hesitant. "It's a long journey though and I'm not sure if I can go with you."

"You'll be going with him to Satama but I need you to inform my brother in Sirmiq of all this," Lord Naali said. "The kit can find work on a ship as a cook's assistant or something to take him to Kietan. Take him to his room, and we'll discuss the details of it but I have more trying concerns now with defending our city."

The adult arctic fox picked up a small parchment note, and held it out for Alec. "Give this to Hima Naali when you arrive in Sirmiq."

"Yes, Lord Naali," Alec replied and he accepted the note.

My mind was focused on the fact that I will be able to see that black-furred wolf again, and not so much on the conversation anymore. The possibility of seeing Midnight again made me excited, and I wasn't even sure if I could explain why. He was the first one to show kindness to me, even before Alec; besides Alec was only kind when we had offered food to his family.

I don't know where Midnight was but we would be able to find our own shelter in the new city again. A place similar the rooftop that we lived on in Sirmiq; where we could live according to our own rules. Midnight's stories would be pleasant to hear again.

"Are you coming Snowy?" Alec's voice disrupted my thoughts. Turning toward his voice, I saw that Alec had already moved toward deeper in the tavern. "Let's go."

I stepped away from the table and the other adults, and followed Alec. It was similar to the only other tavern that I had been in before. There were stairs leading up to what I assumed had all the rooms.

"When are we going to see Midnight?" I asked, with my thoughts of the black wolf fresh in my mind.

"We'll set out in two days," Alec responded but tone was short. It seemed that the adult wolf was bothered by something.

What would bother him? I was going to Midnight, away from all this horror of being attacked by the reptilians. The volcano erupting, lethal shadow creatures and all the death that surrounded me. I'd be able to escape it all and be with Midnight again.

Climbing the dark stairs that I was familiar to, and hated, Alec and I didn't stop until we reached what I assumed was the room at the top. This room had a pointed ceiling and was far colder than the rest of the tavern.

"You'll need to prepare for the trip, Snowy," Alec said, after shutting the door behind them. The room was dark, and cold but otherwise empty except for two beds. "It'll be a long trip for you."

Alec may have been bothered by the fact that the trip would take a long time but I've already waited long enough. It's nice to finally be moving on my way to Midnight rather than being stuck outside the walls of this city.

"This room is for us to stay until we go," Alec said, sitting on the bed. "Make yourself comfortable Snowy. The pups are out in the city, and I'm going to go bring Lexandra here but I'd like for you to stay inside."

"What do I need to do so we can go?" I asked, eager to finish any preparations necessary. Two days until we left seemed too long.

"You might have to start learning how to cook and defend yourself," claimed Alec, looking back at me. "You don't have much to bring with you so you'll have to be able to earn your passage, and to protect yourself against anyone wanting to take advantage of your situation. I don't mean to offend you but you would be rather easy to steal from."

"Not when I'm with Midnight," I boasted, my excitement still becoming the better part of me.

Alec only stared at me for a moment. "Regardless, we'll take advantage of the time we have to help prepare both of ourselves for the future. I'll be back soon."

The adult wolf walked out of the room and shut the door behind him, leaving me alone in the dark room. Light and cold leaked through the separations in the roof but there was a small window allowing most of the light in to the room.

Walking over to that window, I glanced out it and over the main road. There was a lot of movement down on the road, in and out of the city. A lot of activity was happening at the main gates and across the walls surrounding the city. I haven't seen the type of activity but the mood I could sense from the adults is that they all seemed worried, or even scared.

The window was dirty, but it still allowed a lot of light in. So much that it reflected off of something and danced around the room. Glancing down at my arm, I saw the arm ring just under my sleeve reflecting the light. Strange that it was now practically polished, since when Midnight gave it to me, it was heavily tainted with a bronze-like color.

When my arm moved, the light around the room twisted except for a pair of lights that drew my attention. The lights were glaring at me from a dark corner of the attic room, sparkling just as they had in the woods after it killed the reptilians.