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IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT when Elowen was forcibly woken up by an unknown force. She thrashed as she felt her arm being dragged from its place by her side, worried for her safety. Ready to scream as she tried to wake herself up faster, her eyes wanting to remain closed.
"Darling, it's me. It's Mama." A mere whisper. But the familiar voice visibly calmed her, fragile blue eyes looking up towards the woman leaning over her. But when she went to reply, a hand wrapped delicately around the lower part of her face, covering her lips before a sound could escape them. "We need to leave, now."
Inez looked into her daughter's eyes, reflecting the quality of the man she'd loved and lost. She saw the innocence, and the fear, and proudly gleamed at the determination that lay in wait.
This was not a new thing to occur. Their home had been uprooted too many times in her twelve winters of living. Something Inez was not proud of, but she would do anything to keep her daughter safe. Even if it meant she grew to hate her.
She would not let them take away the only thing she had left in this material plane.
So as she quietly helped Elowen to her feet, she held tight onto her hand. Afraid to let go. So instead she settled for only having one free hand, their things were still sealed away, seeing as they'd never bothered to take everything out of the animal fur packs they'd arrived at the cabin with. Just the essentials.
Just like they'd practised. Over, and over, and over again.
They had to be quick. It would be any minute now that their temporary home would be sieged and ransacked. They were stalked in the woods. Like the drooling wolves, they were, waiting out their prey, eager to pounce and tear them apart.
All drüskelle are the same.
Fortunately, Elowen didn't hesitate. And like the graceful creature she was raised to be, she weaved her body and her footwork around the creakiest steps and soon reached the minimal distance it took to be within reach of her pack. Then retracing her steps to be beside her mother once again, who was now in the bedroom of the separate room.
Elowen tried to ignore the groaning in her stomach as she looked over at the empty cot on the other side of the room before she walked out. He was gone. Hopefully, somewhere safe. Anywhere that wasn't here.
"This way, we'll go out the back." Inez motioned her over to the back door. The wood was chipped, and there were small gaps where one could see out into the darkness waiting for them. But it was also the safest point of exit. This door was quieter and didn't lead to them being giant targets.
