Red

Forty.

The only voices I was used to hearing in the morning had been Court's, Xerxes's, and Lyell's. But today there were other people in the cabin.

I could hear Court talking with them when I woke up. The sun had risen by now and the smoke had cleared up. I pushed myself out of bed and went over to the wardrobe and dressed myself before walking out of the room.

I found Court in the living room with Thorin and Lotus.

Xerxes was on the couch, and I assumed Lyell is in his room resting.

"It's your call now Court, do we stay, or do we leave?" Thorin watched Court who sat on the couch next to Xerxes deep in thought.

"Has there been any sightings yet?" Court asked.

"Nothing has been spotted, but there has been some activity around the line. My guess is a minotaur from the hoof prints found. They aren't horse ones either." Thorin answered.

"Do minotaur's come in pairs?" Court asked.

"No one really knows. I think they come in mated pairs, but we try to avoid any contact with them. They aren't exactly predictable." Thorin answered.

"We wait for everyone that is injured to recover and then we should start looking for somewhere else. All the bloodshed is bound to start bringing in other creatures and we aren't exactly in positions to defend this land especially with the humans gone." Court told Thorin who nodded.

"I will be back once all my pack members are healed. We'll meet up halfway with the other wolves who escorted the surviving humans to the city." Thorin informed Court who nodded.

"Until then." Court murmured and Thorin nodded as he stood up and waited for Lotus.

The two left with Thorin sparing me a glance.

"I'm going to check on Lyell, see how he's healing." Xerxes informed Court who nodded.

Xerxes walked over to Lyell's room as Court sighed. I stood there in the hallway unsure what to do.

"You can come over Ruby, you don't have to stand there." Court broke the silence as he turned to me.

With his words I came over to the couch and took a seat next to him. Court turned to me and gave me a smile.

"Is everything okay?" I asked and Court nodded.

"Yeah, we're just discussing some important things that need to happen." Court told me and I nodded.

"Are we leaving here?" I asked.

Court looked over. "Yeah, we're going to be leaving. It's not a decision I wanted to make but defending our territory from any of the creatures who get a whiff of all the blood isn't worth the outcome. We'd be best off just leaving and settling somewhere else. Let them come do whatever they please at the village." Court told me.

I nodded. "I'm sorry." I murmured.

Court turned to me. "Don't apologize Ruby. You had nothing to do with it. If anything, you saved a lot of people and me." Court smiled at me as he set his hand down on mine.

"People still died though." I murmured.

"Death is a hound that stalks war. There will always be death where there is war." 

I couldn't argue with him on that. Court leaned over and kissed my forehead before giving me a smile.

"I hold no ill feelings for you Ruby, and I never have. I love you, Ruby. And it means the world to me that you chose to stay with me over going with your parents. And I promise you Ruby, I will give you the best life I can give." Court held my hands as he smiled at me.