The Queen of Blood

Ch 27: Free

Panic.

That is the emotion that permeates every cell in Celestia's body, the snake that threatens to slither up her throat.

Blurs of greens and browns whip past her. She is not sure how fast she is running. Golden eyes wide, she scans the trees desperate to find a flash of blonde hair, a footprint among the pine needles, anything.

How long ago had the bombs gone off? Estrella was quick for a human, how deep into the forest could she make it before her lungs needed a break?

Celestia skids to a stop, her boots cutting deep gashes into the mud. Fear floods her body like a disease. She needs to clear her mind. She needs to think.

She would not find her mate by running aimlessly. At the rate she was going she would make it over the mountain and into werewolf territory before that happened.

She pinches the bridge of her nose, letting her eyes shut. Around her the forest buzzes. Dozens of heartbeats thrum, all quick and delicate, belonging to an array of rabbits, birds, and rodents. Ten kilometers to her left a hummingbird takes flight, a light hum buzzing from their wings. Several miles northeast a salmon leaps out of a river, a distinct plunk sounding as they drop back underwater.

She inhales slowly, sifting through the scents one by one. Cedar, pine, damp earth. Fear.

Estrella's fear.

In an instant Celestia is in motion, racing at a blinding speed through the trees. The sour stench burns the inside of her nostrils. She would have recognized it anywhere. It is much more pungent now. She is not suffering from a nightmare this time, the danger is physical.

She cuts through the trees numbly, not even feeling the branches brush against her sides. Along with the fear, a sweet copper fills her nostrils. Her mate is bleeding.

Celestia backtracks through the forest quickly, soon finding crimson droplets splattering the leaves at her feet. She slows.

The trail of blood leads into a clearing. Before her a looming cliff stands, a steady stream of water pouring from a large gash in the rock face. A creek, clear and glassy, flows from it, boulders coated in a thick layer of moss resting on either side.

The droplets of blood lead up until the water's edge, then disappear. Celestia steps in the brook, the cool water swirling around her ankles. A human heartbeat, ragged and bounding, fills her ears.

"Estrella?"

The beating amplifies, even faster now. Celestia takes slow, careful steps forward. The hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

Estrella sits hunched in the mossy stream, her back against a boulder, her arms wrapped tightly around her knees.

"Estrella," sweet relief washes over Celestia and she rushes to wrap the girl in her arms.

Ella scurries backward, her back hitting the boulder hard.

The Queen's eyebrows thread together, her arms still outstretched.

Eyes darting frantically, the human girl's gaze flicks to the treeline, then to the ebbing waterfall a few meters away.

"You are hurt," Celestia frowns. She crouches down and reaches out a hand to brush the side of her head. Dried blood cakes her blonde hair to the side of her skull, gooey trails of red dripping down the side of her face. She scans down Estrella's body. Other than the head trauma and a few scrapes and bruises, she seems relatively untouched. Her suit had absorbed the brunt of the blows.

"Pl- please don't," a sob rips through Estrella's chest, tears spilling from her eyes.

"Love, it is alright, you are safe," Celestia coos. She has never seen the girl so frightened. Estrella's entire body shakes, sobs wracking her frame as she seems to fold in on herself. She rocks back and forth, her trembling fingers clenching into tight fists.