Wild Avalon

24

I was so engrossed in reading more about mom's secretive religion The Way of the Grass that I didn't hear Rama enter the library, until he cleared his throat just feet in front of me. Though maybe had teleported to where he stood instead of walking. I couldn't be sure.

"Why aren't you preparing for the hunt?" Rama asked me, looking concerned as I grabbed another cube of cheese from my light lunch I had requested. I just looked at him, blinking slowly. I told him I wasn't doing the hunt once again. "The full moon, the mating hunt is still on for the local werewolves." Rama stated as though I should be reacting differently.

"Sunset is hours away, I'll be safe locked inside my room." I said, stopping what I was doing.

Rama looked at me. "We are an isolated village, everyone knows you are new and where you are. I assure you, a locked door will not be enough to protect you." I thought of my bag, the perfect outfit I had sourced, of everything I had prepared to out run everyone when I had been planning to run away before tonight. I needed it now. Hilda shrieking that she had right over and over as panic set in.

I took off at a run, heading back to my room, before I almost ran straight into the wall of my chamber. Rama must have teleported me here. He was lucky I hadn't hurt myself running into a wall or some piece of heavy furniture.

I ran to my dressing table. Wrapping the tail of my braid in layers of a thin leather cord. Binding the remainder of the cord up and down the length to hold all the hair in control. As well as preventing loose hairs from escaping my head, leaving a lingering marker of my presence as I ran. I could hide my active scent. But any shed hair would act like breadcrumbs marking my path to any who could track me. I suspected the hearty wolves here would be better trackers than anyone in the city had been. 

There was a knock at the main door to my chamber. Causing my heart to stop as I finished dressing and secured my body harness pack in place. Then I remembered wolves in a mating frenzy wouldn't knock. Gingerly, I opened the door.

Rutherford was there. Holding a soft backpack. "It has some food Madam, water, and a first aid kit. You should run until morning if you can. Once the sun rises tomorrow the wolves and other shifters will be under control of their humans again." Or passed out exhausted I added in my head. He helped me fit the backpack so it was comfortable, but tight against the harness pack on my back already.

"Why are you helping me?" I was so tired of trying to think of what everyone meant with their actions. I hoped he might at least just be honest with me and save me some mental effort.

"The master asked me to ensure you were prepared, I have enhanced your supplies as I could," Rutherford paused, just a moment as he looked at me and smiled. "You were fairly well prepared to out run anyone already." He led me to a door that was hidden in the wall just outside my door. "Follow this, always pick left if you come to any choice in path. It is meant for the royal family to use if they need to escape the castle unseen." He pushed me into the dark rough stone lined tunnel. "The lights will glow ahead of you, keep to the left Avalon." Rutherford called as the wall closed. I felt along the wall, where I knew the seam was, and could feel nothing, no catch. No obvious gap. In the dim light I could see even less detail than I could feel. "I don't want to mate anyone tonight!" I yelled.

'Then we better fucking run Avalon.' Hilda said. Unwilling to offer any further help. I was better prepared than I hoped to be. I took off at a jog down the corridor. Weak flickering lights illuminating ahead of me. The air was stale and smelled of minerals. Every so often my boots splashed in puddles. I could hear the water drops fall as I ran. Water drops, my breathing getting harder as I continued to run. My pulse racing in my ears. Always turning to the left when any choice came.

I had been jogging steadily for almost an hour before I finally saw the faint outline of a doorway up ahead. The light golden pink. The sun getting low in the sky. At least I would be able to see in the night, the strange deep twilight made sure even I could navigate the entire night without Hilda's direct assistance.

The heavy wooden door was held together with bars of iron. It screeched as I pushed it open. I heard the first wolf howl as I stepped out into fresh air. Followed by several others. I didn't have much time. Now that I was in the wide open air, I took off at a run. Distance was what I needed. I needed to get as much space between me and the castle as I could. A wolf running in a mating lust was certainly far faster than the speed I had jogged here.

Even if the village wolves wasted time looking for me in the castle, it wouldn't take them long to figure out I wasn't there. All my supplies were tightly bound to my body. Silent as I ran, not bouncing around. I was glad Rutherford had helped me get the extra pack of food on. I had also found a real dagger on my pack. A deadly slightly curved blade with a large hilt and good grip on the handle.

I had only run ten minutes before I came to a river. Rushing hard and fast. I decided to run downstream. Alongside the water. Until I found what I was looking for. I could hear wolves howling. All close to the castle still by the sound of things. Again I didn't have to run long, I found a fell ancient looking conifer tree. Reaching across the river towards what looked like an apple tree. It wasn't the strongest tree for my landing, I didn't want to risk being stuck on this side of the river any longer than I had to. I searched quickly along the river bed for a rock that was heavy enough. There wasn't much but I found an awkward shaped slate rock. It was the only large one nearby and would have to do. I climbed up the angled tree, carefully waiting for the trunk to shift as I moved father and farther out over the river.

At the end of the part of the trunk that seemed like it could hold me, I started to wind up my bound rock on my improvised length of rope. Hoping all my knots held. I let the weighted rope go. Watching in shock and joy as the rock and rope wrapped around a reasonably strong looking limb of the apple tree.

With a deep breath. I ran down the trunk. Jumping just as I felt the slender tree top give out from under me. Holding onto my rope to sail across the river. Landing and skittering on the grass on the bank on the other side. The apple tree wasn't very tall. I took the time to quickly climb up and grab most of the lengths of ropes and cords. Only leaving the one that was intricately tied and knotted around the piece of slate. It wasn't worth my time to undo all the knots and tangles. I needed to keep running.

The forest was thinner on this side of the river, than it was on the castle side. The woods looked thicker up river. An open plain with mountains stretching endlessly in the distance down river. I knew how to hide in trees. I didn't trust that my stamina would be enough to stop the wolves on the plains.

Hoping the water wouldn't carry any errant trace of my scent down river, I started to run to the thickest darkest group of trees I could see. If I could just get into the deep woods I thought I would stand a chance.