The Winter Born [COMPLETED]

Chapter 26 - Run

I gasp and fling myself from his sword's way and the young man stumbles upon forward. Turning around, I grasp on my cloak before forcing my legs to move but it's all in vain when I trip on a tree root that was above the soil.

I fall onto my elbows and knees, stinging them when I take a look behind my shoulder and the man is above me, his sword gleaming in the sun, ready to cut me in half. Hunting instincts make me quickly roll to my side and the sword slashes through the thick root with ease.

But the sword stuck into another root below the slashed one and the young man struggles to take it out, putting a foot on the root and pulling it with all his effort.

Run, run, run, run. Fucking hells, Cathellyn. Run!

"Don't you run away!" The young man shouts as he tries to free his sword.

I ignore him and my rapidly thumping heart as I struggle onto my feet and resuming my run into the forest. I can hear my heart drumming in my ear and my breathing becomes more ragged as I try to run faster.

After a few moments of running, my vision suddenly gets blurry and everything seems to be distorted, becoming two and black spots threaten to faint me out.

I slowed my run and stop at one of the thousands of trees to catch my breath. The fever has been messing with my head. The thumping in my head is as hard as my heart.

I wince from the pain and bring my eyebrows together, closing my eyes. It's not the time, I know but it hurts so much and my hand flails around to find something to cling on until I find the trunk of the tree.

I try to even out my breath, taking deep gulps of air and letting it out. I slowly open my eyes and I hear the sound of leaves rustling behind me. Running forward with whatever strength I have left, the sword struck the trunk instead of me.

I can only hear a faint ringing in my ears as the young man frees his sword easily and once again charges towards me. I grit my teeth as I dance out of the way and resume my pathetic run to the lake.

I don't even know why he is attacking me - revenge, hatred, I do not really care now. The only thing in my head are the words- run run run run run.

The lake is too far away, I thought. Panic settles into my head as I look over my shoulder to find the killer not too far away from me, his hazel eyes gleaming with anger and I stiffen a gasp.

My legs go numb and I curse myself for being so weak. I outran and hid from countless predators in my years of hunting and I cannot run from this young man. This should've been child's play for me.

The lake finally comes into view and I almost smiled from relief and I can see a part of my beautiful spear shown in an opening in the trees. Just a little more, Cathellyn. I can feel tears stinging at the corners of my eyes.

I feel a sudden intense pain on my back and I let out a painful grunt before falling to my knees. The young man had tackled me and is pinning me down, a dagger in his hand instead of a sword but it still gleams, promising for certain death.

I flail around but he is clearly stronger. I manage to turn myself around to face him and I am met with his hazel eyes as his hands grasp my hair with force, almost tearing it out and I let out a grunt. His legs make a cage around my thighs and his lips are in a tight line. The young man's brown hair is falling around his face messily as he easily keeps me in place.

I trash around at the sight of the dagger, head whipping from side to side and hands feebly clawing at the killer's forearm that's holding my hair. He doesn't show any response but only tightens his grip on my hair and I grit my teeth to hold a yelp.