Empire of Blood

Chapter 12: The Forest

A light, crisp, and cool evening breeze blew through the Hinterlands. The chilling clouds scattered across the twilight sky, and the trees sang their grisly melody as the moon rose. Kiba ran through the ancient forest, quiet as a mouse; her bristling white fur kept her warm against the unforgiving terrain. Her large paws patted softly against the earth. The landscape donned its white fleece, concealing the She-Wolf and her hunting party of five, making it nearly impossible to be tracked down.

Kiba was in hot pursuit of two dwarf thieves who desecrated Artio's shrine and stole their paragon that kept the Hinterlands alive. Yet, she paused and sniffed the ground and air; when the delectable scent graced her nostrils, she howled, gathering the rest of her group. We must be careful—I sense three nearby, and they could overwhelm us if we're not cautious.

Her members nodded, and they willingly followed; Kiba sprang through trees, dodging the twists and turns within the forest's thick embrace. A sea of stars flowed across the sky, and she snarled through her teeth, picking up the pace, the soft pitter-patter of paws thumping against the ground.

They immediately paused their pursuit when a massive red and yellow dragon soared above them, donning a harness large enough to carry a crew of more than fifty. Kiba held her breath, but the behemoth flew past, and the hunting party silently withdrew and continued their chase.

Kiba's heart raced as she slowly approached a glowing campfire roaring near the forest boundary. As if allured by these new, weary trespassers, she and her party halted their pursuit of the thieves, for their scent was still fresh. The She-Wolf swiveled her head, meeting her pack's intent gazes. She crouched behind the thick bushes, her ears ticking to the noises ahead, staying clear from the glimmering colossus golden dragon lying beside the Raging River. Its stained-glass silver wing membranes shimmered in the moonlight, matching its armor-plated scales; its tail wrapped around a basket full of freshly caught catfish. Ensconced within the dragon's forearms was a young human boy with a scar slashed over his right eye and a voluminous, black cloak draped over his shoulders, protecting him from the cold night.

Kiba immediately ordered her party to back away, as they would have been no match against the god-like creature; even the Aynu knew of the dragon riders from Alfheim. She would need the strength of the entire pack, but even then, their chances of actually winning and taking one down were very slim.

The boy looked as though he had barely reached adulthood; his messy black hair covered his dirty face as his empty eyes focused on the blazing fire. Kiba's brilliant white fur bristled when she sensed his grim appearance and posture; he barely moved a muscle.

His dragon lowered his head to look at him and nudged his shoulder, and the boy snorted. "You're now well-rested—right, Doragon?" The golden dragon chattered and groaned. "They'll be fine. Selena and Rahim are more than capable, and Thor is only circling the area. That's what these are for." He pulled out a half-full vial of blue liquid. "I suppose that Admiral Altessa is useful after all. Besides, I don't exactly see how it's our responsibility to look after the Crown Princess and her dragon. Selena and Thor are more than capable of completing this mission themselves."

Doragon snarled and unfurled his wings as his tail whipped around in place; his head snaked around, but the boy shook his head. "It's okay—no one can hear me. You know how chaotic my thoughts can be, and it helps drown out the other voices when I talk aloud," he sighed, "It isn't easy being the Shepherd of Souls."

Kiba lowered her head and bared her fangs as if she were about to spring an attack, but she remained hidden. The other five wolves slowly approached from both sides, but they obeyed their alpha's command, yet their eyes fixated on the dragon, hoping it didn't notice their presence. Doragon remained ignorant, or perhaps he knew the wolves were there but only waited patiently if they struck first. Either way, he didn't raise the alarm, but the golden dragon continued pestering the boy about what Kiba could only assume.