The School for Good and Evil Prequel The Never Prince (fanfic)

Chapter 19

Garth stood before the gates to the Endless Woods. He was sure Stephan was in there. There was no where else for him to go. Scar sat beside him, staring at the same gates they had narrowly escaped from.

"Well," Garth finally said, "this is it, buddy." The wolf stared up at him with curious eyes. "As in this is the place," Garth rephrased. "The place where Stephan will meet his end." The new prince nodded slowly, but the wolf didn't by it. Scar head butted his thigh and Garth looked down at him. The wolf peered into his eyes, reading his soul.

"Yeah, yeah, ok," Garth admitted, kneeling beside the wolf. "I'm not a hundred percent sure I'll win this. But I gotta stay positive, right?" The wolf just continued staring at him. Garth sighed. "I don't know what it is," he said, rubbing Scar's head. "I just have a bad feeling. Not about the woods, just, overall. Worst part is I have an awful thought that I might never see Lilac again." At that, the wolf whimpered. Garth chuckled. "Guess you're missing your own lady too."

Garth stood, taking in a deep breath. "Let's do this," he sighed. Scar barked enthusiastically. He opened the gate and stepped into the dark forest. He was only a few steps within when the gates shut behind him. No turning back.

Garth unsheathed his sword and held it at the ready. He still barely knew how to use it, but he'd figure it out. No time to learn like the present. He continued forward slowly, sweeping the area with his eyes as he continued. Scar stalked beside him, his eyes darting around the area also.

Garth stopped when he thought he heard a branch break. Scar's growl toward the right confirmed his suspicion. Something was out there. The fledgling prince pointed his sword toward the sound and stepped toward the region. The rustle of leaves grabbed his attention. He kept his sword trained on the half-dead bush.

His heart pounded uncontrollably. Sweat trailed down his forehead. The air was too heavy to breath. He wasn't going to die from a sword again. He was going to die from suspense.

The point of his sword slowly went into the bush, reaching for whatever was in there. Suddenly, something launched out. Garth fell back in shock, dropping his sword. Scar leaped back, snarling up at the tree beside them. Garth launched to his feet and grabbed the sword, pointing it at the creature in the tree. Which was a squirrel. Garth groaned.

"I freaked out because of a squirrel," he moaned. "What's a squirrel even doing in here?" Scar kept growling up at the tree and around the bush. "Scar, quit," Garth ordered, but the wolf kept growling. He summed it up as a common characteristic wolves shared with dogs. A desire to chase squirrels.

Garth continued walking when he realized Scar was still snarling at the tree. And now barking to get his attention.

"Scar, it's a squirrel. Get over it." Garth kept walking, expecting the wolf to follow. He turned around, but didn't see Scar. The squirrel clambered down the tree and raced up another, but the patter of its feet was the only sound in the forest.

Garth looked around, trying to listen for Scar's irritated snarls and growls. Nothing. Garth held the dragon hilt on his sword a little tighter.

"Scar?" he called. "You out there?" Still nothing. Now he wished he had let Edward come with him. At least he would have had a squirrel proof companion he could talk to. And to watch his back.