Nomad {Editing}

::Chapter 10:: The Damage Done

No help offered from the men above, the huge walls of the country's strongest fortress behind them, a drop off a cliff to the side and a wolf capable of killing them all by himself in front of them. Some would have seen the situation as impossible to get out of alive.

Part of Robert agreed.

Unfortunately it wasn't as easy as that.

Coming to stand carefully in front of his mate, he pressed the tip of his nose into the side of her flank. Needing the comfort of her warmth for what may be the last time. He was willing for it to be the last, if she got out of it alive.

Evie returned the gesture, running her silver cheek against his. His touch alone helped to calm her terrors, but not by much. She would give her life for her kingdom, but she only prayed that one of them would be able to go home to Lyra.

Down the path and hidden by the shadows cast by the rocks and trees, a monster worthy of the nightmares of children crept through the darkness. Less a wolf, more a snake, waiting for the opportunity to strike.

The group were injured and bleeding, the sound of their rugged pants from the run here and the fight could be heard even over the sound of the howling wind. One man's leg appeared to be broken, and another was bleeding heavily from a wound on the side of his head.

Not one of them had been left entirely uninjured, even Evie who had been protected more than any of them. The young shewolf was bleeding from a slash above her eye, effectively blinding her on the left side.

Alternatively, the 'enemy' seemed almost uninjured. Focused on one thing and one thing alone, their destruction. In his focus, all the pain was forgotten.

Or it drives him so much that he no longer cares, Robert swallowed the lump rising to the back of his throat in vain. No matter how hard he tried to appear casual and careless in the face of danger, there was no hiding how terrified he truly was.

Charlie seemed indestructible.

It was their job to prove otherwise.

A task which was proving more and more formidable with every passing second.

Like a game of cat and mouse, but with wolves. Robert was beginning to feel a lot like a sitting duck, waiting for the 'enemy' to decide to move.

"Barrier," when in battle there wasn't time for Arthur to use five words where one would do. Especially because they all understood his meaning and got to work as fast as they were physically capable of going.

Benches stood along the path leading to the palace, an instalment made by the Queen due to her love of the views at the clifftops. Robert had never been more thankful that father had chosen not to have them removed in time of war.

Dragging them all to the just before the palace gates, they turned them on their side and set to work putting a barrier between themselves and the angry wolf.

Growling was audible, but Charlie was no longer visible in the shadows. Robert chose not to question it and was more than happy to let him wait as long as he wanted. If it gave them time to set up some form of defence, Robert was more than happy to sit and wait.

Fortunately the wait wouldn't turn out to be long, a maddened wolf was not a patient wolf. Charlie charged from the shadows in a sudden movement which made the group jump. An unstoppable force, he tore and slammed and drove at the wall with everything he had.

Dragging himself over the barrier, Robert landed on the other side of it. Snapping off a leg of one of the benches, it wouldn't do much good but it was the best he had available. He passed it to Evie, and the others quickly did the same. Arming themselves with candlesticks would have done as much good, but it would have to do.