ruination ➤ REWRITING

seven.

ADRENALINE COURSED THROUGH HER VEINS, ANGRY BREATHS APPEARING AS PUFFS OF SMOKE FROM HER MOUTH. She ran through the forest beside Thesda who had no problem keeping up with the sprint. She reached the point they had separated and looked in bewilderment for her mentor. "Thesda, get our horses." Nela ordered and sprinted back the direction she had just come.

Her stormy eyes searched the brown earth for Oden, begging to see the iconic deer mask the warrior was known for. She skidded to a stop as the shots quieted, the sounds continuing to echo throughout the forest. Nela strapped her spear to her back as she continued to search for Oden, trying to make her way to the tree he had been in.

She found the tree in a long minute and her eyes immediately fell to the ground, hoping to find any sign of the man who had taught her everything she knew. She spotted him finally, face down in the dirt as his hands laid outstretched from his body. She got to his side and kneeled down, praying that he was still alive. The weapons of the mountain were deadly and rarely anyone healed from a wound.

"Oden, Oden — please." she pleaded, turning him over and looking for any signs of life.

His hands were limp, weapon falling out of his hand as she turned him over. Fear filled her stomach as she tore the mask off of his face, slapping his cheek a couple times lightly in an attempt to wake him up. She looked up, desperately hoping to see another warrior to help her get him out of here. Her grey eyes shot back down to Oden, hearing a pained groan from him.

"Oden?"

"Get me out of here," he mumbled, barely loud enough for her to hear.

"Come on," she told him, wrapping one of his arms around her shoulder and standing up.

He gave another groan of pain as he stood up, trying not to put all of his weight on the younger soldier. He mumbled something incoherently as she trudged through the forest with him. She had his mask in her right hand, her left arm wrapped around his waist to support him. Her breaths became heavy and short, fear still twisting around in her stomach. Nela didn't know if she wanted to cry hot, angry tears or if she wanted to let out a scream.

She did know that she wanted to march on skaikru as soon as possible. She wanted nothing more than to attack each and every single one of the sky people, especially the blonde leader. Nela wouldn't mind twisting Lincoln's neck either, he was no longer trikru. He was a traitor. He had led his people into a trap, an ambush and he had instead taken an arrow for one of them. Lincoln had left with the wrong people, he had made his choice — the wrong one.

They reached the horses, where Thesda sat atop her golden mare, eyes worriedly looking for her mentor. Nela gave her a nod of respect, leading Oden to his black stallion. She didn't know if he'd be strong enough to get on his own horse and ride back, but she hoped he would be. She didn't know how else to get out of this dangerous situation fast.

"Oden, you have to get on your horse, come on," She said to him urgently, her voice hushed. She stopped in front of his horse as he nodded, blue eyes hazy in the sinking sun.

He seemed to muster the rest of his strength as he climbed atop his horse and promptly fell forward onto his neck. Nela rushed to her own horse, climbing as fast as she could. She grabbed the reigns of Oden's horse as well as her own and looked at Thesda. "Are you ready?" she asked her second.

"Yes. The rest have already rode on ahead. We should get going if we want to make it back before sundown." Thesda told her.

"Let's go." Nela nodded, delivering a kick to her horse.

The trio began riding through the forest, eager to get home in time before a friend's thread was cut.

hey mans sorry this was a shorter chapter i think this is the shortest one besides the prologue? but it was kiiiiiinda action packed idk? if u liked it consider voting? p.s. i still miss lincoln.