All Roads Lead To You (A Skyrim Romance Mod fanfic)

Chapter Forty-Eight

Author's Note: I'm so sorry this is late, everybody! Thank you sooo much for reading! Enjoy!

Aruna spent what felt like an agonizing amount of time looking for Bishop on Riften's streets. It was growing late, and most people had retired for the night, so there weren't many people left to ask, and the few who were out weren't the type to be helpful for free. One man asked her to duck into an alley with him for a few minutes of "fun" in exchange for information. She punched him and stalked away, annoyed that he'd wasted her time and ignoring the curses and insults he shrieked at her as he cupped his hands over his broken, bleeding nose. She spotted a man in the same tawny leather armor that she'd seen on a different man when she and Bishop had entered the city earlier that day, as well as on the red-haired woman in the tavern. She swore under her breath. The Thieves Guild. Bishop must have gone to talk to the Guild. Exactly why he would do that after his very hostile confrontation with that Neeshka woman earlier, she wasn't sure, but it seemed like the sort of thing he might do.

Aruna had no trouble finding the Ratway. People spoke of it often enough on the streets of Riften that they'd practically drawn her a map. What they'd neglected to mention was the smell.

"Of course it smells like a sewer," she muttered to herself as she gingerly pushed open the door that led to the tunnels beneath the city. "It is a sewer. What else were you expecting?"

She crept forward slowly, listening for the sound of anyone up ahead. She'd also heard that the residents of the Ratway didn't like visitors. Karnwyr stayed close at her side, the way he did with Bishop. She glanced at the wolf sidelong and smiled. She'd become quite fond of him over the time she'd been traveling with him and Bishop. He was uncommonly loyal to humans for a wolf. Bishop had once mentioned that he'd found Karnwyr as a pup when Bishop was still a teenager, but he'd never told Aruna how he'd developed the bond he had with the wolf. Aruna hadn't been allowed animal companions as a child on her father's farm and she envied the relationship Bishop and Karnwyr had. Although, lately, Karnwyr seemed to be trusting her more, too, and she was glad for it.

Up ahead, at the end of the passage, Aruna could see that it ended at a small chamber. Firelight danced on the far wall, but she heard nothing. Something cracked loudly under her boot. She looked down and saw a bone, pallid in the darkness. From the room ahead, there was a loud snorting sound, then a large shadow moved over the wall.

Aruna looked around and saw a small alcove with a rusty grate set into the floor. She dove towards it.

"Karnwyr, come—" Almost as soon as she set foot on the grate it gave way and she fell through to the floor below. She hit the ground with a groan. A sharp, stabbing pain rocketed through her middle. Darkness threatened to overcome her vision, and a high-pitched whine buzzed in her ears. It took her a moment to shake herself out of her daze and, when she did, she became aware of snarling and growling above her, and someone yelling slurred curses.

"Karnwyr!" Aruna shouted in a panic, lurching painfully to her feet and looking up at the crude hole from which she'd fallen. She could see nothing but the rocky ceiling of the tunnel above. She went to the walls beside her, looking for handholds to try to climb back up, but everything was covered in a slimy film of algae and mold. There was no way she would reach Karnwyr in time. She listened helplessly as the fight continued, gritting her teeth when Karnwyr yelped in pain. She cursed herself for being so careless, and for not standing and fighting instead of trying to hide. She'd just been in such a hurry to find Bishop, she hadn't wanted to waste time fighting anyone if she didn't have to. She hoped this mistake didn't cost Karnwyr his life. She would never be able to face Bishop again if anything happened to his wolf in her care.