Everyday means everyday: Untamed fanfiction

Chapter 13: The Pack

"Wait! Shouldn't we wait for backup?" Wen Ning protests from the back of Sizhui's horse.

"We can take care of ourselves," Jin Ling says firmly.

"But we don't know what dangers we will face," Wen Ning says worriedly.

"Sizhui! Jin Ling! Wait up!" Sizhui pulls on his reins to halt the horse as a voice calls out from behind them.

"Zizhen!" Jingyi calls, waving his hand in greeting as Jin Ling pulls his horse around to face him. The Ouyang Clan Leader stops his own horse in front of them with a few of his disciples following close behind him on foot.

"Where are you going? You're riding past the meeting place." Zizhen inquires.

"There was a distressed flare signal," Sizhui explains. "We were worried someone might be in trouble. We couldn't wait around. It might be too late by the time the others arrive." Zizhen frowns as if he was deep in thought. Then he turns to look at his disciples.

"A few of you will stay here and inform the rest of the party where we have gone. As soon as they arrive, come after us. I will leave markers behind for you." Zizhen tells them. The disciples nod their head. "Yes, Clan leader." Five of the disciples dip their heads before heading back the way they came.

"We will do the same," Jin Ling says, turning to his disciples. "Five disciples." When the disciples had been picked out and they had gone, they began heading towards the area of the flare signal again. The direction leads them towards the forest where the trees only get thicker and thicker as they continue riding deeper into it. It was still late afternoon, but the thick leaves above made it seem as if night had already fallen. Wen Ning suddenly jumps off the horse and keeps on the alert, his eyes narrowing as he scans the treelines for danger. The horses had slowed their paces, nickering nervously, almost as if they knew something wasn't right and that going further into the forest meant danger would await them.

"Let's continue on foot here," Zizhen says. "We leave the horses."
"Are you sure?" Jingyi asks, trying to hide the nervousness in his voice. "What if something attacks us from the ground?"

"Then we would be more prepared and have proper footing to fight," Sizhui responds, getting off the horse with Jin Ling jumping off after him.

"Are you sure it was a good idea to come here instead of waiting for the adults and coming together?" Jingyi huffs.

"What? Are you scared?" Jin Ling snickers.

"Of course not!" Jingyi snaps back, sticking out his chin. "But what we're dealing with is completely different from fighting those beasts on our regular night-hunts together. Why do you think Senior Wei and Hanguang-jun gathered so many people? Actually...wasn't it your idea in the beginning, Jin Ling?"

"Well...if we see trouble, we can't just wait around until it's too late." Jin Ling replies indignantly.

"Be quiet!" Sizhui hisses at them, his sword suddenly drawn.

"Yeah..if you two don't quiet down, you'll be leading danger straight to us." Zizhen adds, his voice barely a whisper.

"There's something coming," Wen Ning says, his voice cautious.

"I can't see!" A disciple suddenly cries out. "Where is everyone?" The four of them froze at the voice. The fog around them began getting thicker and thicker. However, it wasn't regular fog. It was black, almost like smoke. The same smoke that creeps out of Chenqing. The few disciples that had been following them had gotten lost already.

"Stay together and don't get separated." Jin Ling says, the tone in his voice serious and low now.

"Where's Jingyi?" Sizhui asks suddenly. "And Senior Wen?" Jin Ling turns around and curses loudly. Both Wen Ning and Jingyi had disappeared from sight. Zizhen was gone as well. Jin Ling pulls Sizhui closer, gripping his sleeve of his robes.