reluctantrunemaker

Out of nowhere, an arrow glinted across the hollow.  A dull thud, and the giant black wolf closest to the girl was thrown sideways. It yelped and scrabbled against a tree, where it was pinioned by a second maroon-fletched arrow. The wolf whined softly for a moment and slumped, dead. The boy watched the scene from a low ridge a short distance above the girl; his senses strained to gather information in the mix of shadow and trees. The pack-leader’s death whipped the other wolves into a frenzy. They leapt from their ambush all at once, a snarling sea of black and grey fur and flashing teeth. The girl cowered under the assault of paws an

The fire crackled brightly with a merry gaze from the open hearth of the meeting hall, warming the stones nearest it but not the faces. It was oblivious to the occasion, and did nothing to warm the mood of the room. A dozen men and women varying from middle-aged to ancient sat in a circle around the fire as shadows danced forebodingly against the tapestried walls of the meeting house. They sat silently and stared at one another endlessly in turn. The chief was massive in stature and personality, and spoke with the booming assurance of centuries of tradition. His voice betrayed no hint of his own apprehension. Despite weeks of boasting, the o

The boy took a deep breath. Purpose and freedom filled his lungs. He exhaled slowly and savored the moment it crystallized into an icy mist. Not even the sharp knife of the autumn mountain air could slow his confident stride as he threaded his way among the woods. Tonight was the night. Destiny dangled tantalizingly before him, he could feel it; the heavy blueness of the night sky was a familiar river in which he swam freely, dancing in the current of the cloud-washed starlight. The buck had left a trail of shallow hoofmarks and snapped twigs as it foraged. For his expertly trained senses, it was as clear as a king’s highway. He tested

Long-taloned branches raked across her face, bright streaks of scarlet left behind to mingle with the rivulets of tears that flowed across her cheeks. It stung at her eyes and blurred her vision as she fought for every inch of forward progress. Her hair glowed silver-bright under the cold crescent moon even as it snarled and snagged on the outstretched fingers of the trees. The clasp of her cloak snapped tight against her throat, forcing her to stop mid-stride as she struggled to breathe against her own traitorous garment. The girl flung her arm backwards to tug the cloak free from the brambles and felt, as much as heard, the snarling teeth

“Wherever it went, its tail scorched the ground beneath to char and ash. Then the wicked phoenix flew high into the air, a fiery trail across the stars. The phoenix turned in mid-flight and looked down upon the great bear with an evil glare from both heads,” Everulf’s voice rumbled across the stone and timbers of the open hall, low thunder in the distance. The great furry mantle across his shoulders writhed in the semidarkness as he raised his arms, thick as timbers, like wings. His black eyes peered at the youths gathered around him from under a deep brow. Embers drifted upwards on smoky currents, and the log fire hissed sl