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Chapter 12: Her Disguise
With my boots sodden and squelching, the leather rubbing on my damp softened skin, I ran as fast as I could for as far as I could.
But my clothes were heavy with water and my legs soon grew clumsy, tripping and stumbling over the roots and branches.
Half an hour of battling through the forest later, I tripped once more. This time so overcome with exhaustion that I couldn't save myself from falling and I dropped to the floor, catching my foot under the root. I whimpered, pressing my nails into the muddy floor as pain surged through my ankle. It already throbbed and when I hauled my self to my feet, I could barely put weight on it.
The storm was still raging on, refusing to have mercy even as I limped, dragging my injured foot behind me.
My eyes welled up and soon the rain-diluted tears dripped down my face.
"Are you trying to die out here, Esme?" a voice said from behind me.
I flinched and spun around only to see Alpha Rivers emerging f
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The next morning I awoke groggy-eyed and tired. Thankfully, the storm had passed but grey clouds still lingered in the sky, refusing to allow the sun to dry off the waterlogged ground and sodden leaves.I lifted the covers off me and sat forward, staring into the burnt-out ash in the fireplace."How are you feeling?" Rose's voice asked as she came into the doorway.She leant against the wall and smiled sympathetically but all I could do was put my head in my hands and sigh."How about a mug of hot cocoa?" she asked.I smiled and nodded, "Thank you."I then wrapped the blanket around me again and just sat listening to the clatters and rustling of Rose in the kitchen."Tobias thinks we should hold a meeting with Alpha Rivers about this," she said as she heated the milk on the stove, "Find a way to come to an agreement that everyone can be happy with."I shook my head, "Have you met Alpha Rivers?" I asked, "He knows what he
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We walked on for hours more. I continued to help the woman and hold her child but she weakened more with every step as the child weighed down my arm. She was small and light but it had so long that my arm was beginning to ache as she kept slipping down.Alpha Rivers men still walked silently around us and although I knew they were for our protection, I couldn't help but feel unsettled by them. They didn't speak or smile or show even the slightest sign of humanity. So I held the child closer to me and just focussed on getting my people through the forest, across the border and away from these men as soon as possible.But when we finally crossed into Pheonix territory, Alpha Rivers lead us on further."Where exactly are you taking us?" I asked half an hour later."To the centre of my territory. A guarded camp has been set up for all of the Pheonix women, children and elderly. There are well-stocked caves to shelter in that will serve to keep them hidden too
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As we walked, I could see the light of dawn growing brighter through the blindfold. The dewy smell of the forest came alive and the birds above us began to tweet again. It was a relief to escape what had been a dreadful night but I was under no illusion of safety. My shoulders were tense and with no vision, every sound and brush of a branch on my arm put me on edge."Relax," Alpha Rivers said after I had flinched with his hands resting on my shoulders, "I'm taking your blindfold off."He pulled the tie and it soon slipped down, allowing me to rub my eyes and reinstate a comfortable distance from him.At long last, I caught sight of Tobias."Finally!" I said marching towards my brother and hugging him.I looked over his shoulder to see the rest of the Nightingale army behind him. They all looked tired but thankfully, we hadn't lost too many and morale still seemed okay.Rose smiled warmly and squeezed my hand before she glanced over to Alpha
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