Chapter 8: Within

SELENE POV

"We found the burners," Arlo said in between breaths as he and Grayson walked into the firelight.

"Where?" Tor asked from where we stood by the fire.

"About half a day's run to the Northwest," Grayson said in a low voice. My stomach twisted into a knot. I couldn't believe how fast we were able to find them and how close they actually were.

"How many?" Tor asked next.

"About twenty or so," Arlo responded. The carefree personality from before was now replaced with a serious exterior.

"Are they armed?" Tor asked

Arlo nodded vehemently. "To the teeth."

Tor stared into the small fire at his feet, seemingly contemplating the information he had just learned.

"Ok, in the morning we will go Northwest to head them off. I think it's time we gave them a taste of their own medicine." Tor's smile was dangerous with the firelight reflecting off of his face.

The rest of the group came back to camp with firewood and a few rabbits for dinner. As I tended to the fire, I listened to Tor formulate a plan to confront the hunters. My mind was riddled with nerves and I couldn't help the small quake in my hands as I threw a log on the flames. I had come on this journey to find answers, but now that the confrontation was at hand, it was all becoming too real.

"I want their commander kept alive. I made the mistake of letting the last one go," Tor said as I sat down on a log. He stole a glance in my direction and I knew he was remembering the night we met. "I'm not going to make that mistake again. I want to know who the h*ll they answer to."

Everyone was anticipating a battle with the hunters so the group retired as soon as the food had been eaten. I laid out the blanket that Ava had added to my pack next to the dying fire to keep warm for the night and used the bag as a makeshift pillow. I watched the glowing embers, thinking about how the next day would play out while Tor spoke quietly to Cassius a few feet away.

What was it that I expected to discover on this journey? I was the one that insisted on tagging along and yet I was suddenly filled with doubt over my decision.

The witch hunter's voice echoed in my mind again.

'I think we found who we are looking for,' he'd said with a cruel sneer on his face.

Why? Why would they be searching for me? I am a nobody.

The crunching of leaves announced Tor's approach. He sat down across the fire from me.

"You have been awfully quiet," he said. "If you want to go back to Alder…"

"No," I blurt out. "No… I…" I sat up with a sigh. "I am nervous, I guess, but I have questions that need answers."

Tor nods his understanding. "I want you to keep some distance tomorrow. Only until the dust settles, I can't have you getting injured or…"

"Or causing a distraction?" I ask. Tor tilts his head slightly and a devilish grin grew on his face.

"I am afraid that it is too late for that," he said in a low voice.

I was taken aback by his words and I worried my lip as I watched his eyes in the firelight. His eyes dropped to my lips and an indescribable expression fell over his face. He cleared his throat and leaned back against a log.

"Get some sleep, Selene," he said.

I lay there thinking about my decision to travel to the River of Three Sisters. Initially, I had thought that I could find answers there, but now, I knew that I needed to stick around and see what information I could find out about these hunters.

With a small sigh, I curled into a ball and closed my eyes. Yet, try as I might, it was hard to fall asleep with the thoughts of Tor's hands on my body playing through my mind.

***

"I think we found what we've been looking for," a cruel voice said, waking me from my sleep.

I shot up from my position by the fire, my heart pounding uncontrollably. My eyes darted to where Tor had fallen asleep and to my horror, he was gone. I stood scanning the woods around me. The fire had burnt out so there was no light to aid me as I peered through the shadows.

A dark chuckle reverberated off the trees. Panic hit me as I saw shadows advancing all around.

"Who's there?" I shouted trying to regain my composure. But the shadows kept on advancing and the laughter grew louder and louder. Reaching for my dagger, I cursed when it was not on my hip. I tried to cast a spell of light to illuminate the forest around me, but when I tried to speak the words, nothing came out.

The dark figures all around me kept advancing. The closer they came the more panic began to cloud my senses. So, I turned and ran.

Once again, I found myself running for my life through the trees. My breath came faster and helplessness grew in the pit of my stomach. The hunters seemed to be on my heels, their whoops and hollers growing unbearably loud. They seemed to be coming from all around me.

Tears started to fall down my cheeks as I dodged rocks and debris on the forest floor. I burst into a clearing and dropped to my knees. I could feel the inky shadows of my pursuers overcoming me. With a desperate cry, I shouted to the starless sky.

"Tor!"

Instantly, everything went silent. The shadows froze in their advance and the blue light of the moon seemed to come out from behind the clouds and shine its light down onto the clearing.

A growl echoed through the silence around me. Looking up, I was shocked to see not an onyx wolf with silver eyes, but a wolf of pure white moonlight. Its emerald eyes were locked with my own. We watched one another like strangers, but something in the back of my heart told me that I knew this wolf and that it knew me.

The stunning creature lifted its nose to the sky and let out a melodic howl. Immediately the shadows that were frozen in place all around me exploded into shards of moonlight. The radiance of the light shimmered as it fell around us like snow.

Without looking away, I stood and walked to the wolf with slow tentative steps. It watched me calmly as I approached. I dropped to my knees before the ethereal creature. I looked into its viridescent eyes which mirrored my own. A feeling of peace and wholeness like I'd never experienced wrapped around me.

The wolf lowered its forehead to mine and for a fleeting moment, I could hear its thoughts.

"You know me and I know you."

The realization that what it spoke was true brought tears of joy to my eyes as I wrapped my arms around the magical creature. I was complete. I was whole.

***

"Selene?"

My eyes opened slowly to the sound of a concerned voice. A gentle hand brushed the hair from my forehead which was damp with sweat. Tor's rough thumb brushed against my tear-stained cheek. I blinked slowly trying to shake the emotions of the dream.

Finally, I found Tor's worried face.

"Are you ok, little witch?" he asked gently. I sat up and rubbed my eyes, wiping away the tears.

"Yes, thank you." I gave him a weak smile, embarrassment heating my cheeks. "I just had a weird dream."

Tor watched me, his beautiful face betraying his concern.

"Really, I'm ok," I said with a small sheepish laugh. He watched me for a few more moments before nodding.

"The team is getting ready to go. Are you sure that you want to continue on?" he asked. I sat up more fully with determination.

"Yes," I said with a reassuring smile. Tor nodded.

"Ok. Arlo came across some fresh berries by the river. He saved them for you," Tor said as he stood. "I think it is the first time I have ever seen him pick berries."

This made me laugh at the thought of the young shifter diligently picking berries.

"Thank you," I said. "Let me get ready and I'll join you."

With that Tor walked away. I rolled my blanket and packed it away. With a stretch, I rolled out the kinks in my neck and then went about taming my hair that had come out of its braid the night before. My thoughts replayed the dream, every detail as clear as day.

This dream did not feel like a random manifestation of my subconscious. No, this dream meant something. Now more than ever, I needed to know what lay on the other end of this journey.

I made my way over to the pack of shifters who were discussing the route they would take to head off the hunters. Arlo saw me approach and his eyes grew giant with excitement.

"Selene, I found these for you!" He pulled out a bundled cloth and held it out to me. I took it with a grateful smile and opened it. Inside were dark magenta berries, many of them had been squished and their purple juices were seeping through the fabric.

"Thank you, Arlo," I said and popped one of the berries in my mouth. "They are delicious."

Arlo's smile was more than pleased with himself as he watched me in earnest as I ate the fruit.

Tor rolled his eyes. "All right, Berry Boy," he teased, giving Arlo a small shove. "Lead the way."

The group started to make their way into the forest once again and with anticipatory steps, I followed. My instincts told me that whatever I found at the end of this journey was going to change everything.

Nothing was going to be the same again.