Romans & histoires Among The Beasts And Briars

​"The Stag is elusive. It moves through the shifting mists of the Ravine of Echoes. It sees the heart, not the rank. Go." ​Diana and Brielle don't wait. They vanish into the timber with the practiced, athletic grace of purebloods who have spent their lives in private hunting preserves. I take a deep breath, filling my lungs with the damp, morning air. My wolf is already awake, her ears swiveling toward the distant sound of a hoof hitting stone. ​I don't need a bow. I don't need ivory leathers. I plunge into the brush, my tattered silk snagging on thorns as I let the wild take me.

Briar adjusts her strap, squares her shoulders, and points a finger at both of us like she’s issuing orders from a throne she never wanted. “I’ll be at the blacksmith,” she says. “You need me, you come. You don’t wait. You don’t ask permission.” Tessa nods fast. “We’ll visit. We’ll bring snacks.” Briar glares. “Don’t bring anything. People poison things here.” “I’ll bring… morally safe snacks,” Tessa offers. Briar’s mouth twitches like she’s fighting a smile and losing. Then she’s gone, escorted out by palace protocol, irritation worn like armor, happiness tucked underneath like contraband.

Moving more quieter and more careful. Then the beasts came. I felt eyes on us while we were making the diversion, I didn't know it was beasts. They appeared with no warning, no sound before it, just the crash of something large and fast through the brush and then they were there. Four, maybe five, bursting from the trees with wide, too-still eyes and movements that were just slightly wrong, too coordinated for something that looked that wild and Hungry. Already moving toward us before we'd fully registered they were there.

Running....jumping...ducking under low hanging branches. Claude and the wolves had been in pursuit of the giant buck for miles, with him somehow keeping up. His lungs felt infinite, with every inhale of fresh Forest night air it filled him entirely, energizing his muscles and mind to continue giving chase.

Hybrids or not we were being chased by several beasts. Heavy dollops of rain began to plummet, cutting through the fog. The storm has begun. The grassy forest floor quickly becomes slicker, less trustworthy underfoot. Sybil's huge paws slip over fallen leaves forcing us to slow down. Then I hear a sickening crunch and a yelp of agony. It's got to be Briss. Shit upon crap upon shitbags of fuckery. Maybe he’s winning, taking an attacker down. There’s so many of them though I can only imagine he’s been surrounded.

Bri Before my consciousness returned I had a vision of my father’s death again but this time I could hear his words clear as day. In translation, his words were ‘Find The Beast that is your heart, seek out the protectors of the swamp, they will vow to protect you my Bri.’ When I woke, I listened to the two deep voices just outside the space I was in. Groggy, I had trouble focusing on their words. My newly amped magic reached out testing when the massive presence of the dominant one stilled, caressing mine. I felt something rise within him, feral but non-threatening, protective even natural, and beautifully ancient. My energy and his swirled around each other. Testing and pulling, like flame

They must have planned to sneak onto Willow’s territory. I keep running until I’m back at the campfire. Did I go in a circle? “There is nowhere to run, human,” One of the beasts says as he comes into the light. The other is next to him. They both laugh until a loud growl echoes through the cave. The beasts pause. A giant wolf steps into view, snarling at the beasts. I suddenly realized that it is no ordinary wolf. “Bryan,” I whisper. I watch as Bryan begins fighting the beasts, putting himself between me and them. The beasts have swords and knives. My heart pounds as I watch the fight. Bryan swipes his claws and bites, but the beasts always manage to get a hit or two.

At the same moment, the ground behind them split open. Two corrupted beasts tore free of the forest floor. One wore the shape of a stag, its antlers twisted inward through torn flesh, sap and darkened blood mingling where they should never meet. The other was lupine, stretched beyond reason, veins pulsing with something that was not blood. Neither looked at Elora. They went straight for Briar and Declan.

“You’ve been off radar for years, Avi. No one’s supposed to know you’re here. I cast the concealment myself.” “I know,” I said, shrugging. “Maybe it’s just a coincidence.” Briar rolled her eyes. “Yeah, and I’m a vegetarian.” Before I could respond, a sharp sound cracked through the air—a howl. It wasn’t close, but it was enough to send a shiver down my spine. We both froze. Another howl followed, closer this time. Angry. Hunting. “Tell me that wasn’t what I think it was,” I whispered. Briar didn’t answer immediately. Her expression turned deadly serious. “Wolves.”

Ruth, Amara, and Fariya fought bravely alongside the rest of the pack, but the beasts appeared invincible, impervious to any attack. Their grey, shaggy bodies, and frightening jaws resembled wild bears, yet their powers transcended anything we had ever seen. As I attempted to flee and save myself, I became trapped in a corner with no way out. As death seemed inches away, one of the beasts pounced at me, its keen claws outstretched menacingly.