The Fall Of Snow: Guard Your Heart

15. Fifteen

Fifteen

A Blood Moon

" S o, are all of the Arion Warriors required to learn self-defense?"

"In a way," he grunts his response without looking at me and I wait, wondering if he'll make me ask the next logical question floating around in my mind. Knowing Huck, he will.

I'm pleasantly mistaken when he continues.

"I used to teach the girls in the towns we would pass through." He saunters through the forest like a shadow in the night.

"Well, that's awfully nice of you." I try to keep up with his strides, but not only is he twice my size, but my legs are sore from training.

"Don't give me praise that isn't deserved. I was paid for my time." At that, I have no words. Of course he was. The only reason he's training me now is so he doesn't have to burden himself with saving me in the future again.

"And I made a deal with one of the captains. If I trained the girls, I got first pick of the new shipment of weapons.”

“What, you wanted the biggest sword out of the bunch?"

“No,” he draws out. “Actually, I wanted my team to get weapons that would protect them, instead of getting stuck with the leftovers.”

“That’s quite thoughtful of you.” Night has fully settled, and the forest looks brighter with the lack of canopied leaves overhead.

“Not all of us are as bad as they say.” For once, Huck’s voice is soft and it makes me think maybe he doesn’t like the stigma attached to the label.

“Yeah, I’m starting to see that for myself.” I smile, thinking of the seven warriors I come to know since finding myself in their cabin all those nights ago. In the silence that follows, I almost ask why Huck hasn’t kicked me out yet. I almost tell him about how it weighs on me that I haven’t delivered on my end of the deal. Almost.

But fear and shame keep my tongue from moving.

I rush my steps trying to keep up with his strides. I'm no stranger to the forest at night, but I don't want him to think that I can't keep up.

I look around at the fire sprites that begin to fly through the darkness, illuminating a golden path as they twirl around like dancing flames. Their tiny wings flutter in a frenzy of movement .

"Did you know that fire sprites are said to be lost souls who couldn't fully part with the living?"

"You know . . . maybe your mother was onto something." He looks back at me, brow raised, and adds, "You talk too much."

My jaw nearly hits the floor at his callous comment. Did he really just suggest that my mother is anything but heinous? If he only really knew her. The audacity of this male is astounding.

"Well, your mother really raised you to be quite the outstanding gentleman, didn't she?" If he wants to broach the subject of mothers, I'll play along. "I'm sure she is just so proud of—" I walk right into Huck's backside, his cool leathers meeting my cheek. I step back to ask him why he stopped when he turns his head towards me, peering at me over his shoulder.

"Do not speak of my mother." His amber eyes pin me in place and suddenly my mouth is dry. "Ever." His stare is a challenge as if I'd take this opportunity to push further. The logical part of me wants to note that he brought up my murderous mother first, but another part of me—a part that is soft and fuzzy at the edges—knows I can't.

I've struck a nerve and somehow it is worse than bringing up a mother that wants her own child dead. But I can see it in his eyes. That pained expression is grief. The look on his face is the shredded, aching feeling of loss, and I know he won't explain any further.

"You have my word." I drop the subject and we walk through the dark woods in silence. The only sound is the crunch of our boots and the nightlife of the living forest.

Huck 's hand splays across my chest, holding me back from taking another step. I look up at him, ready to tear him to shreds but his index finger is covering his lips. He wants me to be quiet and not to move. Someone or something is out here. Something that is threatening enough to alarm even Huck.

My heart hammers as my eyes dart around in the dark. Suddenly, I notice the fire sprites have vanished, leaving only the faint light of the moon illuminating the forest around us. And then I hear it, the resonant growl of a predator in our midst. It’s so deep and booming that I feel it in my chest.

The hairs on my arms rise, and I place my hand on the hilt of my dagger. Scanning the area, I look for where the growl came from when my sight snags on a pair of yellow eyes in the darkness, its body hidden by bushes and the blanket of night.

The creature steps forward, fracturing a stick beneath its clawed paw. Huck and I barely breathe as we anticipate its next move. When it takes another step into the moonlight, lead fills my gut. Its snarl reveals elongated fangs dripping with saliva, and its silver coat is specked with brown. Its pointed, pinned-back ears twitch when it hears a howl from afar.

My heart leaps with the hope that it might be deterred by the sound of another animal in the forest, but that hope is cut like a taut chord when the creature steps forward and rises on its hind legs, ascending to its full height. My chin lifts to meet its face—leathered skin, snout, dilated pupils of rage. Huck turns his face towards me but his eyes never leave the creature .

"Run," he whispers out the corner of his mouth but makes no move himself. My feet hesitate, not wanting to leave him here alone with this creature. He can't possibly think that he can take the beast down. If he's not leaving, I'm not either. I pull my dagger from its sheath and almost laugh at the insanity of it. My inner psyche must be getting a little too comfortable with facing death because I cannot come up with another logical reason I haven't fled through the forest by now.

Just when I think Huck is going to grab me and run, I nearly lose my head when instead of backing away from the ravenous creature he takes a step forward, towards the snapping mouth. His hand reaches up closer to the vibrating frame of the beast.

"Listen to me, I know you are in there somewhere. You are stronger than this." Huck's deep voice is unnaturally calm against the sound of the beast's puffs of breath, its growl coming to a pause. Is this man actually trying to reason with that thing? He's going to get us both killed.

"Huck." I hiss reaching out to him with my free hand. He ignores me completely and continues towards the beast.

"You have to fight it. Don't let it win. I am not afraid of you." Huck takes another step forward, his hands splayed out in front of him as if to show the creature that he means no harm. I am in complete and utter shock, like I am not in my own body at all, but instead a safe distance away from the scene. What does he mean don't let it win ? Don't let what win?

"You've fought this before and you will fight it again. Listen to my voice." Huck's words come out almost as a plea. Or maybe a command. There is so much conviction, so much emotion in his voice I can't decipher it completely. I just stand there silent and enthralled as the beast seems to hear Huck's words as if he understands them.

I know wild and mystical things live within our world, but I have never seen what lies in front of me now. Like a virtuous soul trapped within a malefic body, the creature grunts like it's in pain, and I realize it is trying to do what Huck has instructed. It is trying to fight. It's trying to fight whatever darkness is at war within. It bows its back, dropping its head towards the ground, shuddering.

"That's it. Focus. You are stronger than this." Huck places his hand on the beast's back, his fingers getting lost in the silver hide. “I know your soul, and it is strong and true.” The creature raises its head to meet Huck's gaze and the connection is real, like he can see into Huck's soul, past the instinct that marks Huck as prey. The beast's vibrating frame calms and his breath slows, losing its hiss.

"There you go. You've got a hold now. Come back to me, brother." I see Huck's shoulders drop a fraction of an inch and the tightness in my chest loosens in response. Whatever connection he has to this beast is strong, and it's working.

I take a step back, trying to put more distance between us when I hear the crunch of fallen leaves beneath my boot. The beast's head snaps up, its ears falling flat against its leathery head. It meets my eyes and I see the change within instantly. I see the lost connection of whatever Huck had only moments ago. The beast rises to its full height so quickly that it knocks Huck from his feet. A roar releases from its jaws that turns my blood to ice, freezing me in place.

"Run," Huck yells the command this time as he scrambles to his feet, pulling a sword from his belt. The beast arches its back as it howls towards the moon, and I quiver. Before the beast can charge for me, Huck swings at it with his sword, keeping the beast at bay. The movement is almost too much to register. I see flashes of black claws, a gleaming sword, spiked fur, and teeth. Huck tries to reason with the creature once again as he fights against his attacks.

“Come on, brother. You are stronger than this.” Huck swipes his sword at the creature, missing it by mere inches. The beast comes at him again.

“You have fought this demon before and you will beat it again. Show me your soul. It still lives within.” My breath is caught in my throat, and my feet refuse to move as I watch man and beast battle under the glowing moon.

I must have gone completely insane at this point because not only do I not flee the scene, but I do the only thing I can think of that might snap this soul out of its hold within the darkness. I sing.

It’s an old song that my father used to sing to me, a lullaby that tells the story of a woman who lived in a lake, cursed by her wicked sister. The instinct is strong, and I don't have the luxury to contemplate it. Whenever I felt lost or alone, I found that it helped ground me to sing, either in my head or aloud. It would help me not to feel so powerless.

The notes flow from my lips in long crescendos, arching and dropping with the tune. My song carries through the darkness and over the sounds of battle, reaching the beast's ears. Against all odds, the creature slows its movements and stops fighting. Its arms fall to its sides as it listens to my voice. I stare into its eyes trying to find that same connection Huck did.

I hear the soft thud of Huck's sword hitting the ground as I continue to search the beast's eyes for its soul. For the thing that brought it out of the attacking frenzy that took hold. The creature lowers its stance, its front paws hitting the ground. It bows its head once again and begins to shake. My voice faults but Huck doesn't let me stop, "No. Don't stop singing."

I continue the song and watch in amazement as the beast's entire body shakes and morphs into something else entirely, its growls slowly changing to moans. The silver hairs vanish, and the claws recede. The black leathery skin is replaced by human flesh. The body reforms into that of a man, and when he finally lifts his head again, I am staring back at the sweet, round blue eyes of my friend.

I am looking into the eyes of Coy.