I returned to Vena, though. At last. Didn't get to use the prompt in the way I though I might, but I think it worked out fairly well. This drabble does continue off of Day 4 - snowflake, just as a heads up.
Drabble Challenge: Day 8 - companion
Word Count: 560 Minimum Goal: 480
Vena gripped tight to the branch of the tree she had clambered up in, telling herself to keep breathing even as the barks and bays of the wolf pack drifted to her through the still air. Heavens above, she hoped they weren’t bright enough to knock down trees. She’d aimed for one with a thick trunk and bushy branches in the hope that maybe they wouldn’t even know she was there.
She knew she should’ve left later with those monks, who’d been headed over the mountains but planning to stop in Dunlark as well.
Silence fell briefly, enough that she put her back to the tree and stood on the large bough, attempting to see, only to have a deep snarl rip the silence in half. Something wasn’t right.
There wouldn’t be anyone else out here, would there? And she hadn’t seen any tracks for animals.
Vena sat back down, pulled her cloak around herself, and wished for more common sense then it appeared she possessed. Also, for a warm fire and maybe even a bed, along with the walls of Dunlark surrounding her. And, while she was dreaming, maybe a big, strong travelling companion who could take on a pack of Greater Wolves. Not that very many of those existed, if any, but a girl could dream.
Almost comfortable in her tree, surrounding by the smell of pine needles, Vena was coming to terms with the fact that she could very well be stuck in her hideaway the remainder of the night, when a shout, a very human shout, reached her ears.
The cacophony of noises from the wolves went head to head with first one, then what must’ve been a dozen men’s voices, then the yelps started. As if the wolves were being—attacked.
Hunters, she realized, crawling around the tree trunk, balanced precariously on the other limbs, trying to see where everyone was. The villagers she assumed were from Dunlark would have torches, and it only her a few moments to spot the flickering lights through the branches.
Taking on one Greater Wolf with a passel of men was dangerous, but a whole pack of what had to be at least ten strong? Vena wasn’t sure if she was the only one lacking common sense, but it would be nice to not have to spend the remainder of what would likely be a cold night up in a tree.
Despite the service it was providing her, listening to the fight was horrifying. Snarls and shouts mingled with screams and dying whines. Vena pressed her palms against her ears, pulling her knees up to her chest. She pressed her forehead against her knees and tried to lose herself in her thoughts.
Time dragged on. The sounds started to fade, losing their intensity, but the cold was starting to seep in. Vena knew she had to move when she stopped shivered, the numbness having spread throughout, and felt her eyes begin to grow heavy.
Forcing herself to move, the young woman began to descend from the tree, struggling to get her fingers to grip. Halfway to the bottom, her hold slipped on the branch. Bark tore into her palms and she dropped, smashing against one bough and landing in the snow at the bottom of the tree.
Blackness poured in and nothing else, not even the possible danger, registered.
As a spoiler, you remember from her bio, I talked about her companion, a Great Wolf by the name of Astarot? Well, that's what this is leading up to. You can't just walk up to an uninjured Great Wolf and take it as a pet, after all. Vena being injured too wasn't in the original thought stream, though, so we'll have to see what happens, eh?
Now I want to watch some telly before I have to go to bed. Karate in a lot fewer hours than I want to consider and I'm not going to be able to watch half of what I want to as it is, so. Hope you all are at least partially interested in the Continuing Adventures of Vena Faeniran.
Ad astra per aspera.
To the stars, through difficulties.
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