An Ambush On A Snowy Cliff

"At times, man proved to be more beast than human…"

Eira let out a sigh, as she stared at the snowy plains out the carriage window. She couldn't believe that her cruel life had led her to the Lycan's domain. She stole a glance at the sleeping Adrianna, who looked to have not a single care in the world.

The carriage came to a halt, for the horses to rest. It had been four days since they left Blackwood pack, and each day felt more excruciating than the last.

A vigorous knock on the carriage door woke Adrianna from her slumber.

"Who is there?" she asked in-between yawns.

"If yer gonna take a leak, go do it now." The crass voice of Orion, their escort sounded.

Adrianna's features contorted into a frown. She disliked the Lycan escort right from the moment she laid eyes on the burly figure.

Biologically, the Lycan race was larger than theirs, and had a plethora of natural advantages. It was easy to feel intimidated and immediately dislike them for their physical appearance alone.

"We're fine!" Eira hollered, sending him away.

"Suit yerselves!" he hollered back, before leaving.

"Ugh! Why do we need that man? Why couldn't we have one of the warriors escort us for the trip?" Adrianna whined, for the umpteenth time.

Eira forced a smile, "That's because he's the only one who can guide us-"

"Then why is he the only escort?! Why are you the only maid here with me?! Why are we travelling in this puny carriage! Wearing these-" she tugged on the fur coat, sewn to her clothes, "Ridiculous clothes!"

Eira exhaled, "The fur is to mask our scents. The rebel attacks have been on the rise, in order to avoid as much trouble as possible, we need to blend in. The rebels won't attack a travelling Lycan party." She explained calmly.

Adrianna folded her arms and sunk into her seat, her eyes scanned Eira, who had on her blue dress underneath her fur coat.

"Is that why you have on my dress? To blend in?" her tone sharpened, and so did her eyes.

Eira chalked up her aggravating remark to the frustration of getting cooped up, "No, I'm wearing this for your safety."

Adrianna scoffed, "My safety?"

"A last resort. If the rebels were to attack, I'd buy you enough time as possible to run away." She said, balling her fingers into tight fists.

Adrianna's frown softened, "Eira, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine, you have things harder than anyone else. You're making the ultimate sacrifice for your people, you're a very admirable woman." Eira complimented her.

Changing the topic, Adrianna asked, "What about you? What will you do once you reach Valdor?" she asked, referring to the center of the Lykonian kingdom.

Eira's fists tightened, her pupils dilated, and her lips slightly parted. She tried to speak, but pressed her lips firmly and forced a polite smile.

"Of course, I'd wait on you. That's the reason why I was chosen to accompany you." She answered.

Adrianna sighed, "Still, none of this feels real. It feels like only yesterday, when all of Moonstone was living in harmony. We were free to eat what we wanted, wear what we liked and run in the snow! But ever since the great slaughter…" her tone quieted, and the distant gleam in her eyes faded.

Eira completed her sentence, "Ever since, the Lycan King led the eight day war and conquered all four continents, enslaving all of Moonstone, giving rise to the rebel army."

All because of one man, one Lycan, did all four continents feel true terror.

And Adrianna, her sheltered mistress would become the mate to such a man.

"It is beyond me how someone can derive pleasure from causing others pain." Adrianna huffed, laying back down, her eyelids fluttering slowly, as she battled the looming urge to take a quick rest.

In a distant tone, Eira said, her gaze fixed on the plains of nothing but snow.

"There is pain all around us, but we choose to blind ourselves of it."

Resting her chin against her palm, she inhaled the scent of the crispy, clean winter air, mixed with the resinous scent of pine and…

"Smoke." She gasped, picking up on the scent of wood smoke, she scrunched her nose, "That doesn't make sense, there shouldn't be any camps out here-"Just as she held that thought, the carriage's walls shook vigorously!

Eira tried to look out the window, but the body of Orion, came flying right by their window, a flaming arrow, sticking out of his chest!

The horses neighed wildly and sped forward with no reigns to control them, shuffling the carriage wherever they pleased.

"Eira! What's going on?!"

Eira held firmly onto the window pane, "Hold on to something!" she yelled over the sound of loud gallops, and flaming arrows crunching into the snow.

"Ah!" she cried and covered her ears, too afraid to think.

Eira quickly took off her fur coat, she tied an edge to the carriage's window, "Grab on to this!" she yelled, holding the coat out.

The coat flapped in front of Adrianna's face, reeling her into the reality of the situation.

She reached for the grey coat, and latched onto it, she held onto it so tightly her palms turned red.

"Don't let go!" Eira shouted, her gaze fixed on the emergency exit, on the ceiling.

"W-What…about…you?" Adrianna coughed, the smoke carried by the wind made her eyes water.

Eira stacked the boxes together, then took off the false ceiling.

"Eira! Don't leave me!"

"Eira!" Adrianna screeched, as she watched Eira pulled herself from the inside and mount the moving carriage.

"Ugh!" Eira groaned, when a tree branch slapped her face.

But that did not deter her from sliding over to the driver's seat, which was left completely empty. She reached for the reigns, and tried to control the horses, all while dodging the flaming arrows coming her way.

"Stop! Stop!!" she yelled, pulling back on the reigns, but the horses were too hysterical to respond.

Her ears stood up at the sound of heavy footsteps crunching on snow in the distance. She looked back to see a large grey wolf running towards the carriage.

"Orion." She sighed in relief, recognizing his scent. But that relief did not last long, when she looked ahead to see the horses were running towards a cliff!

She tried to pull them back, but the archers wouldn't give her that luxury, steering the horses with their arrows, they led them to their snowy deaths.

"Miss Adrianna!" Eira moaned, laced in worry.

She tried to dismember the carriage from the horses but her strength was no where near enough.

Orion was still far back, dealing with the archers, and the horses were seconds away from plunging them both to their deaths.

Swiftly, she crawled back to the carriage, clawing against the polished surface, till her fingers bled.

"Eira!" Adrianna gasped, when she saw Eira's brown hair, carried by the wind.

Swiftly, Eira jumped down, "Miss Adrianna! We have to get out, now!"

"Eira, you're bleeding!" Adrianna noted, her gaze pointed at the blood trickling down Eira's forehead.

Eira kicked open the carriage door, "Come on! There's a cliff up ahead-"

Adrianna gasped, "Eira!" she cried out, raising her hand, revealing the knot she had tied, with the coat to her wrist.

"I couldn't hold on any longer, so I-"

Eira peeked out the window, Orion had been riddled with arrows, and the carriage was nearing the cliff with every waking second.

"I'm coming!" she dashed for Adrianna and tried to unite the knot. But it was too tight from all the shuffling around, to the point Adrianna's wrists were blue.

"Hurry! Hurry!!" Adrianna cried.

Eira grew out her fangs, to cut the surrounding cloth next to the knot, freeing Adrianna.

"Eira! Please!" she cried, as the carriage's ceiling caught fire, which quickly spread to it's walls.

Eira's head started to spin, the smoke from the flames and the speed made her nauseous.

"There!" She cried out, freeing Adrianna.

Unfortunately, the horses had just jumped off the cliff already, tipping the carriage halfway, towards the cliff's edge!

"We have to get out now!" Eira yelled, pulling Adrianna towards the carriage door, fighting the gravitational pull.

"You have to jump!" Eira yelled, holding onto the door.

"No! I-I can't!"

"Yes, you can! You must!" Eira yelled, "Your people's future is riding on you surviving this! Adrianna!" she gritted her teeth, her fingers slipping.

"Jump!"

Adrianna closed her eyes and jumped out of the carriage, tumbling into the snow, down the mountain.

Once she was out, Eira braced herself to jump, unfortunately, a piece of the ceiling fell off, and landed on her leg!

"Ahh!" the sizzling sound of the fire burning her leg drowned out her pained screech.

"Get off!" She cried, kicking the ceiling piece off.

"Get-Owf!" she groaned, mustering strength for one final kick, getting the ceiling off!

She got on her feet, and dashed for the carriage door, just as she tried to leap, the horses fell down the cliff, dragging the carriage with it!