CHRONICLES OF AADYA

Episode Nine

ALISDAIR

The sky grew darker, painted blue on blue, one stroke at a time, into deeper and deeper shades of night. It became quiet in the darkness of the forest, with no words, just silence. We had waited for the fellas with Gunnar to fall asleep. We quietly moved to where they lay and Bellamy proceeded to pick up Gunnar when one of the men moved, Uhtred, his back had rested against a tree trunk.

"Perfect timing," He spoke, proceeding to get on his feet, and Bellamy instantly ceased in his tracks.

I cleared my throat "That is debatable" I notified while the other two also rise to their feet, it was clear they had always known about our tailing or something prompted it, although I wasn't much surprised since they were warriors, it would have been lack of training if they never in one way doubted the boy.

"Today isn't your day, is it?"

"I don't think that's what it is, friend" I responded nonchalantly and that was when the sole reason for this encounter decided to come back to us, he shifted in his position though I could not help but catch a glimpse of the slight smile that appeared on his face when his eyes met mine.

"What do you want with the boy?" Uhtred questioned, his left palm resting on his sword's helve.

"I'm not here to cause any trouble, we just need the boy back with us. That's all I ask" I was sure my words won't mean anything to them, I just needed to say them hoping it would ease the pressure. The men chuckled suddenly in a condescending manner, though to me it was as expected.

"I have been with the young lad to know when he was telling an untruth, I don't know the things you might have fed him but I must respond to my task, and Lord Hrafen had mandated for his son's return and that order I would oblige"

I let a snort escape my nose except that Bellamy raised a question before I had the opportunity to "Yeah, but who's to say the man on the horseback speaks the truth?" he uttered while Gunnar tried to move to him but was stopped by one of the men.

"I do rather be with them since I do not wish to see my father" The young lad let out firmly

"Be quiet, Gunnar!" Uhtred shushed him "You shall head back with your kind uncle. I am sworn to keep you safe" He said to Gunnar and then focused back on me "I could have you and your second drawn and quartered within seconds if you both don't leave" He threatened.

"You talk nonsense while making wise and meaningful faces," I told him "all we need is the boy and we would be gone"

"It's obvious you have no idea who I am, it only going to be your downfall if you push me to draw my sword, by then you would have to go at the end of a rope, your choice," He said more or less a warning.

"That's high praise indeed coming from you, Uhtred Evandro. What do I know of you? I know you are half-native. And by the look on your face, you want to become more than you are. You are just a little more than a stray monkey living in the forest, do not overestimate your standing, we only want the boy and it's not against his own will” I am quite aware that something about me has altered, and I am evolving but that is how the world is; it changes everyone... My breath abruptly stopped when I caught sight of the bloody blade that had managed to pierce through Bellamy before the man pulled it from him.

It was... sudden. I followed his eyes as he turned to face me, his eyes as shocked as mine, and my heart ached as I watched him fall to the ground. why wasn't any of us vigilant? "You had brought this upon your friend" Uhtred's voice ripped through my head, but that was the awful truth, Bellamy had earlier opposed Gunnar coming along. I was unable to do anything but watch as Gunnar rushed to his side and started applying pressure to the wound. Why would the man pull his sword without Uhtred's command?

This was the moment I can not just leave it alone. I moved at the speed of sound, digging my claws deep into the man whose sword had caused pain to my brother. His eyes snapped at me locking with mine, they were filled with shock which slowly turned sore and crammed with misery, I watched as blood drilled from the corner of his mouth before I finally ripped his heart out of his chest allowing him to fall to the ground and then veered around to face the other two, the blood from the heart tainting my hand and the ground below and at last, I dropped it.

"You were saying?" I lifted a furious brow while their eyes traveled to my claws.

"A beast he is! Kill him with your bare hands if you have to" The terrified Uhtred commended except that before the man was able to move an inch I slashed my claws across his throat freeing the blood from their vessel and then I heard the heated steps of Gunnar as he fled.

"Oh, god and his saints preserve me. You have no soul-" Though he was cut off as I gird my blooded finger tightly around his neck lifting him off his feet, he clawed his fingers at my hand uselessly as his lungs begged for air and my grip tightened around his throat.

"You may have thought I am a coward for not attacking at first, but It was not cowardice, you see. It was restraint. I was trying to save you from me" My dead voice revealed to him before letting him fall to the ground. "You had only needed to give the boy over and I would have been on my way"

"You don't give the orders around here, you mutant son of a b***h" He choked out. The only justification behind why he was still breathing was because he's an uncle to Gunnar, and for that, I would cease putting an end to him. At least for now.

I thrust to Bellamy and immediately knelt next to him, his surroundings were now coated with his blood, it was much and I blame myself for it. "Don't blame yourself, brother" He whispered, he must have sensed my thoughts.

"How can you worry about my thoughts when it is you I should be worried about?" I placed my hand to feel the damage.

"I can't die from this" He joked and I almost snorted.

"Come on, this will take time" I let out pulling him to his feet. "We need to leave here"

"You're letting him live. Words will spread"

"I'm counting on it"

I stood with him as we started to retreat from the scene "You need to go after the boy before his fear takes much hold of him. It's dark and he probably must have lost trail of where he is" Bellamy informed me being genuinely concerned for the young lad's safety.

"I know" I admitted, I was also worried, that was never the way I had intended for him to learn about us. I know he had witnessed my minor awaking and that I suppose had led him to flee. "I will go after him once I settle you down somewhere, he cannot have gone far"

"Are you okay?"

"Hmm?"

"I mean, It's the first time you killed a human. So... Are you all right?"

"Mm" I'm aware that my response wasn't exactly what he was hoping to hear, but I'm not sure how I feel about it. Although I should have been bothered, I find it odd that I wasn't, and it sort of bothers me because I was changing and I know it. After that, Bellamy remained silent even though he appeared to be considering something he was going to keep to himself.

I had let Bellamy settle next to a tree trunk before he transformed into his wolf form to be held to recuperate more quickly. I observed as his pale yellow eyes glowed in the dark while I just trace my finger across the blend of gray and black fur close to his wound. After a while I made him know I was to go after Gunnar and with that I took off, running through the pitch-black forest in my human form, following his scent. It took me long to begin to inhale more of his scent, it appears that the young lad was indeed quick with his feet.

The more I drew nearer to him, the louder and more frantically his heart beats and I fear the way he would look at me. "Gunnar!" I called once I laid my eyes on him. "Gunnar, you have to stop!" I yelled when he did not attempt to stop. "Listen!" I roared and that had him stop in his tracks, trembling.

Slowly and shakenly he turned. Oh, goddess of the moon, he looked completely and utterly terrified, what have I done? "Hey, listen, listen to me boy, I know you are frightened," I say calmly "My mother..." I slightly whimpered at my word "...may the gods rest her, would be mortified" I watched him for some seconds "Say something, please" He was still trembling and I was desperate to hear him say something, anything, I just want to hear something, to know what he was going through him.

"Hey, Gunnar," I say as I made a step forward which led him to shout.

"D-don't come any closer!" And I just ceased "Don't come closer" he repeats while backtracking, clutching his hat to his chest.

"I know you are afraid, but you need to listen to me, I would never harm you no matter what. I... Believe me, I never mean for this to happen, I promise I will answer all your questions but for now you have to come with me, it's not safe out here and alone" I told him sincerely.

"You are... a monster?" He mumbles, his last word was barely a whisper. I don't blame him for calling me a monster as I had kept this me from him and I am willing to let him know more if only it would wipe out his fear.

"I am not a monster, Gunnar. I am a werewolf... we are"