Shadows of the pack

Chapter Ten - Sebastian is Awake

Sebastian’s POV

I woke to the rasping snore of an old woman beside me. “Where am I?” I thought.

Cain was nowhere to be seen. Hell knows where he’d gone this time while I was supposedly dying, but he must have brought me to this strange building. I stood up, yawning and stretching, feeling famished. My mouth tasted bitter-dry, and sour all at once. What could they have given me? I scraped my tongue against my palate, trying to clear the taste.

I didn’t want to wake the strange old woman who looked like one of our healers back at the pack, so I headed toward the door. Maybe I’d get a view of my surroundings once I got outside. Perhaps I’d find Cain too. But everything was silent. All I could see from the porch was trees and a flowing river.

My super hearing picked up quick footsteps heading toward the door and a heartbeat running faster than normal. The old woman with grey hair came bursting through, flinging the door open and looking around anxiously. She was clearly searching for me. She’d probably thought I’d vanished or something. I chuckled slightly.

Then I remembered, the dream I had, the dark sorcerer, the Shinto Onis, my wound. Pieces of memories flooded back, making my head pound. I held my head in my hands. The dream had felt so surreal. I could swear I’d just encountered the dark sorcerer behind the Shinto Onis. Maybe it really was the Shinto Onis’ realm, like I’d assumed.

The old lady put her hand on my back, patting me while guiding me back inside to sit on the bed. I’d have sworn she was over a century old, given how she looked both strong and ancient at the same time. But she wasn’t a werewolf. I could feel something familiar in her, though.

“How do you feel now, Sebastian?” she asked, staring at me the way my mother would. “That’s strange,” I thought.

“I’m alright, but who are you? And where is Cain?”

“Oh, Cain went back to the inn after he returned from the shadow abyss, though I wouldn’t know what for. As for who I am, I believe you’ve met Melissa. I’m a sorceress as well her grandmother.”

Mellisa! Yes, I remember Mellisa. Cain new w***e! I thought, biting back cruder words out of respect for the grandmother. “Yes, I remember Mellisa. You must have been the one who took care of me then, since you’re a sorceress. It must have been terrible. I got attacked by some dark creatures in the forest and unfortunately got cut by their blade,” I replied to her.

I remember having dark veins back in that realm, but they were all gone now. Perhaps I’d been hallucinating the entire time, I felt so energetic now.

“You must have been attacked by the Shinto Onis,” she said, pulling me from my thoughts.

I stared at her, shocked. “How’d you know about that?”

“It’s rare to see a werewolf wandering away from their pack. How come you’re alone in the first place? Cain told me you’ve been attacked by them before. Do you know why?” She paused, her expression hardening. “I shouldn’t be offering you help after what your kind did to mine.”

“My kind? What are you talking about?”

“I guess you haven’t heard the story of what your kind did to the sorcerers of Basilka.”

“Did you just say Basilka? Basilka is real?” I nearly barked. It meant I hadn’t just been dreaming. The dark sorcerer was after me. My mood went down immediately. That meant I had to find the sorcerer soon.

“Someone’s approaching,” I said, catching footsteps and that familiar scent, Cain!

For a moment I almost forgot what I’d been thinking. Cain came inside, and upon seeing me awake, he launched himself at me for a hug, yapping about how he’d thought I was gone and laughing like a roaring lion.

“You reek of s*x,” I said, wrinkling my nose. I could remember seeing him with Melissa earlier. “That poor lady must be sore from you, you buffalo!”

“Easy, lad,” Cain said, clearing his throat and gesturing toward the sorceress. “Her grandmother is right there.”

“Oh! You’re in so much trouble,” I replied, laughing.

But the old lady just smiled as she watched us. “Come see me outside on the porch when you’re ready. There’s much to be discussed,” she said, heading outside.

The thought of the Shinto Onis hit my mind again, making my heart skip.

Cain took almost all day to tell me about his journey to the Shadow Abyss in search of the root that cured my poison. He was so excited as he explained the heart-wrenching creatures he’d encountered during the journey, painting vivid pictures of some “dark zombies”. His hands moved wildly as he spoke, and his eyes lit up with that familiar reckless gleam.

“And that’s why,” he said, pointing at me dramatically, “you owe me your life now. Which means you can’t just go putting yourself in danger whenever you want anymore.” He grinned. “Those are the rules.”

I rolled my eyes, but I couldn’t help smiling. He was joking, of course, but there was truth beneath it. He’d risked everything for me.