Foretold

Anton’s lungs burned and his side ached, but he could not stop. They were still chasing him; he could hear the dogs howling and men shouting in the forest behind him. He knew this had been a suicide mission when he volunteered to retrieve the package. “No life is more important than retrieving the infant,” he had told the elder council, “I will not fail.” She was the key to saving all creatures from the reign of emperor Morfran. Her birth had been foretold more than two centuries ago, both man and beast had been searching for the signs since. -A mother born of the warriors of the Mystique Bay. -A father who faced death thrice. -A birthmark across her thigh would be the key. -She would bring an end to the emperor of the nightwalker’s reign of terror. Unfortunately, the prophecy was leaked, making its way to the emperor. His minions had been collecting every pregnant female of the northern region, and at long last, he had found the mother. Why he hadn’t killed the mother, the clan did not know. They had received information hours ago that she had gone into labor, it was time to act. Anton infiltrated their ranks, retrieving the child soon after delivery. He had managed to escape the fortress but heard the search party soon after he had made it to the coverage of the forest. Panting heavily, he reached the river, knowing he could never outrun the hunters. He pulled a small wooden object from his knapsack. Closing his eyes and praying the witch hadn’t been lying, he placed it into the water. Immediately, the small object grew into what looked like a small broken tree branch with a camouflaged door on the side. He wrapped the baby into a blanket and placed her inside the log and closing the door. He shoved the magical boat into the river, it was quickly picked up by the current floating further and further south toward its destination. Anton rushed back into the coverage of the forest, hoping only to divert the hunters from the river so they might not notice her escape.