Shadow

Raedwulf Dolph

"What is that?" Rikki asked as we exited the dark forest into a slightly lighter clearing. There was a small farm, a few cattle, some squabbling chickens, and a few buildings. What Rikki was referring to was the dark abyss behind the farm. A giant wall of black darkness cut across the landscape. The wall was constant, non-moving, and utterly terrifying. It had the three of us gaping at the mass while it left Idonia shivering.

Everyone has heard of the stories of the first sunrise. That the warmth of her light broke the solitary shadowbeast species into two parts. The day-walkers touched the humans who landed on these isles to form our species, the lycan. That my ancestor (or the Torbet ancestors, depending on who you ask) are descendants of the first of our species. The lycan which would flourish in the day and run in the night. Everyone knows those stories.

But this, this isn't a story. It's a nightmare. Sure, I knew northern Theris had a nest of shadowbeasts. That terror that I stood before though, I wasn't expecting that.

"The dark north," Idonia sighs. "Come one. We need to settle before nightfall."

"What happens at nightfall?" Danal asks too quickly to not be scared.

"The shadowbeasts move south," she replied coldly before kicking Edilda on and leading us down the path to the farm.

"I didn't realize it was a wall," I state, riding Jarl to match Edilda's stride.

"Yeah, it's a wall."

"And the shadowbeasts travel south at night?" I add next, giving one glance back at the Viker, who both shrug.

"The brave ones do," her voice stays flat, mono-toned. Unlike the Idonia I've seen lately, this is more like the Idonia I first met.

"Shadowbeasts can be brave."

"You don't hunt the brave ones, you stay inside and hope they haven't learned how to unlock doors."

A large rumble comes from the black wall that causes all our horses to rear up and panic. Idonia easily calms her horse, but ours panic more and move back to the treeline. I pull tight on Jarl's reigns and lead him back over to my mate.

"What was that?" I ask her harshly.

"A growl."

"A what?" all three of us say at once.

"A shadowbeast's growl. It's how you track them in the darkness."

"That was a growl?" I ask her next, looking from my mate to the mass that is causing my heart to pound wildly.

"A shadowbeast's growl. Probably one of the brave ones waiting for nightfall."

"Idonia," I try to steel her attention, but her eyes stay facing forward. She doesn't glance at me, a slight movement, the stone old woman just moves forward. However, I'm watching her, very closely. I'm waiting for anything that looks like a sign of emotion.

And there it is, her hand is trembling. It's the smallest, slightest movement, but it's there. She's terrified of this place, and with what happened last time, I wouldn't blame her. A girl having thirteen years watched as big, strong Viker was taken down by a shadowbeast. A terrible monster she then had to kill.

I certainly couldn't have done that only having thirteen years. Idonia is very obviously braver than me or either of the Viker with me. So if she is trembling, I should be terrified. This is nothing to look forward to.

All the nightly conversation, all the playful taking while traveling down the road, it's all over. From the minute we rode out of those woods, we turned into the serious men we are. The seriously terrified men.

When we finally reach the center of The Last End, we are greeted with a woman slightly shorter than my mate with bright white hair. "Ma'am Idonia Torbet. As I live and breathe, you've come back. Well, last'ime I saw you weres when you was nothin' but a pup. Now, look at yer, a grown Ma'am. And who are these males 'ere?"

"Miss Osmund," Idonia greeted with a tight smile. She made all proper introductions before Miss Osmund lead us inside. The barkeep brought us brown, sloshing mead, and a fat Shepard's pie to fill out stomachs. Miss Osmund fawned over Idonia for most of the evening.

"Did she tell you males about 'er first hunt? The poor lassy came back co'ered in blood and cryin' her eyes out," Miss Osmund caught all out attention. I'd seen my mate naked before, from our bath together. There were no scars, no burns, no obvious sign of a past injury. As lycan, we heal fast, but scars are still possible. Especially from wounds inflicted by a shadowbeast. Therefore there is only one conclusion.

The blood wasn't hers.

"Miss Osmund, they don't need that story."

"Nonsense," Miss Osmund waved off Idonia and moved to stand between us from behind the bar. "She'd thirteen yers on her, well um, maybe fourteen. Skinny as twig. Looked like theyn't fed her in a while, neither her parents nor the Viker."

Miss Osmund took a breath, then folded her hands. "Not too bad speak the Aeral," She adds quickly, turning to Idonia who nods. "Five males, all seasoned Viker, travelin' with 'er. I'd seen em all 'ere before 'or hunts of their own. This lil lassy 'ere was as fiery as the best of em. But when she came back..."

"That's enough, Miss Osmund," Idonia bites out at the older lady.

"Oh, most males love yer story. A small lass like you comin' back from killin' a black."

"A black?" Rikki asks her.

"A black, yaknow, the black shadow."

"Shadowbeasts," I state before looking at Idonia. She started at her hands, which were folded in front of her on the bar. I knew she had killed one, that she is a strong warrior, but being here gives it all a new meaning.

"Night is falling," a man with a scarred face came down the stairs. "I'm gonna turn in the cattle for the evening. Make 'ure all the guests are settled."

Miss Osmund nods once before going to the bar windows. All of them contained wooden shutters, all of them were closed and latched. "Com'on upstairs."

Idonia stands and flees quickly to the staircase. I follow her, still angry at the entire situation. We had made progress in our relationship, but this is a regression. She didn't tell us about this place, not enough. My mate held back, we deliberately asked what to expect and she explicitly withheld the truth.

I'm beyond angry.

Miss Osmund shows us to the room. Idonia rushes in, while I take the key from the elderly keep and thank her before closing the door behind me. Idonia had perched herself by the window. Not that she could see anything, it too was closed by shutters and locked. A small fire burned in the fireplace, but not one big enough to warm the room.

I go to add wood, but her voice stops me, "They hunt by heat. Keep the fire low."

"That would have been helpful to know before we reached The Last End," I passively aggressively state as I toss the log back into the pile. "No, Idonia. A lot of this would have been good to know!"

"You don't think I know that!" She yelled back, flinging her arms around as she looked at me. Her black hair is a wild mess as she tried to regulate her breathing. Her shaky hand point to the window, the direction of the abyss. "I learned by being in that. Those Viker told me nothing before I got here. They laughed and joked and made sure I was happy. When we reached The Last End, I was terrified and so were they."

I rush forward and grab her shoulders, "Then why didn't you say anything to us? To me?"

"I didn't know how to say it! I didn't know how to describe it! The Viker--"

"No! No, you cannot keep comparing this to your first hunt. I am with you, your mate! Aren't you the least bit concerned that I could die? Because I've worried about you being hurt every second we've been on this trip. Do you even care if I come out of that?"

"Of course I care. You're the Khanel. I'd be accused of murder if you don't come out."

"Then why, Idonia?" My voice is at its limit. This is the loudest it can get. My chest rises and falls in quick succession. Nothing can calm me, not even her touch. She's lost that ability to calm me.

How can she even call herself a mate after what she's done? Mates don't hurt one another, they don't doubt one another. There are countless ways I could have proven myself a good mate to her.

"Because in the beginning, I wanted you to die."