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Chapter Nine: Shadows Of The Strazhi (Pt 2)

My mind dazed, and disorientated. I looked into the flames around me, and the silhouettes of buildings being casted upon one another. The moonlight dug and hurt my eyes; trying to look into the faces of the creatures that pulled me, watching familiar sets of eyes. "Kiyoko." My voice quiet, it felt as if I used every muscle I had to speak. The only one who stared at me was Fylakas, worry in his eyes, as if he really did care. "Your awake." Trying to move up, Kiyoko put me back onto the leaves I was being dragged on. "Don't move, these visions you're having are getting worse." Trying only made me pant, I could barely lift my head up though it ran through my mind that I should move. "Stop finicking." Kiyoko with a harsh scolding tone spoke to me, her words dug into my ears like barbs, but I heard the concern within her tone, I heard the sadness. It took me a while, but I finally realized where we were. My vision was stunned, dizzy; I could barely see the torches that burned silently through the night. Concerned at a shadowing shape, I stared as the glimpse of a cloak caught in the flames light. Trying to speak, I didn't have the strength to talk, and only blacked out again. Voices talked in my head, and I could only fathom what it could be. Forcing my body awake, I stared into the ushering shadows, than looked up to the roof of a home. A voice called out, and a shape came towards us, the scents of sage and meadowsweet filled my nostrils from the opened room, and the smoke from incense became visible. Feeling my body being lifted upwards, I stared into the face of a bear, a bear dressed in robes, and holding a variety of scents upon her. Being brought into another room, My abilities to smell faded, pelted with the strong smoky room. Fading out once more, I finally awoke, fine and strong in the frigid place. The room was empty, as I stood up; I looked around the darkness, trying to find any source of light. Walking forward, I saw a light, and heard the sounds of whispers from outside a wooden door. "I- I mean I've never seen anything like that." Her voice was strong, yet faltered. "This is obviously a joke, someone has trained these dogs." A male spoke, holding disbelief and uncertainty. "Two ferals dragging an injured pup here, either they have one hell of a trainer, or something serious is about to happen." Forcing the door open with my teeth, I stepped into a stuffy, and well lit room. Feeling the blaze of heat upon my frozen body, I wavered as my muscles relaxed. Walking further into the room, a fireplace casted it's flame with hardly a crackle, the shadow of a pup was asleep next to it, causing myself to lead into suspicion. I couldn't see Fylakas anywhere, nor could I sense his presence ever being in this building. 'Why can't I even get his scent?' It baffled me when I realised that I never could from the beginning. To the slightest sound, the fire went out. Like a small howl in the night, I heard the shriek of metal being dragged across iron. It dug within my mind, flickering like the torches of the outside world, as a cloak moved towards us. "What the fuck?" Watching a shape stand up, a small coyote picked up a hatchet and walked towards the door. Believing the creature was injured, he moved to its aid. "Sir? Are you okay?" The shadow, silent as the fog building in the night, drew its sword upon sight of the hatchet. The blade, white with the darkened veins of souls, held fast towards the coyote. Bringing his hatchet to defense, the coyote shook at the demons flames. "G- get out of here." Voice filled with the paranoia of darkness dug a plea outwards. The cloak only kept it's blade towards him. "W- what do you want?" Urging its blade forward, it pointed it's tip to me. Hiding towards the darkness, I stared to Kiyoko. Hearing a sound, the bear stood up, and grabbed an oak staff. Stepping towards the demon, she raised it forward. "Leave now." The darkness moved towards her. Blade raised, the coyotes expression changed, and he jumped forward, slicing into darkness with his hatchet. From there, all I saw was the flames engulfing him, and then his body, frozen upon the ground, eyes, with the lights ripped from them. The bear raised her staff again, than began moving upon the ground, leaving markings similar to those of runes. With the shadows pace hastening, she moved faster, and I could finally hear chanting within her ritual. It was a spectacle that I could never explain, the shadow upon her, as I saw the ball of light careening into the beast, launching it back as if hit by a cannon. Yet even with a strike as powerful as that, the shadow disappeared, and reappeared, consuming her whole, before she could even face it. Startled from such an event, I woke Kiyoko up. "Hey?" She spoke in confusion, as I pulled her up, and urged her to move out the back door. Wandering blindly in darkness, I felt a presence. Looking into the dark corridor blocked off by two wooden walls, I looked into the night's sky; clouded, without the moon or the stars to guide us. ahead of us stood an open path towards the town's main street, walking forward, I felt the presence grow stronger, not only around us, but inside myself as well. My breathing was quickly paced, and I started to fade out. "No, you're not blacking out again." Kiyoko broke the silence, her voice hardly a whisper within the night. Feeling the strength, the same power I did before, I looked dumfounded staring upon the walls, behind us, beside us, even above us. "What is it?" She sounded scared, causing me to look into her. "I don't know, I think something's here." I replied, watching as the fog shrouded us. Thick and blinding, I could barely see her ahead of me, or the shadows that came for the kill. Diving upon us like the thunders of the sky; a shadow wings spread, and blade drawn fell from the open air. Looking at it, I realized it was aiming for Kiyoko. "Kiyoko!" I yelled out, pushing her away and putting myself into its aim, yet to my surprise, I heard the fast beating of wings, and watched as the blade barely touched my chest. Looking into its hood, I could only stare at the flames as they licked me, waiting to enshroud my body within them. "Get off him!" Watching Kiyoko run forward, she jumped forward, and aimed for the throat. "NO! RUN!" It was too late, I watched in rage as the shadows blade pared across her chest. Teeth bared, I jumped up, and ripped through the shadows at it. Expecting to hit nothing, I felt the warming blood that flowed from its injury. Teeth dug deep within its jugular, I heard it screech as I ripped it out. I couldn't tell what felt worse, my heart, beating with the very sense of fear, or the very thought that Kiyoko could have been killed. Scampering over to her, I was relieved to see her breathing. Yet it was a sight, blood surrounding her, and her eyes fading that truly scared me. "You aren't dying here." My voice cracked, and my mind was forcing itself not to believe what happened or what may happen. "Fylakas, back at the den, he can help." Hearing a hissing, I turned to the shadow as everything upon it faded, only to reveal the bones of a mythical beast. The bones of the wings showed me that they were broad, like an eagles. Yet the body of the animal told me it was a lion. Ignoring the sight, I picked Kiyoko up, putting her upon my back and forced myself towards the forest. Kiyoko was already panting, and the feeling of her blood, staining my fur disgusted me. We weren't very deep within the forest, when she started to speak. "I'm not going to make it." "You'll make it." "I'm gonna die out here." "Not if I'm here." I kept my tone without emotion so she couldn't play on anything and bring her faith down. I couldn't promise her anything, but those very words brought chills through my body. "I can't b- " "Can't what?" "I can't believe your actually doing this." I couldn't believe the way she was talking; I couldn't believe she thought I'd leave her to die at the blade of a Strazhi. Scaling the side of the trail, I knew we were near the den, when she completely blacked out. "Kiyoko?" Reaching the den at those last fatal seconds, my heart cried out. I didn't know what to think, or what to do if she was dead. "Kiyoko!" Yelling her name, she barely moved to my feeble cry. bringing her into the dens warmth, I heard a shuffle, and saw cloaks from inside. "No." Watching their blades held high to the entrance, I knew I was stuck for the night with Kiyoko, but I knew that they couldn't come in. I held the belief that Fylakas had betrayed us, and that Kiyoko was going to die within the shadows of Strazhi. Watching her rest, I laid down next to her, hoping I could do anything to stop her from bleeding out. "Kiyoko, I don't know if you can hear me. But I-" Stopping in midsentence I knew that it was a fools game, until a memory came into my mind, and I saw her, pelt white as snow. "Kiyoko?" Bringing my head upon her neck, I snuggled up with her to give her warmth. I then closed my eyes, and only prayed that she would make it through this night. Feeling her warmth, I was certain she would make it, I was sure my heart had led me towards making the right choice for her. With her breathing, slow and peaceful, I felt my heart beating, as I finally fell into a dream, something that led to answers for both of us.