Here is one of my ongoing chaptered stories, which is a role reversion and a sort of worldpool tale. It was beta-read by faeriegirl on Scroll of Colors.
Chapter 1
There was this terrible scent lingering in the air, a scent no Wolfrider had encountered before. The forest had grown terribly silent everywhere around them. All of them halted as they came aware of it. They sensed something there, around them. Their eyes grew wide, scanning the area which the the two moons were unable to cast their light on. There was nothing which they could see, nothing which could tell the hunting party what was so close, yet so far away from them. It is not a wolf, deer or prey. Nor was it the cruelty of the five-fingers. But there is no doubt that there is something... something which screamed wrong to their elvin senses.
All of the wolves seemed uneasy. They tensed under their riders, ready to flee. None were as uneasy as Blackfell, whose dark pelt stood straight. He growled deeply, the sound did nothing to make anyone feel safer. They all drew their weapons, their noses widen to take in the foul stench, almost tasting it on their tongues.
Still, there was no way to locate the source for neither Joyleaf, Cutter, Bearclaw, Skywise, Nightfall, Treestump, Brownberry, Foxfur, Longbranch or Rain.
Rustling leaves and a shrill hoot right beside Skywise made him gasp. An owl had taken off in flight. Cutter inched closer to his soulbrother, putting a hand protectively on his shoulder. His heart pounded loudly in his own ears, almost drowning out all sound. It was maddening for the chief to be. He wanted to see the enemy, fight it, not shiver in the wake of it.
“Shh! Starjumper,” the stargazer whispered as the wolf growled fiercely. He leaned closer to the wolf, feeling safer when he did.“It- it's just an owl!” He told himself as much as the wolf. How anything could live here and be content with life was beyond his understanding.
“Look! Over there!” Joyleaf choked. The party looked up, to find the carcass of a wolf cub. It had been slashed by a paw, most likely one of a longtooth or a similar creature judging by the look of the scar. But something wasn't right. There were no scratches which indicated that the cub had come across the ones of a the huge cats. Nor had it been slain for the sake of feeding.
It was as if... it was as if this creature had killed for pleasure!
**I hope your skills won't be needed tonight, healer.** Cutter sent to Rain, not trusting his own voice. “So do I, young Cutter so do...”
Rain was never able to finish that sentence. Something shot out from the darkness so quickly that the Wolfriders could not catch a good look on it. There was a scream and the sound of something hard connecting to flesh. The metallic smell of blood was the next which came on them and... death. They had no chance to take in the loss, the thing attacked again. Foxfur stood frozen in horror as it came towards her, it's teeth casting a light on her. They closed around her, sharp teeth meant to crush animals far larger than elves.
Claws striked blindly, hitting Skywise in the arm. Loud snaps of bones breaking and... it sent!
**A skyfire lit up the forest. High ones were here a long time ago, their pain awoken. Twisting, bending shaping. Rivalry and smoke, cat and snake bound in fight. It was Change, it was Joining, it was Pain, it was Hatred and it had a name!**
**MADCOIL!**
Filled with nausea, the ones who could still use their legs ran away from the images. They stumbled and fell, leaped forward. Soon they were in the trees, clutching the trunk like cubs held their mothers. “Mother?!” Nightfall's cry was loud, steadier than she felt. Her stomach felt like it had turned to ice once more when she discovered that her mother was not there.
Nor was her father, Longbranch. His name rang through the forest too, cried out by his brother One-Eye
“Bearclaw!” Joyleaf and Cutter yelled in unison as Skywise called out Foxfur's name.
As her mind gradually became clearer, Joyleaf remembered to send.
**Grenn!**
There was no answer. She stood still in the tree, silent. **Grenn!** She tried again, her blue eyes feeling rather wet. A feeling of dread stronger than the one she had just encountered filled her. Never had he been so... so silent.
**Grenn!**
**Grenn!**
**GRENN!**
Author
Topic: Overcoming Fears (Read 5463 times)