some thought, she knew what it was. Freedom. She felt free.
Her thoughts calmed from a raging river to a clear pool, and she was able to deduce that she and the wolf had become one for a brief moment. Amanda opened her eyes and surprisingly felt stronger than she had in days. She sat up and looked at the wolf, not sure what to make of the creature. Did it help her, or had she just helped herself by stealing its seemingly endless energy supply? Her head turned sharply as the telltale sound of moving branches called out in the distance. Immediately the animal’s silver fur stood on end, changing from the silkiest of surfaces to a mountain of quills. Whatever this was, it was no friend to her.
Amanda let out a shriek, not caring who heard it, as the wolf took on the familiar low crouch of a predator seeking prey. The crazed animal wound its way toward her, baring its teeth as an unearthly growl rattled out of the depths of its belly. She sprang to life, her still-injured thigh slowing her as she attempted to put space between her and the demented wolf. Moving backward in an awkward crab walk, she scraped her hands on unapologetic rocks that peaked just above the soil. The wolf’s ears twitched up instinctively as more rustling branches made an unnamed presence known. At the sound of rushing steps less than twenty yards away, the wolf called out predatorily. Seeing the spray of saliva rush out as it sounded brought her attention to the animal’s large porcelain teeth. They glistened white in the moonlight, pure, beautiful, and frightening. She decided on the spot that the unknown was easier to face than what was in front of her.
She pushed herself her feet, wobbling a bit before bolting into the thick welcoming cover of the valley floor. She flew over obstacles as fast as she was able. Amanda still felt a presence near, but she was too frightened to search for her hungry pursuer or keep the torrent of passing branches from striking her face.
She gathered the courage to glance behind her, pushing images of the great silver wolf overcoming her, teeth wide, out of her mind, and there was nothing but the path of destruction her flight had caused in the undergrowth. She was about to slow when she saw a flash of silver in her peripheral vision. Amanda doubled her stride.
The wolf was keeping pace with her, running just to her right. A thin fence of branches and leaves was the only thing separating them. It was darker in the brush, like the moonlight had found this place uninteresting and chose to pass it over. The darkness made a chilling scene, but more than the dark, the silence frightened her. If she hadn’t seen the unique silver sheen of the wolf passing through the gaps in the limbs as headlights pass through windows at night, she’d never have guessed that the large animal was tearing through the woods right next to her. How could it move so quietly? She watched as the wolf’s unbelievably large paw met the earth with barely a sound. She quickly changed her course and veered off to the left, attempting to cut a path, with nature’s tangled hands scratching at her flailing arms as she passed. After a few paces, she glanced around and saw no sign of the creature, which frightened her more than having it on her heels.
With no sign of the wolf, she started to find Cole. She tried to return to where they’d decided to divide and conquer, but found herself so turned around she had no idea which direction to point herself in. Amanda needed to find him, to know he was all right. As she searched, her fear turned every other rock and bush into the shadow of something sinister. She felt ridiculous running around frightened by trees.
Amanda calmed herself and sat on a large rock. Looking at the dark alcove before her, she knew she wasn’t going the right way. She didn’t want to waste any energy, but if she was going to find Cole, she’d need to seek him out a different way. She concentrated on him, recalling the feeling his presence always had. Light, kind, loving, and simple.
That was one of the things she enjoyed most about him, his simplicity. Most people were so complex with a thousand different cords attached to one truth. Healers especially seemed to overcomplicate things, but Cole didn’t need a thousand strings. If something felt right, it was right. If a situation felt wrong, it was wrong. If he wanted anything he pursued it, no games or charades. Just him.
As she brought his image to the forefront of her mind, a shiver rippled through her body that had nothing to do with attraction. Cole was running swiftly through the valley floor, apparently oblivious to the fact that he was being closely followed. She was seeing Cole through another’s eyes. Amanda had seen through these eyes before, the large cautious eyes of a beast.
“Cole!” she cried out, not caring if Carter or the Ancients heard her now. She needed to find Cole before the strange predator decided it was done giving chase and ready for the kill.
9
A lonely twinleaf blossom stood tall, awake, though its brothers had closed into dreams hours earlier. The aforementioned was looking up at the small strip of sky that was so familiar. Its short life span was full of late nights; unable to rest, so enthralled by the flaming specks of light that came out after the day had ended. It would never know how far the sky stretched, because the valley walls allowed only this little glimpse. The protection of these walls had provided safety for this little flower to grow strong. Unfortunately, the walls didn’t protect the flower this night. As the flower stood, face toward the sky, refusing to succumb to the call of sleep, Amanda crashed through the foliage, her sneaker putting the little stargazer to rest. Permanently.
“Cole!” she screamed out frantically.
Amanda heard nothing but her heaving breath. The silence frightened her, and she abandoned the little stealth left in her movement. Caution to the wind, she flew over the terrain, leaping over obstacles and landing lightly. She’d never moved this way. Amanda felt as light as the air moving all around her, and she noticed for the first time that the air was actually moving. She studied it as she ran, completely enthralled and confused.
The atmosphere was a habitat of its own, teaming with unnoticed lives; pollen, dust, and microscopic creatures twirled within the light breeze. She attempted to blink away the scene in front of her, but when she peeled her eyes open, they were still there. Her already large eyes grew wide in shock. She gave it another try, shutting her eyes tighter this time, face scrunching in the process.
“Please be gone, please be gone.”
The little specks didn’t notice the worry in her eyes as they shot open and beheld the once hidden world still bustling around her, but she noticed them. Amanda reached her hand across the space between her and the nearest one, her hand ghostly in the night and touched the tiny thing. As her extended finger made contact, she felt the life of the speck. It was a bit of pollen from a flower. As the energy flowed into her, she knew she wasn’t crazy. They’re real, she thought, feeling both relieved and confused but shrugging it off to adrenaline. Crisis situations can cause ultra- sensitivity. She’d heard that before. Did she think life with demon poison running through her veins would be normal? Of course, strange things are happening. That’s kind of what she was now, a strange thing.
She continued through the bushes, attempting to ignore the tiny little lives so numerous that they were hard to disregard. “Cole! Where are you?” Amanda cried out and strained her ears to listen. She heard nothing now, not her breath or even the sound of her own footfall. “What’s happening?” She listened again as the ball of her foot contacted the dry earth, and not a sound escaped. Fire burned at her chest and she sucked in the breath she’d been unconsciously holding to prevent inhalation of the little dancing shapes suspended in the air. She repressed the fear that scratched at her, knowing she couldn’t allow it to enter her frail body.
The hazardous obstacles of the forest didn’t seem to affect her speed as they should have, but before she could think too much about that, she felt Cole’s presence near her.
“Cole!” she shouted, but choking on worry, his name came out only a broken whisper.
She closed her eyes and let his presence draw her in like a magnet. Amanda would have felt relief at his nearing if she didn’t feel the overwhelming presence of the mysterious wolf so near him. She ran through foliage, not caring enough about the painful scrapes that the branches left behind because all that mattered to her in that moment was Cole.
Amanda smashed her way through an overgrown rose bush and ran head first into a meaty wall. Her breath came out in a rush, as if her lungs didn’t want the air. Her knees gave out as she tried to collect the wind that had been knocked out of her. She wondered why she hadn’t hit the ground, before feeling the warmth of Cole’s arms around her waist. Amanda opened her eyes, and Cole smiled down at her.
“You had me worried. I thought an army of gorillas was attacking you with all of the screaming going on. I did tell you this was a stealth mission, right? By stealth, I meant no noise, and that is pretty much the exact
