A fabled wall, marking the territory of the werewolves and adorned with the severed skull of a once great alpha, stands between Natalya and her prey.
When she finds the body of Anesa, her beloved mentor, she is determined to hunt down the vampire r...
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Natalya knew that the vampire could still sense her. He heard every beat of her horse's hooves and every nicker that sounded from her mare's mouth. Every breath that she inhaled and exhaled, and every command she uttered to the mare, acted as a beacon to her location with his superior hearing. He could smell them too-the earthy scent that unfurled from her skin, and the sweat that was beginning to gather on her brow. All allowed him to pinpoint the position she held in her perch. She was like a spider lying in wait for its prey, and so they were both aware of the other. But he could not see her. Not yet.
High above the ground Natalya was leaning into the crook of a tree, her handsome gray mare, Methea, grazing contentedly below her. She scanned the landscape around her, keenly searching for any sign of the vampire. The view was breathtaking but hindered by its unfamiliarity. In her seventeen years, Natalya had never before ventured this far into the forest. The woods, rich and lush with green life, laid before her in every direction, nestled under the distant peaks that marked the border of Valwood. Despite the nearly endless sea of trees, she trusted her instincts to guide her and would not easily become lost.
Nimbly, Natalya climbed down to the lowest branch and jumped the remaining way to the ground. Her hunt was coming to an end, and she smiled in satisfaction.
She untied her horse and mounted her, kicking her into a run. The mare was beautiful and lean, with a finely shaped head and ringlets of differently shaded grays that faded into black at her knees.
Above her an owl soared above the treetops. Its white face glowed in the darkness as it flew almost in slow motion, though still keeping up with her easily in flight and not allowing a somber note to escape its beak. Its penetrating glare picked through the brush with ease; mice scurried through the dirt, and rabbits chewed absentmindedly at the grass with their ears perked for any noise, but still the owl flew on. Its coal black eyes were only interested in the girl, and it followed her with intense purpose as she and the horse swerved between the trees and sailed easily over boulders and fallen logs.
The two continued on at their pace for a quarter of an hour before they began to slow and the owl pulled up, hovering in the air. It watched as Natalya pulled the horse to a stop, and it swooped, deadly quiet now in its pursuit.
It splayed its talons outwards and perched in the low hanging branch of a nearby tree. The owl turned deliberately in its roost to face Natalya, cocking its head slightly as she dismounted from Methea. The bird waited, diligent in its vigil, keenly attentive to her every move. Occasionally it turned to preen its feathers or listen to the far off movements of a distant squirrel, but it did not abandon its post. Its gaze was compellingly eerie, the eyes like twin pools of unfathomable depth and impossible understanding, but Natalya never saw. The bird blended with the landscape, as unremarkable to her as the bark of one of the many deciduous trees.
She knew the vampire had not lost track of her movements. He paused, and Natalya froze. All of her senses flared to keep him within reach. They were in perfect balance with each other. The predator moved as the prey moved, and he was hunting her just as much as she was hunting him. She weighed her chances. He had sizable fangs and unnaturally sharp nails that lengthened into claws. He also had superior strength and speed. She had her horse, reckless daring with matching cunning, the stake, and the mysterious amulet that hung from her neck. She also had the bow, but with its silver tipped arrows, it was of more use against Werewolves than vampires. Made of finely polished wood that curved into a graceful arc, it was a beautiful weapon, though Natalya found its deadliness most attractive. The two were evenly matched. The seconds slipped into minutes as they each waited for the other to make a move.
