The Crimson Bow: And the Eagle Insignia

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

" ... Friends stick together ... "

" Lightning "

Year 700. April 7th. Night [22:55]

Inondra. Murkshadow Mountains Exterior.

So says the Timekeeper

*

Two wolves trot along a forest path, one white with black ears and a distinct wing ashen unnatural mark over her shoulder blades. And the other, a mark-less dark-pelted wolf with various shades of gray that can hardly be seen in the black of night, walks just a bit slower than his companion, scanning the surrounding forest with his duel-colored eyes, one its natural green and the other an electric yellow. The pair travel in silence, as the dark wolf isn't the talkative type, and the white wolf knows better than to try and make idle conversation with him, since most of them just fall flat anyways. The chirping of crickets rings in the dark wolf's ears, and he pins them to the back of his neck, but it seems like any other night, the same sounds, the same trees, and the same creatures stirring at this late hour. Though, she two have good reason to be up and about, they are searching for someone they caught a glimpse of earlier that day, a fellow competitor to the dark wolf. It was a human boy, from what they saw, and when he used his powers of ice he made it all too easy for them to figure out who he was. But humans are diurnal creatures, so if they can only find where he has tucked in for the night, then they can catch him off-guard. The dark wolf turns his head to look at his companion, who is almost skipping along the trail, "Are you sure he was traveling on this road, Albatross? And would you please focus and look harder?"

She stops dead in her tracks and fluffs up her fur in indignation, "Of course, Sedgewick! And don't give me that, you'd be lost without me!" Albatross grunts and continues on, making a big show out of crouching down and sniffing the ground every so often, to which Sedgewick rolls his eyes and ignores her.

With a grudging huff, Sedgewick streaks past Albatross and takes the lead. He's sure his bossy companion is steaming over his action, but he can hardly bring himself to care. Granted, he doesn't try that hard. But the forest seems darker now without Albatross's shining white fur going first, though that is easily fixed by Sedgewick cracking small spurts of electricity at the tips of his claws to light the way. The only downside to him being gifted power of lightning is that whenever he uses his abilities, the static ruffles up his fur and not only makes him look ridiculous, but his fur shocks anyone who touches it for a while. He glances back at Albatross, who is now eyeing his static-filled fur and keeping her distance, and he suppresses a snicker, at least it keeps her at bay. Something pulls his thoughts away from Albatross, a distinct and familiar smell of human, but mixed with the unusual scent of chill, similar to the peaks of the snow-covered Murkshadow Mountains. Got him. Sedgewick starts to sprint, following the trail and swerving off the forest path, with Albatross running after him. Eventually, the scent trail leads them to a ditch, where the young human boy from earlier is resting, on one side is a sac and a bow, and on his other is what looks like the remains of a poorly-built campfire with only a few embers still smoldering. "That's him," Sedgewick whispers once he can feel Albatross by his side.

"I wonder what's in the bag, food and money maybe?" she pants, starting to drool.

"Don't."

"I-I didn't say anything!"

"Shhhh...! And yes you did. You are not stealing from his pathetic little sac," but before Sedgewick even finishes speaking, the white wolf is already creeping up on the sac and is clearly not listening to her companion anymore. Sedgewick growls lowly but does not go after her, instead he charges into the nearby undergrowth, watching.