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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She could turn back. Natalya pulled Methea into a stop and looked up at the great stone wall, hesitant to enter. A tentative truce had existed between her people and the werewolves, and crossing into their territory now could endanger every citizen of Valwood.
The wall was starkly unfitting amidst the green forest, though beautiful in its own constructed way. Numerous vines clawed their ways up the sides, taking root within the many cracks and gaps as nature reclaimed her own.
Natalya thought back to the stories her father used to tell her about the long war that had raged here. When she closed her eyes, she could almost hear the screams that had rent the air, from both human and werewolf. Each side had fought bitterly, the humans with silver, the werewolves with only their claws and teeth.
With the help of their sister cities, the people of Valwood had mustered an army that nearly wiped out the werewolves completely. But the horrors of those terrifying creatures those men had faced had prevented them from offering more men to Valwood's cause. Now they were vulnerable, and the werewolves were only growing stronger.
The wall's entrance needed no guards or gate; her people rarely strayed from their well-lit buildings unless to hunt in the edges of their own forest and never to these woods. The werewolves too kept to themselves. The hanging skull of Sakarr, darkened with decay that was staring at Natalya sadly from its entrance, made sure of that. Every one of her people knew his legend, and they slept more soundly at night knowing his savage reign of terror had been put to an end. His severed and fleshless head was unnerving, its mouth stretched widely open as if to swallow her after death, and its unnaturally large teeth seemed poised to attack her from beyond the grave.
The wall was silent testament to the werewolves' violent natures and a reminder of the war that threatened to be unleashed at their slightest offense. Their fear of the humans had kept them within their own borders, but Natalya knew they would not hesitate to kill her if she trespassed into Claw Haven.
Natalya paused at the edge, indecision stilling her tread. It would be so easy to abandon her quarry, to let the werewolves take care of the intruding vampire and return to the safety of her own people.
She wavered, uncertain on the spot. She even allowed herself to play out the scenario in her head. But it had never been in her to run away when danger beckoned. As Natalya deliberated, she realized that it wasn't only the danger calling to her. She was curious as to why the vampire would seek refuge in werewolf territory, though the evidence lay before her. Could he possibly be unaware that he lay cornered by enemies on all sides? Alliances between werewolves and vampires were unheard of...but she would have to be sure.
The full weight of what she was about to do lay heavily upon her. Her eyes wandered over the contours and cracks of the skull, and she nervously brought a hand to her brow. She felt a thrill of fear that she be caught here, in this most forbidden place. The werewolf city darkened her thoughts and saturated her mind with a burning sense of dread. But it held a fine wonder for her as well. With her decision made, Natalya dismounted from her horse and walked boldly through the inner walls, the reins in her hand.
