Lover with Wings

Chapter 2: Captured

For two days the wolves followed Christine and her daughter, and for those two days they remained unnoticed. Christine only noticed them on the third day when she woke early in the morning. She was alone this time, leaving lian home to sleep. She went out to get some food and herbs. They were running low. She encountered two platoons with seven wolves in each.

   "Stop right there" ordered one wolf.

Christine looked around and saw the rest of the wolves circle her. "Go tell Lord Shen we have a visitor" the wolf barked to one of his underlings. The young wolf nodded and hurried off to do as he was told.

 "I assure you, I mean no harm." she held out her paws to show she had no weapons.

  "We'll be the judge of that" sneered the wolf commander. "Come with us."

 "I'm afraid I can't do that " the cat replied as she got into a defensive position. "You see, I was on my way home after a rather long time away. I would hate to keep my child waiting"

  "I'd like to see you get past us" jeered the wolf commander as he and all the wolves got out their blades.

   "I suppose that could be arranged " she retorted, a hint of confidence in her voice. Three wolves came at her and she easily dodged them with a high leap into the air. She landed on two others' heads and knocked them out by pushing them into each other. She landed on the ground and did a few back handsprings to avoid another wolf slashing at her. She knocked the blade out of the wolfs hand and landed a swift blow to his head with her elbow, tossing the blade and having it land right between the eyes of another wolf with the hilt knocking him out cold.

She took out another seven with a sweeping motion with her hands followed by a sweeping spin kick. Just as she was about to finish the remaining nine off, she felt the ice cold tip of the commanding wolf's blade against the back of her neck.

  "I wouldn't if I were you" he warned.

She put her hands up in surrender as the nine wolves surrounded her with their blades pointing at her neck. A few of the other wolves were coming around and also began surrounding her. "Get moving" he said pushing her forward. She growled and shot a glare at him. "I have a child please, she's all alone!"

"don't care move it!" the lead wolf ordered before shoving the women walk forward.

"i'll be back lian i promise" christine murmured.

They traveled for a few hours, but at the pace they were going christine felt like it was nearly half the day. She let out a small sigh of relief when they came up to a fort wall. Finally they could stop this monotonous pace. She marveled at the large doors that looked as if they belonged on a palace. Each had a large carving that looked like a peacock. Her relief was short lived, however, because the doors opened to reveal the young wolf from before and a brilliant white peacock. Upon his head was a crest of feathers tipped with red. He stood tall and made the wolves part like a farmer harvesting his crops. He wore a white kimono with silver trim. On his feet were metal claws.

   "Well, what do we have here?" He talked smoothly, looking at her like she should bow at his feet. "You must be Shen," christine replied calmly looking him in the eye. Shen was impressed that she knew his name.  "I am," he replied arrogantly, beak turned up. "And what are you doing here?"

   "I was merely passing through."

 "By the looks of my wolves, it seems you were doing more than just passing through," Shen observed. "Whatever it is you were planning on doing, you can forget. You are going nowhere."

   "Your wolves made the first move," christine argued. "I only want to get home to my daughter."

   "Well then, if you LOVE your daughter, as it sounds, you will not try to escape. If you do, I will have my wolves track you down and destroy everything and everyone you hold dear" Shen had his face so close to Christine's that she had to take a step back.

‘ Is he serious? ‘ she wondered. When Shen was sure he convinced her his threat was genuine, which didn't take long, he stood tall again and turned around.  "Bring her" he instructed and strutted back into the compound. Christine gave a low growl before walking through the large doors.

   The camp looked like a small settlement with tents everywhere and an occasional hut. Christine suspected the huts were for high ranking wolves. In the center of it all was Shen's pagoda. It was nearly as large as the jade palace.

‘ What could he possibly need with a building that big? ‘

She was brought to a large cage on the right side of the the pagoda.’ Probably for prisoners,". Seeing as where it is located, it's either for Shen to keep a close eye on them or put on display for the rest of the camp. One if the wolves pushed her into the cage and locked the door behind him. the white cat looked around.

"Weak spots,"

"I beg your pardon?"

"This cage is full of weak spots," christine replied.

He chuckled.  "Well I assure you, you will not be getting out. No one has."

   The cat walked up to the door then rested her head against the bars. "I wonder..." she seethed as Shen began walking off. "Is that the reason your parents banished you?" Shen stopped in his tracks. "Was it because you were weak?"

He slowly turn around, eyes wide. Even the wolves looked a little scared.

"Or, was it because of what you did? That act that horrified them," christine continued. Her arms were dangling out of the cage relaxed and she had a sly look on her face.

"H-how did you know about that? No one except my men and myself know that."

she huffed taking a step away from the bar."Well, seeing as you aren't going to let me go any time soon, it seems that's my little secret" She still had the cocky look on her face. then she remembered Lian. Her sweet, beloved Lian. The cat growled. "you can't keep me here! my child is at home, alone!"

"then you shouldn't have left" shen answered.

" she's only seven.. she'll die!"

"well that is on you, you were the one who decided to loiter" shen turned his back on her.

Big mistake

Furious, christine banged on the bars and let out a roar, causing the wolves to jump and point their weapons at her. Even Shen drew back a little.

"ARE YOU REALLY THIS HEARTLESS! SHE'S ONLY A CHILD!. A CHILD WHO HAS DONE NOTHING TO WRONG YOU AND YOU ARE JUST GOING TO LET HER DIE!"

   By now, Shen had walked back up to the door, eyes still wide and mouth agape. But when christine would not divulge how she knew what she knew, his face was adorned with a scowl as he turned and marched away.christine scowled and let out another growl. Looking to one of the wolves guarding her cage. " when I get out of here I'm going to pry your skull open ".

The guard let out a small whimper as him and his spear started to shake.

on the other side of the wall shen walked with the commander wolf. " send out a party, find the child and bring her to me". The commander  nodded and prepared to send out the party.