Dancing Under the Moonlight

Chapter 12

"Hey now, calm down. Talk slowly," Yidhra rubs the boy's back.

Eli takes a deep breath. "They're coming... The nobles.. their coming..."

Violetta turns pale. "So soon..?"

"Unfortunately so, Miss Violetta. They're at the border of the forest. Fiona and Patricia are doing their best to keep the scent masking spell up, but I don't think they'll be fooled."

"Mommy! Mommy!"

Three small children come scrambling through the doorway. Frightened tears in their eyes as they hug their mothers' skirts.

"There are scary people in the forest! They have shiny knives!" Ada whimpers.

"And flaming sticks!" Aldith adds, equally as scared.

"What do they want, Mommy?" Robbie quietly asks as he stares at the two women with glassy eyes.

Violetta could feel her own eyes water as she is as well shackled in the hopelessness of the situation. They can't run away. They can't fight back. They can't do anything as they watch their village burn to the ground. She kneels and wraps her arms around her pups, hugging them tightly. Tears streaming down her cheeks, as soundless apologies spill out of her lips.

All of a sudden, a knock echoes through the living room as the wooden door creaks open. All six of them stiffen as a cold chill runs up their spines at the sound of footsteps getting closer. The heeled shoes hitting the wooden floors with a loud clatter accompanied by the smell of burning wood. The figure appearing in the doorway, blazing torch and shining blade in his hands a cold smirk across his lips.

"Moonlight Gentleman," Violetta growls, looking at the intruder with glassy eyes.

"Soul Weaver, I do say quite a lovely home you have here."

"Whatever you and your party of nobles are doing, it won't do any good!"

"Oh it will, I'm sure you've heard about my plans, haven't you? What's wrong in starting so early?" The noble grins at them, icy-cold eyes gleaming with sick amusement.

"Oh and I do suggest you pay attention when deciding to leave the stove on. Those flames are spreading at impressive speeds," he points out, his blade raised in the direction of the flames that are rising the walls and onto the ceiling, burning all the wood in its path as chunks of the charred pieces start to fall. The burning remains quickly spreading their flames across the wooden floors.

"Well that's my cue to leave, au revoir Soul Weaver," the Moonlight Gentleman lets out a sinister chuckle as he drops the torch, the flames quickly spreading up the doorway ahead of them. They're trapped.

The pups are now crying hysterically as the flames licked their skin. Yidhra tries her best to shield them from the flames, the flames creeping up her black dress. She fixes her obsidian to Eli who is trying his best to pry the debris.

"Eli, Eli! Quick! Get the pups out! I and Violetta will hold it off," she grunts, holding up the large plank of wood that blocked the doorway. Violetta immediately helping her mate lift the plank of wood, a path now cleared for Eli and the pups to pass.

"B-But I can't leave you here! You'll be crushed by the rubble!" Eli whimpers, the pups sobbing by his side.

Violetta senses the boy's distress and immediately wrapping him in a hug. Eli takes in the calming caramel and rosemary scent, tears dripping from his ocean blue eyes as he clings onto her tightly knowing this is the last time he'll ever smell her scent. With tearful eyes and a gentle smile, Violetta kisses his forehead and hugs her pups one last time.