<<Lyra's POV>>
We started to walk towards the house. As we came closer, turns out, it was a small tent-like cottage.
"I will make sure the way is clear" I looked over my shoulder to see Iorek just about to walk towards me.
"No! Stay here, look after Denise!" I said I walked towards the door. As I got there, I noticed on the side, leather from an animal being stretched out.
I gasped.
Someone's daemons have been skinned and put on the line like a flag flapping through the icy wind. Pan was standing on a chunk of snow, ran down, hid behind the barrel, came out looking at the door, he jumped from a ferret and changed into a legit scardy-cat on my shoulders. I tired pushing him off, but he wouldn't budge.
"Lyra! No! Please Don't . . .Somethings wrong" he started breathing heavily, I started feeling light-headed. "Hush Pan
"There's something terrible . . . I'm- I'm afraid"
I turned him over, making him face the door and held him like a baby.
"We've got to Master Our Fear" I pulled the door open to see a pitch black, but my eyes quickly adjusted to the room's darkness. Once we went inside, I slowly turned around, looking at my surroundings. Next to the door was a coiled rope, hanging on a sharp hook on the wall, in front of us was worse than seeing a wall with a hook and a coiled rope hanging.
We saw cages.
Small ones to medium ones.
Daemon size only.
I saw a skinned daemon hanging from a hook on the ceiling, next to that was chains. On the other side is most terrifying. Actual dead daemons hanging upside down, a cat, a bird, ferret and a dog. I decided to go on the left side, where pitchforks stood up, knives and needles hanging from the walls. Brown blankets everywhere on the floor.
"Hello?" My voice echoed through the house. In the house, it was just as freezing as the outside.
I started walking around. Pan jumped out of my arms and went looking in the other direction.
"Hello?" I said again.
I kept walking until I heard a huge crash behind me, I grabbed a nearby knife and quickly turned around, pointing the knife at the sound and shuffle. Something was moving under a colourful blanket. Then the blanket came off. Revealing a boy, nearly looking dead. Holding onto a small skinned animal.
"Billy," I said, he snapped his head up, looking at me, I saw bruises and cuts on his face. His Bulging veins the colour of purple.
"Wheres his daemon? He doesn't have a daemon!" Said Pan backing away.
"That's. . ." I backed up, my back pressing against the wall.
"Intercision" My head snapped to the other side of the room, thank god it was Denise and not Mrs Coulter.
Denise bent down and grabbed a red blanket and pulled it back, revealing a dead girl, her face was blue, her lips were blue. I caught a glint of light on her cheeks. I realized that it was just a tear sliding down her face. "Who's that?" I questioned.
"Carmen Amodeo" she replied as she leaned down and kissed the dead girl's forehead. "Don't worry, she's in a better place. She saved us five girls, telling us that they were cutting away kids daemons and the thing that hurts me most to mention is that . . . She was one of my best friend"
"I'm so very sorry to hear that," I said.
I looked back at Billy, I will be looking like him, nearly dead, but the thing I don't understand is why does he have cuts and bruises on his face?
"That's what the gobblers are doing, cutting away kids daemons," I said in a breathy way.
He pulled out his ruffled skinned daemon. Ratter.
"Where's my Ratter? Have you see her?"
I was on the verge of crying. The Gobblers. Taking away my friend's life and a friend's, friends life! Is harsh enough.
"Billy, it's us, Lyra and Denise. Let us take you back to your mum" I chucked the knife to the side.
"I need Ratter" is all he replied with.
"Billy, come with me and Denise, we'll take you somewhere that's safe . . . We'll find Ratter" I pulled out my hand and he did the same. His hands already cold as ice, yet, he still fights for his life. Denise and I helped him up and walked him outside.
Iorek comes forward, lies down, Denise and I helped Billy stay slumped on Iorek's back before we boarded him as well. I sat at the very back, holding Lyra in a tight squeeze while holding a skinned Ratter and a white fluffy Ice bear's fur. We started heading back with a run.
<<Time Skip>>
When we arrived back, everyone saw us. I guess they were searching for us.
Oh boy. Iorek slowed down into a walk then stopped and looked away like a guilty dog. The others were walking towards us until Fadar Coram held onto Lord Faa's arm, "Gracious God, what's this?" I heard him say.
I hopped off Iorek, landing on my feet. Then I helped Denise down, but her daemon was not having such a good time.
"OUCH!" Secundus screamed out. "Shut up! you're making a scene!" Denise snapped.
"Lyra . . . Denise. What have you two found?" Fadar Coram called out. I first grabbed Billy's arm, he slid off Iorek like a lifeless rag doll. He put his arms around Denise's and my neck, he looked up. "Billy . . . Billy Costa."
Lord Faa's eyes widened, it's like, he has seen a ghost or something.
"BILLY!!" Ma Costa broke out of the crowd, yelling his name as she runs towards us. She took him, Billy's arms fell off our neck and Ma Costa dropped to the ground, cradling him in her arms while crying. "You're alright, Billy! You're safe now! We'll find your daemon, we'll bring her back" Ma Costa sobbed while rocking Billy back and forth. "Denise isn't alright, it seems a little accident happened on the way," says Iorek.
"Small? IT'S-A MASSIVE CUT Iorek!!" Secundus snapped.
"Both of you, just SHUT UP! They don't need to worry about it!" Denise snapped
"Come on, back in the tent, let's see how bad your wound is," said Lord Faa with his arm stretched towards me.
As I was about to set one foot forward, the sound of a gunshot echoed like thunder without its lighting around the walls of ice.
I jumped.
Ma Costa screamed.
<<Denise's POV>>
Everyone turned to where it came from and started attacking. Someone got shot by an arrow and golden dust exploded. Lord Faa dashed towards me and Lyra and pushes us into the crowd with Emeline, Rosana, Alexina and Samaria.
"Here, Take the girls!" he shouted.
Someone was screaming as they ran towards Mr Scoresby. He stares at them. Mouth agape. He slowly draws his gun at the men. Pulled the trigger. And out the attacker goes. At least everyone pushed us girls in some other different direction.
"PROTECT THE CHILDREN!!" Some guy that I didn't know shouted out.
"Girls! stick together! " I called out.
We ran past our tent. Then someone with a sharp spear was running towards me. SHIT. I hoisted my knife. Ready to attack. Then the guy threw the spear at me. I thought I was gonna die. But something roared behind me and I screamed.
Iorek Byrnison JUST JUMPED OVER ME, BLOCKING THE SPEAR FROM PIERCING ME! He stomped on my attacker and out he goes. Like a dead light. Then someone pushed me to the side, "LOOK OUT DENISE!" I fell to the ground.
I quickly stood up. Then one of the enemies went on top of Lyra. I jumped on him and swoop my knife at the back of his neck, I quickly pushed him to the side and slid my knife hidden in the bandage. I grabbed Lyra's hand and helped her up. Then more of them came. They grabbed my arm and legs, but I morphed into a tiny mouse and pidder padder away.
I quickly morphed into a bird and flew to the top of a huge hill and observed the children. Emeline did the same, but Alexina was in her large claws.
Samaria came flying up here as well with Rosana holding onto her hands.
We all kept a low profile. We were forced to watch Lyra being helplessly bound, a potato bag shoved onto her head and the enemies were starting to move away from the fight.
" I'll go after her, promise me that you'll stay here, I'll return to give you updates," I said quickly as I launched myself in the air.
"Be careful!" I heard Emeline called out.
" I will!" Was my last response that they'll hear for now.
"IOREK!! IOREK BYRNISON HELP MEE!! DENISE! EMELINEEEE" Lyra screamed at the top of her lungs. They shoved Lyra into a huge fabric bag and tied it up, next they placed her onto a sled and started moving more quickly.
<< a Few hours later>>
Then we Samoyeds slowed to a stop. Three of the men cut the ropes free and yanked Lyra out of the bag and removed the potato bag off her head. I saw so many Ice bears wearing armour. They were all growling and some roaring.
Shit.
This is Svalbard!!