The group of three ended up staying over at their cabin, while Selene went to her mother's house to get the stone. Vidia was anxiously pacing the living room, going around and around the coffee table and the different assortment of couches and chairs. Erik crouched by the fireplace, rubbing his hands together trying to get warm. And Briar was the only one sleeping, right on the biggest couch, surprisingly without hearing Vidia's continuous pacing. "Vidia will you calm down? You're gonna make a pacing track in the floorboards, man." He said, staring up at her. She stopped. "I just don't trust that dryad...And also, Ariel might be in a whole lot of danger. Wait, hold on, what day is it?" Erik frowned. "Why?" She stood thinking. "Remember each year in that big clearing in Crescent Valley--the annual ball that everyone from every pack came to? I think, before we were stranded here," she chuckled dryly. "I overheard my father say it was going to be in the Shadow's kingdom." Erik inhaled sharply. "That's...just wonderful." He muttered under his breath. "So now it's not going to be just about getting Ariel back, it's about introducing her to the pack at the same time--" Erik stood up suddenly. "The Shadow wolves after all this time...they couldn't be hosting the ball this year as a sign of peace, Vee. They're going to attack Crescent Valley when nobody's there--" Vidia's eyes widened, taking a few steps backwards and hitting the coffee table with the back of her legs. Briar woke up, grumbling under her breath. "What's going on?" She asked, worry etching her face. Vidia muttered curse words under her breath, all aimed at the tyrant royals of the Shadow Kingdom, pacing around the room. "Erik?" Briar said. He had a solemn look on his face. "We figured out the Shadow wolves' plan," he said quietly. "What do you mean? What plan? And how is Ariel related to any of this??" Vidia stopped her pacing, her gaze serious and fearful as she met Briar's. "They're going to attack Crescent Valley when all the Packs are at the castle enjoying the ball." She said grimly. The door swished open, and Selene stood huffing out of breath, a big proud smile on her face as she lifted a small little leather pouch. "Anybody ask for a small obsidian stone?"
The three of them packed what they needed, hoping this would work and that they wouldn't be coming back to this cabin. Selene was outside, waiting for the moon to be at a certain angle in the sky and for the dirt to be watered. Weird, I know, but who understands dryads? Anyway, the group looked as if they were going on a weekend hiking trip to the mountains, not to the magical realm of werewolves to bring back their friend from the Shadow kingdom. They stood for a moment in the living room, putting out the fire and shutting the windows and everything so nobody would break in. The Shadow wolves could catch their scent just by being on the porch, so the faster they left the safer they would be. "I'm wondering if we're gonna miss this place," Vidia mumbled. Briar lifted an eyebrow. "A sanctuary for any supernatural kind? Of course we'll miss it." She said. Erik shrugged. "Who knows? We might be back here sooner than we think." Vidia frowned, but shook it off. "Let's see what our little dryad has planned outside." She waved, heading outside. The night was clear surprisingly, but it was still a tad cold. Selene had drawn something in the dirt, and in the circle at the center was the small obsidian stone. Four lines were drawn coming out of it, and each of them stood on one. "What are we waiting for?" Vidia asked. The dryad rolled her eyes. "Two things, Moonclaw: werewolf blood, and the moon." Erik and Briar shared a look. "What do you mean werewolf blood?" Vidia said, lifting her chin. "Well, if we use my blood, the portal will take us to my house or where the rest of Pandora's coven is." She said as a matter of fact. Erik stepped forward, lifting his arm out. "Take my blood." Selene chuckled. "We use your blood and we'll end up in California, silly." He stood there in confusion. "My family is in Liberion," he said. "But they were born there," she said softly. Poor Erik, he looked like a lost puppy. Briar shot a glare at Selene, putting a hand on his shoulder. "The only pureblood here is Vidia, Erik," she murmured. Vidia sighed, stepping forward. "You don't get queasy at the sight of blood, do you, alpha's daughter?" Selene said under her breath. Vidia stared forward into the woods. "No, just take the blood and shut up." The dryad mustered a small smile, digging the small knife in Vidia's palm. She winced, but didn't say anything. The wind picked up, and a few drops of her blood dropped on the fresh dirt, then right on the obsidian stone. For a second, nothing happened, but when the moon peaked from behind a cloud, the ground started rumbling, swallowing the blood covered obsidian stone. "Wonderful, I give blood and the stone disappears." Vidia grumbles. "Just wait, alpha's daughter," Selene smiled wistfully. The wind picked up, and in the middle of thin air, a fold opened slowly, letting in light from a different forest bathed in warm light. The three werewolves gasped, stumbling backwards. "Don't stray from the lines!" Selene yelled. "Just stand still for two seconds, Moonclaws. It's almost done," she murmured. The silver light from around them shone through the portal, making the grass turn into the colors of autumn. "Almost..." a shing! rang through them, along with a blinding light, and they stumbled onto solid ground, summery smells and birds singing in the background. "We did it...Liberion..."
Thwak! A blow landed on her head, and she fell backwards on the floor, groaning. "Get up," Caleb nudged her with his foot. She groaned. "It's more comfortable here, leave me alone." He rolled his eyes. "The rest of the court is staring, don't make an embarrassment of the both of us or they'll leave you in a place worse than a cell. Understand?" She froze, nodding slowly. "I don't get what the point is--you'll just kick me back to the floor." She muttered, circling. Caleb was of royal blood, trained from the moment he could walk. How could she ever beat him? Ariel was completely helpless, and the crowd laughing and Rebekah's smirk at her back were driving her mad. Everything blurred together, and she shot her fist at the prince's jaw. He stumbled backwards, staring wide eyed at her. He lifted a hand to his mouth, coming off with blood. "Oh my god, I'm sorry--" Something pushed her to the floor from behind. "And you had us thinking you were weak," Rebekah said, taking her arm with force. The crowd looked on, not saying a word. "Hey, let me go--" The air dropped ten degrees, and the crowd gasped. "What? What the heck is going on??" She yanked her hand free from Rebekah's grasp, loosing her footing. "Guards," she sneered, and the wolves in armor strode forward. No, not again. They flew backwards with an invisible force, and Ariel started breathing heavily. "Stop that at once!" Caleb yelled over the roar of the crowd. "But I'm not doing anything!" And then she realized: yes she was. It all became overwhelming, the world around her speeding in circles, and an excruciating pain in her left forearm had her screaming. She stared woozily at the blood streaking down her fingers, falling to her knees. A snap cut through the noise, and Ariel was lifted through the air. "How are you doing that?" She choked out, seeing Rebekah raising her hand. "The special abilities of a Shadow wolf," she growled, making her invisible hold on Ariel stronger. "Sister, let her go!" Nothing. "We need to get her to a medic, look at her arm--" Rebekah glanced at him, letting Ariel drop to the floor. "Let's hope that the bite on her arm turns her into one of us, or I'll kill her brother..." His eyes turned a cold glowing shade of blue. "You touch her again and you'll be the one punished for it," he said in a low warning voice. She shrugged, not believing him. "Keep your pet restrained, her powers might be the end of us all," she said, stalking away. Caleb reached out to help her up, but stopped himself at the last moment. "You'll be fine, I'll call one of the guards to take you to the medic--" Ariel coughed. "This bite is because of one of the guards, Caleb," she forced out, putting pressure to her bleeding arm. God, second bite in the past few weeks can't be good. Whoa, why's everything spinning again? I hate feeling like this...She thought groggily. "I hate feeling like this--I don't even know who to trust here or why I'm here! Nobody knows what to make of me and the rest of them want to kill me, so why don't you all just leave me on the Moonclaw doorstep or leave me back in the human realm 'cause really, I am of no use to any one of you, your highness." She snapped, her voice cracking in the middle. This was all too much stress and pressure, too much for someone who was just introduced to the werewolf realm. Caleb stood there, his shoulders slumping as he sighed. "You don't even know the smallest thing about your abilities, Ariel. It all takes time--" A guard cleared his throat behind him, and Caleb turned around. His face had gone back to a cold mask, the face of the Shadow prince. He lifted an eyebrow and the guard stood up straighter. "You are needed in the throne room, your majesty." Caleb hesitated. "Why?" The guard lifted his chin. Your father has returned from his trip. With all the ball preparations, you my liege, must command the guards and set up a watch around the castle walls, and in the streets of the village below. The voice of the guard echoed in Caleb's mind. Ariel noticed the change in his expression, wondering what they were saying. The guard gave the prince a curt nod, bowing low before turning his back to them and leaving. "What is it?" He didn't answer. He ripped a part of his jacket and tied it around her arm. "Just go to the medic, keep a low profile and don't tell anyone who you are. I, in the meantime, am about to welcome my father back to the kingdom."
"Everybody okay?" Vidia grunted, pushing herself off of the grass wet from morning dew. "Everybody A ok here," Erik said, appearing beside her. "Briar?" They glanced in her direction, seeing her amber pendant glowing faintly. She looked worried. "Why's it doing that?" Erik asked, coming closer. Her cheeks flushed. "It's a magical stone, too. Except this one gets brighter as we get closer to...something." She shrugged, eyes flitting from one place to another. "You're acting strange, Rosewood. Nervous or something?" Selene muttered. They went back a long way, she knew Briar maybe more than she knew herself. Vidia glanced at her as they walked, a question in her expression. "Let's just keep walking," she said. They dropped the subject, walking in silence, thoughts too loud filling each of their heads. "Your father will be glad to see your back, Vee," Erik said, trying to break the tension. Vidia scoffed. "My father is probably glad I disappeared, Erik. I caused too much trouble in the castle when I was younger. Remember?" She mustered a smile remembering with nostalgia those fun times. Selene lifted her eyebrows. "I think I like you a little bit more now, Alpha's daughter," she said, but Vidia's smile turned to a thin line. She was tempted to argue and speak her mind about how she didn't trust the dryad, but shook her head and continued walking. "Should we be looking for tracks or something? To find Ariel?" Erik asked, shielding his eyes from the sun. They stopped for a second, and Vidia shook her head. "No. I doubt the Shadows would appear here. For one, it's too sunny for many shadows, and for another, why the heck would they just appear in Moonclaw territory?" She said. "Anyone else feeling that we're going the wrong way?" Selene said, hands on her hips. Briar lifted an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" Selene struggled to say what she was thinking. "Okay, say the three of you ran away from home, marooned in the human realm by yourselves with no werewolf around. Your father will be furious at you, obviously, but then you two also. You all would get in trouble together. What's to say they won't--what's the word--put you on house arrest??" Vidia exhaled sharply. "First off, we didn't run away. We were separated from the Pack during a hunt back on Earth. Second, we're thinking too much on our every move. Let's just do what we believe is right and continue forward, shall we?" Selene and Vidia glared at each other, but finally the young dryad looked away. "And I just hope we don't have to leave the two of them alone with each other." Erik mumbled to Briar, making her chuckle softly. Dryads didn't have acute hearing, but werewolves did, meaning Vidia heard their little comment and scowled. They continued walking in awkward silence, but the light breeze and the smell of spring removed some of the tension in each of them. Up ahead, where the trees broke away, the sun shone on the valley on the bottom, making the village glitter. Farther ahead was a huge stone castle, and Vidia slowed her step. "I did not miss that place." She mumbled. "Wait, something's off. Look at all the guards!" Briar whispered. Erik narrowed his eyes. "Why so many of them? Are we expecting an attack or something?" Vidia shook her head. "I don't think so...If we were expecting an attack, the magical barrier would've been put up. Also, you'd hear the rest of the people panicking, so, there's that." Selene paled. "What? What's wrong?" Briar asked her. "My people...my people have turned sides."
Alrighty, that's the end of this chapter! It was actually a very fun one to write and hope you all liked it as much as I did :D Don't forget to vote and/or leave a comment. (Oh, I'm also open to read opinions and such heehee). And happy reading!!