[Avira]
My heart lurched violently against my ribs at the sudden deafening sound that broke through the early morning silence. Even though I had spent the last few minutes waiting for it, its arrival had caught me by surprise, and caused me to flinch.
I was squatting behind the shrub from last night, and peering at the men guarding the borderline, and Dylan, well, he made that sound.
I was waiting for every last man to leave the border in search of whoever it was that made the sound but they weren't leaving or making any move to. They were shocked and alerted alright, but they weren't moving.
Dylan's plan was to lure them away from the borderline with the loud noise, thereby providing me a free passage through, but the men guarding the borderline would not move, and as I watched them from behind the shrub, I felt a mixture of fear and impatience crawling into me.
The deafening sound came on again, this time it was louder than the first, and a sharp cry followed a little while later.
"I have seen Avira!" The voice called, and for a slight second, I froze in fear, looking around me. When the voice sounded again, I listened closely, and then breathed in relief when I realized that it was Dylan's voice. He must have thought of luring the men away from the borderline with his voice when the blaring sound did not make them move.
I watched with relief, as they scurried out of sight, towards the direction where Dylan's voice had sounded from. Their movements were fast and calculated, with only a few seconds to grab their weapons. Soon the borderline was clear, and I stepped out of hiding, breathing heavily in fear.
I ignored the numerous what if questions which seemed to play and replay in my head, and for everything worth saving and living for in my life, I ran. I ran as fast as my human feet could carry me towards the borderline, I ran for the will to survive until I got to it, I ran with every strength I had. The only thought I entertained as I ran was survival against all odds.
I did not stop running even after I crossed the border to the other side which belonged to an enemy pack. I continued to run, ignoring the pain in my leg which had increased and my chest which seemed like it was about to go up in flames.
When I eventually stopped running some long minutes later, I was breathless, and panting hard. My chest wheezed, with every breath I dragged in and out of my lungs. I could not keep standing so I laid down on the ground, and for the second time since I was wrongly accused, I cried.
This time it was not a silent sob, even though it was not a wail as well but I cried as much as I wanted to without the fear of being caught. The pack's warriors or the other members of the pack wouldn't dare cross the border, and come to this side, and so I was safe, well, I was safe from the pack but not entirely from the enemy pack who doesn't want anything to do with any member of Moonfire pack.
Dylan should be here anytime soon, I thought as the tears continued to seep from my eyes, but I suddenly remembered that Dylan would not be coming anytime soon or at all. If he waited for the men guarding the borderline to come to him, like I was sure he did, he wouldn't be able to leave, at least not before they would find me.
I was still breathing heavily, mostly through my mouth, and placing my hand on my chest to subdue the pain that rose in the inside of my chest at intervals.
It was still dark even though I was pretty sure we were already in the early hours of the next day, and while my breathing calmed down gradually, I began to think about my next move while wishing Dylan would arrive soonest. He had to arrive. I had nowhere else to go, nor did I have the courage to walk into a strange pack to start all over. I wasn't sure, but the damn necklace around my neck seemed like I would have a hard time settling into another pack.
Quickly, I raised the hood of Dylan's cloak in a futile attempt to hide the damn necklace. Futile because even though the necklace was covered at the back, the front wasn't, and only the darkness was what prevented it from showing right now.
"Stand up, and turn around slowly," A voice commanded suddenly, interrupting my thoughts and making me flinch all at once.
I stood up. There was a man, probably a warrior of this pack. He was holding a club, and brandishing it towards my direction. While I turned around slowly and fearfully, I noticed that there were more of them, and that I was surrounded.
"Who are you?" One of the men asked.
"And where have you come from?" A third man asked. Okay, gentlemen, I said in my head. One question at a time.
"My name is Avira," I said with a shaky voice. "I'm from…" I paused, not sure whether or not to be truthful about where I had come from. What if I tell them the truth, and they send me back to Moonfire pack? What if they dwell on the enmity that exists between them and Moonfire pack, and kill me instead?
"Where the hell have you come from?" One of the men barked, and I flinched. It seemed there'll be no end to my flinching today.
"I'm from…" I started to say but another voice absorbed mine.
"She's with me." The voice said, and I looked towards the direction where the voice had sounded from.
"Dylan! " I called, once I recognized him, and raced towards him, ignoring the men who stared at me in surprise.
I reached Dylan, and without thinking, I pulled him into a warm embrace, relieved to see him. His presence was a guarantee that I was safe.
"It's Dylan," one of the warriors called, and I raised an eyebrow. There was a strange familiarity in the way the warrior had called his name, and the way the others had shot him a look.
This was his pack after all!
One of the warriors, who I suspected to be the leader of the group, walked towards Dylan and I with a sudden briskness. For a moment, I feared he was coming to challenge Dylan into a fight, but he stopped a few feet from us, and with his chin slightly raised, he addressed Dylan.
"Thank you so much for saving my brother's life," he said, while I looked on in confusion. Dylan shrugged but said nothing. His hand was wrapped unconsciously around my waist but I was too confused about what was going on to care, plus I kinda liked the feel of his hand around my waist.
I raised my head to look Dylan in the eye but my movement seemed to remind him that his hand was still wrapped around my waist so he withdrew his hand.
Maybe I should have stayed put, I said in my head as I licked my lower lip to hide my disappointment.
"How is he?" Dylan asked, moving away from me.
"He is fine, all thanks to you," the warrior replied. "Whatever you seek, just say the word." He offered.
"Thank you," Dylan replied. "We'll only need to pass through your territory." He added. I immediately corrected my previous assertion that this was his pack.
"But we'll need to be directed on the way to go, please." He added after a few seconds pause. It was as if he was contemplating between asking for a favour or not.
"Very well, I will take you to the borders myself." The warrior offered, and motioned for the others to continue with guard keeping.
The warrior led the way towards the North, with Dylan closely behind him while I trailed after them with my left hand clutching the necklace through the fabric of the cloak in a vain effort to hide my awkwardness.