Warriors of Blue moon

Two weeks later..

I sat on a high cliff overlooking an empty gorge, clouds filled the sky as I picked at my food, when I let out an annoyed sigh realizing, I’d ate the entire pouch and I was still hungry. Over the last couple of days I’d noticed my appetite coming back, so I’d spend most of the day’s walking around with an empty stomach! These damn pouches were only good as a snack and here I am using them as meals... I have never in my life gotten by on such little food that I could feel my wolf getting restless and hear her whining for something that could sustain us and let us sleep on a night with a full and satisfied stomach, not to mention she was moaning to be let out for a run, but I was still on edge about any rogues that may be lurking around.

I still didn’t feel confident enough yet just to walk and run around freely without my guard being up and listening out for every sound and watching for anything that moved. I had to keep telling her off and reminding her we weren’t ready yet or prepared if we got attacked out of the blue. I stuffed my empty pouch in my bag and looked to see what food I had left and to my disappointment I only had two pouches of tuna and a couple of pots of dried fruits and those damned fruits did nothing to fill my belly. I knew then that I’d have to get the courage to let go and put all my efforts into hunting rather than watching for enemies. I chucked the food back in the bag and flung my head back in annoyance, trying to coax myself into remembering I’m a warrior I am more than capable of hunting and I should at least be keeping myself fed otherwise as each day passes my chance of survival will plummet and I wouldn’t last a couple of months let alone two years.

I need food, proper food and as I thought of food my mind clicked with images of my mum and all the wonderful food she’d always cook and the smell of our kitchen, no matter what time of day it was our kitchen always smelt of food, but fresh home cooked food, the thought made my stomach rumble and I let out another deep groan. Thoughts flickered to my family then and what they might be doing right now. I looked into my bag and dug out my phone from the bottom of it and turned it on...of course out here there’s no signal and even if there was it’s not like I could contact them it was forbidden as part of a banishment, no contact was allowed, but seeing the no signal bars on my phone just hit me even more at how cut off I was from civilization, from my old life.

I went straight to my photos just wanting to see their faces, when to my surprise the first picture that came up was actually of me and Layton, that day we were on the field together, and what I didn’t know at the time would turn out to be the worst day of my life, the one that got me here. We were both smiling... well actually laughing, our smiles were big and wide, and we both looked really happy. My face was looking at the phone to take the picture, Layton’s face was actually on me as we were both led on the grass with a big pure smile on his face. My mood changed as I frowned at the picture of us, at how he could go from that to banishing me only two days later! I shook my head in anger and swiped past the photo to one of my sisters in their little ballet costumes and I smiled, how much I’m going to miss their little characters and sweet little smiles.

I flicked through a few more when I got to one of me with all the girls on our last shopping trip. We were sat at a cocktail bar in the sun, all smiling happily. I needed them so much right now, even just for a moment, just for them to give me a big hug and words of encouragement. To spur me on and remind me I could do it, I could be strong, I knew if they were here, they’d say all the right things to make me feel like I could take on the world. the aching urge to see them brought a tear to my eye, then another, and then a few more came until they were flowing like streams and dripping down my face.

I wiped my nose and sniffled, turning off my phone I shoved it down to the bottom of my bag again. It was probably a bad idea to look at the photos in the first place, it’s not as if looking at them would make me miss them any less, but I feel so alone out here and the need to see them took over. I thought about how they’re coping… are they missing me as much? or have they just accepted it and got on with it? I’m going to miss so much of their lives while I’m here, like Maisie’s wedding, and if Dakota and Sam stay together, who knows what they’ll be in two years… married, planning a family? and who knows if Lola would still even be in that pack, she still hasn’t met a mate yet or a chosen one and she’s so career driven who knows where that’ll take her, she always dreamed of working and living somewhere like Italy or Bulgaria, what if by then she’s gone by the time I return? In two years all their lives would have carried on, everything would be different for them, whilst mine… well mine would be the same as I left it… I’d turn up in two years exactly the same with the same prospects I had when I left. What if I go back and I’m crazy happy to see everyone, but everyone’s been so busy living their lives that they eventually forgot about me?

I wiped away my tears and tried to stifle any more from falling, I felt completely and utterly deflated right now. I grabbed my bag and climbed up the nearest tree I could find, not bothering to make sure it would hide me well, I just climbed till I got to the top and flopped down on a large trunk, I looked out ahead trying to compose myself, but I could feel it all there, in my throat and brimming in my eyes. I could feel all the hurt, anger and woe pushing to get to the surface. I pulled my knees into my chest, hid my face into my knees and just let myself sob. I let it all come out till I was crying out loud, forgetting the possibility of being heard. I had to get it out, I had to let myself feel the pain that was deep inside as like my mum would always say ”bottled up emotions can change a person, and usually in a bad way”.

I don’t know how long I cried for, but I do know the sun was lowering in the sky and my eyes were so sore and my head felt heavy, I had given myself a migraine and the appetite I had earlier, diminished. Although I had no more tears left to cry, I still felt low and alone.

I woke up around midday from what I could tell from the suns position, even though I was so tired last night I still didn’t sleep properly, my body was still alert to everything around me but my eyes still felt so sore I decided not to get up at first light and just sleep through the morning but now the sun was shining right onto my face and the branches and leaves were rustling loudly in the wind, It was impossible for me to be able to get more sleep.

I ate the last of my food as my stomach was growling at me in hunger and so was my wolf, I could feel she was just as sad as I was, but she still wanted to get out and roam the forest and I wanted to cheer her up. I finished my food, pulled my bag on and got down from the tree. I made my way across the cliff edge in the opposite direction that I came and followed it down back into the forest but this side of the forest was covered more in thick clusters of trees, although there were many before, now it was as if they were practically sat on top of one another, which made me feel even more wary as now I couldn’t see as very far around me, I couldn’t see past the trees but I made my way through anyway and tried to pay more attention to all the birds that were singing to try and relax as I wondered how many different types of birds I was listening to.

A few hours passed and I tried to keep an eye out for fresh water, I only had a few drops left in my canister and I’d need more soon especially before it got dark, so I kept moving, perking my ears up to attention to listen out for the sound of a small waterfall or a stream, when a sudden scuff in the distance made me suddenly stop still in my place. I turned my head slightly to the right, in the direction I heard the noise, while keeping my eyes and ears peeled… I inhaled quietly and I could sense something new. I’d been smelling the forest for two weeks now and I knew this smell was different. The sound of a twig snap to my left caught my attention and I quickly veered my head and looked in that direction, scanning each spot, but cause of the many trees it was hard to see much, but the smell was still there, a damp moldy smell..

“rogues” my wolf whispered in my head as she growled

My heart lurched in alarm ”I thought it might be, don’t worry I can smell it”

"there’s more than one, I can sense it, watch your back Lelanna”

Shit! I voiced in my head as my heart rate started to quicken and my body tensed, at that, I slid off my bag and lowered down on one knee and took a dagger out of my sheath and held it firmly in my hand while using my other hand to slowly draw out my sword. I kept myself firm on the ground and my eyes scanned my surroundings, making sure not to make a sound myself so I could pick up their movement. Just then I caught a shadow flash past the trees in front of me. I gripped my weapons and gulped... this is it… stay strong.. I blew out a long breath and took control of my body bidding it to feel strong and steady. I heard another movement from my right and from what I could sense there were two of them, but hopefully only two.

I heard a menacingly deep chuckle from in front of me and just then a tall lanky tanned man slowly and arrogantly walked out from behind the trees. He had an evil smile on his face and what looked to be shagged shirt and trousers, which both looked stained with mud and blood.

“What do we have here?” he snarled.

"Back off and I won’t hurt you" I said firmly and I stared at him hard

“Ohh she looks tasty" another voice came from my right as a rather too skinny man came out from his hiding place, his eyes full of hunger as he licked his lips, practically drooling while he took me in.. ”she’s got meat on her, look at her” he said getting excited as he looked to his friend “she’s fleshy, she’s gonna feed us up well and good” his eyes bulged as he eyed my legs that were only covered in shorts. ”Those legs alone will keep us full for the night” he grinned wickedly as he was practically jumping in his spot looking from me to his friend.

"now, now Coal, let’s not rush, we’ll get to that in a moment” he walked slowly a few steps then stopped as his eyes focused on me ”you’re a pretty thing aren’t you?" then he lifted his nose in the air and inhaled deeply ”mmmm, she smells good, she’s definitely not a full rogue...I think we have a newbie on our hands Coal”

"What?... I don’t care Zan I just want to fuckin eat, I’m starving”

"oh but if we just eat her.. think of what we’d miss.. she looks too good just to eat” He eyed me all over as he grazed his tongue across his teeth

"STAY.THE.FUCK.AWAY.FROM.ME” I commanded, keeping my voice strong and confident.

“Ohh” he chuckled “but why would we do that? You don’t understand little miss, we don’t get pretty ones like you around here and I know I’ll enjoy it very much to fuck a pretty little thing like you before I feast on you”

A shiver went down my spine and I felt sickened at his words.. if I don’t win against these two, it won’t be just a quick death, it’ll be them ruining and torturing me first all for their sick pleasure and that felt like a worse scenario than just dying quickly and being their meal.

“my cock is already getting excited at the thought of fucking a fresh pretty, fleshy girl like you” His hand went to his pants as he rubbed it against himself

"Zan.. come on, let’s just get her, we can fuck her and eat her… stop talking man and lets just get on with it already… I want to fuckin EAAATT” he shouted impatiently. As his eagerness took over and he dashed toward me, but his impulsiveness just made him predictable, as he lunged at me I swivelled on my knee to the left and swiped my sword across his stomach, hearing the slice of his flesh and feeling the pressure of it against my sword as his blood sprayed over my hand and my skin it made my heart jump but I knew this was life or death and I couldn’t let it falter me as my adrenaline took over,

"You fuckin bitch” he growled as he fell forward on the floor gripping at his stomach “THE FUCKIN BITCH SLICED ME” he yelled to his friend who was just stood watching but his sneer had been replaced with anger, he growled loudly and started to run toward me. I stayed on my knee and held my sword toward him but at the last minute when he tried to dodge my sword, I swung it to the side and bought my dagger round sticking it into his leg, dodged his attack and came off my knee into a quick stance making him fall past me.. “AHHHHH” he yelled in anger he turned to face me seething in anger and bolted toward me again, I stood firm on my feet and kept my sword and dagger ready trying to cut him but he moved quicker this time dodging each strike of my sword, but I was quick too as I swerved each punch he swung at me and every time he tried to tackle me I’d jump and twist out of his way. he was wearing himself out quicker than I was, and I could see him getting more pissed every time he missed me.

“GET THE FUCKING BITCH ZAN..WE’LL MAKE HER PAY"

I stayed focused on Zan as I knew Coal wouldn’t be able to get up and move to me without me noticing, he was already bleeding a lot. Zan lunged at me again and this time he caught hold of the blade of my sword and pulled it jolting my arm and bringing me forward off of my feet, I flung and fell to the floor, as he laughed “I GOT YOU NOW BITCH”

I quickly rolled into my back as he came toward me, he jumped to land on top of me and as he did I pulled my arm up to his torso and he landed right onto my dagger, I felt it jam deep through his chest, as he looked at me his eyes went wide and blood started to spill out of his mouth, I dug the dagger in deeper as I looked at him in disgust,

“You bastards make me sick" I said through my teeth ”I told you to stay away from me”. I twisted the dagger, then pushed his body up and off of me with my hands still on it, I pulled it out then slammed it back into him but this time piercing his heart.

“NO” shouted coal “NOO YOUR GONNA FUCKIN DIE NOW YOU WHORE” he got up barely stable on his feet as his blood trickled onto the mud. He tried to make his way to me and as he staggered I pulled the dagger out of Zan and threw it hard at coal, the blade went right into his head causing him to stumble back then fall to the ground, his body spasmed as I made my way over to him, I knelt down and pulled out the dagger from his head. His eyes rolled into the back of his head, and he was gone. I quickly looked back to Zan and all the blood pooled around him and I could see he too was dead. The forest fell silent again as I puffed and panted noticing my hands had begun to shake.

"You did it” my wolf whispered ”you saved us Lelanna”

"Fuck”, I choked out as I started to rapidly blink. I looked at the bodies and it hit me what I had just done ”I’ve just killed two people” I gasped as I looked to my hands to see them covered in blood and that’s when I noticed practically my whole chest and legs were splattered with their blood.

"lelanna you had to, you know what they would have done if you didn’t fight hard... if you lost they would have tortured us and we would have died needlessly! what sort of way is that to go Lelanna? You did what you had to do”

I nodded my head in agreement as I tried to catch my breath ”I know, I know… I’m just... I think I’m in shock”

“It’s ok lelanna... just take a minute”

I sat down to calm my breathing and to let my body calm down and stop shaking from all the adrenaline.

After a few minutes I got up and I knew I had to move from here and fast there was so much blood it would surely attract more rogues and most likely be more than two cause the thought of food right here on offer would attract many and I didn’t want to be here when they found it. I grabbed my stuff and ran as fast as my legs could go and I didn’t stop, I ran jumping over logs and dodging trees, I don’t even know what direction I’m going at this point I just knew I had to keep going.

I Eventually came to a clear shallow stream, “Yesss” I quickly filled up my canister. took off my bag and undid my sheath, took off my boots and I went into the water and led down in it letting it wash over me, I scrubbed blood off my arms and legs and my hair till I felt I couldn’t get any more off. Luckily most of it had but my fingers were a deep pink and there was blood stained on my clothes. I went to my bag and took out another pair of shorts and a khaki strap top and got dressed. I grabbed my clothes from the floor and chucked the top in some bushes, but my shorts were only stained on the bottom of the right leg, so I tore the stained parts and tied them around the strap of my bag to dry. I put my sheath back on, got up ready to move. I ran and jumped over the stream to the other side and kept running..

After a couple of hours it was starting to grow dark and I needed to eat. Maybe fighting those rogues gave me a new boost in confidence cause now I felt ready to hunt. I placed my bag next to a tree and got down low to the ground and waited for something to catch my eye.

It only took a few minutes when a rabbit, good in size hopped a few yards in front of me, I slowly and quietly moved forward still keeping my body low to the ground, I grabbed it from the scruff of its neck and sliced its throat.. I have to admit I felt worse killing the poor rabbit than I did killing those rogues! I spotted some high rocks and went to the top and started a small fire, I quickly cooked my rabbit and stomped the fire out and ran, I didn’t want to be caught from the smell of the cooked meat. After running a little longer, I stopped and sat against a cliff wall so I only had to keep eyes on what was in front of me. I scoffed the rabbit down, it was the best thing I’ve eaten since being here. My stomach actually felt full after and my wolf was happier and more settled too and so was I.