The Hunter’s Dance

Sophia had just taken down one Enclave warrior when another tried to attack her from the side, using the blizzard as cover. She didn’t see him coming, but she didn’t need to. Brynhild’s sword went through the enemy immediately, the blade piercing his chest before he could even raise his weapon. The warrior crumpled to the ground, his eyes still wide with shock.

Sophia turned toward Brynhild, a quick nod of thanks passing between them before they both moved on.

Then an arrow landed at Sophia’s feet.

She paused, her gaze dropping to the shaft embedded in the snow. A small piece of parchment was attached to it. She bent down, pulled it free, and unfolded it quickly.

The message was brief.

Victoria has stepped out.

Sophia’s expression shifted immediately, and even her body language changed enough for Brynhild to notice.

“What is the matter?” Brynhild asked.

Sophia turned toward her. “Victoria has finally stepped out.”

Caspian, who had been listening nearby, groaned loudly as he tried to stretch, though Sophia doubted that would do anything to help his back.

For someone who complained almost every second about how much his back hurt, he did exceptionally well when it came to taking down Enclave warriors.

“Does she even know how to fight?” he asked with a frown. “I don’t remember her fighting when our pack was first destroyed.”

Sophia frowned. “I don’t recall her ever picking up a sword.”

“But that’s not the issue.” She glanced toward the battlefield. “This works in our favour. And if the woman now knows how to fight, then the outcome doesn’t change.”

Caspian stabbed a Virelop that had been creeping toward them, the blade piercing through its small body. It shrieked and fell, its red eyes dimming.

At the same time, Sophia stabbed a warrior who thought he had managed to sneak up on her.

Caspian pulled his spear free and looked at her.

“I don’t know if I’ve told you before, but I like you a lot.”

Sophia smiled back, the expression brief but genuine.

Then they heard a hiss.

It was very close.

Perhaps too close.

The sound was unmistakable. It cut through the howling wind, sending a chill down their spines.

Brynhild moved first.

Her form blurred before the black wolf took over, Yuma lunging toward the source of the sound without hesitation.

Sophia followed, her blades already drawn.

Caspian was right behind them, his spear ready.

The Trihydra emerged from the trees like a nightmare given form.

Its three heads swayed independently, each one hissing with venomous intent. Its scales gleamed like polished obsidian, and its eyes burned with a feral light.

Yuma didn’t slow.

She launched herself onto the beast’s back, her claws digging into its scales as she climbed toward the nearest head. The Trihydra thrashed violently, trying to throw her off, but Yuma held firm.

Caspian drove his spear into the beast’s tail, pinning it to the ground.

The Trihydra hissed even louder, becoming more feral as its heads whipped toward him, but Caspian refused to let go.

Yuma bit down on the first head, her jaws clamping around its throat. The beast released something akin to a war cry, its other two heads snapping toward her.

One lunged.

Before it could reach her, Sophia threw a dagger directly into its eye.

The blade struck true.

The head recoiled with a deafening screech.

Just then, arrows flew through the air, piercing the last head’s eyes in quick succession.

The Trihydra convulsed.

Its enormous body shuddered violently before finally collapsing into the snow.

Ronan stepped forward, his bow still drawn and a smile on his face despite everything happening around them. Several pack warriors stood behind him.

“I knew it was you guys.”

The Trihydra collapsed completely.

Caspian drove his spear into the two remaining heads. There was no need for the last one, since Yuma had already torn it apart.

“There’s no time to celebrate,” Sophia said.

Brynhild shifted back, her human form emerging from the black wolf.

Just then, several Enclave warriors attacked them.

It was almost as though they had been waiting for the opportunity to surround them.

The Nightshade warriors didn’t hesitate.

Sophia, Ronan, and Caspian all joined the fight.

Ronan moved through the warriors with fluid precision, alternating between his sword and bow. One warrior went down, his eyes wide with disbelief.

“How… how do you…” he started, but his words turned into a gurgle as blood spilled from his mouth.

Ronan smiled at him.

“You’ll never know.”

He pulled his sword free and immediately turned toward the next attacker.

The battle around them continued without pause.

—

Meanwhile, Daniel was surrounded by even more warriors.

They circled him, their numbers growing with every passing moment. One thing the members of the Nightshade Pack were beginning to learn about the Enclave warriors was that they rejoiced too early, among their many other flaws.

And right now, facing Daniel, they believed they had the upper hand.

They thought that no matter how strong he was, they could take him down with their numbers.

They couldn’t have been further from the truth.

The first sign that they had made a serious miscalculation was the spear that took out three of them without stopping.

The blade cut through them as though they were nothing, and all three fell before they even understood what had happened.

As if that wasn’t enough, there was someone else with an axe that looked almost bigger than she was, cutting through the Enclave warriors with brutal efficiency.

Arrows rained down on them too.

And then there was a woman who fought with a bow.

She was an archer, yet she was right in the middle of them, using her bow and arrows at close range instead of hiding somewhere behind the battlefield like most archers would.

How could these people fight like this?

The Enclave warriors couldn’t understand it.

What annoyed them most was how young some of these warriors looked.

The person with the spear couldn’t even be twenty.

Neither could the girl with the axe.

They looked around the same age.

Yet their movements were precise, coordinated, and deadly.

It was as if they had been training for this for years.

Daniel turned toward them.

“It took you long enough.”

The girl with the axe looked at him.

“Dren said we should wait.”

Dren nodded, his spear still dripping with blood.

“Cat was also in agreement. We knew you could take them down.”

“Me too,” Rhea added.

Daniel’s lips curved into a faint smile.

A warrior suddenly tried to attack Dren from behind.

Daniel’s sword flew through the air and embedded itself in the warrior’s head.

The body crumpled to the ground.

Dren glanced at the fallen warrior before looking back at Daniel who walked over, pulled his sword free, and looked toward the remaining enemies.

Another warrior charged.

Daniel blocked the attack before twisting his wrist and sending the man’s sword flying from his hand. He caught the weapon as it fell, turning it in his grip before driving it through another warrior who had been approaching from the side.

The man collapsed.

Daniel tossed the borrowed sword aside.

“More action, less talking,” he said.

His gaze shifted toward Dren.

“Finish the warriors off.”

Dren moved immediately.

His spear flashed through the snow, striking true.

Rhea raised her bow again, her fingers already reaching for another arrow, while Cat tightened her grip on the massive axe.

Around them, the blizzard continued to rage.

The Enclave warriors were still numerous but that wouldn’t stop the hunters after all.