Lucas's POV
The air felt tense as we walked through the bushy pathway. The silence in the air was so loud, one wouldn't believe anything happened here. No tweet of birds, just the sound of the horse's hooves, crunching on dried leaves.
We reached a road with a T junction and I raised my hand, motioning for the rest to stop.
I dismounted my horse and looked around. This didn't feel right. There was no sign of anyone. If there was something wrong going on here, the noise that would come from here should be ear deafening.
Rex came down from his horse too and joined me.
" It seems as if I was right about the situation not being very serious. No one or nothing is here that could raise any cause for alarm". he said, scanning the area.
It did seem true, but I was not totally convinced. This scene seems a lot familiar, like an ambush prepared, quietly waiting for the right time to attack.
I heard a rustle in the trees a few yards ahead. Rex looked at me and I knew he heard it too.
Then in a flash, like the speed of light, an arrow sped towards us, which if I hadn't caught would have dug a fine hole in my chest. We had company!.
" Quickly, split up! and find who shot this . Bring anyone you see, dead or alive!" I shouted, feeling rushes of adrenaline pumping into my blood.
Rex joined the guards as they all spread out in different directions, the galloping of the horses raising dusts in the air.
I tied my horse securely to a tree and walked towards the sound we heard before. I was much faster than two horses combined so it would be best if I did it on foot.
I had walked a short distance before I heard it;. a soft, subtle whimper, coming from within some bushes. It sounded like the whimper of a wounded animal, like someone crying softly for help.
I used my hands to push away leaves and tall grasses that blocked my path as I approached the sound.
Then It came. That scent. The scent that sent electric shocks to my brain and I fell numb for some seconds.The rain had began to drizzle, making the whole place wet and muddy and the air having this mildew smell but I could smell it; that familiar scent that I could never forget, even in the grave.
Laila
The name came instantly to my head as I began to feel heavy rushes of nostalgia.
I was definitely sure this time it wasn't any animal, but a person. I quickened my steps but stopped when I saw her.
There she was, sitting against a tree trunk, an arrow stuck in her arm. She was bleeding furiously and the rain seemed to combine with her blood, making a small pool of red beneath her feet. She seemed to notice my presence because she stretched out her frail arm towards me.
"P..pls help me.." she stammered. My heart ached as I rushed up to her gathering her up in my hands, my eyes moist from tears.
"Laila..." I whispered. I didn't know the kind of emotions I was feeling but knew I could feel all at once. Pain went through my chest in heavy strokes, shock and disbelief combined made me feel a weird kind of weakness I've never felt before.
The lady looked up at me, agony in her crystal blue eyes as she held me tight, her hair flattened on her head by the rain. I could feel life slowly slipping out of her as she shivered heavily due to the cold.
" ..My head.." she muttered softly and lost consciousness. I pulled her closely to me as I took off my cloak and wrapped it around her
I could hear foot steps behind me and turned around to see Rex behind me.
" Alpha, we found two men behind the two rivers and we ....." he stopped, his jaw gapped open as he saw the person cradled in my arms. He stood there rooted to a point as if struck by lightning.
" is..is this who I think it is?!" he asked, shock in his voice, his eyes now fixed on the lady.
I sighed as I began walking away, my mind more cloudy that the dark sky with a lot of questions that needed urgent answers.