Chapter 21: Betrayal
"You’ll be our mighty guardian, then," Lucien said gently, brushing a hand along the fawn’s soft fur. It nuzzled him in response, tail flicking excitedly. Lucien felt a glare land on him though, and he turned around to see the wolf pup glare at him.
The path slowly changed underfoot—from moss and root to firmer earth, then cobbled remnants of an old patrol road. The forest thinned. Sunlight trickled through the canopy in golden shafts. Birds sang again. The weight of near-death slowly began to lift.
Lucien took a long breath.
"Selene... do you think we’re close?"
Before she could answer, the fawn perked up.
"Wait! I hear something!" it whispered, lowering its head dramatically as though it were stalking prey.
Lucien and Selene froze.
"This way." The fawn pranced forward excitedly. Lucien and Selene looked at each other doubtfully then rushed after the fawn. As they ran Lucien finally picked something in his senses.
From beyond the next rise, the rhythmic clank of armor echoed through the trees—measured, disciplined. Not the chaotic stampede of Reynard’s men.
Lucien surged forward with new urgency mixed with caution. Ahead he saw a clearing in the forest and beyond that, a familiar road.
Lucien finally burst into the road after the fawn. it was deceptively fast for its small size, being even faster than him by a lot.