Board Thread:Short Stories and Fanfictions/@comment-47.144.239.92-20190927210232/@comment-43957690-20191030183740

Chapter 21:

Lihn's POV

'''It was getting dark, and as they finally stepped onto what appeared to be the other side of the canyon. LIhn's legs were aching, and she felt like she might faint.'''

'''They'd been walking for four hours. The others had begged her to take a break, but she kept going. And so did they. Lihn had promised herself that she wouldn't stop walking till they found something. But as the sun sank behind the forest canopy, she colapsed.'''

'''Lihn heard the thuds of her friends falling to their knees, and the groans. '''

'''"So, can we just... camp here for the night?" Marella's voice was weak sounding.'''

'''"We can take two hours to sleep, but then we have to keep going. Remember, we can't be gone for more than a day, and we don't know how mutch farther we have to walk." Dex told her. '''

'''"I'm just going to hail my dad ant tell him Fitz and I are spending the night at Sophie's." Biana mumbled.'''

'''"I wouldn't." Dex yawned. "Sophie's gone, too, remember?"'''

'''Lihn layed herself down on the ground, not wanting to close her eyes, not wanting to give in to rest while Tam was still in danger. Those words he'd said to her, while she'd been in his mind, they were weighing on her.'''

'''Night spread over the forest, but Lihn had learned not to be afraid of the dark. '''

'''Slow breathing and the occasional snore informed Lihn that the others were asleep. She got up, brushing the filth from her tunic and stretching, preparing to walk. '''

'''She wasn't going to stray far... she just wanted to be alone with the darkness. Her foot treads were noiseless, even over the crunchy leaves that flaked over the ground, and she slipped into the night.'''

'''Lihn didn't know how far she'd walked, when she heard a sob. She froze, holding her breath. It came again, from in front of her, behind a wall of forest. Lihn edged closer to where the noise wsa coming from. Peeking through the foliage, she saw a shiluette of someone bent over on their knees. '''

'''"Please." They groaned. "You don't understand. They're my family."'''

'''And then someone stepped out of the trees in front of the figure, shrouded in a hood. "Something must be done. They are too great assets to the Moonlark, and they are too close to discovering the truth." Lihn recognized the voice as that of Lady Gisela. '''

'''"Just take them hostage, or anything, just not THIS." the figure on the ground was bowing down, begging.'''

"When you joined us, you promised that affection for your family would not hinder your ability to serve.  Now I'm asking you to serve, and I think you may have lied to me, Alvar."

'''"I'll do anything! Anything else!" Alvar cried.'''

'''"Yes," Gisela said coldly. "You will."  The woman made a beckoning gesture, and from behind her, another cloaked figue melted out fo the shadows. Lihn's heart skipped a beat. Tam?'''

"Shade," Gisela said to Tam, still looking down at Alvar, "Show this spoiled brat what real pain feels like."

'''And then Tam grasped the shadows around him,  they ripped like black silk in the night. He raised them up to his chest, and thrust his hands out, sending the darkness through the air, and into Alvar. '''

'''A writhing, shuttering scream peirced the night. '''

And Lihn ran with all her strength back to the others, tears streaming down her face.