Chapter 9

...

Blake looked to Areya and she nodded, “Yes... my home.”

A look of peace flitted across Areya face. Blake was about to ask Areya what the Wood Elm was like when Callum's wind changer sounded a low tone. The clear sound was lower than Blake thought the small device was capable of making. A rumble grew quickly in the sky and then with a loud crack a brilliant flash of light filled the night sky and lightning struck the earth less than half a mile away.

“Amazing...” Callum said in wonder.

“Callum!!” Areya said through clenched teeth as another rumble began to grow in the sky.

“Right...” Callum said quickly changing the position of one of the sections.

As the rumble faded away with the sound and left the area silence, Blake couldn't help but chuckle at the extraordinary occurrence.

“For now...do you think we could stay with the wind?” Blake asked.

“I think that if I changed the section above and the third section below-” Callum said as if he didn't hear Blake.

“Callum.” Areya said in warning.

“Right, the wind.” He said, quickly and put the wind changer away.

Blake grinned as he settled himself down into his sleeping mat and onto his side.

_ _ _

Blake awoke before the rising of the sun the next morning. If he thought his muscles had been sore last night it was nothing compared to the stiffness and ache he felt this morning. He stretched his legs and arms as he sat up to a smiling Callum, who nodded to him.

“Good morning.” Callum said holding out a cup of steaming liquid.

Blake tried to thank him but his words came out in the form of the grunt as he took the cup.

He sat next to Callum and looked over to Areya. Her hair covered face and hid one of her eyes. She looked peaceful when she slept. He tried not to stare but found his eyes locked to her face as the sun began to give a deep red and pink light to the morning. She was beautiful when she was awake, just more serious. While she was asleep it was the same peaceful look she had had last night when Callum mentioned they would be in the Wood Elm by the end of today. Blake wondered if that was what she was dreaming about.

“You were talking in your sleep last night.” Callum said softly.

His words made him remember his own dreams last night. He had been searching into a dark forest. Strange noises flitted through the trees and shadows. Then a howl broke through the thick of the fog that seemed to permeate deep into his thoughts.

Run.

It had not been spoken but he moved as one with the person he was with. They sped through dark trees covered in moss, branches whipped at his face but he ignored their sting. Survival drove him. Then something tripped him and he fell, rolling as he tucked in his right shoulder and spun as he planted his knee into the moist soil, a sword already in his hand. He raised up off his knee to a low crouch the steel in his hand held diagnonally in front of him and a glowing dagger in his other hand held in reverse.

A set of solid glowing eyes appeared in the dark just yards in front of him. They sat there motionless, waiting. Then a beast, a great dark wolf like formed stalked into the faint silver light of the moon. It's eyes locked onto Blake's. A continuous threatening growl eminated from it and it's hackles were raised wickedly.

It happened almost too fast for Blake to comprehend what happened. The creature lunged, it's great opened jaws intent on wringing the life from him. He leaned precisely to the side at the last moment, twisted the sword and thrust it into the beast and the weight of it brought them both the ground. Tears poured from his eyes. But not his eyes. It was then that Blake realised he was not himself that he had never been with some one. He had been some one else.

Once, twice he drove the glowing dagger into the creature but it's life was already gone. There was no saving it, and then he understood the reason for the tears. He had never meant to kill the dark wolf. He had wanted to save it from something. Behind him stood a thick and old tree. After withdrawing the sword and wiping it clean along with the knife. He climbed the tree, tears still streaming down his face.

My fault... it's my fault.

The words had kept whispering through his mind. The dream faded and he had dreampt of other things. But this was the one he remembered.