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To Court the Fèidh

Chapter Nine

© Cederwyn Whitefurr

6th October, 2021

All Rights Reserved.

Afterwards, whilst Alexander slept, Fianna slipped out of his grasp, giving him a gentle kiss on the cheek, before she stepped away and in less than a heartbeat of time, her feral form swept over her and she vanished into the woods – driven by her need to find sustenance and water.

Oblivious, both Anthro and Feral had no idea the Hunter's were in the woods – until for her – their intent was less than pleasant...

*

So hungry! Fianna's mind told her.

She did not need her mind to tell her she was hungry, the ache in her stomach and the growling, bubbling noises would have been sufficient. Cropping at a patch of fresh leaves, she moved from that to some delicious grass and still that didn't satiate her.

Something, berries, mushrooms, anything! He mind told her.

Wandering randomly, she moved further and further afield, drinking from freshwater streams and searching for some wild berries that she knew would be just the ticket to take the edge off her hunger.

Taking a step through a thicket, she paused and quietly set her upraised cloven hoof down as she watched a young doe and her fawn grazing in the near distance. Sending her thoughts out, she brushed up against the mind of both, whose heads snapped up and they stared at her – ears forwards and eyes staring.

“Be at peace, children of the forest - “ Fianna smiled and nodded to them.

Suddenly, the doe uttered a frightened bark and she fled, the fawn racing after her as best it could.

What frightened them? Fianna pondered, then opened herself wide to the magicks of the woods – yet it was eerily silent...

*

Their leashes held, the war hounds smelt the fur, flesh and blood of the Whitetails, the scent nearly driving them mad as they'd been starved for days and the scent of fresh venison was almost enough to break their handlers control over them.

“Wait..." Come a voice from their leader. “Look over there – do you see that? It..."

He drew his dagger, then sliced across his palm, letting the blood drip to the forest floor as he closed his eyes and muttered in an arcane language. As his eyes opened, he saw no longer the mundane world, but the magickal and he stared at the feral like red deer doe, before a cruel, vicious smile spread over his face.

“Found her..."

Silently, the others held their positions, as their leader whispered more incantations, laying a dangerous trap for the unsuspecting Fianna...

*

Why is the forest so silent... Fianna thought, as she pulled some sweet leaves from an oak tree sapling and chewed them, her ears flicking forwards and backwards. There were no birds, no movement in the underbrush – not even a hint of wind – it was like nature itself was holding its breath for some reason...

Oblivious, Fianna continued grazing, walking out into the clearing and following the sweet scent of ripe blueberries that drew her like a magnet...

Danger... Come a whisper, shy and furtive, then it was gone.

Danger? From what...who...

Something made the fur at the back of her neck prickle and Fianna's ears rotated quickly, as she struggled to place any sound or scent or...

No scent...not even that of the forest and...

Suddenly, Fianna screamed as a crossbow bolt slammed into her right shoulder, nearly burying itself to the feather fletching.

With a Cervid scream of agony and fear, Fianna dropped to her knees as her leg gave way.

Silver! Her mind screamed at her.

More crossbows flew – two more striking her rear leg and another notching her ear. Agony built on agony, as she kicked and thrashed wildly, consumed with the sickening pain that paralysed her.

Pull it out – now!

Fianna gripped the shaft with her teeth and tore the one from her shoulder free – then with a moan, she tried to twist herself to grip the one in her hind leg. Snarls and barks reached her ears and her eyes widened as she saw the six war hounds barrelling towards her.

Get up, run!

Fianna struggled to her hooves and she screamed as the movement drove the silver head of the bolt deeper. Trying to draw on the Magicks of the forest, she found herself truly cut off from it as black magick ensnared her. Tendrils of it swirled up out of the ground, gripping her ankles and flowing like oil up her shins, her thighs...

Screaming, Fianna struggled and fought again it, her own magicks flaring with a brilliant emerald green light as it sought to combat the magicks that threatened to completely paralyse her.

“Go, now – whilst she's distracted! Remember, he wants her alive!"

Hounds danced and flashed in, their powerful and sharp teeth searing through fur and flesh – one even tearing at her rear leg. Instinctively, Fianna lashed out and there was a loud, sickening crunch of bones and the dog yelped and rolled a dozen paces away – then shuddered and did not get up.

Humans, dressed in chain mail that sparkled and shone, quickly surrounded Fianna. Some held lances tipped with deadly silver, others had swords and one – presumably their leader – approached with a unsheathed dagger and blood dripping from his hand.

What manner of magick is this that can bind one of the Fèidh?

“Surrender beast, for you have no choice – you may fight, you will suffer if you choose so, for you know who and what we are – we are of the Order, and hereby claim dominion over you! You are a beast and..."

There was a brilliant explosion of emerald green fire and Fianna's magicks shattered the black magicks that had bound her. With frightening speed, she charged their lines and swept past one – her two hind hooves smashing into his back with a loud snap. Blood sprayed from his mouth as she crushed his ribs, his body dead before it hit the forest floor. Fianna screamed as she felt the frog on both hooves burn like someone had dipped them in acid.

Silver on their armour as well!

Staggering, Fianna felt her legs falter then she fell heavily. Quickly, the surviving humans closed in on her and as she screamed and trashed, willing her body to stand and fight.

“Foolish little Therian..." Snarled their leader. “You think you can outlast us? We have hunted and taken your kind thousands of times!"

“Think me..." Fianna shot back, her rage building as the eldritch emerald green magicks flared. “A Therian? What Therian knows..."

Fianna drew on her rage, forcing herself to stand, even though the sickening pain from the silver drove ever deeper into her. Using her magicks, Fianna snarled and the very forest heeded her cries. Trees grew and almost looked d like they were alive, as they moved and reached out, ensnaring human arms, legs, whatever they could, then snapping bones and rending flesh apart like it was nothing.

Dogs screamed and howled as roots rose up out of the forest loam and wound over, through and around them, dragging their screaming forms down into the earth itself.

Panting, her body soaked with sweat and the agony of the silver as it poisoned her, Fianna struggled to stay on her hooves.

With a disgusted sneer, the leader merely stood before her – unharmed by the magicks she had summoned to devastate his team. Out of the dozen who had come, himself, and two others – one badly hurt – remained.

“Filthy beast kin!" Snarled the leader, as he drove his dagger straight through his hand, his blood gushing and spattering to the ground. “Your magicks are weakening filth...I am certain we shall take our time with you... in every way you can possibly imagine..."

He grinned at her, and Fianna screamed in sickened horror, as she sensed in his mind, the horrors that awaited her. Without warning, he threw out his hands and the black magick swirled like a net and wrapped itself around her. It seared her fur and flesh with its evil – yet there was nothing she could do to counter it. Indeed, her magicks were spent – she had nearly driven herself to death with what she had tried to do to protect herself – and there wasn't enough magick left within her to blow out a beeswax candle.

He snarled, his hatred, rage and disgust at what she was fuelling the magicks that ensnared her, making her drop to her knees and scream in agony. Quickly, others stepped forwards and bound her with a silver infused collar, then hobbles were snapped around her ankles.

“Get up beast..." snarled the leader, as he tugged his hands and the magicks moved with him.

“No..." Fianna screamed, trying to fight against it. “I will not..."

“Obey me beast, for I hold your very life in my hands – I know the Arch Magi demanded to be delivered alive... I intend to follow through with that request – but doesn't mean my men and I can't hurt you terribly first..."

At a gesture, one darted forwards, behind her, and slammed the flat of his silver sword down on her rump. Fur and flesh seared and there was the stink of burning skin and flesh and Fianna screamed helplessly, all she could do, as the hobbles and collar held her immobile.

“That's a taste, of what we're going to do to you beast... You think that hurt you? Oh, believe me, when the Arch-Magi is done with you what we do to you between now and then, will seem like pleasure... Now...get up!"

Again that sword smacked down on her rump and he willingly held it there, sniggering as she screamed and writhed, whilst their leader pulled the magickal bonds that bound him to her through his blood magicks.

“I yield!" Fianna screamed breathlessly. “Mercy...I yield!"

“Mercy? Oh, no beast, you don't play that card..." Snickered the leader as he began to wind his hand around the black leash-like magicks, forcing them to tighten even more.

“No, you will suffer terribly...for a very very long time..."

Fianna screamed, then she closed her eyes and using the very magicks of the earth itself, she sent out her cry of desperation.

“Alexander!"

*

Alexander awoke with a snort, going from sound asleep to wide awake, as Fianna's voice lashed his mind like a whip, before fading – leaving a sickening pain in its wake...

TO BE CONTINUED...