Huntress

Sam shook me awake, “Hunting time Hunter.”

I blinked wanting nothing more to do then snuggled deeper in my pile of blankets. After the capture the flag game we had soaked in the spring then taken a nap before going to yet another ball. I would have been more then happy to just relax in the room but after leaving early the night before I figured it would have been rude. It had been a long night of dancing but I had still enjoyed myself. Though Rhydian was smart had had stayed away from me all night, Ifan as well.

“No way,” Sam said jerking back the stack, “we have to be in the pasture in an hour.”

I groaned and forced myself off the soft couch, hissing when my feet touched the ice floor. I summoned my magick and coated myself with warmth though it could do nothing for my sore muscles.

I dressed in jeans, hiking boots and a thick sweater then allowed Sam to glamour me into some traditional faerie hunting clothes. I touched the soft but sturdy boots still in awe of fairy glamour.

“Come on hunter-girl you better deliver today or you will never live it down.”

“I appreciate your confidence fairy-girl.”

Out in the pasture a large group of Winter Fae was gathered in the including some of the knights including Sam’s dad. A cluster of horses snorted in the cold, stomping their feet in the snow. Ceron, Ifan and Rhydian approached us, Ceron and Ifan smiling, Rhydian cold as the ice and snow around them.

“Are you two ready?” Ceron asked rubbing his hands together as if he was cold which I knew he wasn’t.

Sam smiled at Ceron, “born ready,” she replied which made him reach out and pull her close for a kiss, which she gladly received.

“Ew” I said mockingly, grinning happy my friend was happy.

Ifan rose his eyebrows at me, “feeling left out?”

“No I am not,” I replied tartly.

Horn like sounds filled the air.

“That’s our cue,” Ifan said offering me his arm, “let me escort you to your mount.”

“That’s thoughtful,” I replied walking past him giving him a smirk and followed Rhydian, Ceron and Sam.

The beast that was for me was a black horse with a white streak down his spine, pawing the ground nervously, snorting violently at me. I smile at the horse approaching with ease. I loved horses and had one at the Pride ranch.

“Easy there buddy, I know you are eager. Don’t worry you’ll have your chance,” I said soothingly to the horse who snorted into my hand, nuzzling it.

Rhydian came up to me, “he is mine, his name is Blackfire in your language.”

“Why am I riding your horse?” I asked curious.

“Because no one but I can and my mother was curious to see if he would accept you.”

A test, I turned to the horse, “he is beautiful.”

The horse snorted into my hair, I laughed.

“Sorry, handsome,” I amended running my hand along the horse’s cheek.

“You need a hand up?” Rhydian asked me.

I smirked at him, the horse was large even by human standard but I was more then capable and I prove it by easily mounting Blackfire. I noted the look of approval in Rhydian’s eyes and grinned at him before he turned away to mount his own horse another equally large beast.

Another horn-like sound filled the air and the Fae took off into the woods of the Winter Court which gave way to the never land, dangerous unclaimed land where wild Fae lived and hunted.

My horse raced with the others staying close to his natural master.

“What do we hunt?” I called out to Rhydian.

“Whatever comes across our path,” he replied with a joyful laugh that brightened his normally gloomy face.

The Queen’s laughter filled the air, “The hunt my children and servants! There the bogles!!!””

“Bogles?” I asked Rhydian.

Ifan answered putting himself between us, “it’s a type of hobgoblin. Quick monsters they are too they travel in groups of four or five. How about a wager little hunter? I get one before you, you owe me a kiss?”

“And if I win?”

“I will kneel to you in front of the entire court at tonight’s ball but my kiss must also be in front of the court and you cannot fight me.”

I thought it over, “deal!”

I coaxed Blackfire with my knees and my voice and he took off. We swerved through the trees and I saw a hobgoblin ahead of me. I heard and felt other hunters around me but I stretch the bow given to me and fitted an arrow, my knees keeping my seat as I aimed and released. A high pitch screeched told me my aim was true. I saw Ifan’s expression of rage as he leveled with me.

“I think the deal is mine,” I called to him.

A roar filled the air and I saw a black blur in the corner of my eye before I was knocked from my horse and into the ground. The impact jarred me from head to toe. I heard the sound of swords being unsheathed around me. My magick crackled alive and I threw a blast of it at the thing on top of me knocking it off of me. I was on my feet in moments, twin daggers of ice in my hands. A hellhound growled at me getting to its feet.

I stared at the monster, it was larger then any hellhound I had ever seen, more like a black bear then a large wolf. Also last I checked there was no hellhounds in Faerie. Sam, Ceron, Ifan and Rhydian stood on either side of me.

“Where are the others I asked.”

“They went after the other bogles,” Sam replied, “what’s a hellhound doing here in Faerie? And why is it so big?”

“A hellhound?” Ceron asked looking shaken by the idea.

“Insolent Fae,” the hellhound growl.

“You talk?” I exclaimed, “since when do hellhounds talk? I have fought them before and they did not talk nor were as big as you!”

The hellhound laughed, a gargled sound, “what you saw is a kin to hellhounds. Domesticated. I am a true hellhound, we do not stray from our realm often Hunter. However we were offered something priceless in exchange for your life.”

“We?” Ifan asked and two more hellhounds crept from the shadows on either side of the first just as big, red eyes glowing.

“Oh we…” he muttered.

“I am Jackal and I will be your death, Hunter.”

“The name is Ro and not today!” I replied throwing both my daggers at the hellhounds on either side of Jackal.

They moved but one did not move quick enough and yelped as the dagger sank into his thigh. Two more daggers were in my hand, my magick crackled around me. The Fae on either side of me leaped forward to attack. Jackal came at me and I rolled away, slash out with both daggers, feeling one sink into flesh. The hellhound roar and slash out with his mighty paw knocking me into the air and into a tree. I groaned as I force myself to me feet moving to the right to avoid being pounced on. Sam was at my side pulling me up, blood smearing her cheek but I noticed it wasn’t her’s. One hellhound lay dead while the boys fought the other. Sam and I turned to face Jackal.

“I will eat you Hunter and your fairy will be dessert!” he snarled, “but first let me introduce you to the rest of my family.”

Growls and snarls filled the air and four more hellhound stepped from the shadows.

“There is too many,” I said softly we all moved in slowly making a circle to protect each other’s back as the hellhounds surrounded us.

Ceron straighten, “then we die fighting.”

“That would be foolish, we have another way out,” I mutter.

“Sam watch my back this will take me a minute.”

I vanished the ice dagger and focused on my magick, building it inside me. I heard snarls, yells, growls and the sounds of battle as the Fae fought the attacking hellhounds protecting me so I could cast my spell. I opened my mouth and sang. I sang of doors, realms and safe passage. I saw in my mind where I was and where I wanted to be. I poured my intent into my voice, which rang through the trees. I threw all my magick into the spell, it normally took two strong hunters to cast this spell, in a protective circle and even then it could be tricky. I saw the clearing in the wood, The Alley, clearly in my mind and I saw the door as well which materialized before me. The song melted from my lips.

I pushed the door open revealing the familiar clearing, “everyone through now!”

I grabbed Sam pulling her through, then urged the others one, “My magick is keeping it open I have to be the last one through.”

They went in quickly and I stuck my tongue out at the hellhounds and slammed the door in their face, breaking my magick from the spell and the door vanished as the first hellhound slammed into it.

Notes