FOREVER KNIGHTS: #4 Battling Black Roses
ALAZAR - Mardichi's Reassurances After She Catches Me

Warlock Grove, Nightway

ALAZAR

It was first light in Warlock Grove when Alazar, as a silver and white wolf, leapt a large puddle in his pursuit of a meaty squirrel. A particularly fast one. He zagged around a stump after it. Nearly running horizontally.

He’d initially been out checking the Nightway perimeter for Cimmerii when he spotted it. Catching a whiff too tempting to resist. Breakfast.

Not staying in WaterRose meant foregoing the luxuries like Elengard’s warm eggs for repast.

She makes the best breakfast. But for today, this will do.

His fur was lightly frosted at the tips from gathering morning dew. His pants echoed in his ears. He veered to the side, dodging hanging branches. Heavy paws cutting mud. The forest fog made everything muffled and somehow, motionless. Save the jerk and twist of his silver body as he leapt a thick trunk, turning in the air to evade another low branch.

Ducking to the left, he snagged the rodent in razored jaws. Growling with victory as he shook it viciously. Tossing it once to catch it in a better grip. Shaking until the telltale crack of its spine. He lowered it and began enjoying his meal. Finally.

A familiar scent caught his nose and he lifted his head. Sniffing deeply as he heard the faint rustle of her step in the distance.

Riaura? Too close.

“Alazar?” She called softly. “It’s eerie out here. I can’t see anything.”

Dropping what remained of the squirrel. He rose onto hindlegs and relaxed, so his back could adjust. Vertebrae jerking raggedly as fur dissipated into dust. Cracking his neck, he willed clothes over his body.

I’ll be there in a moment. Glancing over his shoulder, he found the mist parted enough Riaura stood in clear view of him, staring. Jaw agape. Shit.

“Alazar?” She asked tremulously. Face terrified.

Quickly letting a long coat pour over his leather tunic and fall around his ankles, he ducked behind a tree.

Too late.

“What is it Riaura?”

“Wh-what are you? H-how…You were-you were…”

Grimacing he ran his palm over his face. A wolf…

How could I have known the mist would clear? He glanced Heavenward.

Unsure what to say, he was quiet too long. When he stepped from behind the tree to try and explain everything to her, he found her gone.

In the distance, he heard branches cracking under running footfalls. Shit.

“She’ll come back.” Mardichi reassured as he turned a bit of grass between his fingertips. Back propped against a huge boulder within the border of trees as he watched Alazareth nervously peering toward Nightway’s bailey. “Look how the wee Darling has big somber Alazareth all turned ’bout.”

Shut up. Go away.

It was several hours later now. Nearly noon. Alazareth gauged from a peek at the sun above the tree canopy.

“You’re not amusing.” Alazareth shot the brawny redhead a dark look. “If you’re just here to haunt about trying to ridicule me, you can run along.” He gestured for the huge barbarian to shoo.

Storm clouds rolled over Mardichi’s face as he rose to tower over Alazareth.

Stop. Alazareth gave him a sideways look.

“You don’t intimidate me, Mardichi.”

Mardichi’s eyes flashed red. “Perhaps that’s because it’s been so long since me gave ye a mite throttling.”

“It’s been never. And won’t be.”

“Oh?” Mardichi’s red brow shot up. “And why, might tha’ be?”

I won’t lose.

“Because you’re too damn big.” Alazareth muttered over a shoulder. “I’d fight bloody dirty. And I’d win.”

Mardichi’s chest rumbled with laughter. “Oh, fighting like a lass, ye may win. I’m not much for being bitten or scratched.”

Not like that.

“I was thinking more along the lines of punching you in your groin plate.” Alazareth said absentmindedly.

Mardichi went quiet.

When Alazareth glanced back at him, he saw Mardichi’s face contorted in a silent grimace. Hands unwittingly moving to protect his genitals.

“As I said,” Alazareth stated. “I’d win.”

“What ye going to tell that wee thing when she comes out anyway?”

As little as possible.

“That I’m not evil. Not a Dread. And... That I didn’t mean to scare her.”

“Oh, ye going to tell her ye’re a saint, are ye?”

Don’t be ridiculous.

Alazareth gave him a quick glare. “Of course not.”

“Ye going to tell her wha’ we are?”

I’m not a fool.

“Radix hovers too close around that stepmother of hers.”

Evil wench.

“The queen ye mean?” Mardichi looked confused.

Alazareth nodded.

“I could go put some fear in ’er.”

“Unfortunately, Mardichi, I don’t trust that’s what you’d be trying to put in her.”

“Why?” Mardichi asked. “Is she pretty? Does she have large, firm-” Mardichi molded his hands into imaginary mounds on his chest.

“She’s demon kin.” Alazareth cut him off. “But a bit of ale in you, and you forget to be selective in your choice of bedpartner.”