Shadow's Edge (Shadows Saga bk1)

Chapter 22- The Storm

As late afternoon rolled in, so did the storm. Thunder could be heard from deep inside the cave, flashes of lightning lighting up its depths.

Mara watched as the rain steadily made its way across the mountains and woods, creeping towards them. When the rain started to fall overhead, the water line ended right at Mara’s feet. She stared at the droplets as they splashed the rock, turning darkening it.

Feray had stayed inside the cave all day. She had sensed the storm moving in and preferred to stay away from it if possible. Mara could feel something else rolling in with the storm, and it put her on edge.

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Paws pounded into the dampened earth, browning leaves fell as the wind whipped around. Muscles stretched, moving in a steady rhythm, moving with purpose. Fur plastered to their bodies as they ran through the pouring rain.

Trixle hid her face in Emmett’s shoulder blades, seeking safety in his black fur from the pouring rain.

They were getting close, she could feel it. She could feel the tension rolling off Marx the closer they got. She could feel eyes on them as they ran, but they were never stopped. Those glowing eyes merely observed them as if they all knew something she and her friends didn’t yet. The thought unsettled her.

She braved the rain for a moment to glance around them. A giant mountain loomed before them, and they were heading straight toward it.

“Please don’t tell me we’re going up there,” Trixle nearly begged. “I really hate heights.”

Marx grunted, she could tell he was laughing at her. So apparently they were going up the mountain then.

The wolves leapt from rock to rock, their agile bodies landing perfecting on each jutting ledge as they worked their way up the rocky slope. Marx was leading by scent now, following whatever scent Mara had to lead them to her.

He leapt for another ledge, his large body flying through the air, his legs stretching out. Marx yelped, landing a little short. His front paws dug into the rock, the only thing keeping him from falling. He grunted as he pulled himself up onto the ledge safely.

Emmett glanced over his shoulder at Trixle. His look said it all, hold on. She tightly gripped his fur, watching as Marx cleared a path for them. Emmett jumped, his body soaring. They skidded to a stop, eye to eye with Marx. Trixle looked back, they had just barely made it, Emmett’s back paws were right on the edge. She looked over the edge, if they happened to slip now, it would be a hundred foot drop.

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Mara jumped when she heard a yelp. It had sounded like it came from below. Remembering the Nightshade that had attacked her the day before, she backed up from the edge and into the cave. If it was another Nightshade, she didn’t want to be an easy target sitting in the open.

Mara watched from inside the cave as bolts of lightning struck the trees in the distance, the cracks of thunder nearly deafening. The sky darkened like a weight pressing down on the valley.

In the silence between claps of thunder, Mara heard sounds coming from the mountainside. It sounded like claws scraping against the rock. She fought with herself, between her fear and curiosity about what it could be.

I can just use my magic if I need to protect myself-

But what if my magic acts up and whatever it is kills me?

Mara’s curiosity got the better of her and she slowly made her way to the edge in the pouring rain. She knelt down on the rocky surface and poked her head over the edge. At first she didn’t see anything, just a long drop to the forest below. She scanned the side of the mountain looking everywhere. She had nearly given up when a large brown wolf lunged up at her.