"What is it, Raziel? You look troubled," Selene asked, her brows knitting in concern as she stepped closer, sensing his distress.
Raziel took a deep breath, trying to compose himself. He had a lot to say to her, but he knew saving her life was the priority. He could always talk to her later.
And so he said with a grave look, "We have to leave this place now. The Bloodclaw Clan and their chief... they are coming. They will attack us within a matter of hours," he blurted out, his voice laced with urgency and fear.
Selene's expression shifted from confusion to alarm, "The Bloodclaw Clan? Today? But how do you know this, Raziel? Did someone spot them?"
Raziel shook his head, "No. Not really. I-I can't explain everything right now. But please, you have to believe me. I have already warned the others, and Grandpa Caius is making preparations for everyone to leave."
As Selene drew closer, her expression was a mix of concern and curiosity, gently etching across her serene face.
Raziel, feeling the weight of his own words, lowered his gaze, struggling to convey the urgency of the situation, "I know it's hard to believe a junior like me saying this without any tangible reason," he started, his voice a mix of worry and earnestness, "But I know we will be in great trouble if we don't leave now," he added, lifting his eyes to meet hers, a blend of worry and pain swirling within them.
He took a deep breath, his voice tinged with a solemn edge, "I also know that their chief is out to ...kill you. So you have to be extra careful, Matron."
Selene paused, absorbing his words. Her expression shifted to one of seriousness, her ruby-red eyes searching his for an understanding she couldn't quite grasp, "It feels like you already know what is going to happen, and I don't know how," she said, her tone reflecting her confusion and intrigue. "But since your eyes tell me that you mean well, I will leave if that's what you want us to do. Still, you have to later tell me what happened, okay?"
Raziel's heart swelled with a mix of relief and gratitude. He nodded vigorously, "Of course. Thank you, Matron Selene, for believing in me," he said, his voice rich with sincerity.
"When have I ever not believed in you?" Selene replied, her smile soft and reassuring, lighting up her features and warming Raziel's heart.
The thought that she, like others in his life, would place such trust in him despite him being a junior filled him with a sense of warmth and responsibility and sent a prickle of emotion behind his eyes.
The village was a hive of hurried activity and palpable tension.
Chief Caius, along with a group of young men and women, worked diligently to assist the injured onto makeshift beds that could be carried during their travel.
They also aided the elders in packing their belongings onto a large cart, preparing for a swift departure.
Outside her home, Aurelia sat, clutching a woolen bag, her ears perked, keenly listening to her surroundings with an expectant look.
At the sound of Raziel's voice in the distance, her face brightened, and she slowly rose to her feet, her smile warm.
Raziel's heart eased, seeing that everyone was packed and ready. The villagers, accustomed to the nomadic lifestyle, had efficiently prepared for the move.
Still, the air was thick with anxiety, the villagers exchanging worried glances, wondering if the Bloodclaw Clan was indeed drawing near.
"Brother, you better not be joking about this. Or we will be the ones kicking your ass for spooking us like this," Morv approached Raziel, his face etched with concern. Voren, standing beside him, mirrored the same edgy demeanor.
Raziel let out a weary sigh and placed his hands reassuringly on their shoulders, "Trust me. The last thing I would do is joke about something like this," he asserted, his tone grave.
"We know, we know. It's just...the way you said it...It's freaking everyone out. But don't worry. We got each other's backs," Vernon said, thumping his chest. Raziel managed a small, grateful smile in response.
Selene walked up to Caius, her expression mirroring the gravity of the situation.
Caius, turning to her, voiced his concern, "It seems like little Raziel knows something we don't. But I felt like I had to listen to him."
Selene gave a solemn nod, her eyes reflecting her agreement, "I know. He only wants us to be safe. I will just go out and make sure we are clear to leave."
Caius looked at her with an expression of gratitude, "Thank you, but please be careful. Take some of our best with you."
Meanwhile, Raziel approached his mother, who greeted him with a smile the moment she heard him get close, "I packed everything like you said. Are we going to leave now?" she asked, her voice laced with a mix of nervousness and uncertainty.
Raziel glanced around at the rest of the villagers, still busy with their last-minute preparations, wondering where Matron Selene went. She must be helping someone, probably.
He turned back to his mother, his eyes filled with a reassuring warmth, "Just a couple more minutes for everyone to finish packing their stuff. Then we will leave right away, but you have to always stay close and hold on to me. Like always. Okay, mother?"
Her smile widened, a look of love lighting up her face as she firmly held his hand, "I would never let you go, son," Aurelia responded, her voice firm yet gentle.
Raziel's smile mirrored his mother's as he gave her hand a comforting pat, "I will go inside and make sure we have everything we need," he said, turning his attention to the final preparations.
His heart was brimming with even more hope after getting everyone to believe him, making him feel that he was so close to avoiding the tragedy that could befall them.
Hel surveyed the items his mother had meticulously packed, recognizing that she had chosen only the essentials.
His heart ached to take more, to preserve the memories of their time in this place, but he knew that additional baggage would only hinder their escape.
It all wouldn't matter as long as everyone was alive and safe. He was already close to making it a reality.
Stepping outside, Raziel's gaze swept over the gathered people, noting their readiness.
However, he realized that Matron Selene and a few others were conspicuously absent. Walking towards Grandpa Caius, he voiced his concern, "Grandpa, where is Matron Selene and the others? We should be leaving now."
Caius, with a troubled look, responded, "She said she was going out to clear the way ahead but-"
*Thud!*
The abrupt, heavy sound made everyone jump. Startled, they turned toward the source, only to be met with a chilling sight. From the shadows, tall, menacing figures on two legs emerged, their dark yellow eyes glowing malevolently in the dim light.
Fear gripped the villagers as they recognized the werewolves from the Bloodclaw Clan.
They couldn't believe Raziel's warning really came true.
But the sight of their fellow villagers' mutilated bodies being callously tossed toward them by the werewolves was the one that horrified them the most, filling the air with a sense of dread and despair.
However, what made Raziel's face drain of color was when the largest werewolf, almost seven feet tall, stepped forward, holding a gruesome trophy.
In his grip was the lifeless head of Matron Selene, dangling by her long, red, beautiful hair.
Seeing that made everyone, even Chief Caius' expression, get shaken.
How could they all not feel their souls plunge into pain and despair upon seeing the strongest and beloved matron's head in the hands of that monster?
"No…no…" Raziel's heart stopped in his chest as he gazed upon her head.
The memory of losing her once before flooded back, overwhelming him with an intense wave of pain and terror.
"NO!!" Raziel's anguished roar echoed through the air as he lunged towards the werewolf leader, Tarok, his emotions a turbulent mix of grief and rage.
However, Caius' strong grip held him back, restraining him from his reckless charge, "Raziel, don't!" Caius implored with a voice filled with desperation and sorrow.
He could feel the same anger Raziel was feeling, but he knew the last thing that was going to help them was taking out this anger on them.
Struggling against Caius' hold, Raziel's face contorted with frustration and despair. He wanted to break free, to confront this monster, but Caius' grasp was unyielding.
Caius' eyes darted around, desperately seeking an escape route for Raziel and his people, but their options were bleak; the werewolves had them encircled, their menacing figures blocking all paths of retreat.
Aurelia was overcome with fear and concern upon hearing her son's heart-rending cry.
"R-Raziel..." Her voice quivered as she called out his name repeatedly, attempting to reach him through the panicked crowd, her heart pounding with anxiety.
Raziel, his fangs now fully extended in his rage and his forehead marked by bulging veins, glared at Tarok with pure hatred, "No...you aren't supposed to be here now..." he muttered through clenched teeth, his body tense with suppressed fury.
He couldn't understand how the Bloodclaw Clan was attacking now.
Based on his memory, they shouldn't be here until a few more hours. Or did they come here knowing that everyone was about to leave?
Tarok, towering over the villagers with a cruel grin, suddenly shifted to a scowl as he looked at this lean brat before him, "Look at this little trash," he sneered, his voice dripping with contempt, "He dares to tell us we aren't supposed to be in our own lands. This is our territory, and it's time we cleaned up the insects hiding and crawling over our space."
