Vera's Song (Creatures of the Lands Book 2)

by Natalie Erin

  “You, little miss follower, rebelled?” Nineva laughed. “I highly doubt that.”

  “I did.” Kia nodded. “I would hide his stuff, trash his work shop, and even steal his things. I ran away all the time and teased the animals because it made him mad. I would do anything to make him mad. Eventually he moved out and we stopped talking. Until the plague, at least.”

  “Ha, I never saw you as a rebel, Kia. I can’t believe it.” Nineva said. “You were always such a goody two shoes.”

  “It would seem we know two very different Kia’s,” Keota said, raising his eyebrows at Nineva. The fairy didn’t answer him.

  The front door creaked and Soran took off into the other room. “Daddy!” he yelled happily. The dog on the floor transformed into a small crow, tearing after the boy happily.

  “Don’t worry, that’s just Zorna,” Nineva told them. “Soran’s Changer.”

  “Your child is half Accompany too?” Kia said in excitement. “What are the odds? I thought Kennu was the only one. Who’s your husband?”

  “Hello dear,” a deep voice echoed through the house. “I found them, darling! All of them!”

  “Is that him?” Kia said in excitement. “I can’t wait to meet him!”

  “Who did you find, dear?” Nineva got up from her chair and walked to the doorway slowly, her red lips curled into a grin.

  “Mommy!” an all too familiar voice yelled just as Kennu appeared in the doorway. He ran to Kia with his arms wide. When she saw him Kia screamed, scooping up her son and spinning him around. “Oh, Kennu! My baby’s home!” She hugged him tightly to her chest and he wrapped his small arms around her neck. Keota ran to both of them and hugged them close, shaking with relief.

  “Kennu!” Allie ran up from under the table and placed her small lynx’s paws against Kia’s leg, jumping up and down.

  “Allie!” Kennu reached for his Changer and Kia placed him on the ground. He hugged Allie’s neck tightly and the Changer transformed into a griffin, wrapping her wings around him tightly.

  Lilja and Cornia happily kissed their five children as the pups played beneath their feet. As Lottie looked on, Kennu came up to her with a small bag in his hand. “I brought you a present,” he said. He reached into the bag and pulled out three small pups who hadn’t even opened their eyes yet. “For Lottie.”

  Lottie stared at the young pups with awe. “Where did you get them, Kennu?” she asked.

  “The bad man killed their mommy and daddy,” Kennu told her sadly. “So I want you to be their mommy.”

  As a small tear trickled out of Lottie’s eye, Kennu ran over to Kia and pulled himself up onto his mother’s lap. She stroked his hair as he sucked his thumb.

  “I’m so happy you’re all here,” the voice drifted out to them. “Because I’ve been dying to get my hands on all of you.” As Nineva’s husband walked into the room the group gasped, and the parents clutched their children to them tighter.

  Nineva came up beside him and smiled cruelly. “I’d like you all to meet my darling husband, Wyntier.”

  Snow Drop, who had hid the minute she had seen Wyntier coming, shivered against the trees. She wanted to warn her friends, but what could she do? With that witch in there they’d all be dead in an instant, if they weren’t already.

  “Where’s Vixen? Where’s anybody?” Snow Drop whispered to herself. She didn’t want to go home alone because the rest of her friends were dead. There had to be someone who could do something.

  Only one name popped into her head, the only one she knew for sure she could find. “Bloodbath. I have to hurry.”

  Kia squeezed Kennu tightly to her chest as tears poured from her eyes. The wolves surrounded the pups and snarled cruelly. Allie stood in front of Kia, her small griffin wings stretched as far as she could to make herself appear bigger.

  “Nineva,” she said quietly. “How could you?”

  The fairy only smiled back. “We both imagined what our future husbands would be like, Kia. But it seems I got the prince, and you got the toad.”

  Ionan went to jump forward but Nineva sent a jet of black magic flying his way. He dodged it quickly and the witch pointed at him, saying, “If you move again it’ll be my pleasure to kill you.”

  “Vera’s not here,” he said, growling at Wyntier. “What have you done with her?”

  Wyntier smiled. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

  “Stop this, Wyntier! This ends now!” Kia screamed. She got up to leave but Zorna, now in the form of a dog, jumped in front of her with his teeth bared. Allie lashed out with sharp claws and a sharper beak, going for blood. The other Changer quickly dodged the worst of her attack and jumped into the sky. He dived toward his smaller competitor and landed squarely on the back of her head, forcing her to the ground. His teeth dug cruelly into her back, tearing up beautifully colored feathers and dying the floor red with blood.

  Kennu fought his mother’s grasp and launched himself at Allie’s attacker. He knocked the unsuspecting Changer to the ground and pulled on Zorna’s small ears. Zorna bucked and weaved in an effort to knock the young child from his back, but couldn’t break him. Soran joined the battle as he yanked Kennu off Zorna by his hair and flung him into the other room as if he were some sort of toy. Zorna latched onto one of Allie’s legs and dragged her into the other room.

  Kia and the others jumped up and ran towards the door, but they were cut off by a wall of black flame. Nineva beamed at the children going for the kill, as if they were only playing. “All you can do is watch, little sister, as your son dies.”

  The young girl watched from the shadows as the boy and his Changer were beaten. Her long, blood colored hair was put up in two pigtails on either side of her head and her large, emerald eyes sparkled in the light cast by her mother’s black flame. She began to whisper softly to herself and then turned to look at the family who was trapped in the kitchen. This was the only room she had access to. The eight year old took a deep breath and stepped out of the shadows.

  The minute she did a large wolf jumped in her way, his teeth bared. She put both hands up in front of her. “I’m on your side,” she said softly. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “How do I know that you can be trusted? You look so much like her,” the wolf growled, glancing at Nineva.

  “Please. I can help.” The girl’s small face looked as if she genuinely meant what she had said.

  The black wolf backed off. “Fine. But if you try anything, I will tear you to shreds.”

  “Aren’t you pleasant?” she said nervously before walking over to the bawling fairy named Kia in the middle of the floor, being comforted by her husband. She put a hand on the fairy’s shoulder and she looked up, her face panicked and scared. “Who are you?”

  “My name is Vivienna, and this is my Changer, Melodi.” The girl pulled a small mouse out of her pocket and held it up in her hand. “We can help you win against my parents.”

  “How are we supposed to know you are actually on our side?” the Accompany sitting next to the fairy demanded angrily. “We’ve been betrayed before.”

  “Melodi, I command you to tell them the truth,” Vivienna said, looking down at the small mouse in her hands.

  “The whole truth, or just part of it?” the creature asked.

  “Whole, it’s important.” Vivianne replied.

  Melodi sat up to make herself taller, trying not to quake under the fairy’s gaze. “When Vivienna was born Wyntier rejected her, because she was a girl and not a boy. Nineva still loved her though, and raised her despite Wyntier’s objections and even taught her to use the power of dark magic.” Melodi swallowed nervously, and then continued. “When Vivi was four her powers became even greater than Nineva’s. This made Nineva jealous, so she abandoned her daughter and put all her effort into having another child.”

  “So you see, my family hates me. The only reason that I’m alive is because my father’s Changer, Vera, snuck food to me and would play with me every once in a while. She hid m
e from my parents,” Vivi told them sadly, staring at the floor beneath her feet. “They don’t even know that I’m still alive. They all think I died or ran off long ago, but I stayed to watch my darling little brother grow. I know how to distract him from your son but you have to do something for me in return.”

  “We will do anything to save our son’s life,” Kia gasped through her tears. “Anything you want.”

  “A home,” Vivi looked up at them at last. “That’s all I’ve ever wanted. Somewhere that I belong and don’t have to hide.”

  “I can easily arrange that,” Kia said softly. “Just please, save him.”

  “Thank you.” Vivi smiled at them. “Melodi, go get those pies off the counter.”

  Vivi pointed and the small mouse took the form of a tiny tan owl. She gingerly grabbed ahold of the miniature fruit pies and carried them over to her Accompany. Vivi gestured toward the table and Melodi put them down.

  “What are you going to use those for, a quick snack?” Ionan snapped from Keota’s shoulder, beating his wings anxiously.

  “You’ll see soon enough,” Vivi said quietly. Then she stepped back, raising her hands and starting a chant. “By the strength of darkness within me, and the power of death at my control, I draw back this wall of flame and bring forth my own inner light.”

  Nineva’s wall of fire vanished instantly, becoming nothing more than a veil of light. The witch turned to see what had happened, confused.

  “You!” she snarled as she stared at Vivienna. “I thought you were dead years ago.”

  “Well I guess you thought wrong, Mother, because here I stand.” Vivienna stared cruelly at the witch. “Soran, I’ve got something for you!” the young girl called softly.

  The young boy turned, halting his abuse of Kennu, and smiled as he saw the small pie in his sister’s hand. Zorna, being as curious as he was, also abandoned Allie and stared at the food. “Come get it!” Vivienna cooed softly. “They’re for you!”

  The two came over and snatched up the pies. While Soran was busy munching, Vivienna cast a spell and a cage of fire surrounded the two young boys. Soran began to cry the minute he realized he was trapped. Zorna flew around him as a small bat in an effort to comfort his Accompany, though Soran only cried harder. As this all occurred Kia slowly snuck up behind Wyntier. She stabbed a knife into his side between two of his ribs quickly, and Wyntier crumpled to the floor, screaming loudly.

  “My love!” Nineva cried, reaching her arms out to catch her mate. Kia ran over to where Kennu and Allie lay unconscious. She scooped up both of them into her arms and the group charged out the front door, leaving Wyntier, Nineva, and their son and his Changer trapped in the fire cage.

  “This way!” Vivienna took off through the trees and the group followed her for lack of a better plan. She led them deep into the forest and to a large cave. “Everybody goes in for the night,” she insisted.

  “Are you sure this is safe?” Lottie asked as she laid the three pups on the ground in front of her.

  “It’s safer than safe,” Vivienna assured them. “This is where Vera hid me.”

  “I would feel better if we had a guard out here,” Keota gulped.

  “You know what, I agree with that idea.” Kia leaned closer to her husband, holding Kennu against her hip.

  “I agree too,” Allie said, landing in front of Kia and limping on one leg.

  The small mouse named Melodi got down from Vivienna’s shoulder. “I’ll stand watch, Vivi. No one will come near you with me here.”

  “I don’t know Melodi. You’ve always been so timid,” Vivi said softly.

  “I act timid to keep myself safe from harm,” the mouse said gently. “But the time for pretending is over. I can take on a form no other can.”

  “What are you talking Melodi? The only forms I’ve ever seen you in are a mouse and an owl,” Vivi said in confusion.

  The small mouse jumped into the air and changed. Her large form began ripping up trees in her stead until the small grouping of pines was no more. When she landed she was no longer small, but an animal that everyone thought to be extinct.

  She was easily twice the size of Ionan when he was in his dragon form and had scales the dusty pink color of summer roses. The large wings that came off her back were like those of a bat. Small spikes stood out on the tip of both wings. She had long, thin legs that formed delicate feet tipped with sharp claws. Her long tail was wrought with five poisonous spikes. A large red fringe laid flat against her long neck, with ten more of the poisoned spikes circling the outer edge. Long, sharp fangs hung in her mouth, like a thousand daggers waiting to meet their mark. Her eyes were a sharp pink color and stood out against her scales.

  “It can’t be,” Keota breathed. “It’s impossible!”

  “But I still stand before you in the form of a creature that has been extinct for thousands of years. The only thing that is a natural predator of the dragon,” Melodi boomed. “I am a Dranern, the winged giants that ruled the forests before the age of fairies and continued to rule well into their existence.”

  “Aren’t Dranerns those creatures that were hunted because of the threat they posed to the fairies?” Kia asked.

  “They were a threat because a single drop of Dranern poison could kill everyone in the Lands,” Keota gulped. “That’s how powerful the stuff was.”

  “Well, I think I feel safe going in the cave now,” Lottie said meekly. She picked up the three nameless cubs and carried them into the darkness. A few moments later everyone else followed, while Melodi stayed behind to guard the opening. Every time she moved, her footsteps created tremors that could be felt for miles.

  Chapter Fifteen

  War on the Horizon

  Lara had given up hope of ever seeing her pack leader or his pups ever again. She wanted to cuddle up to Fang, but her mate was stressed to his limit these days, and she didn’t want to push it. The gray beauty walked slowly around camp, making small imprints in the snow as she went.

  A red bird flew next to her and sat on the branch nearby. Lara ignored her starving belly telling her to eat it and said, without looking at him, “Any news Scarlet?”

  The bird shook his head. “No one knows where they’ve gotten to. If I was you, Lara, I’d be considering what I said earlier.”

  “They could still come back,” she said hopefully, staring at the snow between her paws.

  Scarlet ruffled his feathers. “It’s now or never. If you want to have them by spring, you have to mate now. The pack needs pups to survive.”

  “It’s just...they would have been old enough for their first hunts,” Lara said, beginning to feel angry.

  “Don’t be silly. They’re gone, and we both know it.”

  “Oh, go away, you foolish bird!” Lara snapped. Scarlet fell out of the tree and Lara lunged, but the bird took off before she could satisfy her need for food.

  She sighed and brought herself back under control. Winter was already bearing hard down on the pack. This was a terrible time to not have a leader.

  Vicious growls erupted from her pack and Lara’s ears perked up. She jogged to the north boundary line where she thought she heard Fang’s growl. She cocked her head when she saw that her entire pack, diminished from the missing members and hungry from lack of food, stood growling at what she thought were a bunch of funny multicolored horses that had horns in the middle of their heads.

  “You dare to threaten us, deer killer?” a blue mare with a spiraled horn neighed. “We’ve been traveling for miles through this unmerciful wilderness looking for an open valley! We found it, it’s ours!” She stomped her azure hooves angrily and the ten or so horses behind her snorted and bucked.

  “Live where you like!” Fang snarled, his fangs showing forebodingly. “Just be warned that your herd lives on our land, and if we need to hunt horse, we shall!”

  The blue mare’s eyes grew large. “Horse? Horse! Is that what you think we are, mongrel? We are unicorns, the purest of all species! We were the l
ast herd to survive the Despondent many years ago, and now our numbers are even worse than they were! No mere wolf like you could ever kill one of us, and with our race at stake, we’d like to see you try!”

  “I don’t care how pure you are or how few you have left! If our pups cry hunger and our members grow thin, rest assured that you will be dinner, fleabag!” Fang threatened in a low growl.

  Some unicorns began lowering their horns. A colt lingering in the back shouted, “Kill him, Crying Ice!”

  But the mare paid him no attention. She coughed in kind of a laugh and turned her head towards him. “You see this? My horn is the sharpest of all weapons. Perfect for impaling you on the spot.”

  The other unicorns laughed, but Fang didn’t waver.

  “You forget, unicorn. The wolves survived the Despondent as well. The legends say on unicorn flesh,” he snarled. The other wolves around him, including Lara, licked their muzzles voraciously.

  “If you even try to hunt us we’ll fight back. We’re not like little deer, who run at the first snap of a twig. We’ll come after you and won’t leave a pup with parents in the pack,” the blue mare threatened.

  At the mention of pups the wolves became enraged. The famished wolves foamed at the mouth and the unicorns stomped their hooves in a battle tune, ready for a fight.

  “What is going on here?” a voice boomed over the valley, and everyone turned to see a large white unicorn standing on a hill over all of them, a small baby in a sling around his neck. The blue mare came forward, saying, “Father! The valley was burnt to the ground. Many of us perished, though the ones that have survived came here. Now these wolves are saying that we can’t live here!”

  “Oh great. Another unicorn,” Fang snarled, shaking his head angrily.

  The great white stallion turned his head slowly towards the wolf. “Do you think, wolf, that I am a mere unicorn?”

  Fang swallowed. The white stallion stomped his hooves, and cried, “The unicorns and the wolves will be at peace for now, until the fairy Kiatana returns to solve the issue. For now, I must find Vixen.”