Jennifer M. Zeiger's Blog, page 58

Change of Schedule

No, I haven’t gotten any writing done! Stop distracting me.

Life laughs and throws more laundry in my face.

I close the door and ignore the laundry but life calls on the phone…

Sound familiar? Almost every writer I’ve spoken with struggles with a schedule and the distractions that mess with his or her well laid plans. It’s nice to know I’m not alone. Every day I get pulled three or four directions, kicking and screaming. But, I’m determined, I’ll figure this schedule thing out.

So here’s me pulling back on the reigns. For those who’ve followed me for awhile, you know Monday morning you can usually find a new adventure story or short story here. Sorry to disappoint those who have been so amazing in following the stories.

Don’t worry, I’m still writing the adventures, I’m just spreading them out more. My hope is to focus on my new novel. So to open up time for that, I’m changing the posting schedule. Instead of Monday, Wednesday, Friday, the adventures will now post on Tuesday/Thursday and span two weeks instead of one.

Tomorrow, I promise, will start a new adventure. Now I’m going to run away giddily to work on the novel. *Weeeeeee!*

I hope to see you all tomorrow for the Adventure, Beings of the Lovely Hills.

Blessings,

Jennifer

The Descendant Part Three

Welcome to the last part of the story.

If you missed the first two parts and would like to read them, you can find them under recent posts to the left.

Otherwise, thanks for stopping by and hope you enjoy=)

The Descendant Part Three

“What the—“ Simon looked down and then backed away. “You captured one? What’re we going to do with it?”

Caroline frowned. She had no idea. She considered asking the warg if this counted as winning but then she tossed the idea away. Showing that kind of indecision couldn’t be a good idea.

“I win,” she said aloud.

“What?” Simon asked.

You win. The warg admitted.

“How’d you do getting mage sticks?” she asked Simon.

He hung his head. “I found three.”

Caroline’s heart sank. In a matter of hours the Borillans would ransack the village. She stared at the glowing eyes in the pit while she considered. Her ma hid right now in the cellar behind their house. It wouldn’t be enough to protect her.

“Can you withstand sunlight?” she asked the beast.

“Caroline, you’re talking to an animal,” Simon gave her a look.

Yes, the warg growled.

“Then why do you avoid it?”

It’s painful to our eyes.

Simon continued to look at her askance. She ignored him.

“You’re alpha?”

The warg snarled but she had her answer without confirmation. This one demanded respect from the others on the field the night before.

“Protect the village today, leave it alone from then on and I’ll release you.”

A heavy snort came from below. We cannot see in the day. How are we to protect against what we can’t see?

“You surround the village and look tough. Shouldn’t be that difficult.”

There came a long pause, then yes, Mistress.

Caroline’s throat constricted. She’d just made a deal with a warg to surround the village. Would the beast hold to the deal? If it didn’t, it could just as easily kill everyone in the village.

“Simon, gather everyone in the meeting hall and guard the doors with the mage sticks.”

“What’ve you done?” He grabbed her shoulder and she instinctively flared a shield as he touched her wound. He fell onto his back.

“I’m trying to save everyone. Now go!”

He pushed to his feet and ran like she was a warg too. Caroline took a moment to let the pain in her shoulder pass. She couldn’t decide if she was happy Simon feared her now or if it saddened her. He might leave her alone from here on out but then again, everyone in the village might leave her alone. They’d all fear her.

What am I?

You’re a descendant.

A what?

The warg didn’t answer and she didn’t push. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.

Gathering herself, she created a shield and lowered it into the pit as a step for the warg. Directing it onto the platform, she created a second shield and lowered it too. Using the two as steps, she slowly brought the warg to the top of the waste pit.

Time to tell if it’ll keep its word. She watched the beast step onto the ground in front of her.

It squinted in the light peeking over the horizon.

“Try not to squint when you face the Borillans. You look far less fierce.”

Of course, Mistress.

Mistress? The term made her shiver.

“Gather your pack.”

The warg hesitated before bounding away. Caroline watched its powerful strides until she couldn’t see it through the trees. At least it hadn’t attacked her again.

Returning to the village, she found everyone gathered in the meeting hall as she’d ordered. Her ma rushed out to meet her, throwing her arms around her in a tight hug.

Caroline cringed as the embrace touched her shoulder but she returned the hug before pushing her ma away.

“What’s this about wargs? Simon’s going on like he’s gone mad. Did the night mess with his marbles? Oh dear, you’re covered in blood. What happened?” Her mother reached to look at her shoulder but Caroline caught her hand.

“Later, Ma,” she said, “for now let’s join everyone in the hall.”

Her ma bit her lip and then nodded.

But when they reached the hall, Caroline pushed her ma to go inside without her. She didn’t know why, but she had to be outside when the wargs arrived. They had to be able to see her.

Their dark shapes began to appear only moments later. Simon joined her on the front steps of the building with a mage stick in his hands.

“I’d feel a lot better if I knew this weapon worked on those beasts,” he muttered.

“It’s all show,” Caroline said.

The lead warg appeared at the far end of the main road. His pack fanned out from him to surround the village.

A woman screamed. “They’ll eat us alive!”

“Hold,” Caroline called, “they can’t see in the light. Just stay still.”

The entire hall quieted behind her like even breathing would draw the beasts.

“How do you know that?” Simon asked.

“You don’t want to know,” she answered.

“Right.”

But he didn’t leave her side. The wargs sat on their haunches around the village. Beyond, Caroline made out the advancing figures of the Borillans on their horses. They paused as they came into view of the wargs.

Two mages rode slightly forward and fired shots at the beasts. They rose to their feet and howled back, not in pain but in a desire to fight. Caroline could feel their desire. They wanted the troops to come closer.

“That’s crazy,” Simon muttered. “Firing at wargs that aren’t attacking.”

But that’s all they did. They fired a few more shots and then retreated. The lead warg howled triumphantly at their backs. Then the beasts turned inward toward the village.

“No,” Caroline ordered. “You’re done here.”

The thrill of the chase is hot in the pack. I must answer it.

“Then chase the Borillans,” Caroline answered.

The warg growled. Yes, Mistress.

Then the beasts took off after the retreating troops. Caroline felt a pain of regret, sending the beasts after humans, but as she felt the lead warg’s excitement wain, she realized the beasts couldn’t see well enough to follow the army. They could track their scent, but they wouldn’t attack till they could see. The Borillans had until nightfall to leave.

She slumped to sit on the steps as everyone came out to see for themselves that the Borillans and the wargs were gone. Caroline felt the need to sleep heavy on her shoulders. She might sleep for the next week. But then she’d wake and she’d have to face what happened. She was different now. Sighing, she determined she’d face those changes when she woke. Not now, now she’d sleep.

The End

Thanks for joining me this week. Hope you have a wonderful weekend.

Blessings,

Jennifer

P.S. I love feedback, so if anyone has suggestions, questions, or comments on what they like or what doesn’t seem to work, please let me know. Just be gentle to my poor thin skinned feelings. Thanks.