Hura circled around behind the blighted elf growling and snapping her jaws, Zarath growled bearing his own fangs. Something was different why did he feel such a rush at the fact he was about to fight, his heart pounded in his ears and his blood boiled in his veins. And in the back of his head, he swore he heard someone whispering the words yes give into the rage and fight. Shaking his head for some reason he dropped his bow and let the claws on his fingertips out showing his fangs and his own hackles raised the fur on his ears, face and tail bristled.
The blighted elf let out an ear-piercing shriek and tried to rush Zarath as he did Hura lunged and latched her jaws around the disfigured creature's lower leg forcing it to fall forward. Zarath burst forward tackling the creature back sinking his own fangs into the blighted elf's blacked skin sinking his fangs deep into the elf's shoulder and Zarath's claws digging into its withered chest, the creature letting out a shrill scream. Tacking one of its elongated arms it grabbed Zarath with its claws scrapping against his leather chest guard and throwing him a few feet into the air and at least a yard away from it, it quickly turned its attention to Hura who was still biting at its thigh and growling, she jerked her head back forcing the creature off balance again, it brought its claws up and went to lounge at Hura only for Zarath to suddenly grab it from behind wrapping his arms around the beast neck pulling it back.
Between Hura grabbing and pulling at the creature's legs, Zarath was pulling at its neck in the opposite direction, the creature flailed its arms as it tried to grab either one of them its long grotesque claws swept past their heads. Eventually a sickening snap echoed in the air and the creature went limp its arms once swinging like whips now dropped limp and spasming on the ground the creature's eyes rolled back as Zarath released his jaws from its neck and Hura released hers from its leg. Zarath slowly stood up his fur still standing on end, he spit out a mouthful of the creature's black blood onto the ground. Panting heavily, Zarath wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, the taste of the blighted elf's blood lingering unpleasantly. Hura came to his side, her tail wagging slightly but her eyes still alert for any other threats. Zarath knelt down, resting a hand on her head, and took a moment to regain his composure.
"This is becoming too frequent," he muttered, glancing at the creature's lifeless body. He had encountered blighted elves before, but something about this one seemed more calculated, more aware. As he examined the creature's twisted, darkened form, the whispering in the back of his mind returned, stronger this time. It beckoned him, urging him to embrace the primal fury that had surged through him during the fight. He shook his head again, trying to dispel the unsettling thoughts.
"We need to warn the others," Zarath said to Hura, who responded with a low whine of agreement. He retrieved his bow and adjusted his leather armor, noting the fresh scratches left by the creature's claws. With one final glance at the corpse, Zarath and Hura began their descent down the hill and back to the camp. The journey back was tense, every rustle of the wind causing Zarath to reflexively reach for his weapon. The scent of decay still lingered in the air, a grim reminder of the recent battle. As they neared the camp, the comforting aroma of cooked meat reached his nostrils. Pushing through the brush, Zarath saw Tharon and Lyra sitting by the fire, engrossed in conversation.
"What happened?" Tharon asked, standing up and eyeing Zarath's disheveled appearance.
"We were attacked by another one of those creatures," Zarath replied, his voice steady but tinged with fatigue. "This one was different. More aware, more dangerous."
"Are you alright? Is Hura?" Lyra's eyes widened with concern.
"We're fine," Zarath assured her, patting Hura's head. Tharon nodded, a determined look crossing his face. As the trio sat down again Tharon handed Zarath one of the meat skewers he had saved, Lyra rubbing Hura's belly as she rolled over before moving to check the claw marks on Zarath's armor.
"What exactly attacked you? I may be new to being outside the settlement, but I've never seen claw marks like this on any of the Krellar or any of the migrating tribes either." Lyra asked as she examined the claw marks closely.
"To be honest, I'm not sure what they are, something like an elf in appearance but I don't think they are elves it might have something to do with why me and Tharon are seeking the Wardens." Zarath took a bite of the meet skewer, his face lighting up as a big smile spread across his face.
After eating Tharon and Zarath agreed to put up an extra layer of protection for the camp the thick cloth that made up the Kraan-thur's was hard to cut through which is why the nomadic wolfkin used it to make their shelters as well as the large cloth walls that circled their camps, there time in Vaerthruin Tharon had actual spent some of the money Zarath's father had given them to buy a smaller version of the great camps cloth walls. Strating behind Tharon's yurt like tent they looped the cloth wall around both Kraan-thur's leaving no possible way into the camps middle without climbing or digging under it. After letting the fire die down a bit as to only light up the inside of the now walled off camp Tharon agreed to take first watch snice Zarath had clearly just been in a fight.
As the night dragged on, eventually Zarath took over on the watch for Tharon, allowing his friend to rest. He sat stoking the fire, the ears atop his head twitching as he kept alert, he felt something behind him and slowly began to reach for his bronze sword laying on the ground next to him. Just as the tip of his clawed finger touched the hilt Lyra plopped down behind him and wrapped him in the large fur blanket, he left in his own Kraan-thur for her to use, she laid her head against his back her ears flat atop her head and her tail tucked against her as she tried to wrap her arms around his front.
"Those things are the reason you and Tharon came to the temple to get purified isn't it." Lyra asked her voice low and hushed as she did.
"Part of the reason yeah, what every they are two of them attacked us before we got to the settlement, I thought after the purification we would be fine, but I guess we truly won't be until we find the Wardens." Zarath sighed and stiffened up he was trying to relax but couldn't not with Lyra this close to him he had never, in his fourteen years really spoken to a girl other than his younger sister, and Lyra had a strange way of throwing him off and confusing him just by being near him for some reason he didn't quite understand.
Lyra shifted slightly; her breath warm against Zarath's back. "You really think the Wardens will have the answers?" she asked, her voice a whisper in the quiet night.
"I hope so," Zarath replied, his eyes scanning the darkness beyond the camp. "They're the only ones who might know what these creatures are and how to stop them." For a moment, they sat in silence, the crackling fire the only sound between them. Lyra's presence, though comforting, continued to unsettle Zarath. He wasn't used to this kind of closeness, and it made his heart race in a way that battles never did.
The sun slowly crested over the hills, breaking through the morning fog. Tharon had already awoken to find his friend Zarath and their new traveling companion Lyra passed out next to what used to be a fire, Lyra still pressed to Zarath's back and the fur blanket draped over them.
"Well, wasn't expecting that in the slightest." Tharon rubbed his belly as he mumbled to himself before deciding to wake the two of them. He devils grin appearing on his face as he squatted down in front of the two of them the idea of playing a prank on his oldest friend how could Tharon not.
"Zarath buddy it's your turn to take watch but if your busy I understand." Tharon gently pocked Zarath on the muzzle of his face a few times. "Besides I wouldn't want to wake the newlyweds."
Zarath began to stir annoyed with Tharon pocking him in the face over and over, he reached up quickly grabbing his friends wrist, but as he jerked forward he caused Lyra to slip and her head to land directly on Zarath's knee, she bit her tongue and jumped up, unfortunately because of their new position as she did her head smacked right into Zarath's jaw making both Zarath and Lyra fall backwards tangling them back up into the fur blanket with Lyra on top of Zarath now. Both of them realizing the position they were in quickly went wide eyed and struggled to untangle themselves, the whole time Tharon laughed his belly jiggling with each deep chuckle he let out. That was until Zarath, in a fit of rage and embarrassment, punched Tharon in the back of the head just hard enough to get his point across. After a laughing apology was given by Tharon the trio began to break camp, the whole time Hura sat watching her master and his friends not sure what was going on but just simply waiting for her breakfast her head tilted slightly with one of her ears flopped down to the side of her head.
As they packed up their belongings, the morning sun climbed higher, casting a warm glow over the landscape. The air was crisp, and the remnants of morning fog still clung to the ground, giving the camp an ethereal appearance. Tharon couldn't help but chuckle again as he glanced at Zarath and Lyra, who were both still blushing slightly from their earlier entanglement.
As the sun rose higher into the sky and the fog lifted the brownish grass of the hill lands becoming more apparent with each passing second. The trio continued south in the direction of this human town they were looking for. Lyra wasn't used to carrying such a heavy pack so the group would often have to stop and let her catch her breath, though much of the groups weight was carried by Tharon and their four legged companion Hura, Zarath pack still weighed a good bit but was lighter than his friends and his bonded Brakkon, his was made lighter for the reason of scouting ahead as the most skilled archer and tracker in the group.
Each day the group would walk till the sun was a quarter of the way set, making camp in areas hidden amongst the hills or anywhere that could be safe, Tharon helped Lyra improve her endurance and muscle while Zarath taught her better control with her knives how to parry and helped her with her archery skills, after a few days of practice, training and sparing Lyra showed considerable improvement compared to her first sparing match with Tharon.
The sun began to set on the seventh day of this long walk, still a whole week before they would reach their destination in the south, between having to stop for Lyra and not wanting to travel at night as well as the constant threat that the group may be attacked again they had begun to search for much more secure places to sleep, between rock outcrops or the top of the largest hill in each area they were at, at the time. Tonight, they found a large hill with a rock overhang formed almost into a cave, though it only went a few feet back, both Zarath and Tharon agreed it would be the safest place for them to spend the night.
After dropping all of their packs into a neat pile in the middle of the would be cave the stone nice and smooth, Tharon broke out the cloth wall they had been encircling their camp with and stretched it across the front of the cave opening on one side leaving just a gap big enough for a horse to fit through as it didn't quite reach the other side of the opening, he struggled a bit to drive the post into the ground as the rocky soil made it difficult Zarath having to help him dig holes in certain spots by hand since they had no tools to do so.