Ashmaris pov's
Something wasn't right. Junia's scent is faint.
"Your Majesty?" My personal guard, Zyrix, called me to cut off deep thoughts.
"Yes"
"I came to tell you that the Flyers have been made and shall be taken to the all city in the Dragonhold" My personal guard reported.
"Distribute them" I replied absent mindly.
"Yes your Majesty. There is also a meeting with the Lords considering the contest."
I haven't spoken to Junia about the Contest, I should go meet her before the meeting and I hope she agrees with her.
"Tell me when they have arrived."
"Yes your Majesty." Zyrix bowed before stepping back and walked out of my study. I still tried to pick up Junia's scent but it has faded completely.
Maybe because I haven't seen her in days.
Ignara ran in, She looked unsettled and worried. I could smell fear on her.
"Junia is nowhere to be found," she said.
I stood up abruptly, "Did you check everywhere?" my brows shot up.
Where could she go?
"Yes."
"Put together a search group, search the entire palace first." I ordered, standing up.
"I have done that…." Ignara said.
"So have you found her?, she must have gone to the Library. I told her about it." My heart was beating fast.
"She ran away Draven, I picked up her scent at the border and it ended at the Umbravele. I think she went into the Umbravele"
"How doesn't she know the way to the Umbravele?" I shouted.
"I am really worried, Draven no one ever came out from the Umbravele." Ignara said, her voice was shaky.
The Umbravele isn't an ordinary forest, it is a forest that swallows, no matter how powerful you are. No one survives the Umbravele.
If Junia really entered the Umbravele some one must have asked her to go through it.
"Put together our best men, we ride into the Umbravele. Keep an open ear, Ignara. I suspect someone helped her escape."
And that person intended to kill her.
"Okay but let me do the search with the men. You have a meeting today." Ignara suggested.
"No" I refused, "I will find her myself."
I knew she was still alive, my heart hadn't stopped yet.
"Draven, you can't—" she tried to convince, We both know if I eventually find Junia and not be alive. I might lose it.
"Okay" Ignara stepped closer, "Take care brother."
I nodded and rushed past her.
‡‡‡
We reached the Umbravele, I and my men stood in front of the large forest.
Dark and Thick.
There is an old story about the beasts of Umbravele. Dangerous, violent beast.
Some say the forest is alive itself.
"You Majesty, how are we sure she went into Umbravele? We can't risk the lives of a hundred men to search for a woman." Morvath said, he walked closer, his one of my best generals.
I snapped my head towards his direction. "Are you saying that you are not man enough to go into the Umbravele? I don't think you deserve to be a general" I growled.
Morvath stepped away, sensing my fury. He knew better than to be near me, I could snapped his head without thinking twice
"No…no your Majesty. I just thought she won't go into the forest, I don't mean to forsake you. Please forgive me." He apologized.
I ignored him, trying hard to keep myself in control.
"We matched into Umbravele now" Morvath shouted, commanding the men.
We stepped into the forest, Thorns and vines everywhere, it we can soar here if we are in our dragon form.
It said that the forest changes at night, no thorn or living vines. But can hide its true self.
And its true self is revealed under the light.
Me and my men made sure not to step on the vines, we moved carefully as we walked further into the forest. We made no sounds because we couldn't alert the Beasts.
If the beasts really existed
The further we walk into the forest, the better it becomes.
'We split into four group' I said to Morvath through mind link. 'and each group should spread out'
'Yes your Majesty,' Morvath replied.
Soon we spread into groups and twenty five men followed me.
We stopped, when we noticed claws marks on trees and large paws imprint into the ground. Then a horrible smell came, a mix between earth and decay.
It was so strong that most of my men covered their noses.
Then some stepped on a twig, I could hear the twig snapped. Everyone could.
At first there were no sounds that followed. Then a beasty roar came, different from a dragon's more animalistic and wild.
My men withdrew their swords as we heard loud thumpings. We all stood in a defense stance, ready to attack.
A dark huge wolf-like beast leapt in front of us. Its teeth were jagged and saliva dripped out its mouth.
In a split second another landed behind us, they both walked around us, slowly in a predator way.
I know we won't be able to take them in this human form so I commanded my men to shift, before I could shift completely into a dragon one of the beasts attacked, throwing me further away against the ground and claws scratched my chest.
Before it attacked again I changed into my dragon form and breathed fire, to burn the beast. But my fire didn't burn it so I took off from the ground , I wasn't able to fly higher when the beast caught my tail and dragged me down.
As I fell to the ground a loud thump came with it and a heavy breeze came. Chills ran through me, the atmosphere of the forest .
The two beasts stepped away in fear, the other beast who had one of my men in it dropped him and they ran away further into the forest.
The forest darken.
There is something scarier than these beasts in this forest.