A Blood-Like Rain

— Kaden —

I began to panic.

We were heading to battle, but I smelled my mate. I smelled my mate!

I tried to track the direction the smell came from but it was so faint I could hardly notice it. I moved in circles half in a daze. I found a line, a line she must have been traveling, but I couldn’t tell which way she came from and which way she was going. And I tried to sniff both ways to see which seemed the strongest, the freshest.

Sam noticed my change in behaviour and got closer. When I noticed him, I raised my hand to make him stop. I was afraid his sheer presence would make me lose her scent.

It wasn’t completely irrational either as my own scent on her tracks was enough to nearly destroy what little clue I had.

I went in further.

I followed one side of the track all the way to a small stream, then I lost her. I checked all over, on the other side, everywhere. The track ended here. My best guess was she walked in the stream for a while, the water masking her scent.

I didn’t realize I had bolted in that direction, until I heard Sam running to catch up.

We were far now. The noise of my men, faint in the distance.

“What is it?” asked Sam worried.

“I found her,” I said in desperation. “I lost her.”

“Who?” he asked confused.

“My bloody mate.”

“Fuck! Now?”

“Yeah.”

“This is not a good time for this.”

“I know,” I growled in frustration.

I walked for a while, following the stream. I still couldn’t pick up her scent, so I stop.

“What now?” asked Sam.

“I go the other way,” I said.

I went back on my track. It was easier to go by the scent I just left than try and pick hers again. I went at a dead run, Sam could barely keep up.

I reached the clearing again I slowed down.

are you doing?”

I was back to where I was when I found her.

know what direction she went from but I know this side leads nowhere.” I pointed

looked back at the direction of our convoy then back at me, worried.

world, but if

“I know,” he

just

nightfall,” he

I looked too. There was time, but not that much.

“Keep this quiet. Just in case

said. “You’re going on your own?” It just dawned on him

here,” I told him.

one moves alone. That’s your own

direction I had to

if it’s a trap?” he asked.

head. “I don’t know, but I think I need to do this on my own.”

don’t make sense.”

I said in frustration.

He looked like he was

said go,” I

to defy me on this.

waved it at him behind

followed the track. After a while, the smell got a little stronger and my heart did

maintain in the wood. I covered a lot

probably walking, which explained why I was catching on, the track being a few

believe someone would travel here. A little further, there were some paths that would be far easier to travel. Was she lost, or was this

word of Sam resonated in my

if this is a

someone trying to get me away from civilization, from my men, from

feet didn’t seem to connect with my mind.

of water. Another stream? A river? Had she walked deliberately into the water to erase her tracks? The stream had been small, easy to cross, so why risk getting her feet wet far in the woods, otherwise? Then was she doing the same thing here? Would I lose her smell again? The tracks were probably minutes old at best now. Would I lose her now that I’m so close?

not visible anymore, the orange glow slowly turning to midnight blue.

was running out

my vision was getting limited in the thick

close, I knew it.

suddenly stopped.

she was hiding her scent, she didn’t expect to meet someone so far in the forest. I had run relatively silently, but at this pace, I would have sounded like an elephant to anyone with heightened senses. I slowed my trek to a walk, silent, undetectable. The wind was coming from behind me, no one would get

forest cleared, the wind pick up

richer now, softer, it reminded me of playing in the dead colourful maple leaf on the autumn ground as a child, of the feeling of strawberry juices running on your tongue, of

of my vision, but I knew it