Taming the Queen of Beasts

AARYN

His head was spinning by the time they reached the portal clearing.

The trail at this point was wide, almost as wide as a road. The trees had become further and further spaced apart for the previous mile, but they opened up completely and the trail faded out into a clearing, smattered with thickets of trees and bushes, a creek running off to their right and an outcropping of rock from the foothills of the mountain on their left. The very benign looking cave mouth lined with vines and creepers squatted within it.

Aaryn wondered if Elreth had noticed how quiet her parents had become as they'd approached this spot.

When they stepped out of the trees, Reth had come to a slow stop—Elia with him, both their faces flat, their eyes distant.

Aaryn had been out here with Elia once before and even though she'd been training disformed at the time, he'd seen it in her then as well—as if she were haunted by the place. He'd been uneasy when he and Elreth found it during their time away, but he hadn't really thought about that then. He'd been too concerned with getting Elreth out of here.

He wasn't sure how long it had been since Reth and Elia had been out here together, but they both seemed to draw in on themselves, clinging to each other's hands with white-knuckled grips and scanning the whole clearing as if they expected to find enemies behind every rock or tree.

Gar strode forward—either unbothered by his mother's tension, or choosing to give her space, Aaryn wasn't sure. But Elreth slowed, looking back at her parents who had come to a stop, then forward to Gar who was striding towards the cave with purpose, then back to her parents.

He stepped up beside her and whispered, "Maybe give them a minute," then ushered her after Gar.

She nodded, but looked back over her shoulder like she wanted to call a question to them.

But when they stepped into the mouth of the cave after Gar, her attention was drawn back to the place. To the feeling in the air here.

Aaryn had felt it too when he'd come out here before. He wasn't sure if it was because he recognized the faint scent of the Portal, or just knowing all the things that this cave had seen in the past. But the skin on the back of his neck tightened, and he was suddenly very aware of Elreth and the need to hold her tightly.

Gar, as always, walked forward like there was nothing of account to be found here. But he stopped where the tunnels intersected and the turn needed to be taken to where the Portal lay.

Shadows fell on the back of Aaryn's legs then, and he whirled—only to find Despyna and Apryl, chattering contentedly and following them.

He'd forgotten they were even on this trip. He shook his head. He needed to do so much better if he was going to protect Elreth.

They all gathered at the intersection of tunnels, Gar glancing back and forth between Elreth and the mouth of the cave. Perhaps he wasn't as untouched by his parent's tension as he'd pretended back in the clearing.

But he let the females talk, and waited. When finally the shadows of his parents entered the cave and he knew they'd hear him, he cleared his throat and smiled at Apryl when she cut off talking.

"Ready?" she asked cheerfully, though Aaryn could smell the thread of nerves in her scent.

Gar nodded, then turned to Elreth. "So, when we've done all the preparation with a disformed and we think they're ready, we bring them here. Apryl covers the process with them again just to make sure they remember everything. Then we take them to the portal. Or rather, we ask them if they can scent it out. Did you want to try and see if you can do that, El?" he asked casually.

Aaryn wasn't sure if it was a challenge to his sister, or an acknowledgment of her talents—after all, she'd had no training. There was no reason to believe she was capable of identifying the Portal. But Aaryn already knew she could. He almost spoke, almost told Gar she'd already identified it once before. But before he could open his mouth, Elreth answered.

"Sure, I'll give it a try," she said. Never one to back down from her brother's challenges, Elreth stepped forward, but Gar caught her elbow before he let her pass, his face serious.

"If you think you've found it, you don't touch it. You don't try to press through. You just stand in front of it and tell us what you sense. Do you understand? This isn't a game, El. This place is dangerous."

She nodded and put a kind hand to her brother's arm. "I'm sorry I worried you. I'm not going to launch into anything recklessly, Gar. I promise. Thank you for caring."

Gar shifted uneasily, but he nodded and let go of her arm, stepping aside so she could pass easily.

Elreth winked at Aaryn, then stepped forward.

Aaryn waited for her to find it again. He doubted she remembered exactly where the Portal was in the wall, but once you scented it, there was no mistaking it a second time. But because it didn't immediately appear differently to the normal cave wall, some Anima overlooked it, believing the whiff they caught of dry death and decay just meant something had died in this tunnel a long time ago.

Elreth had only been here for seconds before, but he imagined she hadn't forgotten it either.

He was unsurprised when she stopped in front of it, leaned slightly forward her nostrils flaring, then smiled and nodded, stepping back and turning to face them all.

"It's here," she said, pleased with herself. "I'm sure of it."

Gar nodded and took a deep breath. But it was Reth who growled from behind them, "Get away from that place, El.. Now," his voice a dark drawl that put Aaryn in mind of a threat.

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