Mated To An Enemy



Ashleigh felt a painful grip around her heart as she read about the scout’s shock and concern at seeing the blue-haired man and the children around the campfire.

She paused and took a deep breath.

He had done his part. He had warned them of the danger. As a result, he should have been able to go home safely without guilt or concern. He did not make a mistake. She did.

But the scout did not go home. He was concerned. He drew the attention of the monsters that had also noticed the party in the forest below, and once again, he was chased through the woods.

After spending the night in the village, the scout wrote about planning to set out the next day, hoping to find the group from the night before, warn them of the danger, and get off the mountain.

Ashleigh swallowed as she looked down at the page of the next entry. Her hand moved slowly to touch the dried stains. The writing was smeared, and some was unreadable under the dark red smudges.

What she could read told of how he had cut the treant's root as it dragged him down the slope. He got free and ran, and though he did escape the treant, he was immediately faced with a bat.

Again, he survived the fight but wrote of injuries to his stomach and chest. The blood stains on the page made it clear that his wounds were not just simple cuts and scrapes. He had lost many of his supplies while running over several days.

The following few entries described seeing more and more lake monsters in the forest and witnessing several minor battles.

Ashleigh noticed that the way he wrote was changing. His letters were getting larger and sloppier, and the pressure he put on the writing utensil was getting softer. She was tempted to look ahead, to see just how many entries were left. But she was too nervous.

She closed the journal when the darkness settling over the sky made it difficult to read his words. Then, looking up into the stars, she swallowed as she replayed all the events she had read about in the journal and experienced herself.

Tears gathered in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away and tried to think of anything else. But the only other thing that would come to mind was Caleb’s smile. His laugh. The warmth of his voice.

Ashleigh covered her mouth with a tight grip as she could no longer stop the tears and the sobs that poured out of her. She fought to keep as quiet as she could. She couldn’t stop the tears or the pain. But finding the scout was a mission she would not fail, which meant she couldn’t risk being heard by one of the monsters that walked these woods.

The following day, she continued reading the journal.

The scout had found a cave, the entrance was easy enough to cover, and there was no sign that anything had used it for years. He planned to rest for a few days, build up his strength and then try again to leave the mountain.

Ashleigh looked around the area, but she saw nothing that looked like it could be an entrance to a cave. Unfortunately, the journal didn’t say where it was or if anything was recognizable nearby.

| He mentioned that his wounds were not healing properly. He had done his best to clean them but needed more supplies, and water was hard to come by. He was also weak and hungry. With all the fae around and his injuries, it was difficult for him to hunt or even gather food to eat.

The following few entries were just brief accounts of what he had seen, how long he had slept, or how much food he could gather.

Looking at the dates, Ashleigh saw a two-week gap where he wrote nothing. But as she read, she understood why. His injuries had worsened, he had struggled with a fever, and several times he had been convinced that he would soon die if he hadn’t already.

But, somehow, the scout had made it through the fevers and the sickness. He had survived. Ashleigh felt tears running down her cheeks as she read on.

Once the fever passed, he left the cave to look for food and water. For three days, he saw no fae and could find a fresh stream and drink, fill his belly and bring back a small surplus to the cave. He wasn’t strong enough to make the trek down the mountain yet, but he still maintained his hope.

Ashleigh was blown away by all he had been through and the hope he still had. Looking at the date, she realized he had already been trapped in Moonguard for over three months. She took a deep breath; her heart was racing in her chest.

She had come here expecting to retrieve a body, but now, she was starting to believe there was a chance she might find him alive.

Several small entries talked about the fae he saw, observing their behaviors and movements. He spoke about his food and how he felt a little stronger each day.

He even described eating the Lemon Berry that Sadie had mentioned. According to the scout, it was quite delicious.

Ashleigh turned the page, and her eyes widened at the first words written.

‘This will be my last entry.’

Ashleigh swallowed.

He had spotted a large number of the lake monsters near the stream he had been frequenting. But they didn’t seem to be leaving, and more and more seemed to gather. So he avoided the stream for several days, but they were still there even when he came back.

He decided he was strong enough to move on from the cave. Based on the behavior of the lake monsters, he was sure they were preparing to attack the mound. So, he needed to move further down the mountain now while the fae were distracted by their dispute.

He had made a small satchel to carry his food and canteen but needed to travel light. The journal wasn’t very heavy, but it would take up space that could be used to bring more food.

He left several more notes and observations about the different fae, stating that he hoped they would prove helpful to anyone that might find this journal in the future.

The scout said he would leave the journal as soon as it felt too heavy. And he finished it off with a short parting message.

‘To whoever may be reading this, if I could be so bold, I would like to make a request. I don’t know if I will make it off this mountain or if I will ever make it back to Winter. But, on the journal's binding, there is a small tear; I have placed a stone inside it. It’s not very big, but it is from the cave that has been my home and shelter for three months. Please take it to Winter. If I am there, bring it to me. If I am not… please ask Alpha Axel to place it for me. He’ll know what that means.

Thank you, whoever you are. In this way, no matter what happens, I know a piece of me will make it home.’

Ashleigh took in a shaky breath and closed the journal. She swallowed as the tears fell and turned the book over in her hand. She found the tear he wrote of. Carefully she pulled back on it and closed her eyes with a sigh as she saw the tiny stone.

It was only the size of a quarter. Much too small for a remembrance stone. But, if this was his wish, she would honor it.

She stayed in the tree for a long time, unable to do anything but sit and breathe. The last entry was two weeks old. He had been alive two weeks ago. There was a chance he had made it off the mountain. There was a chance he was still here.

But Ashleigh had no clues of where to go or how to find him.

Once again, she was left to choose between a desperate search and giving up.

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