There she was standing face to face with the same type of fearsome beast that she killed when she finally came of age in the Lake Lands. However, she had her hunting party with her and she wasn’t alone. The feeling hit her hard in her stomach, she was alone and she was probably going to die here. The faces of her family flashed before her eyes, and the sound of Yutan’s comforting voice praising her hunting skills. The feeling in her stomach intensified and tears danced in the corners of her eyes.
“Stand and fight girl!” the voice boomed into her ears as if the person was standing right next to her. Aynilia wildly swung around, searching for the voice. There was no one in this arena besides her and the deadly beast before her.
“I said stand and fight!” the voice came again and she felt a weight draped over her shoulders. Chancing a glance to her side she saw a faint illusion of a girl. A girl with bright white hair and eyes that faded from deep crimson to cerulean. Her eyes went wide for a moment before the voice echoed in her ears again.
“This beast does not wish to fight you. It wants to return home.” The voice became gentle instantly. ‘if it only wants to return home, then why must I fight it’ Aynilia thought angrily her eyes returning to the Red Mane. It was then that she noticed something strange about it. The creature was standing in a threatening stance; however, its eyes were darting around the arena and its ears were turned down. It was afraid and Aynilia couldn’t help but pity the creature. In this moment she took notice of the mouth of the beast. Its canines were not fully grown and they barely were poking out from its lips. ‘It’s a pup!’ Aynilia was hit with a wave of shock. Red Manes did not leave their young until their canines were fully developed.
“They stole this baby from its mother” she whispered her eyes still on the beast.
“They took an opportunity to try and kill you with a beast that probably hasn’t even hunted on its own yet” the girl’s voice responded calmly. When Aynilia glanced back at the phantom girl she was met with an intense stare from her. Their eyes locked and the girl raised her head, glancing beyond Aynilia.
“They are so cruel” the voice was almost a whisper. In the following moment Aynilia felt her arms pulling away from her sides, palms out. The phantom had stepped behind her and forced her arms to move.
“Approach calmly, nonthreateningly. The young beast will calm down” the force had left her arms, but she held them in place. The phantom had disappeared and she was alone again. A wave of courage washed over her and she resolved to approach the beast.
With arms held out, she took her first cautious step towards the Red Mane. It immediately took notice and growled at her. For a moment she was afraid again, but she couldn’t stop now. One by one she stepped closer to the beast. She was approaching attack distance and only then did the creature seem to relax. One ear twitched and lifted slightly and it ceased growling. Raising its head and tilting it slightly the look of confusion took Aynilia by surprise for a moment. One more cautious step and something surprising happened. The Red Mane stepped forward head down and sniffing the space in front of it curiously. Aynilia stopped just outside the reach of its nose. She was now face to face with this fiercely confused beast.
“It’s alright. I want to go home too” she whispered to it holding a hand out in front of her. The Red Mane leaned closer and sniffed her hand. Its large nose blew quick hot air in her face when it was checking her out.
“What is this nonsense!” Tulas shouted from her seat, “Kill that beast or you shall be killed for desecrating a sacred tradition” she continued angrily. Tulas was fuming and couldn’t contain it. This beast was supposed to be the Creegin girls’ demise after all.
Aynilia took one step closer and placed her hand on its snout with calm reassurance. “I will not hurt you” she spoke calmly to the beast. Its ears perked up and started twitching like mad. Then its head shot up turning almost as quickly, scanning the area. It heard something and she had a bad feeling about this. In the next few moments the clanging of metal could be heard echoing through the arena. She looked around and saw small groups of ironclad warriors marching toward her.
“Let’s get out of here” she whispered to the beast, finally bringing her hand back to her side. The beast looked down at her and in a moment, lowering its body down and made a low sound. Aynilia was shocked, but didn’t have the time to react. She rushed to the Red Mane and climbed up onto its back. For being a young beast, it was very tall when it stood back up. In her shock she let out a small shout of surprise. As she sat there the Red Mane starting looking around again. It was then that she caught a glimpse of the Matron Monarch, standing with her hands clenched in the railing before her.
Aynilia tapped the back of the beast’s neck and whispered, “To the Matron over there” and motioning the direction of the balcony that Tulas and Cranis were seated on. The Red Mane did hesitate a moment longer before it turned and bolted to the balcony. Tulas stepped back in fear of what was happening. In her shock she didn’t notice Aynilia leap off of the back of the creature and land behind the Prince’s seat.
She produced a blade and held it to Cranis’s throat in a threatening manner. Tulas finally regained control of herself and glared at Aynilia.
“If you dare hurt him, I will kill you myself” she snarled at Aynilia.
“You do not have the upper hand, your highness” Aynilia snapped back at her. She sent strength to her arms and with her free arm forced Cranis to stand. She turned him towards the Matron and led him to the edge of the balcony like a hostage. She leapt back, making sure to keep a strong grip on the prince. They landed unevenly on the back of the Red Mane. Aynilia forced Cranis to shift to being in front of her, while keeping the knife to his throat.
“Now head for the gate” she commanded the Red Mane. It obediently darted across the length of the arena approaching the large metal gate.
“Ready” she reached down with her free arm and placed it on the Red Manes back, sending power down to it, “Jump!” she finally shouted. The power she gave the Red Mane gave it the power to leap up over the gate and onto the wall above. Once up on the wall the beast stopped for a moment looking around.
Aynilia glanced around quickly when she noticed a familiar sight before her. With a quick command she sent the Red Mane sprinting for it.