Chapter 7: A Mother's Resolve and the Shadows of the Hollows

 

Chapter 7: A Mother's Resolve and the Shadows of the Hollows

The air in Ember Hollows was thick with a damp, earthy chill that clung to everything it touched. Beka squinted against the enveloping darkness, her grip firm on Celeste’s reins as they navigated the trail. Even with Celeste’s faintly glowing horn illuminating the path, the forest felt claustrophobic, the towering Ember Oaks pressing in like silent sentinels.

“Easy, girl,” Beka whispered as Celeste shivered beneath her. The unicorn's tension was palpable, her ears swiveling at every creak and rustle. Beka’s generational bond with the unicorns of Glittering Meadows told her that Celeste sensed more than just the oppressive shadows. Something—or someone—was near.

“What do you sense, girl?” Beka asked aloud, though the question went unanswered. Celeste stopped suddenly, her muscles bunching as if ready to bolt. Then, without warning, she lunged forward, breaking into an all-out gallop.

“Celeste, no!” Beka shouted, clutching the reins tightly as the unicorn charged down the trail with reckless speed. Her protests were futile—Celeste seemed driven by something urgent and unseen. The pounding of hooves echoed through the forest, mingling with the sound of Beka’s heart hammering in her chest.

Then she heard it—a cry, faint but unmistakable. A young girl’s voice. Ariel’s voice.

“ARIEL!” Beka screamed, her voice tearing through the heavy air.

Before she could call again, a beam of blinding light erupted from Celeste’s horn, arcing ahead into the darkness. The magic illuminated the forest, catching the silhouettes of a battered Ariel and a trembling Zed just as they careened toward a massive Ember Oak at the end of a steep path. Celeste’s magic struck them in mid-tumble, freezing them in place just before they could crash into the tree.

Beka slid off Celeste’s back, her legs shaking as she ran to her daughter. Ariel and Zed floated gently to the ground, released from Celeste’s spell.

“Ariel!” Beka cried, kneeling beside her daughter. “Are you okay? Are you hurt?”

Ariel, bruised and weary, nodded weakly. “I think so, Mom,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Beka looked her over, her hands trembling as she checked for injuries. “ARE YOU OKAY?” she repeated, her tone frantic.

“I’m fine, I promise,” Ariel said, though her wince told a different story. Zed, lying nearby, looked equally exhausted. Celeste approached him, her horn glowing softly as she nuzzled his side. The faint light from her horn seemed to transfer into Zed’s, and the young unicorn stirred, his strength visibly returning.

“He saved me, Mom,” Ariel said, her voice cracking. “Zed... he put up this amazing shield, and the wyvern—it would have gotten us if it wasn’t for him.”

At the mention of the wyvern, Beka’s blood ran cold. “A wyvern? In Ember Hollows?”

Ariel nodded and, in a rushed and jumbled flurry of words, told her mother everything: the men with the thornpaws, the two wyverns on the wagons, and the overheard plan to release the creatures near the ranch.

“Two more wyverns? And three men?” Beka asked, her voice tight with disbelief.

“Yes!” Ariel insisted. “We have to get back to the ranch, Mom. They’re planning something terrible!”

Beka’s mind raced as she processed the information. She needed to warn Nick and Noah, but she couldn’t risk taking Ariel and Zed into further danger. “Can you walk?” she asked, her tone steady despite the storm of emotions swirling inside her.

“I think so,” Ariel said, attempting to stand. She managed a few shaky steps before doubling over in pain. “Not well,” she admitted.

Beka sighed, her jaw tightening. She couldn’t leave her daughter behind, but taking her into the heart of a potential battle was unthinkable. As she wrestled with the impossible choice, Zed suddenly reared up on his hind legs and let out a piercing whinny. His horn glowed so brightly that the surrounding forest lit up like midday.

Beka understood. Zed was ready to protect Ariel again if needed.

“Ariel,” she said firmly, “you and Zed need to head back to the meadow. Stay on the outskirts of the ranch. Do not go inside unless it’s absolutely safe. Do you understand me?”

Ariel’s eyes widened in shock. “You’re leaving us? In Ember Hollows? At night? With wyverns out there?”

“You have Zed,” Beka said, her voice filled with conviction. “He saved you once, and he’ll do it again if he has to. You’re brave, Ariel. You’re stronger than you realize.” She kissed her daughter on the forehead, then mounted Celeste.

“Stay safe,” Beka said softly, her voice trembling just slightly. Then she and Celeste disappeared into the shadows, heading toward Nick and Noah.

---

The trail felt endless, a serpentine path of pitch-black shadows broken only by the faint glow of Zed’s horn. Ariel trudged forward, each step sending sharp jolts of pain through her battered body. Zed walked beside her, his limp less pronounced but still noticeable.

“I’m sorry, Zed,” Ariel said, her voice quiet. “I got you into this mess. But if I have to be in it, there’s no other unicorn I’d rather have by my side.”

Zed nickered softly, nudging her leg with his muzzle. Ariel smiled despite the pain and began to hum. The melody, soft and soothing, seemed to lift some of the weight from their shoulders. Zed’s horn glowed a little brighter, the light a small beacon in the oppressive darkness.

---

Nick and Noah had been walking the black trail for over an hour. The dense forest swallowed the dim light from their lantern, leaving them feeling blind and exposed. Every now and then, one of them would call Ariel’s name, their voices echoing futilely into the void.

“Dad, how would we even see her in this mess?” Noah asked, his tone defeated.

“We wouldn’t,” Nick admitted bluntly, his face set with grim determination.

Noah shot him a surprised look, his shoulders slumping further.

“We have to hope she hears us,” Nick continued. “And we need to have faith that we’ll find her. Your mother and the unicorns brought you back to us. Ariel is smart. She’s scared, maybe lost, but she’ll find her way.”

Noah nodded, though the words offered little comfort. As they walked, Nick suddenly stopped, his hand raised to signal silence.

“What is it?” Noah whispered.

Nick squinted into the darkness ahead. A faint glow flickered through the trees, accompanied by muffled voices.

“ARIEL!” Noah cried, his voice breaking with hope.

“Shh!” Nick hissed, grabbing his son’s arm. “That’s not Ariel. It’s too bright, too loud.”

“Then maybe it’s the villagers, coming after they got Celeste’s note?”

Nick shook his head. “Unlikely. Emberfall is hours away.”

The voices grew clearer as the light approached.

“Off the trail!” Nick ordered in a harsh whisper. He pulled Noah into the underbrush, crouching low behind a cluster of ferns.

They watched as two thornpaws lumbered into view, their massive frames pulling wagons draped with heavy tarps. Beside them walked two men, their voices gruff and unfamiliar.

“Let’s release them here,” one of the men said, his voice laced with exhaustion. “I’m tired, hungry, and I don’t want to be a snack.”

“What are they talking about?” Noah whispered, his heart racing.

Nick didn’t reply, his focus unbroken as he reached for the unicorn blade strapped to his back. The sight of it made Noah instinctively clutch his star sling.

As the men drew closer, the details became clearer. Their faces were unfamiliar, and Nick’s heart sank with the realization—they weren’t from Emberfall.

Noah’s breath hitched as he whispered, “What are the thornpaws pulling?”

Nick narrowed his eyes, his grip on the blade tightening. “I don’t know,” he said quietly, his voice edged with unease.

The wagons creaked as they rolled forward, the flickering light casting jagged shadows across the trail. The figures passed within feet of their hiding place, their voices low but audible.

“Let’s stay hidden,” Nick whispered, his tone firm.

Noah nodded, clutching his sling as the forest seemed to hold its breath around them.

End of Chapter 7