Her Mythical Warriors (Book Two)
Chapter Eleven: The Black Dog

Akira, her warriors, and their friends continued their journey.

Traveling with so many different mythical creatures was more than a normal adventure. And if not for her friends, her adventure would not be as fun, and she wouldn’t be as happy. Don’t get her wrong, her warriors make her happy, but having real friends made things so much… more. More fun, more adventures, more love…

“Akira?”

Akira turned to her best friend and smiled. “Jules?”

Julianne smiled questioningly, “you look like you have something weighing on your mind.”

Akira shrugged. “Nah, not really. Just thinking how lucky I am to have all of you….”

Akira chuckled as her two friends wrapped their arms around her. Julianne threw her arm over her shoulders while Stella wrapped her arm around Akira’s waist.

“We’re lucky to have you, too,” Jules said with a wide grin.

Stella nodded, “yep.”

“Look at them,” Darius said as he watched the three females of their group walking ahead of them.

“This is good for Akira,” Wolfric said, watching Akira with her two friends.

“She was such a lonely girl growing up. Until she met Wolfric, but that’s not the same as having female companionship,” Malique said, watching Akira, a smile on his handsome face.

“I hope she doesn’t lose them when our adventure is over,” Zelious said, watching his Psychi. “I haven’t known her as long as you guys have, but I see a difference in her here with you guys than when it was just her and me in the ocean. She’s happy, and that’s all that matters.”

“Spoken like a true warrior,” Darius said with a grin, throwing his arm over Zelious’s shoulders.

“Did you hear that?”

The four warriors looked down at the troll. Fin was looking around them, his long pointy ears pulled back.

“What do you hear?” Wolfric asked, watching the young troll.

“Sounds like a dog barking,” Fin said, his face scrunching in confusion. “There shouldn’t be dogs in the forest, should there?”

“There are plenty of wolves other than our dire wolf here,” Malique said, slapping his hand on Wolfric’s back.

Wolfric snorted.

“No. This sounds like a dog, like one of those we saw in Akira’s world,” Fin said, looking up at the large men.

Darius looked around, “I don’t hear anything.”

“I hear it too,” Stella said, pulling away from Akira and joining the men.

Akira and Julianne stopped and turned to the others.

Wolfric closed his eyes and let his wolf listen to the surrounding forest.

“I hear it too. And it doesn’t sound like a wolf.” Wolfric opened his eyes and looked around.

“Why would a dog be in the forest?” Akira asked, watching the others.

“I don’t think it’s a normal dog.” Wolfric moved closer to Akira.

“What is it?” Akira whispered as Wolfric pulled her to him.

“Not sure, but I think we need to keep our wits about us and pay attention to our surroundings.” Wolfric looked around them as he started walking, pulling Akira with him.

The others followed quietly, keeping an eye out around them. They didn’t need another attack so soon after the last.

They walked for hours. Nothing attacked them or even showed their face. The barking didn’t stop, so neither did they.

When they came to a crossroads in the middle of the forest, Wolfric pulled Akira behind him as he and his fellow warriors surrounded her, watching for anything bad to happen.

Crossroads are never a good omen.

“What’s wrong?” Akira asked, trying to see around her large warriors.

“Crossroads,” Jules whispered as if that answered everything.

Akira rolled her eyes. She knows how superstitious they were when it came to crossroads and other things that connected, but they were being ridiculous, and she told them so.

“Ridiculous, huh?” Wolfric asked, looking back at her.

Akira nodded and pushed her way past her warriors.

“Akira,” they all called out, reaching out for her.

“We can’t let everything that looks off; stop or slow us down. The sooner we get this journey over, the sooner we can settle down in Darius’s palace and live our lives.” Akira ignored them as they tried to pull her away from the crossroads.

Akira made her way to the start of the crossroads and stopped when a large black dog appeared before her. Okay, so maybe her warriors weren’t so wrong after all.

“Oh, no,” Jules practically cried out.

“What?” Akira asked, not taking her eyes off the large black dog.

“We should have known when we first heard the barking.” Stella covered her mouth with her hand.

“What am I missing?” Akira asked, still not looking away from the large dog.

The black dog was the size of a calf, and his glowing red eyes freaked the fuck out of her, but she couldn’t seem to pull her eyes away. Her eyes moved down the dog’s body, and she unconsciously took a step back when she noticed the long, sharp nails in the giant paws.

The black dog didn’t move; it just stared at Akira.

“Akira, get back from him!” Wolfric shouted, trying to get her attention.

Akira shook her head and looked back up into the red eyes of the dog. The black dog released a bark that vibrated the ground beneath their feet.

“Akira!” Darius called out.

The black dog looked from Akira to the others, then disappeared.

“Akira,” Wolfric breathed, pulling her into his arms. “Don’t ever escape our protection again,” he growled, kissing her head as he held her.

“What was that?” Akira asked, looking up at Wolfric.

“A Black Dog,” Stella said, looking around the crossroads to ensure it was gone.

“Yes, I saw it was a black dog,” Akira said, looking at the troll. “But what was it?”

Stella grunted, “as I said, a Black Dog.”

“A hellhound.” Jules moved closer to Akira.

“Hellhound?” Akira squeaked.

“Why was it here?” Malique asked, joining Wolfric and Akira.

“A Black Dog is an Omen of Death,” Levi informed them.

“Not another one,” Wolfric grumbled.

“We should probably listen to this one.” Akira looked up at Wolfric, her body uncontrollably shaking.

“Let’s get moving,” Darius said, motioning for everyone to start on the path again.

“Which way?” Julianne asked, looking at the crossroads.

“This way.” Darius motioned for the group to take the road to the left.

The group started on their journey again, the black dog not far from their thoughts. When they stopped for camp that night, Akira was still shaking, and her warriors took turns holding and warming her body, though it was her soul that needed comforting.

Once dinner was complete, they sat around the fire and looked into the flames.

Finally, someone broke the silence.

“We should go everywhere in twos,” Wolfric said. “No one should go anywhere alone. The warning may have been subtle this time, but it was still a warning, and we need to heed it.”

“I agree,” Akira whispered.

Everyone looked at her. She hadn’t said a word in hours.

“Good.” Wolfric smiled as he pulled her to him and settled her on his lap.

“Too bad there isn’t a way to figure out whose life is in danger this time,” Malique said, looking from the fire to Akira.

“We’re not letting them take her again,” Wolfric growled, holding Akira tighter in his arms.

“Agreed,” the others said in unison.

“He warned me not to ignore their warnings again,” Akira whispered.

“Who did?” Wolfric asked, looking down at her.

Akira looked up at Wolfric. “The man from the afterlife.”

“Oh, right,” Darius said, placing his hand on Akira’s back.

Jules frowned. “We shouldn’t have ignored the warning we got before we took the ship to find Zelious.”

“True.” Darius nodded, his hand making lazy circles across Akira’s back.

“But how do we know who’s destined to die?” Levi asked, watching everyone.

“It’s not destiny,” Jules said, looking at Levi. “If it was destiny, the black dog wouldn’t have appeared to warn us. If it was destiny, we wouldn’t be able to stop it.”

Levi nodded in agreement, “you’re right. But still. How do we know who it is?”

“We don’t,” Akira whispered.

She didn’t want to die again. She didn’t want any of her warriors or friends to either.

“We’ll have to stay close,” Wolfric said, pulling Akira closer.

Akira laid her head on Wolfric’s chest and sighed.

“We should get sleep.” Jules stood from the fire and looked at Levi.

Levi nodded and stood.

“I’ll take first watch.” Malique got to his feet, leaned down, and kissed Akira on the cheek. “Sleep,” he whispered, then disappeared into the woods.

Everyone said their goodnights and slunk off to their beds.

Wolfric stayed sitting by the fire, holding a still-shivering Akira in his arms.

“You need to sleep, love.”

Akira looked up at her Wolfie. “Are you going to sleep?”

Wolfric smiled down at her, “you first.”

Akira smiled, closed her eyes, and snuggled against her wolf. Soon she felt her body relax as she drifted off to sleep.

Wolfric kissed the top of Akira’s head when he heard her breathing even out. She was finally asleep, and he hoped she stayed that way the rest of the night. He closed his eyes and let sleep take him.

~⚔~

“Time to get up.”

Akira moaned and tried to roll over, but something stopped her from moving. She opened her eyes and found she was still wrapped in Wolfric’s arms. She looked up at him and couldn’t help but smile. He was grinning down at her, his eyes droopy from sleep.

“Morning, sunshine.”

“Morning, Wolfie.”

“Come on, you two. You’re already behind on packing.” Darius grinned as he watched them.

Akira moved her stiff body away from her wolf and squealed when he pulled her back against him. He claimed her lips, making her moan against his mouth.

“I love you,” he whispered.

Akira smiled with adoration. “I love you too.”

“Come on, we all love her, and she loves us. Let’s get moving,” Darius said, rolling his eyes.

Akira chuckled as she pulled out of Wolfric’s arms.

Wolfric grunted as he pulled himself to his feet—his body sore from sleeping sitting up.

“When did that get there?” Akira asked when she noticed the log behind Wolfric.

“Wolfric looked hellishly uncomfortable when I came to relieve Malique, so we pulled the log over to support him,” Darius smirked.

Wolfric grunted, “I didn’t want to chance waking Akira once she finally fell asleep.”

Akira pulled Wolfric to her and hugged him. “Thank you,” she whispered against his chest.

Wolfric wrapped his arms around her and held her close.

“Okay, you two, let’s go,” Darius said, tossing something at Wolfric.

Wolfric caught it with a chuckle and looked at it. It was a biscuit. He took a bite of it and caught the next one that was tossed their way. He handed it to Akira, and they separated to eat and help the others pull up camp so they could be on their way again.

~⚔~

Akira felt sluggish—like she hadn’t slept in weeks or eaten in months. Her body felt clammy and hot. But she didn’t tell anyone—she didn’t want to slow them down.

The man from the afterlife’s words slammed into her, and she fell to her knees.

‘Don’t ignore our warnings again.’

Akira started crying. The black dog had come for her!

“Akira!” Julianne hollered when she saw Akira fall to her knees.

The warriors stopped walking and turned when they heard Julianne.

“Akira,” Wolfric said, moving toward his Psychi.

“I’m sorry,” Akira cried, looking up at her warriors. “I should have said something sooner.”

“What’s wrong?” Wolfric asked, standing beside her.

Akira wiped the tears from her cheeks. She was so hot they were almost evaporating from her skin.

“I-I don’t feel good.” Akira fell over—out cold.

“Akira!” Wolfric shouted as he fell to her side. “She’s burning up!”

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