Chapter Twenty-One: Nyssa

 

N ight came quicker than either of them would have wanted.

After getting lost in each other’s embrace for the afternoon, they returned to the group relaxed and messy, having to find creative ways to explain, especially to Remus, what exactly they had been doing.

Remus’ grand tour had apparently ended with Remus telling them all that for the time being, until new homes were built for Finn, Keanu, and Jorah, they could stay with him and Nyssa at their home just outside of Gray Creek. Excited, the group raced away, ready to finally get to rest for good. After arriving at their house, supper was cooked, and the sun began to dip below the horizon. A few hours later, and the moon rose to take its place as ruler of the sky.

Nyssa awoke in her cot with a nudging from Jorah, his heavy hand tapping her shoulder. “Hey,” he whispered. “Wakey, wakey, sleepyhead. It’s time we get a move on.”

Snapping open her eyes, Nyssa wiped any sleep that remained on her eyelids and slowly, carefully, rose to her feet, careful not to wake any of the others. Since there were very few rooms in their house, the whole group opted to sleep in the biggest room, like one giant slumber party. Gently placing her feet as she stalked over the sleeping bodies of Finn and Keanu, as well as her own brother, she managed to get to the doorway without incident; Remus wrinkled his nose and whimpered as he rolled around in his sleep, moaning something about a female Vampire, but other than that everyone else rested peacefully, quietly.

Successfully hopping over everyone as well, Jorah winked and gave a thumbs up as a job well done, and the duo made their way to the front door, where they silently snuck out and into the night. Once outside, they quickly walked away until they were off the main trail that led from her house, and then full on ran until Nyssa decided they were far enough away to stop and check that they were ready for the trip ahead.

“Alright,” Nyssa said as they crouched under a looming, dark tree. “I have a satchel filled with extra clothes and a few herbs and snacks. You have your own, right?”

Holding up a hideskin satchel bag, Jorah grinned. “Don’t you think it’s funny how often us shifters are naked? Why do we even wear clothes at all, if we constantly tear and destroy them when we shift?”

“Is that what you’ve been pondering while pretending to sleep?” Nyssa asked, bent on teasing him. “I’d hope you be dreaming of something other than sorrow for our garments. Maybe about me, for instance.”

“Oh, I did dream about you, about what you look like after you shred your tunic and trousers,” he retorted, earning a quiet chuckle from Nyssa. “If that’s all we needed to check, then let’s go.”

“Wait!” Grabbing his wrist, Nyssa held Jorah down. He looked back at her quizzically. “On a more serious note, why don’t we try actually speaking with your clan first when we get up there? At night they all gather in the Seers’ cave, right?”

“Don’t you remember how that went the first time?” Jorah asked. “They locked you and Lowell up, practically spat in my face...and Nyx probably decided right then and there to get back at me.”

“I know, but we can at least try again, make sure we have another option before we fully commit to risking your life in some dumb duel,” Nyssa said, tightening her grip.

“Alright, fine, we can try it again,” Jorah said.

Out of the blue, a figure popped his head out from around the side of a tree, smiling. “Sounds good to me!”

Startled, both Nyssa and Jorah jerked back, readying themselves for a fight. But upon closer inspection, they saw the figure to be none other than Finn. “Finn?” Jorah said. “What are you doing here?”

Stepping out fully into their line of vision, Finn grinned. “Well, following you guys, of course, and don’t worry - we already heard your whole plan, so there’s no point in trying to dissuade any of us.”

“Us?” Nyssa said, bewildered as multiple figures stepped out of the trees and closer towards them. Three other figures crowded around them. The huge, bulky man was clearly Keanu, his gruff exterior and lumbering gait easy to pick out of the dark treeline. He simply nodded at Nyssa and winked at Jorah.

The next figure was smaller, more around her size but half a head taller. She realized from the tawny, messy hair that it was Lowell, his arms crossed but his expression stoic and focused. “Yeah, I’m coming too. We both have experience up on the mountains, and I still want to make up for the crummy attitude I’ve had towards you and Jorah both. You can’t talk me out of it, I’m just there for a little extra protection.” Nyssa smiled at him sweetly, thanking him.

The third and final figure was none other than the lanky, tall, and ghostly pale Bronwen, her red eyes piercing the dark so unnaturally it was like a bewitching monster strode down towards her. She smiled happily as she came to a stop before Nyssa, looking down at her. “Yes, I’m here too.”

“But why?” Nyssa asked. “I can understand Lowell, and even Keanu and Finn, but you? You have no obligation to help us.”

“And I’d like to keep it that way,” Bronwen said, leaning down to cup her mouth so only Nyssa would hear. “I’m helping because, one, I want to. I like to think of you as my younger sister. Two, because this will earn me points with Remus. Three, who wouldn’t want to see a jovial Vampire like me climb up the Northern Mountains. I might very well be the first Vampire to attempt it. I’m making history just talking about it. Besides, if the Bear Clan sees a friendly Vampire unwilling to attack or hurt them, then that’ll help, right?”

Nyssa smiled weakly. “Alright, alright, come with us then...so I guess you all just left my brother back at the house?”

Everyone nodded, with Finn speaking. “No offense to your brother, but I feel like he’d be a buzzkill to the mood right now. Besides, like you’re probably thinking, he doesn’t have anything to do with this little quest of ours.”

Satisfied with that answer, Nyssa nodded, glancing at Jorah. “It’s all fine with me, if everyone is up for it. We very well could be attacked, maimed, trapped by my own people. And the Seers will certainly not be happy to see us, maybe even order everyone dead besides me upon seeing us all.” Again, everyone nodded, ready for what lay ahead. “Good!” Jorah announced. “Then let’s be off. We need to make it up the mountain while most of the Bear Clan is still congregating in the Seers’ cave. Follow me!”

With a few hoots and hollering from Finn and Jorah, giggling from Bronwen, a happy silence from Keanu and a brooding silence from Lowell, Nyssa felt a skip in her step. Maybe their self-appointed quest would turn out alright after all. Seeing bear shifters, wolf shifters, and even a Vampire coexisting together would definitely help to convince the populace on top of the Northern Mountains.

Now, as the group sprinted into the forest, with the Northern Mountains looming just ahead, and Jorah at her side, Nyssa felt like her adventure was truly beginning.