Chapter Twenty-Eight: Nyssa

 

S he couldn’t have said when they fell asleep in each other’s arms that night, but Nyssa dreamed once again.

In the past, her dreams were always filled with heroic visions of Darius, imagining life if Darius had chosen her instead of Amara, how she could be the Alpha’s mate instead of a cat shifter. Those dreams were dark and misty, with the only light being Darius as he turned his back to her.

But this time her dream was nothing of the sort, instead a vision of pure white snow, with tracks circling her. Instead of Darius walking away from her, a great, massive bear circled her, watching, its dark eyes never leaving her sight. Anyone else might have trembled at the beast circling her, but Nyssa remained steadfast, even briskly striding towards in, cupping its great head and pulling it to her chest, its warm, grizzly fur engulfing her and tickling her skin. As the sun rose and the snow melted, the bear transformed into a man, into the dark-eyed Jorah, his charming smile never breaking, his ginormous arms gently wrapping around her. As they kissed, their bodies lit on fire, tall flames scorching their bodies on the tallest peak of the Northern Mountains.

And then she awoke to the sound of voices calling her name. Her eyes fluttered open to find no Jorah in front of her, her hands sifting through nothing but air. Instead as she rose and stretched from the cool cave floor, she spied Jorah pushing his head and tied back hair through his tunic.

“Nyssa, Jorah!” The voices called again. “Come on, where are you guys? It’s dawn already!”

Turning to shake her awake, Jorah’s eyes widened when he saw he didn’t need to help her along. He smiled, throwing her the clothes they had greedily torn off the night before. “Rise and shine, sleeping beauty,” Jorah said, crouching next to her as she pulled on her hideskin jerkin. “Looks like it’s finally time to head out. You ready?”

“Are you?” She asked back, standing to pull on her pants and boots. “I’m not wrestling some other bear shifter in a ring in the snow.”

Jorah chuckled. “But you’ll be watching me, just as everyone else will.”

Finally, just as Nyssa finished clothing herself, Bronwen stalked around the corner, peering into the darkness and seeing Jorah help Nyssa smooth out some wrinkles in her jerkin. “There you two are. We were worried you both somehow snuck out of the cave,” she said. Looking them both up and down, Bronwen giggled. “Though this is the second time now that I’ve walked in on you two...I need to stop this habit of mine before it gets out of hand.” Both Nyssa and Jorah rolled their eyes, causing Bronwen to giggle. “Well, when you two are ready, let’s go to the front. Nyx is waiting for us, and says the Seers are growing impatient.”

“The Seers will have to wait,” Jorah said. Grabbing Nyssa’s hand and pulling her forward, they followed after Bronwen.

At the entrance of the cave, just like Bronwen had said, stood Nyx, along with the two prison cave guards, speaking to Finn and Keanu, with Lowell standing off to the side. Upon seeing the trio, Nyx placed her hands on her hips and frowned, the cool wind from the outside blowing her hair around. “You two are late...you are the one who challenged the Seers, Jorah, and now you’re making them late? They won’t be easy on you, just because of that.”

Jorah shrugged. “We overslept. It happens.”

Nyx sighed and mumbled something under her breath but nodded them towards the entrance. “Come on, we don’t have forever.”

“You ready?” Finn asked Jorah as the entire group began to walk out of the cave and into the glistening snow fields.

“Of course, I am. Just sit and watch me work my magic when we get to the ring,” Jorah said.

Just like in Nyssa’s dream, the plateau of the Northern Mountains where the Bear Clan lived was serene and penetrated by the morning sunlight. The snow fields were smooth and sparkling under the sun, save for the few trails of footsteps that Nyx and other bear shifters had variously left in their wakes. The air was fresh and crisp, and as they walked Nyssa breathed in big gulps to cool her lungs. In the distance, as Nyx pointed out, a huge group of around a few hundred or so gathered, all standing and chatting to each as they approached. As the massive group of shifters saw them approach, they parted, allowing the group to pass easily to the center. The Seers stood in the center, conversing and shaking at the cold breezes.

Dallan, in particular, spoke to a burly, hairy shifter whose face was buried by a messy, thick beard and small eyes. The man stood resolute in the cold, shirtless, with his arms at his side and his chest hair running down to his naval. The man made no sound as they approached and remained silent as Jorah left Nyssa’s side to march forward.

Next to the man, Jorah looked down on him, but the shifter’s width far out-classed Jorah.

“Ah, how good of you to finally join us,” Dallan said, squinting in Jorah’s direction. “We all thought you’d given up, dropped out of the contest.”

“Please, and miss this chance to leave my mark on the world?” Jorah said with a jovial smile. “No, but I’m ready for this fight.” The burly man glared at Jorah and crossed his arms.

“Then stand across from each other in this ring, and we shall begin,” Dallan said. Turning, Dallan pointed at Nyssa and the rest, signaling to get back. “You all, stand off to the side, and whatever you do, do not get in the way.”

As everyone stepped back, Jorah and the other bear shifter moved to position only a couple dozen feet away from one another. Each remained still as stone as one of the Seers came forward with his wooden staff carved with intricate designs and stuck the staff in the snow. Dragging it along, the snow parted to create an even line as the Seer walked in a wide circle, eventually closing it after walking all the way around. Now that the circle was complete the Seer ambled back to the others, and Dallan stepped forward, raising his hands. All was silent, and Dallan gazed around, but before he could speak shouts from off in the distance pierced the air.

Startled, Dallan and the other Seers followed the gazes of the couple hundred bear shifters to spy a battle raging across the frozen lake. Nyssa widened her eyes at the sight they all bore witness to. Dozens of bears fought and roared and swiped at wolves and cougars, their howls erupting in huge clouds of frozen air. The crowd of bear shifters recoiled at the sight, with many gasping and shouting themselves, and many beginning to back away as the bears were pushed back across the frozen lake. Wolves and cougars raced after the bears, unwilling to keep attacking so long as their enemies kept running.

To her surprise, Nyssa saw tufts of gray and blonde hair among the shifters, as well as a overgrown and very loud cougar running alongside a smaller, blonde cougar. Speechless, Nyssa watched as the group of around ten or so wolves and cougars raced to a stop before the crowd of bear shifters, scaring many to the point of running to hide behind the Seers, save for Nyssa and her group.

The gray wolf shifted back first, appearing as none other than Darius, her Alpha and friend, followed by Remus, Amara and her father, Torian, the rest remaining in their massive wolf forms. Snarling at any bears that got close.

“Darius…” Nyssa said.

Panting, Darius waved at Nyssa, but it was Remus who ran forward to embrace Nyssa.

Her brother grabbed her tight, squeezing so hard Nyssa battered on his arm to let her go. But even as he stepped back his hands remained tight on her shoulders. “Do you have any idea how scared I was when I woke up alone in our house?” He said angrily. “Next time say something before just getting up to leave without me!”

“B-but what are you all doing here?” Nyssa asked.

Remus sighed. “Isn’t that obvious? We came to find you...and to talk to these Seers of yours.” Spying Bronwen prance over, he pointed a big finger at her. “You’ll have some explaining to do later.”

“W-what is this?” Dallan suddenly shouted, stepping forward from his comrades who shook in fear behind him. “Who are you and what are you doing in our home? Have you come to slay us all? Ravage our caves and pillage our belongings?”

Darius and Torian walked forward, naked as the day they were born, and stopped just before the circle in which Jorah and the other bear shifter remained standing in. “My name is Darius, Alpha of the Pack,” Darius said.

“And I am Torian, Alpha of the Pride,” Torian said, his mane of hair dancing in the wind. “We’re here to negotiate a peace with you all. I presume you nine are the leaders of the fabled remnants of the Bear Clan?”

“We are,” came Dallan’s spiteful response. “But we will not negotiate with you now! Nor do we plan to do so in the future. Currently we are in the middle of an important ritual, so stay back and do not interrupt us again! In fact, why don’t you simply leave?”

Suddenly Nyx stepped forward. “Let them stay, Dallan. If the outcome of this contest ends in Jorah’s favor, then you Seers can speak to the two leaders of the Oldwood clans immediately after. There’s no reason to turn them away now.” She looked Darius and Torian up and down, wrinkling her nose. “Though maybe we should find them some clothes...I think the cold could bite them a little too hard in their current attire.”

“No need!” Darius called, pointing behind him. “We’ve come prepared.”

On cue, a wolf and cougar loped forward, carrying satchels in their mouths and dropped them in the two Alpha’s hands. Each proceeded to change into more comfortable clothes, throwing garments to Amara and Remus, who both fidgeted in the cold. Remus’ teeth chattered like crazy, and he stumbled more than once as he pulled on his trousers. As they clothed themselves, the rest of the bear shifters watched them with eagle-eyes, shock still inscribed onto their faces. Fully clothed the group marched over to Nyssa and the others, greeting her and the rest like they’d just seen each other an hour prior.

“So, what exactly is happening?” Remus asked, glancing at the circle where Jorah and the other bear shifter still waited.

“A contest,” Nyssa replied. “One that you all nearly ruined.”

“So why is it happening, and why can’t we interrupt it?” Torian asked.

“It’s a debate about our laws,” Nyx interjected. “Ever since we were forced out of the Blackwood by the Vampires and began to live on this frozen peak, we’ve lived in isolation in fear of being attacked again. But now Jorah is aiming to change those laws for good.”

“We’ll explain as it happens,” Nyssa said. “For now, just watch.”

Remus and the others blinked, but ultimately remained quiet as Dallan and the other Seers hesitantly stepped forward once again. No other bear shifters followed, leaving one entire side to Nyssa and the others. Clearing his throat, Dallan threw up his hands. “Despite these unexpected visitors, let us finally begin this contest. For I shall now speak!”

Gulping, Nyssa eyed Jorah, who glanced over his shoulder to throw her a confident smile and a wink. It was now or never, and more than anything she wanted to jump in the ring with him, to give him support and get through this ordeal together, but if she even attempted that everything they had worked towards could potentially go up in flames.

So, all Nyssa could do was hope and pray Jorah would get the upper hand and watch from her place on the sidelines.