Mated To An Enemy

“Ssshhh!” Ashleigh whispered, quieting the boy by her side.

She held him back with her arm, pressing herself against the rocks as hard as she could and trying to make them both invisible.

Ashleigh waited until the wolf had passed and she couldn’t hear his steps anymore.

“Alright,” she whispered. “We can move now.”

The boy looked up at her sadly.

“I’m slowing you down, Miss Ashleigh,” he said.

Ashleigh got down on her knee before him, placing her hands on his shoulders; she tried to give him a bright smile.

“You are not slowing me down, Abe. I am the one that said we should hide, and I’m the one that keeps making us take breaks. That’s all me, bud.”

Abe smiled back at her.

Ashleigh had never expected to find the boy that had announced his desire to marry her in this game. She didn’t even know he had gotten his wolf.

He was a sweet boy; he just wanted the chance to play a game with her. He had no idea what this game was about, and Ashleigh was trying desperately to keep it that way.

Once she had taken care of the three wolves that had first cornered him by the stream, she had decided they would make their way through the field as quietly as possible.

Abe had gotten hurt at the start of the game; he had fallen and twisted his ankle. It wasn’t enough to bring the medics in, but it was enough to make it difficult for him to move too quickly. She had considered telling him to hide while she tried to finish the game, but there was no guarantee he wouldn’t run into trouble again.

No, the only way she could make sure the boy was safe was to take him to the safe zone herself. In order to do this, she had avoided other wolves where she could. They had run into a pair, and after some intense staring, Ashleigh decided to see if they would simply let her pass.

She had picked Abe up into her arms and kept her eye on them as she moved past. To her surprise, they had let her go by and then continued on their own way.

They snuck past every wolf they could, and every once in a while, when they would run into a wolf they couldn’t avoid, they talked to them. Ashleigh made her case where she could, asking them to let her by so she could take Abe to safety. When it seemed like the wolf wasn’t listening or didn’t care, she simply walked away, keeping her guard up in case they decided to try and come after them from behind.

There had been a few minor scuffles but nothing more than threats. They had avoided the wolves that were clearly trying to hunt them. Now they just needed to reach the safe zone.

As Ashleigh approached the hill, she looked around nervously. Here she would be out in the open. If there were any wolves waiting to jump at her, this was their perfect opportunity. She had Abe in her arms and would have to use her body as a shield to protect him if there was an attack.

She swallowed down her anxiety and started up the hill.

“What’s this?” Fiona called out from the tree she leaned against. “Did you bring a friend today?”

“Fiona, this boy is hurt. I am just trying to get him to the safe zone so that he can be looked at by a medic.”

“Oh, is that it?” Fiona smiled. “So, I should just move aside and let you take him into the safe zone, which is also how you win this game?”

“This isn’t about the game; I just want to make sure he is alright.”

Fiona nodded.

“Well, unfortunately,” Fiona replied, pushing off the tree. “I can’t let anyone just walk into the safe zone….”

She started to walk in their direction.

“But what I can do…” she said, “is focus my attention on you while the boy runs off somewhere. Maybe to the tree, maybe to the safe zone. I don’t know because I will be focused on attacking you.”

Ashleigh took a deep breath through her nose.

“When I put you down,” she whispered to Abe. “Run to the tree, and then run to the safe zone. Do not look back, and do not listen. Just get up the hill and into the safe zone.”

Abe nodded.

“Will you be ok?” he asked.

Ashleigh smiled.

“It’s just a game, sweetheart,” she whispered, setting him down on the ground. “Now, run!”

Ashleigh jumped at Fiona, but she was ready for her. Ashleigh was caught and tossed aside like a ragdoll.

Fiona pulled out her clubs, and Ashleigh reached back for her karambits.

They squared off. Ashleigh glanced up to see where Abe was, almost up the hill. She moved back just in time to avoid getting hit by Fiona’s club.

She quickly moved her hands defensively, again getting caught in Fiona’s flurry of attacks. Ashleigh tried to hold her back, but her eyes kept drifting up the hill. He was almost there.

Fiona let go of one of her clubs, letting it fall to the ground. She drew her hand back and formed a tight fist that she brought down with full force into Ashleigh’s stomach.

Ashleigh doubled over, coughing and trying to catch her breath. Fiona brought her knee up into Ashleigh’s chin, sending her flying back.

Ashleigh landed hard, and she was sure she felt a rib crack. Fiona was coming at her. Ashleigh got up painfully and moved out of the way.

Once more, she looked up just as Abe crossed into the safe zone. Ashleigh felt a wave of relief before the pain in her back as Fiona kicked her.

“Pay attention!” Fiona shouted as she charged at her with her club.

Fiona raised her hand high, bringing it down toward her goal. Ashleigh closed her eyes, preparing for the blow, but to her surprise, it never came.

“Go!” she heard a voice she slightly recognized shout.

Ashleigh opened her eyes to see a young woman, short with brown hair, using her body as a shield against the brunt of Fiona’s onslaught.

“Go! Win the game!” the girl shouted once again.

“Hurry!” shouted another girl. She looked similar to the first.

That was when Ashleigh recognized them as the potential siblings from the lobby.

“We can’t hold her long!” the second girl said.

Ashleigh nodded and pulled herself up off the ground. She turned and started running toward the safe zone. She didn’t know why they were helping her. Maybe they were just sick of the game. But whatever their reason, she was happy to finally finish this torture.

She was only ten feet away when she heard it, the pained cry of the second woman.

Ashleigh turned back. One of the women was curled up on the ground. At the same time, the other shielded her as Fiona continued to beat them mercilessly.

Ashleigh growled.

Fiona drew back on the staff, preparing to hit the small woman on the head to knock her out. When she was pulled back with force. Fiona hit the ground and lost her hold on the staff.

Ashleigh was on top of her in an instant.

She was able to pin Fiona’s arms back. She knew she wouldn’t be able to hold her for long, but it might just be enough.

“Go!” she shouted, “Hurry! Get up the hill! Take her to the medic!”

The two wolves looked at Ashleigh with confused eyes.

“Hurry! I can’t hold her long!”