Cry of the Wolf (Avalon: Web of Magic #3) (3 page)

“Remember.”
Storm’s golden eyes gazed warmly at Adriane.
“You found me once. You will always find me.”

Without a backward glance, all the wolves drifted into mist and swept through the portal. The portal swirled closed behind them, and vanished. Adriane let the pain wash over her as she howled in the empty field, alone.

“A
RE YOU SURE
there are no snakes here?” Heather’s voice trembled as the redhead gingerly picked her way down the trail.

“Maybe there’s pythons!” Joey ran up behind Molly and pretended to choke her. “They sneak up and crush you to pieces!”

“Ewwww. Stop that, Joey!” Molly squealed and ducked behind Kara, knocking into their blond tour guide.

“Dude.” Marcus laughed. “Pythons only live in, like, South America.”

“The Ravenswood Wildlife Preserve is home to many different species of animals, but we haven’t seen any snakes.” Kara Davies’ voice carried over the group as they made their way from the Mist Trail into Wolf Run Pass. Kara’s friends, Heather, Tiffany, Molly, Joey, and Marcus, followed their intrepid tour guide through the lush forest.

“Where’s the dinosaur bush?” Joey asked.

Marcus mock-punched his friend. “Dude, that might be too scary for you.”

Kara scanned the map that folded out from her notebook. “The hedge animals are in the topiary gardens.”

“You should have bear wrestling,” Joey suggested.

“Man, I’d pay to see that!” Marcus jostled Joey as he roared like a bear.

“You are so immature,” Tiffany scolded. “There’s no more bears here.”

A growl from the deep, dense forest answered back.

“What was that?” Heather nervously looked around.

“Well, this
is
an animal preserve,” Kara said slyly. “If we’re lucky, we’ll see some wild animals through Wolf Run Pass.”

“Are you sure this is safe?” Molly moved close behind Tiffany and Heather as the group entered a wide glade surrounded by large, moss covered rocks and trees on either side.

“Ravenswood is a natural habitat for animals.” Kara waved her arms and called out dramatically, “You never know what might drop in!”

Her friends looked at each other, puzzled.

“Aerobics?” Tiffany asked.

Heather shrugged.

“Ooo, I think I hear something,” Kara carefully called out again.

Suddenly a shadow passed overhead as a large, flying creature circled the group.

“What’s that?” Molly squealed.

“It’s a bird—” Joey started

“It’s a plane—” Marcus continued.

Heather crossed her arms. “It’s an owl, you morons.”

Ariel gently landed on Kara’s outstretched arm, her wing feathers shimmering with purple-and-turquoise sparkles.

“A great snow owl. Hi, Ariel,” Kara, beaming, said to the owl. “These are my friends that have come to meet you.”

The owl surveyed the group with huge turquoise eyes. “Hoo doo yooo doo.”

“Hey, that owl almost sounds like it talks,” Joey said.

“You are so silly. Animals don’t talk,” Tiffany scoffed.

“Yeah, pretty silly,” Kara remarked, scratching Ariel’s head.

“I was chasing a mouse.”

“No eating during showtime,” Kara whispered, quickly nuzzling her cheek on the owl before gently releasing Ariel to fly away.

The group pressed forward down the trail.

“What other mighty creatures of the forests might be out here?” Kara asked dramatically.

A ferocious roar split the air.

Molly jumped. “What was that?”

“Shhh, look!” Kara whispered, pointing.

Before the group, perched on a large pile of rocks, was a big, spotted cat. Her lustrous fur shone orange with black spots.

“It’s the leopard!” Heather yelped.

“Run!” Joey shouted, taking a step backward.

Kara stepped forward. “If we all stay real quiet, I think I can pet her.”

“Are you crazy?!” Molly whispered.

The big cat jumped down to stand in front of Kara as she slowly reached out and moved closer.

“Kara, be careful … ” Heather bit her lip.

Over her shoulder, Kara whispered to her friends. “If I just act friendly, maybe she won’t eat me … I hope.” She winked at Lyra. The big cat winked back.

“Kara! This is
so
not funny!” Tiffany called out, stamping her foot.

As Kara approached, the wild animal crouched low and gave a fierce growl.

“Ahhhhh!” Everyone screamed, falling over one another as they tried to run away.

With her back to her friends, Kara bent over, inspecting the cat’s fur. “You need a bath,” she said, examining the cat’s ears.

“I do not. I smell like wildflowers,”
Lyra replied casually.

She gave the cat a quick kiss. “You got the wild part right.”

“It’s beauty and the beast,” Marcus cracked as the cat scrambled up the rocks and back into the woods.

“Hey, that’s a good one, Marcus.” Kara quickly scribbled in her notebook.

“You scared us half to death!” Tiffany pouted.

“C’mon,” Kara laughed. “I’ll show you the lawn behind the manor where we’re planning the benefit concert.”

“Great tour, Kara!” Joey said, grinning.

“Ka-ra! Ka-ra! Ka-ra!” they chanted, heading down the trail.

A mournful howl stopped their chant. It came from behind a vine-covered opening between the trees.

“All right! A bear!” Marcus said excitedly.

Joey mock-punched his friend again.

The cry rose again.

“Oo, oo, me, me, my turn,” Tiffany yelled. “I want to pet the animals, too.” She skipped over to the vines.

“Hey, that’s not part of the tour,” Kara muttered, checking her notes.

“Here I am, cute thing.” Tiffany slowly pulled the leaves aside and screamed.

Adriane stood, eyes glazed, dirt streaked and smeared across her face. From her hiking boots to her black jeans and up to her pullover sweater and forest-green vest, she was covered in mud, leaves, and grass stains.

“Oh, it’s just you,” Tiffany said.

Adriane eyed the group from behind straggly, damp black hair.

“What happened, you fall in a marsh bog?” Joey called out, walking over.

“Leave me alone,” Adriane snarled, stumbling away.

The boy stepped back. “Hey, easy. I was only trying to help.”

“She is sooo weird,” Tiffany whispered to Heather.

“Yeah, even weirder than normal,” Heather agreed.

Kara walked over to Adriane. “What’s up?” She eyed Adriane more closely. “You look awful.”

“Leave me alone,” Adriane repeated and turned away.

“Hey, is she okay?” Marcus asked as Kara’s friends moved in for a better look.

Suddenly Ariel dove from the sky to land on Adriane’s arm. The owl leaned into Adriane’s neck, cooing softly and nuzzling her cheek.

“What’s the matter with her?” Molly asked.

“Cat’s got her tongue?” Heather quipped.

With a loud hiss, Lyra jumped to Adriane’s side, standing protectively close.

“Keep away from her,”
the cat growled.

Kara’s friends understood the cat’s actions perfectly, even if they couldn’t hear the words.

“Okay, okay, everyone back off,” Kara ordered. “Head back to the main road. I’ll be there in a minute.”

When her friends had moved out of earshot, Kara turned quickly to Lyra. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Stormbringer is gone,”
Lyra told her.

“Oh, that wolf is always wandering around,” Kara laughed, picking leaves and twigs from Adriane’s hair. “She’ll probably be back in a few hours.”

“No, the mistwolf is gone,”
the cat repeated.

Kara searched Adriane’s eyes. They were red and puffy, streaked with tears.

“What do you mean, gone?” Kara asked.

Adriane pressed the owl and the cat close to her. “She’s gone,” she stated simply.

“Lyra,” Kara said to the cat, “take her to Emily. I’ll join you as fast as I can.”

She gripped Adriane’s arms and looked in her eyes. “Adriane, go with Lyra and Ariel. Okay?”

“Come on, Adriane, just hold on to me,”
Lyra said, leading Adriane down the path to the manor house. Adriane stumbled after her, silently calling for Storm and hearing nothing.

E
MILY FLETCHER BLEW
a loose auburn curl off her face and clicked on the icon to open the Ravenswood mailbox. She turned from her computer to a second workstation set up on a table next to her desk.

“Mail call,” she announced. “It’s from Meilin.”

Ozzie, a golden brown ferret, sat on three pillows pecking away on the keyboard. Ronif, a quiffle, sat behind him, as Balthazar, a pegasus, stood watching carefully. They were busy working on their secret database of magic and magical animals. After all, they actually had firsthand knowledge of these creatures being magical themselves. Although technically an elf, Ozzie was determined that just because he was stuck in a ferret body, it didn’t mean he had to act like one. At least not in front of his friends.

“Don’t forget to include that they have bad breath,” Ronif commented, flapping his rubbery beak over Ozzie’s shoulder.

“Pee-yew! Believe you me,” Ozzie remarked, “when there’s a kobold in the neighborhood, you know it!”

Emily smiled proudly at her team. She turned back and opened the email.

Meilin lived in Shanghai, China. She and Emily had become good friends in the past month, trading emails and info about animals and legends. Meilin’s father was an archeologist who used to tell her stories of great and powerful dragons. Meilin wanted to know whether Emily believed in dragons.

“Well, team magic,” Emily asked her animal friends. “Dragons, real or myth?”

“Real, of course. Why wouldn’t they be?” Balthazar answered.

After all the magical animals they’d seen here at Ravenswood, a dragon wouldn’t be that far-fetched. Emily thought of Phelonius, a creature so magical, he couldn’t survive on Earth. He’d helped her find the courage to use her healing magic. He was the most amazing creature she had ever seen. And if she hadn’t seen him with her own two eyes, she never would’ve believed
he
was real. So why couldn’t dragons be real, too?

“You’ve seen one then?” Emily asked.

“
I
haven’t, personally.” Ozzie gestured with his furry paws. “But Cousin Schmoot had this friend who knew this troll whose brother-in-law had this neighbor whose cousin was a warlock who used to go to school with this dwarf whose grandmother swore on her deathbed that one time when she was little she had seen a real, live dragon!”

“I see … ” Emily laughed. “How could I ever have doubted it?”

“Dragons are very rare and powerful magical creatures,” Balthazar said. “They have long been extinct on Aldenmor.” He looked up suddenly. “Lyra’s here.”

“How’s Kara’s tour go—” Ronif started to ask.

Lyra padded in, nudging Adriane along as if she were a rag doll.

“Adriane! What happened?” Emily was across the room and by her friend’s side in an instant. “Ozzie! Get me some damp towels!”

Ozzie dropped to the floor and scampered off as Emily led her friend to a leather couch and sat her down.

Adriane was covered in caked mud and sticky leaves.

“Are you all right? Are you hurt?” Emily asked, eyes full of concern.

Fresh tears ran down Adriane’s cheeks.

“What happened?” Emily repeated.

“Here, Adriane.” Ronif handed her a water bottle.

Adriane took a long drink. “Thank you.”

Ozzie returned with the cool, damp towels and Emily carefully wiped the dried mud and leaves from her friend’s face, checking for bruises or cuts.

“Feeling better?”

“No.” Adriane then launched into a breathless recap of what had happened out in the field, sobbing as her emotions overwhelmed her.

“She’s gone, Emily!” Adriane finished, blinking away her tears.

“But Storm is the last mistwolf,” Balthazar said, puzzled.

“Storm always thought she was the last of her kind. Can you imagine what she felt like, learning there were others?” Ozzie said.

“I know,” Adriane sniffled. “But it’s not safe there! I shouldn’t have let her go.”

“It wasn’t your choice to make, Adriane,” Emily said gently.

“We’ve been practicing to see how far away we could talk to each other. If I could use my wolf stone, maybe I could talk to her.”