Bab 28: The Wolf's Lament
The owl, startled by the growl, turned to see the Yeti King towering upright, his gaping maw revealing ivory-like fangs and a large, red tongue that sent shivers down her spine as she frantically flapped into Grayson's embrace.
"Whoa, whoa, hold on!" Grayson, holding the trembling ball of feathers, looked up at the roaring Yeti King approaching the cave entrance and said, "Come now, we've stirred the pot; time to think of a solution!"
"I won't be eaten by a giant polar bear! I refuse!" Elyra buried herself deeper into Grayson's armpit as she cried out in panic.
Grayson, with no other option, glanced back at Katheren, then forcefully handed the owl to her, saying, "I gather you've no desire to be devoured either. Luckily, I've got some bulk to spare!"
He left Katheren in the safety of the tunnel, cigar clenched in his teeth, and strode into the cavern. Facing the nearing Yeti King, he raised a hand and boldly suggested, "Hey, frosty! Waking up on the wrong side of the cave and throwing a tantrum isn't the way. How about a chat?"
The Yeti King, without a word, raised a colossal paw and slammed it down. Grayson swiftly dodged to the side as the paw struck the ground, causing a quake-like tremor.
"No room for negotiation, I see!"
Springing onto the fallen paw, Grayson clung to the yeti's long white fur as the creature tried to shake him off. With the momentum of the swing, Grayson released his grip and flew upward, landing deftly atop the Yeti King's head.
"Off my back, you wretched insect!" The Yeti King roared in frenzy, his massive paws scrabbling at his head.
Grayson, agile as ever, evaded the thrashing claws and entwined the Yeti King's hair around its paws, quickly entangling them and effectively pinning the creature's arms against its head.
"Now, you might be open to listening, unkempt furry beast!" Grayson stood triumphantly between the Yeti King's bound paws, striking a match to light his cigar, and looked down to speak.
The Yeti King, fuming with anger, thrashed his head desperately to dislodge Grayson. However, Grayson held on with unwavering tenacity.
Suddenly, a cry from the tunnel echoed forward; Grayson's heart clenched as he saw Katheren and Elyra emerge from the cave. Elyra soared into the sky, while Katheren sprinted towards the exit.
"What's gotten into them?" Grayson wondered at their flight, as a cacophony of infuriated roars and a throng of yetis emerged, surging in pursuit.
"Good heavens, there's nothing left to discuss!"
Grayson maneuvered down the Yeti King's back to the ground just as Katheren raced by, pistol in hand, ready to fire back. He snatched the weapon and shoved her forward, urging her on.
"Run! Faster!" Grayson shouted to Katheren, while raising the pistol. Instead of firing at the yetis, he aimed skyward at Elyra, firing a gleaming silver bullet.
Startled, Elyra saw the bullet streak past and swiftly turned to Grayson, hearing his loud shout, "Stop just saving your own neck, you little fool!"
Elyra glanced back at the raging yeti horde and the formidable Yeti King. Regaining her senses, she transformed into her youthful form, donning a black feathered dress and red dancing shoes. She created a red hexagonal magic circle before her.
"Mass transformation spell!" As Elyra's eyes glowed red, the magic circle's light enveloped Grayson and Katheren, who instantly morphed into a black and white pair of small animals.
Elyra watched them scurry past and reverted to her owl form, flying back into the tunnel.
The trio dashed out of the cave as the yetis crowded their way out, the Yeti King releasing a few furious roars before retreating with his minions.
"That was too close!" Perched on a tree branch near the cave entrance, the three sighed in relief, with Katheren, now a white squirrel, looking at herself in wonder and chuckling, "I'm actually growing fond of this animal transformation."
"Maybe I should introduce you to a witch, have you turned into a chatterbox owl as well," Grayson joked while inspecting his new form as a dung beetle, glaring at Elyra with a dark gaze.
...
Having escaped the den of the yeti, the trio ventured northwest across the vast snowfields, hoping to uncover the black-clad figures' trail, but to no avail.
As twilight cloaked the snowfield, they settled in a dip in the snow, seeking refuge from the icy night winds. Grayson shared his magical provisions with Katheren and Elyra, and they ate a frosty dinner on the pristine snow.
Though the hollow provided shelter, the chill emanating from the snow under the night sky caused Katheren to shiver uncontrollably, huddling to preserve warmth but still feeling bone-deep cold.
"This won't do. You'll freeze," Grayson said, eyeing the clear night. He stood, addressing the shivering Katheren in the snow nest, "Stay here; I'll fetch some firewood. We need a fire to stay warm."
As he turned to leave, Elyra hopped up to follow, but Grayson stopped her, saying, "Stay, little one, keep Katheren company. I'll return shortly." He strode away from the hollow.
Elyra watched his departing figure with a pout and turned to see Katheren shuddering in the snow nest. Sitting opposite her, Elyra gazed up at the pure night sky, murmuring, "The full moon tonight..."
Katheren looked up reflexively, beholding the sky filled with stars and a bright full moon rising, casting a silvery light across the snowy landscape, creating an enchanting scene.
The two sat facing each other, knees hugged to their chests, silently watching the moon, lost in their thoughts.
A snowflake landed on Katheren's leg, drawing her gaze as more shimmering flakes descended from the tranquil night sky like pure white sprites, gathering around her.
The serene beauty before her made Katheren forget the cold enveloping her, a naive smile playing on her lips as she caught the snowflakes and said to Elyra, "Hey, it's snowing!"
To her surprise, when she looked back to where Elyra had been, the young girl had vanished.
"Elyra?" Katheren looked around in astonishment. Suddenly, a long, haunting wolf howl echoed across the snowfield.
Katheren shuddered, standing up to search for Elyra, but instead found numerous pairs of green, gleaming eyes peering out from the darkness above their shelter.
Status Power Mingguan
-- Peringkat
Power 
-- Power
stone