Chapter 27

Ayla found her back pressed against someone's chest. She tried to scream, but a hand covered her mouth and nose, muffling her screams, and something sharp pocked at her ribs. Ayla struggled to get free from whoever was holding her.

"If you don't want to end up as food for the ice wolf, I suggest you stop struggling," a man's voice that she did not recognize hissed in her left ear.

The ice wolf stopped close to where they were standing and sniffed the air. Ayla's heart beat fast, fear filling her. An eternity later, the ice wolf left.

Ayla tried to remove the man's hand because she could not breathe, but he was strong, and she didn't have any chance against him.

"Stop struggling, damn you!" the man hissed again, and to show that he meant business, he pushed the sharp object even more into her ribs.

She stopped struggling. Whoever this man was, he was armed, and if he wanted to hurt her, nothing would stop him. Besides, Ayla could not breathe, and she was started to feel lightheaded.

"Good. Now, I am going to remove my hand, but if you scream, I am going to gag you. Nod if you understand."

Ayla nodded. Anything to make him remove his hand.

The man did not remove his hand for a few moments as if he to show Ayla that she was at his mercy. Her lungs started to burn, but she forced herself to stay still. She knew, from experience, that if she did what he said, he would not harm her. Too much. Or at least that's what she hoped.

When he finally removed his hand, Ayla inhaled deeply, filling her lungs with air.

Still not letting completely go of Ayla, the man asked her, "Do you have any weapons upon you?"

When Ayla shook her head, the man said, "You are going to turn around slowly. And no sudden movements."

The man took a step back, and Ayla turned around as slowly as possible while her heart was hammering inside her chest.

When she was fully turned, Ayla looked at the man. He was tall, maybe 6', with greasy black hair and cold brown eyes. On his left cheek, he had a tattoo of a coin she did recognize, and on his right cheek, he had a scar. In his left hand, he had a dagger.

There was something about the man that made her skin crawl.

"Good," the man approved, sheathing the dagger. "Let's see what we have here," he continued and pulled Ayla's hood down, revealing her face. The man looked at her like she was just a piece of meat.

He whistled, "You are a pretty little thing. It would have been such a shame if the ice wolf had gotten you first."

Ayla licked her lips, "Who are you?"

"The one that saved your life. And I do wonder how someone like you, without any weapons, ended up here."

"I thank you for rescuing me. I got separated from my companions in the blizzard yesterday."

Ayla looked around, "Do you know how I could get out of the forest?"

The man scratched his chin and thought for a few minutes, "Tell you what. How about you come with me to my camp, and you can tell me all about it?"

Her instincts told her she should not trust the man. Ayla wanted to protest, but there was something in his eyes that said to her that she was going with him whether she liked it or not.

"And where is your camp?" she finally asked, scanning the area around her.

"Close from here. Let's go," he said. "It is not safe to stay in the same place for too long."

The man guided Ayla through the forest. And all the while they walked, the man stood very close to Ayla, like he was afraid she would disappear at any time.

They made it to a small clearing where a small camp was set. Two horses were tied to a tree.

Another man with long white hair was roasting something over a fire. She could not see his face because he was sitting on a log, with his back facing them.

"You are back just in time. The rabbit is almost done," the man with the white hair said without turning.

"Good. I am starving," the other man said.

Still not turning, the man with the white hair added, "I thought you went hunting, but you returned with a guest. A woman, if I am not mistaken."

"Just a little thing I saved from being eaten alive."