The Silver Lining

Sophia found that Dagonet, Bors and Arthur had been up much longer than she had originally guessed and she only knew that for when she came down the stairs she could hear Lancelot retelling Arthur about last night and caught ear that Arthur and the two large knights had already dealt with the prisoners execution, not wasting time or chance. In her heart she knew the other one was still out there in the forest and did not wish to leave until it was also beheaded. The safety of this village depended on ridding the forest of the things. Arthur knew this as well and despite the rough start they had gotten off on she could see that there was something within him that would prevent him from leaving.

When she came down and into the main room of the small inn and tavern, Sophia was greeted by the knights and Arthur said they were going to go and look for the remaining werewolf as soon as she was ready. "You're not leaving me here to do it on my own?" she inquired, actually surprised that he was helping her despite she thought they might stay and aid her.

He nodded. "You were right and I cannot leave you on your own for you cause too much trouble even whilst barely lifting a finger," he remarked making her smile at him as she placed her hands on her hips.

"At least you know I can always argue my way out of things but... thank you," she told him. He grinned at her as he watched her walk past him and distract Lancelot entirely from the subject of which he was discussing with Gawain and Agravaine.

"Arthur I really am not liking the idea of a skirt being with us this time," he said which made Sophia stop as she made to sit down next to Galahad at the table. Arthur noticed Sophia clench her fists and how her shoulders tensed up.

"Then why are you still here?" she asked heatedly, glancing over at him. He frowned, having not expected her to answer him. "You don't have to worry yourself as soon as we get back to the fort, I'll be out of your hair."

"What do you mean?" Gawain inquired, raising an eyebrow as he looked over at the fiery little woman.

She shook her head. "She means she'll be leaving soon," Tristan piped up from a nearby corner. Sophia really wished he wasn't as observant as what he was. It would make things much easier on her. "That's why she was happy to help Vanora in the tavern. Enough money and she can travel. Find her brother and sister."

"Do you by any chance have the ability to read people's minds Tristan?" she queried which made him smirk. Arthur looked from one of his scouts to the small woman and then to Lancelot, giving him a hard look. "Well, you just said exactly what I was thinking."

Galahad didn't look to happy that she was not going to be staying and for that matter Arthur also caught Agravaine smacking Lancelot across the back of the head, which amused him beyond words. "But... but..."

"She's made up her mind," Agravaine said, interrupting Galahad. "If she wishes to move on, she is free to do so, even though the pup will clearly miss her." A scowl from the youngest of the knights made Agravaine grin slightly as Sophia smiled and wrapped her arms around Galahad's neck from behind when he had turned to the trio of knights standing near the fireplace.

He went red when she kissed his cheek, making a few of the knights laugh. "Don't worry pup, I'm not going anywhere just yet," she reassured while hugging him round the neck.
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When they headed back out again, Sophia found Agravaine was coming with them even though he had been injured last night. She was somewhat wary of whether or not he would be able to help them properly but he actually didn't seem at all impaired by the wounds inflicted on him. If he was in any pain at all, he was hiding it very well to Sophia. Finding her horse already saddled she smiled as it nudged her affectionately and rubbed his head against her.

"Oh yes, she is certainly Sarmatian," Dagonet mused, grinning at her as she raised an eyebrow at him and turned to find most of the knights watching her, already on their horses. She swung up into the saddle as Galahad held the reins for her.

"Did I miss something?" she asked.

Tristan rode past. "Sarmatians have a natural bond to horses."

She looked down at her mount and leaned forward, hugging him round the neck suddenly, making a few of them laugh. "Well then it is a good thing I have Sarmatian in me somewhere along my ancestry," she remarked while straightening up.

"Ready?" Arthur inquired as he rode up beside her.

She nodded and kicked her horse's sides, immediately gaining the lead over the others and feeling for a few moments at peace as she allowed her mount to take her to the forest, glancing over her shoulder only once to see the knights close behind her.
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Arthur separated them into two groups; Sophia, Lancelot, Galahad and Gawain were with him while Agravaine, Dagonet and Bors were with Tristan.

She was tracking for their group but only because she knew what to look for. They had been there for quite some time when a rustle in the dense bushes and shrubbery ahead of the group startled them all into reaching for their weapons. Gawain had actually found her sword when they had first discovered her in the slave cart and had returned it to her when they had tied their horses up before coming into the forest. She was glad that it had not been lost for she truly did love the feel of it in her grip even though it had yet to be baptized in blood.

When the rustling settled down, Sophia moved forward even though Arthur tried to stop her and crouched down, pushing some of the shrub away and smiling softly. "Its only a fox cub," she said, reaching in and picking it up gently seeing it was injured. "I think it got caught in a hunter's trap."

She stood up and turned to look at the knights as she held the tiny creature in her arms and gently looked at its front right paw where it had been wounded. "Its a wild animal, Sophia, put it down," Lancelot ordered.

Frowning, she shook her head at him and saw him glower. "No. It needs help," she defended.

"Nature will help it, it is what it is there for."

Opening her long coat up, she smiled when the tiny cub managed to fit in the pocket. Doing her coat back up, she noticed Galahad smiling at her and Gawain's clearly amused expression. "Looks like she is gonna be bringing it back home," Gawain said and patted her on the shoulder as he passed her.

"If it was a wolf cub or bear cub; I would do the same thing," she stated clearly in Lancelot's direction who just scoffed, following Galahad and Arthur. She could feel the tiny thing curling up in the large pocket and smiled down at where it was hidden.
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"So Agravaine, what is it you find so alluring about our young new addition?" Bors drawled, smirking at the scout who was crouched down, examining marks. The heavy set knight and his healer friend saw the other man's shoulders tense up slightly before he turned to look at them, still crouched down.

"Sophia is Sophia, she is a woman, therefore she is naturally alluring to any red blooded male on this earth. I find her friendship refreshing as opposed to say Lancelot or your company, Bors," he stated, grinning somewhat at his old friend as he watched him ruffle up when Agravaine's words finally sunk in. Agravaine was a good liar, even when it was his friends who were questioning him and knew him better than any other could. "Do not mistake close friendship with something else Bors or I will start questioning your relationship with Dagonet and Arthur's with Lancelot."

"Dagonet and I are like brothers!" Bors roared back as he made to kick Argavaine who quickly straightened and stepped out of dodge.

Dagonet sighed heavily, rubbing his temples. "Bors, let it go. Words are nothing but words unless proven to be real."

"I am not stating anything wrong, but if you continue to badger me with questions or remarks about my friendship with Sophia, I will bring it back full circle," Agravaine replied as he ducked out of Bors' reach when he tried to grab him.

After a moment of playing cat and mouse as it seemed, Bors gave up and just told Agravaine to remember that he had children and a lover. Agravaine had just nodded and then disappeared. "I think you hurt his feelings," Dagonet commented as Bors fell into step alongside him.

"He has feelings?" Bors shot back and Dagonet grinned a little as he caught sight of Tristan and Agravaine not far ahead of them.

"Yes and they rule him even if he does not yet know it."
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Sophia found the tracks that set her heart racing like she had just been jolted by a small surge of lightning. They were large and could easily be mistaken for large wolf tracks if a person did not pay attention to how the weight constantly pressed heavier down on the front of the feet. "He isn't far," she said when Arthur got down behind her and asked her how close he might be.

She heard the low growl and reacted on first impulse and dived back into Arthur, knocking him onto his back as the werewolf broke into the clearing. The three knight who were standing back drew their weapons as the thing stopped between them. Sophia looked from where she was on top of Arthur to the large beast and saw it sniff the air, turning to look at where she and Arthur were before letting out a loud howl.

Before anyone of them realized it, the werewolf drove for Sophia and Arthur. The other knights came into sight just as the thing grabbed Sophia by the arm and made her scream out as it dragged her across the earth and deeper into the forest. It had its teeth dug in tight and without warning it shifted, throwing Sophia through the air. She grunted as her back hit a large tree and knocked the air from her lungs.

Laying on the ground, coughing and clutching her injured arm, Sophia heard the laughter from the man and looked up at him. An arrow broke through the trees and Sophia managed to get to her knees, despite being hunched over. The man moved out of arrow's line and sneered at her. "I don't see why you are so important to your brother and sister. So little and weak," he teased her.

Reaching down to grip the hilt of her sword, Sophia moved as he shifted and roared at her, charging. Just as Arthur and the knights appeared, Sophia drew her sword and sliced up through the air. She heard the sword of it biting into the creatures flesh and it scream in pain as it threw one arm at her wildly in reaction, knocking her back across the ground. Arrows pierced his body and he shifted as he landed over the top of Sophia, growling at her as she shut her eyes and tried to lean further away from him, only her hands holding him back from her by a few inches.

A hand pulled the man by the hair backwards and threw him away from Sophia who crawled backwards now cradling her injured arm.

Agravaine and Tristan didn't even give the man a chance to fight back as Agravaine placed his boot over the man's chest and Tristan brought his sword down. The scream from the man didn't leave Sophia's mind as she felt Galahad trying to pull her to her feet. She let him help her up and looked over at the body of the former werewolf, feeling sick in her stomach.

Even from where they were in the forest, the smell of fire reached them and they all looked up at the sky, or what little of it they could see through the canopy. It was different shades of orange and yellow. A fire burnt sky.

Sophia realized where it was coming from and pushed Galahad away from her. "Arthur, its coming from the village!" she said, grabbing hold of his arm suddenly and attempting to pull him along only to have to let go when her injured forearm complained of her actions.

Arthur said they had to hurry and they all took off for the edge of the forest where their mounts were waiting for them.