Charlie Saves Christmas by Daniel Nichols

Author:Daniel Nichols
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: HappyGoLukky Productions
Published: 2021-09-12T17:37:28+00:00

Chapter 31

“Halt! Halt!” The voice of Adeline cut through the rumbling sound of the Woodling host as they rolled as one through the Great Forest toward the Place of Stones. As the forward line drew to an unsteady and impatient halt, Adeline directed her senses forward, instinct telling her that something was wrong.

A muted horn blared from one of her lieutenants, bringing the rest of the Woodling host to a halt some paces behind the front line. Slowly, all returned to silence in the surrounding wood. This day, like all the rest, had dawned in the perpetual gloom of twilight as the moon remained hidden behind a layer of clouds and the thick forest canopy above. Tiny specks of snow filtered through the canopy above on their lazy, errant path to the forest floor which stretched white and undisturbed before them.

“Something is wrong, Jericho.” Adeline had just turned toward her lieutenant, a thickly muscled bull moose who towered over her and the others around them. She was about to issue a command when the ground beneath them began to rumble. A tremor shook the ground beneath the Woodlings, breaking open steaming fissures along the forest floor in front of them. Adeline looked to her lieutenant, about to say something, but the ground around them split as well, erupting in geysers of dirt and rock, tossing the towering trees from side to side as thick tendrils of misty darkness seeped from the broken ground to engulf the Woodlings in an inky, choking mist. The sound of monstrous horns filled the air, punctuated by the resounding concussive boom of colossal drums that sent tremors through the ground with each impact.

“Pull back! Pull back!” Adeline commanded.

But her shout was too late as the whole Woodling line was beset by the wolf pack, who leapt from the shadows around them, tearing into the front line with wild eyes and foaming mouths. Adeline reared instinctively, a hoof barely deflecting the dark, leaping form of a wolf who quickly bounded away and approached again in a low and growling stance.

“Adeline!” hissed Ferris, the wolf pack commander. “I warned you this day would come.” The lean gray wolf circled slowly, her yellow eyes focused intently on Adeline, both threatening and wary.

“What have you done, Ferris… Millicent is mad with power, this will destroy the forest, destroy all of us… even you.” Adeline lowered her head and lashed at the wolf with her spiraling horns before leaping backward in retreat to the sound of the wolf’s chuckling, barking laughter. Ferris lunged again, sharp white fangs flashing, but Adeline’s swift movement parried the beast aside at the last moment. Adeline knew that if she engaged one on one, the Woodlings would scatter. She must get them to a defensible position before all was lost.

“Retreat! Retreat to the Great Stump! Retreat!” Adeline’s voice was nearly drowned out by the growing sounds of battle all around as more dark shapes joined the wolves in the attack. It was an ambush. Somehow,

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