Chapter List
Chapter Twenty
We now stood in front of the castle, waiting for a sentry to hear us.
�Hello?� Damien shouted into the night. I spotted a sentry stick his head over the side to look at us.
�Who goes there?� he asked.
�It�s me, Damien, Jewell, Charlie, and Renard, accompanied by numerous other animals.� He said to the sentry.
�Renard? He�s dead!� replied the sentry. I frowned slightly and stepped forward.
�Do I look dead t� y�? Open th' damned gates.� I said to him. The sentry blinked twice then gave the order to have the gates opened. We walked through and talk of my arrival spread through the castle faster than I could even reach the main hall. The animals from the camp spread out and Jewell stayed with her parents. Charlie ran off to tell Vincent I was here. Damien and I then made our way through the main hall, ignoring the whispers and stares from animals we passed by. We entered the main room and I singled out Terrance in a group of officers.
�Terrance!� I called out. He stopped talking and turned to me. He blinked then glanced at his two side officers. He slowly made his way towards me with a friendly smile on his face.
�Renard! What a great surprise it is to see you!� he said to me. I waited for him to get closer.
�Yeah, same t� you.� I said. I then swung my fist outwards out him. He didn�t even have time to think before he was knocked flat onto his back. I snarled at him, my ears flattened back.
�You traitor! You had me tied up and dumped off in the forest so you could take control!� I yelled at him. He blinked then frowned and stood up, realizing that I knew.
�You have no proof to support your accusations, Renard.� He said to me. I frowned.
�How about a witness who overheard your little conversation earlier today?� I said to him. He frowned then took a glance around. Many of the animals were glaring at him. He growled lowly then flipped off his cape.
�Fine! So I did! You don�t deserve control over this group! If you want we�ll do things Ziara�s way! I�ll kill you now and just take your command!� he said to me. He pulled my sword out and lunged at me. I didn�t expect this and reacted as quick as I could. I tried moving to the side but felt the blade slash across my shoulder. I let out a yell and moved away from him as the sword hit the ground where I was. I looked up at him as he lunged again. He�s mad! I thought. This time I was ready. I jumped at him and caught him across the middle, tackling him to the ground. I tried to grab my sword away from him but he kicked me off of him and against a wall.
I shook the dizziness off and looked up at him as he came towards me. I rolled out of the way and against a rope that held a chandelier up. I used the rope to pull myself up. But in my weakened state I was moving to slow. He tackled me down to the ground and I landed on my back. He had a leg on either side of me, holding me down. He brought the sword up into the air above my head. I took the moment to slam my fists into his gut. He cringed and doubled over. I moved him off and tried to pin him down again. I reached for the sword but he brought it up and hit me in the muzzle with the hilt. I stumbled back and against the wall. I groaned, too weak for this fight.
He stood up then growled angrily and charged at me. It was a matter of seconds before I would be killed by my own sword. I tried to back up but I was against the wall, my back against the rope. I thought, my mind putting things together. I waited until he swung the sword. I then ducked to the right and the sword hit wall. As he pulled it back it cut against the rope, slicing it in two. I then brought my legs back and kicked off of his chest, making him fall backwards. He dropped the sword and slid on his back. He growled and began to stand up and reached for the sword at the same time. He looked up then noticed the large chandelier falling towards him. His eyes widened and I looked away as he was crushed under the weight of it, never to get up again.
I sighed and shook my head. I had known Terrance for years� and this it how it had to end. Damien rushed over immediately.
�Renard? Are you alright?� he asked. I looked up at him.
�I need sleep�� I said before passing out from exhaustion.