114 The Ulfric 5

Seeing how they melted in each other's embrace, Maya's stomach hardened as jealousy burned her. She wanted to rip Dawn into pieces after she had brilliantly declined her challenge. Not only did she refuse to fight with her, she exposed her vicious plans and dark secrets. She became nervous on the inside and had to provoke Dawn once again. All the werewolves who were rooting for her earlier became quiet. They feared Daryn? Or were they convinced by Dawn? She shouted, "You don't belong here. Fight me bitch!" 

Daryn couldn't understand what she meant by saying, 'and now watch me'. Before he could ask her any further questions, Dawn held the ropes apart, ducked and stepped in. 

"No!" Daryn shouted. 

Maya moved her neck left and right and made a cracking noise. An evil smile appeared on her face. This was it. She would finish her once and for all. With full energy, she charged at Dawn with full speed with her head in front to knock her with it. 

As soon as Maya was only five feet away, Dawn moved to the side. Not able to control her speed, Maya kept on running and dashed on the ropes. She would have fallen out had she not caught them and stopped herself. 

The crowd cachinnated at her stupidity. 

Angered, Maya spun around and charged Dawn again. This time she leapt in the air and thought of hitting her with her feet. 

Dawn focused on her movements. Time slowed. She watched her leap high in the air. Her legs moved forward. Dawn moved. She jumped higher, twirled left in the air, brought her right leg forward and hit Maya's sternum with all the force she could muster as a neotide. 

Maya was hit badly. Air from her lungs whooshed out. She fell on the ground and slid three feet away. Before Maya could catch her breath, Dawn attacked her like a panther, threw a punch on her face, landed a knee on his stomach and then to her face. Blood spilled out of Maya's mouth. 

'It is light combat', she remembered Daryn's words, but she was in no mood to spare someone who was hell bent on killing her. It better be Maya then her on the ground. 

Maya couldn't believe that she was defeated by a neotide. Every wisp of air had left her. Her vision became blurry and she panted. She wheezed and rose on her knees to find her, grab her and neutralize her, but Dawn had circled behind her. She enclosed her arms around her so tightly that Maya grabbed her arms to tear them away from her neck. She felt as if she would get strangulated. Her eyes bulged. Her throat was about to crack. Immediately, she thudded the ground twice to accept her failure. Dawn left her. Maya was completely annihilated, embarrassed and thrashed. A neotide had beaten her. She didn't have the energy to get up and two pure bloods came to pick her up. 

Excited, Daryn jumped inside the ring. He lifted Dawn and made her sit on his shoulder. He whooped and walked in triumph. His mate had shown her wisdom, shrewdness and above all her valor. She was his. The pure bloods around him clapped in unison. He brought her down and gathered her in his arms. He held her tightly and inhaled her scent before lowering his lips to meet hers. His kiss was deep and passionate as his body leaned into hers. When he pulled away from her, his chest was heaving in quick breaths. "Dawn, you were—"

"Brilliant? Awesome? Successful? Lithe?" she tried to fill his sentence. 

"—courageous and what you did was dangerous," he completed his sentence. He pulled her back in. "And brilliant," he added. She could feel his smile over her head. He carried her out of the ring and away from there. 

The audience once again resumed their whooping and rhythmic thuds on the wooden benches as more pure bloods entered the ring. 

Maya was carried out of the ring and taken into deep forest. "Where are you taking me?" she shouted as she resisted. She knew that she had irked the Silver Clan. But she had taken her chances because at least that would have meant the satisfaction of Dawn being dead. She wasn't prepared that the events would turn out like this. They took her to a small clearing where she came face to face with Gayle. Neal emerged from behind him. She blinked rapidly and her lips and chin trembled in fear. Her mind became numb. 

"Tie her to that tree," Gayle ordered. 

"No," she whimpered. "I am sorry. Leave me. My father will not take it lightly." 

"I don't want him to take it lightly. This is my message to him for not containing his mess," Gayle replied coldly. 

Maya was tied to the tree with thick ropes. Gayle took an axe and chopped both her hands off. A loud excruciating scream emanated from the forest. But none heard it in the Ulfric. The drumbeats had once again charged up the atmosphere. 

Maya was left alone in the forest, bleeding and unconscious.

Daryn placed Dawn on her feet and held her hand. He walked proudly with her. He pressed her hand to his lips. They made their way to a hillside and stood along the edge of a solitary birch tree, watching the werewolves dancing around the bonfires. Their steps were different, not the usual ball dance type—more like a tribal dance. Some were wearing headdresses of feathers, while some anklets and bizarre necklaces. It was all very new for Dawn. She was enraptured by this world. It was like stepping thousands of years back in ancient times. She watched the dancers sway through the veil of night, smoke and fire. 

Daryn walked further down the hillside. "About a hundred feet from here, there's a small pond on the left. If you want, we can come here for a swim tomorrow morning." 

Dawn blushed, remembering their sea adventure. 

A cave mouth opened on the right side. Dawn noticed lights illuminating it on the periphery. "The pixies have come here?" 

"Hmm. I will be offering my Rede'vota to you in the next one hour," he said in a tender voice. 

The exterior was adorned with beautiful red and yellow wild flowers, leaves and tendrils. A pathway winded up to the cave. Smoke was coming from the inside. 

"That's where I will make the offering," he said. He stopped and embraced her from behind. He rested his chin on her head. "I hope— I hope— that you—" he exhaled heavily. 

Dawn caught his arms and kissed him there. After a while they walked back to the festivities. The drumming had increased in tempo. Dawn swayed on her feet as she watched the werewolves dancing and circling the bonfire. 

"Would you like to join me for a dance?" Daryn asked. 

"Yes!" she replied. The music pulled her. 

Daryn dragged her between the dancers. They joined the group and hopped and swayed and gyrated along with them. Dawn felt alive. They welcomed her. She felt like a part of this place. 

One of the drummers stopped drumming, and their eyes met – Brantley. He tilted his head. His hair, arms, torso, all was covered in gleaming sweat. He smiled at her and resumed beating the drum. Dawn smiled back and she swayed with her mate hoping the night would last forever. 

The hour passed smoothly. It was time for Rede'vota.