Chapter 7: The Trap
492words
Rayne abruptly pulled Lyra behind him as an arrow grazed past their heads and embedded itself deeply into the tree trunk behind them.
They were investigating the attack site in the eastern village when the sudden assault shattered the tranquility.
"Is it a hunter?" Lyra looked around vigilantly.
Rayne shook his head: "No, the arrowhead is silver. Ordinary hunters don't use silver arrows."
Lyra's heart tightened. Silver was the bane of werewolves, capable of causing wounds that were difficult to heal. In her past life, she died from wounds inflicted by silver weapons.
"Someone knows we would come here," Lyra said in a low voice.
Rayne nodded: "Stay close to me."
They carefully made their way through the woods, arriving at an abandoned cabin. Inside were scattered belongings of villagers, but Lyra noticed the blood stains on the floor were too orderly, as if deliberately arranged.
"This is a trap," Lyra suddenly realized.
No sooner had she spoken than the cabin door was violently shut, with the wooden bolt secured from outside. A pungent smell quickly spread throughout the space.
"Silver dust!" Rayne's expression changed dramatically, "Someone wants to trap us here."
Lyra quickly covered her nose and mouth with her sleeve: "We need to find a way out."
Rayne began to weaken, as the silver powder affects werewolves far more severely than humans. Lyra supported the swaying Rayne, knowledge from her past life flashing through her mind.
"The window!" she pulled Rayne toward the back window, "With a werewolf's strength and my technique, we can break through it."
Rayne looked at her in surprise: "How do you know this escape method?"
Lyra avoided his gaze: "Basic course at the Training Camp."
They broke through the window with their combined effort and jumped out of the cabin. Just as they landed, Lyra heard rustling sounds from the forest.
"Someone is tracking us," she said vigilantly.
Rayne nodded, suddenly pulling Lyra into his arms and jumping into a nearby stream. The cold water washed over them, but also concealed their scent.
When they finally climbed up the opposite bank, Lyra noticed a burn on Rayne's arm caused by the silver powder.
"You're hurt," she said with concern.
Rayne shook his head: "Just a small wound, it will heal."
Lyra took out a small package of medicinal powder from her pocket, something she had specifically prepared after her rebirth: "This is Silver Fern extract, it can alleviate silver powder damage."
Rayne looked at her in shock: "You carry this with you?"
Lyra gently applied the powder to his wound: "Just in case."
Rayne's gaze became profound: "You are far more... prepared than I imagined."
Lyra didn't answer, just focused on treating his wound. Her mind was filled with questions: Who set this trap? Was it Karen? Or was there someone else who wanted them dead?
More importantly, why in her previous life had Rayne never protected her like he was doing now?
