Looking down at her two daughters, Katerina smiled while kissing both their cheeks. They had been through so much in the last few weeks, and she was finally ready to leave them alone. There was a job across the sea at the island of Canelux. It would pay her almost triple than what she normally have got. An escort for a noble who only wanted her. After many years of keeping hidden, she was finally building a name for herself. Standing before her were proof of who she was becoming. Even though they weren’t her blood, they were in her heart and soul. Circling her arms around her children, she hugged them tight. “Right after I leave you, go back to the cottage.” Katerina urged while moving a loose strand of hair behind Eden’s ear.
“Mom… We know.” Eden wasn’t one to hold back and was teaching her sister the same.
“Mom, will you be okay, since you're pregnant?” Kiyomi said as her hand touched her mom’s belly. Katerina looked as if she was almost four months pregnant. Katerina smiled while laying her hand on her daughter’s. “We will be just fine. I will just be escorting someone. Not even in dangerous territory.” The wolf demon said trying to calm her daughter. The eldest, Eden, just nodded. “Alexander.” Katerina looked over Kiyomi’s shoulder to the large tiger behind her. “Keep them safe and make sure they go back to the cottage. No detours.…” The large cat nodded in response.
The sound of large flapping wings made the four of them look up. A winged lion came flying down to them and landed right next to Eden. Standing at seven feet tall, the lion made heads turn, even a scream left a woman near by the group. “Are you sure you don’t need me, Silverstein?” The lion asked his companion, still uneasy about leaving her alone. “Sultan, I will be just fine, please just stay with my children?” Katerina asked as she brought up her hand to run over the lion’s forehead. “Alright, I shall miss you.” He said while lowering his head to her. “Me too.. I will miss all of you.” She said while moving back to her daughters to hug them. “Mooommm..” Eden whined as she was hugged once more. “We are not children..” Pulling back from her girls, she looked at both of them. “Oh that is right, you are teenagers….” Katerina said with a laugh. They both nodded in unison at her words. “You are both growing up so fast…” She thought as her eyes looked from one daughter to the other.
“Casting offf!” The wolf demon heard the Captain yell behind her, she was late boarding.“Okay.. Bye! I love you, both!” She called to them while running up the ramp to the ship. Two men from the crew grabbed the ramp as soon as the wolf demon’s feet hit the deck. Turning around quickly, she made her way to the railing, and waved to her family. Her heart ached already and she wasn’t even gone yet.
The new addition, Eden, stared up at her mother and waved back. Her emotions mixed, she didn’t want her mother to go because she was scared, but at the same time she wasn’t. She had got used to animals, and her new step mom protecting her. “By… Mom!” The wolf called out as she waved. She had just started to call Katerina, Mom, and it felt great being. It had only been a few weeks since they met, but she had grown to be an important part in her life. A smile lined her lips while watching her mother sail away.
With Eden nightmare’s slowly going away, Katerina felt that it was okay to leave her. Eden had been glued to her side for the last three weeks. The nightmare’s had gone from every night, to none at all, at the moment. She took the opportunity to go do a job. The wolf demon had to for them, she was running low on money for her girls. With one last wave, the ship jerked as the wind grabbed the sail. “Goodbye..” She whispered with the wind. Her eyes stayed on the girls until they were no longer in site.
Three days later…..
Leaning over the railing of the ship, the wolf demon wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Another breakfast was now in the sea. She had never felt sea sick in her life, but the child growing inside her was changing that. Most of the food she ate came up. She couldn’t wait to be off of this boat. Her morning sickness had just started to go away, until they started to sail.
A sigh left Katerina’s lips as she leaned her head against the wood. Her dark hair fell around her like a curtain, hiding the world outside. Her eyes closed for a moment while she took a few deep breaths. Opening her eyes she looked at her belly. Her pants that she usually wore just stopped fitting her. She was stuck with wearing a black skirt that was loose along the waist. It had been a long while since she stepped into anything that opened her legs to the world. She liked them covered, but with the belly she was starting to have wouldn’t let her wear them. Her black boots were still the same, only covered at the knee by the dress. Her white ruffled top was open a bit more than she liked, the V neck button didn't want to button anymore.
While her thoughts were on her clothing, she didn’t noticed the ship that was sailing near them. “What the hell is that?!” The Captain’s voice carried to her wolf ears. Looking up, her eyes followed the Captain’s, and saw the pirate ship heading right to them. “Holy Sh*t..” She whispered before pushing off the railing, and running up the steps to the Captain. His hands rested on the wheel while his eyes looked off into the distance. Her eyes looked back at the ship, finally noticing the black sail. The wolf demon held back a sigh. Would she ever get rid of these people. “Pirates.” Katerina said aloud. The Captain gasped at her words. It took him a moment to realize what was happening. “Captain! Pirates!” The wolf demon yelled at him. As if she knocked some sense into him, the Captain started to yell at his commands to the men. “Get the cannons ready! Drop the all sails!”
“Get down below, Miss. It is not going to be safe up here.” He ordered her as her spun his wheel. Getting the ship in position. “I am staying, just in case they get on board. I am more than just a woman.” The wolf demon’s eyes glowed slightly, making the man jump. A sword appeared in her hand, and she stepped down on the main deck.
The pirates had thought of the same thing. Their boat was turned earlier than theirs. They were the first to light their cannons. Many hit the side of the ship, disarming a few of the cannons. The main mass was also hit. Looking up just in time, the wolf demon eyes widen in surprise. The mass came falling down towards her. In a swift movement, the wolf demon was on the other side of the ship. Curse words flew out of everyone’s mouth in the moment, they were all surprised. The pirates had got them where they wanted them.
With the ship disabled, the pirates were soon upon them. Pirates swung from their ship and landed on the deck of Katerina’s ship. “We’re not here for slaves, boys. Take everything!” One of the pirates spoke up when he landed on the deck. Katerina’s eyes were on him, she needed to take him down. Heading toward him, she was stopped in her path. Another pirate came at her while swinging his sword. With a dodge and a perry, he missed her each time. Rising up her sword, the wolf demon brought it down when he missed her. His scream joined the others as both of his hands tumbled onto the deck. Right after, her sword sliced through his neck. “I hate pirates.” The wolf demon said aloud while walking over the body.
The wolf demon’s eyes searched the ship, then spotted the Captain of the pirates. He was on the stern of the ship attacking their captain. “Damnit..” She cursed as she started to run towards him. Two more pirates suddenly appeared in front of her. “Look at you pretty–” His words were cut off by the sword in his gut. His partner started to attack, but with the speed of the wolf inside her, Katerina pulled the sword out of the man’s gut then sliced off the head of the other pirate.
Reaching the stares, after she killed the two pirates. She cursed at herself. She was too late. The Pirate’s Captain stared down at the dead body of the other Captain. He seemed to hear her walk up the stairs, turning around a grin lined his scarred lip. “Well look what we have here. A pregnant warrior… What are you going to do with that? Get you and your baby killed?” A laugh left his lips after he spoke.
Anger rose inside the wolf demon, he would die at her hands. Holding up her sword, she ran at him. Their swords connected with each strike. Soon, she was pushed up against the railing, their swords in between them. “Well… Well.. Well.. You are the niece of Black Wolf.” A laugh left his lips, as he pushed away from her. Leaving her leaning on the railing, he looked over her for a moment. “He is going to smile in his grave when I kill you.” The pirate came after her again. Blocking ever hit, suddenly she finally got one. Her sword connected with his right eye. “Ahhh you B***h,” He cursed aloud at her before landing a punch in her face. The force of his hit made the wolf demon stumble back and fall over the railing.
Hitting the water with a splash, she took this opportunity to swim to the back of the boat. As soon as the Pirate Captain looked over the ship's railing, she was no longer there. “Haha. Stupid C**t….. Burn it down!” She heard him yell. Cheers echoed through the skies and there were no longer screams. Tears welled up in the wolf demon’s eyes. No screams meant everyone was dead. She should've protected the people of the ship.
Katerina’s thoughts were soon pushed away as the smell of smoke hit her nose. Her body soon rose up with a small wave it was caused by the pirate ship. They were leaving. “Good…” She whispered while swimming back to the place she fell to look up towards the ship. There was no way she was going to put out the flames. “Damnit…” She cursed while spitting out ocean water. She would die if she floated in the sea, her eyes looked up at the small boat that hung on the side of the ship. She needed that. Holding out her hand, ice shards shot out and cut the rope that held them. A moment later and she was in the boat floating away from the burning ship. Her eyes watched the flames as she floated away. Her mind going to her children. She needed to get back to them. “F**k this job. I am going to get home to them…” She vowed aloud. She was not going to die out at sea. Grabbing onto the paddles, Katerina started to row.
Katerina’s bright blue eyes stared at the setting sun. It had been a day and a half since the ship she was on was sunk by pirates. Her stomach was hungry. She could last a few days without food or water, while not being pregnant. She needed food now. Her hand laid over her stomach as she laid back down on in the boat. She was tired and dehydrated. Not a good mix for a pregnant lady.
While contemplating on what she should do. Large structures appeared from each side of the boat. Sitting up quickly, she gasped. It was a large castle that floated on the sea. The area she just pass through was an archway. A smile curved on her lips, she was going to be okay. She would be home to her daughters in no time.
As soon as she reached for her paddle, a arrow shot into it right next to her hand. Her eyes looked up quickly. It was the pirate ship from before. Licking her chapped lips she ripped the arrow from the paddle and headed towards the docks. Hopefully she could hide out here. Right when she reached the docks, her eyes turned to look at the pirate ship coming closer. She was too weak to fight them, she felt like she would fall over at any moment. Her eyes widened at the arrows that flew threw the sky, lit with fire. “Shit.. He sure wants me dead.” Katerina said aloud to herself as she watched the arrows fly through the sky heading towards her.