A Hidden World

Chapter 6: Sneaking In

Zahra padded nervously to the huge spikes of ice marking the border. Already she felt cold! Thoughts came back to her about what might happen if they found her. Killing, shaming, torturing..

In the distance, Zahra heard claws tapping. She hid in one of the ice spike crevices and saw four shapes go along the border.

*A patrol. That's Agiad, Oka, Frigusfur, and Jahausgs.* She observed, tucking her tail in.

They passed her, too intent on talking to notice Zahra.

She leaped out of the cracks and turned invisible.

Zahra quickly dashed to a tall forest of pines and tracked the scent of where the patrol came from, leading to a frozen lake. It became more cold, but she quickly got used to it.

Padding silently onto a field, she brushed small, frosted plants, many of which she has not seen before. The sun sank below the rocks, turning the sky to a dark blue.

The scent led along a trail lined with whitish brambles, covered in freezing stones. Zahra shivered, looking at her visible breath. She realized that could easily be seen. She trotted deeper into the bushes and came to a small circle of ice spikes. Behind it was more ferns. A strong scent - the scent of Icefurs - hung in the midnight air.

Zahra climbed up one of the bigger spikes and hid behind it, hardly poking her transparent snout to face the clearing of snow. Almost nobody was around, except one who was guarding the entrance, although Zahra couldn't remember his name. She pricked her ears and heard faint snoring from a couple of dens.

Lightly jumping down, making sure to make no noise, Zahra went behind a small hut-like den to rest, and to hear any conversations. She would be staying here for a day or two, or so she was told.

She was getting comfortable when a pain hit her skull, and the world turned dark.