Blood II:

"Where is your lady?" Umara questioned the rebel who was still alive, a prisoner inside an ice prison.
Having healed Sarab, Umara asked Mem to return with Cítiê and her to the camp, the girls protested, of course, they did not wish to abandon Umara on any account.
"Please… Burya and Zai may need reinforcements, besides, if four hungry beasts couldn't devour me, I highly doubt Cassandra would have any better luck."
After several protests and many complaints, the women marched back to the camp, leaving Umara alone with the rebel.
´´Get away from me, witch.- the rebel spat in Umara's face.- in my country we burn women like you alive.´´
Umara smiled.
´´It is a relief then that we are not in your country, now answer, where is Cassandra?´´
Cassandra knew that the battle was lost as soon as she saw the army retreat, the rebels were afraid of the terrible wolf that tore them to pieces, of the captains who put them to the sword and of the witches who prevented their advance by killing them with thunder and lightning or roasting them alive. . Against all odds, Alessios's small army had secured victory within hours. Too few.
"What's happening Cassandra?!" Emir exclaimed, agitated, contemplating the battle from the chasm of a nearby hillside. "You assured us a crushing victory!"
Her brother said nothing, just looked at her with a stony expression.
Cassandra bit her lip, she had hoped that the great numerical advantage would work in her favor, hiding the enormous lie that she had been forced to tell.
It's the nomad. Her presence did not allow me to see the outcome of this battle, as long as I live I will not be able to observe future events involving her. I'm sorry…
He did not finish his sentence. The resounding slap she received from Emir made her stagger, for a second the world seemed to spin. Quickly regaining her balance, she put her hand to her sore cheek as she stared at her lover, her face contorted with bewilderment.
He had hit her…he? had he dared?
"You're useless!" Emir bellowed angrily. "So many years carefully planning this moment, and now my efforts have been useless!"
He launched himself at her, prisoner of a murderous fury, encircling her neck with his hands and squeezing until Cassandra's face began to turn blue from the lack of oxygen in her lungs.

"Damn!" he complained. "All these years, enduring your disgusting presence, enduring in silence, touching you despite the disgust you cause me, hoping to ascend to the throne, and now what? Everything has collapsed, everything has been destroyed, because of your incompetence!
With a slice, Emir's head was separated from his neck, the hands that were holding Cassandra relaxed, and although the blood of the deceased had bathed her face and chest, otherwise, the woman coughed twenty times, trying to catch his breath but did not even blink when he saw the headless body fall.
"It's about time we got rid of him, don't you think?" Cassio mumbled, wiping the blood that dripped from his sharp blade against the black fabric of his pants. "He would have done it weeks ago, but you insisted we needed him."
"Not anymore," Cassandra responded in a hoarse squeak, caressing her reddened neck, where the mark of Emir's hands was beginning to become noticeable.
—How delusional… - Cassio laughed.- …who told him that once the battle was won he would be crowned Emperor? Did you promise him, sister?
-Yes. Something had to be said to win the support of the golden army general.
"That honor belongs to us, we are next in line to the throne, if Alessios dies."
Cassandra's eyes lit up, in minutes she took the reins of her steed, getting on her mount.
"Exactly," he whispered hoarsely. "Come on brothers, we can still win this war." We just need to kill the big wolf.
´´I ask again, where is Cassandra?´´
Umara's patience was reaching its limit, the rebel writhed trying to free himself from that block of ice that imprisoned him but it was useless, Umara knew that it would not melt if Mem did not make it disappear.
A hellish howl echoed through the forest, and Umara turned to face the mighty beast striding into the clearing, coming up to her and snarling menacingly at the prisoner.
The wolf's appearance was greatly terrible, it was completely covered in blood and from its jaws it emitted a nauseating smell of death and human flesh.
´´You decide.- Umara commented seriously.- either you release the information I'm asking for or you'll be the beast's snack.´´
The rebel turned pale, his face rapidly turning into the most terrible expression of horror. As if to add strength to his statement, the wolf snapped at the prisoner, growling again, and the prisoner let out a panicked cry.
"On a hillside, two miles from here," he hastily confessed. "From there, she, her brother, and her watch the battle.
He couldn't finish the sentence, an arrow whistled past Umara, embedded in the rebel's chest, splitting his heart in two and killing him instantly.
"Not anymore," spoke a hoarse voice that was barely recognizable. "My brother and I are here, damn whore."

Alessios:
Even in my animal state, I am aware of what is happening around me.
After the terrified retreat of most of the enemy army, I sniffed in search of my nomad and followed her scent until I found her in the clearing. From her blackened clothes and the strong smell of burning that surrounds her, I would say that she had to do with the rebels who broke through the encirclement and burned down our camp.
I didn't even think about the rest of the women, I didn't care if they were alive or dead, I just wanted to check that my desert flower was okay and safe.
I'm selfish, I know. But I can't change the direction and of my feelings. I love her and only her, I think even; I would be disbanding my harem if it would assure me of your pardon.
I took a couple of bites in the prisoner's direction and he was confessing when the arrow hit him. An arrow that I instantly recognized by its red feathers. That arrow belonged in Cassio's quiver.

Umara:
The gigantic wolf bristled beside me, adjusting into a defensive stance, leaning on its forepaws and growling through its teeth.
Cassandra was bathed in blood, blood that unfortunately did not seem to be her own, they were mounted on their horses ten meters from us, her brother Cassio was also by her side, drawing a bow and aiming an arrow in our direction.
´´Kill the wolf.- Cassandra ordered.- I'll take care of the nomad dog.´´
The arrow whistled, leaving the bow and passing within inches of me. The wolf became enraged, throwing himself furiously at the brothers.
Cassandra charged her mount, quickly leaving the range of the beast's attack, and Cassio fled, mounted on his steed, being closely pursued by the shapeshifter. In moments I understood their strategy, they had separated us.
Cassandra approached me, and descending from her mount she gave me a sinister smile while she took out from her cloak a sharp and jeweled dagger.
"I don't need the gift of clairvoyance to know how this will end," Cassandra muttered hoarsely.