《Immortal’s Musings: A Werewolf's Tale》 Chapter 1: A Portrait Background Ildiss thinks I should start a journal of sorts, to help me process. What in all the twin hells could I possibly have to process on this wretched planet. ¡°Process what?¡± I asked her. ¡°Take a guess,¡± she said with contempt. That old hag. I¡¯m running out of patience, I find I have very little of it now. I should dust this witch where she stands, but, alas, a small voice in my head reminds me that I shouldn¡¯t kill my ¡®friends.¡¯ Is Ildiss a friend though? Can you be friends with a witch of genocide? Friendship requires a mutual bond. The only thing that bonds us is the threat of mutual destruction. Maybe, that is enough, friends are hard to come by nowadays, anyway. So, instead of smiting this monster who hides behind a pretty young face, I take the pacifist approach. I steady my hand, quiet my voice, and ponder the question. My work? I destroyed it long ago and I have no intention of looking back, lest it fall into the wrong hands. My home? My enemies destroyed it, though I did play a part in that. My legacy? Well, I tried my best to destroy that too and failed miserably. Actually, looking back, my prolonged life has been filled with destruction and mistakes, well perhaps not mistakes. I went into those incidents willingly with my eyes wide open. Let¡¯s call them regrets. Nevermind, regrets imply sadness and I have no time for such a ludicrous concept. Ah, of course, that¡¯s what the witch meant, emotions. They become duller every year that passes. I¡¯m beginning to forget their faces, their voices, hm. Emotions are like parasites, they cling to ones memories and persist, long after you¡¯ve tried to eliminate them. Oh, and memories, well, they have an interesting way of making one lose themselves in the past. Many have lost their way trying to reach where they once stood... So, where should I begin? When I was young and foolish enough to dream of immortality? No, too long. How about when I released the greatest plague the world had ever seen? No, too depressing and not for the reasons one may think. What about when I met that werewolf? Ah, yes that sounds like a good spot. Life was like a blissful haze back then, right before everything went to hell. Damn, wolf. But, first, let me paint you a portrait background. Let us begin where all good stories do, in the place you least expect. Immortal¡¯s Musings: A Werewolf''s Tale Davin awoke to a familiar yet irate pecking on his forehead. Bloodshot eyes sprang open to the sight of Alice, perched comfortably on his pillow. She craned her neck to one side, her golden eyes stared curiously at Davin for a brief moment, then pecked incessasantly at his face. He shouted in exasperation and brushed the hawk away. Alice cawed, indignation clear in her voice, as she flapped around the reading wagon. Davin, sat up with an unsteady pair of arms to balance him. He had drunk too much last night. The celebration with the locals had gone beyond his expectations. Who knew those sprites could make such a good cup of firewater. Was it wine or ale? He wasn¡¯t sure. He glanced out the window; the others were already setting up their wares. Alice finally found her balance and landed on top of Davin¡¯s desk; she deemed it¡¯d suffice as a perch. ¡°How did I ever get stuck with such a terrible drunk. Fate is cruel.¡± Alice said as she began to preen her ruffled feathers. Davin washed his face in the nearby basin, ¡°The way I remember it, you fell on my head, when your mother pushed you off that tree.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t fall, I landed on the most comfortable spot I could find, your hair.¡± Alice glanced pointedly at Davin¡¯s brown messy shrub that he called his hair. ¡°You fell from the sky. Like a rock.¡± Davin pulled out a wooden chest from under his bed. ¡°Elegantly.¡± Alice corrected. ¡°Ugh. My head is killing me.¡± Davin rubbed his reddened forehead and glanced at Alice, ¡°And not just because of my drinking.¡± ¡°I was just trying to help you not be late.¡± Alice shrugged her left wing as she preened the other. ¡°By poking my bloody eyes out?¡± He picked up the chest and began heading for the wagon door. ¡°Not like you use them, not really. You blind rat. If it weren¡¯t for my eyes, you wouldn¡¯t be a scout, which means you wouldn¡¯t have a job, which means you wouldn¡¯t be able to buy me those strips of meat I like.¡± Alice played out her thoughts. She puffed up her feathers and shook as she thought of such a nightmare. ¡°The horror,¡± Davin said with with sarcasm dripping from his voice. ¡°Don¡¯t you dare!¡± She cawed. ¡°I won¡¯t be homeless, wandering the wilderness again. I won¡¯t have it, you hear me.¡± ¡°Pampered turkey,¡± Davin said as he walked out. ¡°Lightweight,¡± Alice said as she zipped by the closing door. She landed softly on Davin¡¯s head, yet her sharp talons suspiciously clawed at his scalp. They continued bantering as Davin began setting up shop on the open meadow near the village. He opened his wooden chest and started to pull out hunting wares. He glanced around in the morning light and noted how other vendors had already opened their stalls and were selling their stock to the villagers. The caravan had picked up some new vendors just yesterday, making sales more difficulty. They were a few sprite merchants and like most myths, they drew the attention of the common folk. As such, they opted to stay hidden within their wagons, while a few of the caravan¡¯s hired humans manned their stalls. Common folk walked by Davin and casted glances at the man arguing with a squawking bird on his head, then hurried along. Davin had gotten used to it, after all, they couldn¡¯t understand Alice¡¯s speech. Though, sometimes Davin thought that might be a blessing. After about half-an-hour, he finally managed to set up shop, despite Alice¡¯s hindrance. He was late, but they had only arrived yesterday, and many villagers wanted to see what the exotic Fyre Convoy had to offer. Davin looked around the people as they milled about the caravan¡¯s wagons and stalls. The modest villagers wore their best clothes; the men wore plain homespun shirts and pants that didn¡¯t have any patches and the women wore simple soft blues, yellows, sometimes pink, dresses. Judging from their clothing, Davin guessed he wouldn¡¯t be making too much profit during the caravan¡¯s stay in the small village. Still, the Convoy always stopped for myths. Although, the common folk of Blue Rivers didn¡¯t know it, they had been harboring sprites for quite some time. Some of the sprites had decided to join the caravan, until they found a better village to nestledown in. A few were even selling firewater, with great success Davin noted grimly. It seemed he wouldn¡¯t make much profit today.Love this novel? Read it on Royal Road to ensure the author gets credit. By the time noon arrived he had only had two customers. ¡°We¡¯re gonna starve!¡± Alice wailed. ¡°Well, maybe if you didn¡¯t squawk and try to bite the fingers off every potential buyer who came by we might actually make a couple of coins, ey?¡± Davin countered. ¡°It¡¯s not my fault that they try to touch me, a lady. The nerve.¡± Alice glared at the passing crowd. ¡°Since, when did you become a lady?¡± Davin asked in surprise. ¡°Since, Lady Lorelei said that every elegant woman is a lady in her own right.¡± ¡°Lady Lorelei said that?¡± Davin raised a brow. It still unnerved him how the woman could understand Alice. He understood how Elly, a witch, could speak to enlightened animals. But Lady Lorelei, well he didn¡¯t know what she was and it unnerved him more than he¡¯d like to admit. ¡°Well, sorry to break it to you love, but you¡¯re no lady. Only noblewomen are ladies.¡± Davin taunted. Alice scoffed, and pecked at his head. ¡°Ow.¡± Davin complained as he polished his wares. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know, I am a silver-tailed hawk, the greatest race of birds to ever fly the sky. I can¡¯t come from a more noble line.¡± ¡°What about the phoenix?¡± Though Davin had to admit no one had seen a phoenix in centuries, they were still considered the apex of all avian creatures. What with them burning thousands of people to death it was hard to argue otherwise. ¡°Th-that¡¯s different. And besides what about Lady Lorelei, she isn¡¯t a noblewoman. At least, I don¡¯t think she is.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s different.¡± Davin mimicked. ¡°I¡¯ll shit on you. Don¡¯t tempt me.¡± Alice nestled into his hair. Davin pondered his choices and decided he could tolerate the upstart Alice, calling herself a lady, barely. ¡°Please accept my sincerest apologies, Alice.¡± Davin apologized, though there was a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Her claws began to sink into his scalp. ¡°Ow ow ow, ok. I¡¯m sorry, I really am. Just please not on my hair. It took me ages to get it off last time. And unlike last night, I¡¯m trying to stay a bit more sober tonight.¡± Davin grimaced in pain. ¡°But, you like drinking.¡± Alice craned her neck in curiosity. ¡°Well, true, but.¡± Davin raised a finger. ¡°I¡¯m hoping to get a dance with one of these village girls and maybe something more.¡± He laughed and rolled his shoulders, ¡°If you know what I mean.¡± ¡°Animal.¡± Alice strengthened her grip. ¡°Ow, dammit. I¡¯ll buy you some prime steak tonight, I promise. Just let go please, mercy.¡± Davin begged now, at this rate he¡¯d bleed. She relented, much to his relief. ¡°Hmpf, that¡¯s better. And its Lady Alice to you.¡± ¡°Sorry, but no way in hell, love.¡± ¡°You little-¡± ¡°Ahem, excuse me,¡± a child piped in. He wore a large straw hat, with abit of brown hair poking out. His head barely reached the counter. Alice calmed down for a moment, confident the child would be unable to reach high enough to touch her. She was also a bit eager to make some money, in the hopes of getting some of those delicious snacks. Davin put on his best vendor smile, ¡°Well, hello there young, sir. Welcome to the Fyre Convoy¡¯s best stall. You have come to the right place. I am the Convoy¡¯s personal and esteemed forester, and I carry only the best.¡± He swept his hand over his collection of daggers and carved wooden dolls he had for sale. He picked up a small dagger and showcased it to the boy, ¡°Perhaps you may be interested in this one, hm?¡± Before the boy could respond Alice chimed in, ¡°Davin that¡¯s not a boy.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Davin questioned before taking a close look a the child. He wasn¡¯t really a child. ¡°You¡¯re a sprite!¡± Davin exclaimed. ¡°Why aren¡¯t you in the back, what if someone sees you? Why didn¡¯t you just come later tonight when the villagers are gone?¡± ¡°I¡¯m afraid I can¡¯t wait until then. And besides common folk don¡¯t pay attention to sprites.¡± The sprite took off his hat and looked up to reveal eyes a bit too large for a human and a face too old for a child. ¡°Name¡¯s Quill, we met last night, although I doubt you¡¯d remember, you were too drunk to have a proper conversation with.¡± He pulled his hat back down, ¡°Anyway, this is urgent. I need your services.¡± ¡°My services? What, you want a custom crafted doll for your kid or something?¡± Davin asked. The sprite shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯ve heard from some of the other Convoy members that you are not merely a scout or forester. But, that you dabble in hunting as well.¡± Davin craned his head in a reminiscent bird-like pose, ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°Well, tonight is a full moon, and regrettably the lands around here have been plagued by a werewolf these past few months. It''s one of the main reasons us sprites have been wanting to leave this village. Two sprites have already been killed.¡± The sprite said in a sad voice. ¡°What about the common folk in the village, are they alright?¡± Davin asked in a worried tone. The sprite scoffed, ¡°Why would we care about humans? No offense.¡± Davin ignored the remark, he was used to it by now. ¡°So, what do you want me to do?¡± ¡°Well, we were hoping you could kill the beast for us. We¡¯d sleep and travel more safely.¡± Davin sighed, ¡°I am worried about the sprites and the common folk villagers, but as much as I¡¯d like to help, I have never faced a werewolf. I¡¯d rather not risk it, if I don¡¯t need to. If the werewolf comes to the caravan then I¡¯ll help deal with it. I¡¯m sorry, about the sprites you lost, but it¡¯s just not my problem. No offense.¡± Quill took a deep shaky breath, his fists curled. ¡°That monster killed my niece.¡± ¡°Damn, your making this complicated.¡± Davin sighed as he glanced around, making sure no one was paying attention to them. ¡°Should I shit on him?¡± Alice asked. ¡°No.¡± Davin said. ¡°No, you won¡¯t help us?¡± Quill asked, his voice lowered but anger still ever present. ¡°No, I wasn¡¯t talking to you. But, that too. Werewolves are rare, I don¡¯t know much about them. And like I said I¡¯ve never met one. Too much risk.¡± Davin wanted to help, but that¡¯s the way the world was. People died to the monsters of the night, whether they be commonfolk or monsters themselves. No reason he needed to get involved. Tears streaked down Quill¡¯s face. He quickly wiped them away. He pulled a bag out of his pocket and threw it on the table, it jingled with an all too familiar noise. ¡°Will this change your mind?¡± Davin opened the bag, and saw the glint of gold. His eyes widened in surprise, pure gold coins. He¡¯d be rich. ¡°No dancing for you tonight,¡± Alice chimed in. Davin turned away from the coins and smiled at the sprite, ¡°It just might.¡± Chapter 2: What is Fate? What is fate? I won¡¯t discuss whether it is real or not. It¡¯s as futile as asking if one is mad. If they are mad, how would they know? One could go insane trying to ponder such a question. So, let us ignore the triviality of life and move on. Fate, yes. In simple terms, fate is the silver lining we hold onto as we drown in a sea of random chance. Or is that madness? I can¡¯t quite recall. -Immortal Lunyx stared out the carriage window. The wind slapped his face with its cold clammy breeze. He didn¡¯t much care for its slight, he felt stomach sick and wanted a moment¡¯s reprise from his family. ¡°Are we there yet?¡± Mina asked for the umpteenth time. ¡°Not yet, pumpkin.¡± Their mother, Annabelle, said with an eternal patient voice. She was a noblewoman, with bright red curls crowned by an adorned ribboned purple hat. Her high cheekbones and thin red lips were smiling softly at her daughter. ¡°But, mooooom, we¡¯ve been traveling foreveeeer,¡± Mina complained as she slumped down her cushioned velvet chair. ¡°It¡¯s only been two days, dear. Sit up, you¡¯ll become a hunchback at that rate.¡± Their father, Lucius, chided. He was the esteemed doctor of their town and was the reason they were out here in the first place. He was a handsome gentleman, with short black hair, and a dark complexion. His square jaw was tight as he spoke. Mina groaned, but slowly straightened herself. She turned to her older brother, ¡°Luny, whatcha looking at?¡± Lunyx glanced behind at his sister. Her bright black curls framed her small face, and two little inquisitive brown eyes stared back at him. She was bored. He couldn¡¯t blame her, the two of them had been forced on this road trip. Lucius had a business meeting in the city and he had decided to make a family outing of it, though Iris had managed to slip away, both Lunyx and Mina were dragged along. They were both in this predicament, but that didn¡¯t mean he had to be sympathetic, ¡°Nothing.¡± Lunxy responded and proceeded to continue to look at the plain trees that coated the landscape. ¡°Lunyx, be nice to your sister,¡± said Lucius. ¡°Sorry,¡± Lunyx grumbled. He hated the outdoors and hated being stuck in this carriage. He rather be back at home in his room, with his pencils, paint, and paper. Mina popped her head from under his chin and looked out the window. ¡°There are so many trees. Wanna climb some?¡± Mina asked. ¡°No, thanks,¡± came Lunyx¡¯s curt response. ¡°Dad, can we take a break?¡± Mina asked. ¡°We just stopped the carriage an hour ago,¡± said Lucius. ¡°But, we can¡¯t do anything in here.¡± Mina complained. ¡°Mina, come over here, I¡¯ll show you this nice embroidery pattern I¡¯ve been working on.¡± Annabelle pulled her daughter towards her. Mina groaned. Annabelle laughed. ¡°The sun is going to set in just a while. We¡¯ll stop before then. I promise.¡± That seemed mollify the seven year-old. ¡°Oh, that reminds me.¡± Lucius raised a finger, ¡°Remember those travellers we passed by today? Well, our coachman talked to them and they said they had just passed by Blue Rivers, a small village about 15 miles from here. Anyway, a trading caravan just stopped there.¡± Mina¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Can we go?¡± ¡°We can¡¯t travel at night. But, we¡¯ll go in the morning. The caravan should be there for a few days I reckon.¡± Lucius assured her. ¡°Yes, finally. Something fun.¡± She turned to her mother, ¡°What¡¯s a caravan?¡± Annabelle laughed, ¡°A caravan is a group of people who travel around the country, sometimes countries, selling all sorts of merchandise.¡± ¡°Like what? And why are they all in a group? Why are they travelling around the country? Do they have a business meeting like dad?¡± Mina shot in rapid fire succession. Annabelle was happy to answer, ¡°They don¡¯t have a business meeting. They travel around the country so they can sell their merchandise to everyone. They travel in a group so as to be safe.¡± ¡°From what?¡± Mina asked. ¡°Well, the roads aren¡¯t safe.¡± Lucius jumped in, ¡°There are bad weather conditions, bandits, and other... things. It¡¯s just better to not be alone at night, I suppose.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t try to scare her,¡± Annabelle slapped her husband¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I¡¯m not, I¡¯m just saying it¡¯s always better to travel in a group. Which is why we have those guards outside right now. It¡¯s best if she learns these things early,¡± said Lucius.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version. ¡°Is it goblins?¡± Mina whispered as if speaking about some conspiracy. ¡°Goblins aren¡¯t real, Mina,¡± Lunyx groaned. ¡°How do you know?¡± Mina shot back. ¡°Because, they¡¯re just stories people talk about, when they have nothing better to do. Like you, when you listen to them from under the table when we have guests over.¡± Lunyx explained condescendingly. ¡°Lunyx,¡± Lucius said with a tone of warning. ¡°Well, dragons are real! How do you know if goblins aren¡¯t?¡± Mina shouted, her fists curled up in small balls. ¡°Everyone knows dragons are real and that they live hundreds of miles away. They have history behind them, we have burnt down towns to prove it. But, goblins, witches, magic, and all the other crap? Really, come on now, grow up Mina,¡± said Lunyx. ¡°Well...You¡¯re a kid just like me. What do you know?!¡± Mina said as small tears began to form in her eyes. ¡°Am not!¡± Lunyx said in anger. He had just turned sixteen, the legal age of an adult. ¡°Are too!¡± She punched him. ¡°Ow! Why, you little!¡± Lunyx yelled as he moved to retaliate. ¡°Enough!¡± Lucius shouted in anger. He grabbed Mina by the scruff of her dress¡¯ collar and threw her onto Annabelle¡¯s lap. He then turned at glared at Lunyx, ¡°Don¡¯t even think about it.¡± Lunyx stared at his father¡¯s glare and swiftly looked down. He turned back to the window and its frigid breeze. Lucius sat back down on his chair. Mina tried to wiggle off her mother¡¯s lap, but Annabelle pinched her thigh so hard, Mina screamed and thought better of it. ¡°It''s only been two days and this is what our family has been turned in to.¡± Lucius sighed. ¡°I wish Iris had come along. She was always the most cool-headed of the three of you.¡± Lunyx grumbled to himself. He missed his older sister and her wit, she would of made this trip far more bearable, she always did. But, he hated when his father compared them. They stayed silent for a long time. Annabelle, broke the silence. ¡°Mina, caravan¡¯s sell all kinds of merchandise. New dresses, fancy dolls, sweet candies and tea.¡± Mina, for once, stayed quiet, as she listened along. ¡°They also have paints and inks from all sorts of colors. And daggers, sabers, maybe even some flintlocks.¡± Annabelle said, clearly projecting her voice towards her son. What she said had perked his attention, but Lunyx was still resentful, ¡°I don¡¯t want to go.¡± ¡°What? Why not?¡± Annabelle asked in confusion. ¡°But, you like the caravan, remember that time we went when you were not much older than Mina?¡± ¡°I said I don¡¯t want to go.¡± Lunyx said, it was petty but he didn¡¯t care. ¡°Lunyx, we are going in the morning. All of us.¡± Lucius spoke with a stern voice. ¡°But-¡± Lunyx coughed. ¡°Are you alright? You should stay away from the window, it''s cold outside,¡± said Annabelle in worry. ¡°It¡¯s fine. I have a stomach ache, just wanted some fresh air.¡± Lunyx coughed again. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you say something earlier?¡± Annabelle touched his shoulder. Mina sat there awkwardly, unsure of what to do. Lucius put his hand on his son¡¯s forehead. Lunyx wanted to move but knew it was better to let a doctor do his assessment. Lucius checked his son¡¯s eyes, they were bloodshot. ¡°How much did you sleep last night?¡±Lucius asked. ¡°How much do you think I slept in a tent?¡± Lunyx said bitterly. ¡°How much?¡± Lucius asked calmly. ¡°Not much,¡± He admitted. His father narrowed his eyes, ¡°You¡¯re burning up. How long has your stomach been bothering you?¡± ¡°It just started about an hour ago.¡± Lucius quickly looked out the window, the sun was setting. ¡°We¡¯ll stop here and I¡¯ll make you tea. It should help. Once your stomach settles down a bit, I¡¯ll give you something stronger.¡± ¡°Can I get some tea, too?¡± Mina asked with hope. Lucius smiled, ¡°Of course. I¡¯ll make some tea for everyone.¡± He signaled for the coachman to stop and the carriage proceeded to move off the dirt road. The guards dismounted their own horses and quickly began to setup camp. Once the guards had made a fire, Lucius quickly began to work on brewing some tea for the family. Lunyx sat on one of the chairs the guards had brought for the family. He looked into the forest and wondered why it was so quiet. Normally, there¡¯d be so much noise in the forest around this time. One of the many reasons, he hated the outdoors, it was so noisy. So he took this moment of nature¡¯s quietness as a gift from fate, a bit of good fortune amidst his bad luck. Mina walked up to him with a slow and unsteady gait. Her hands behind her back and her bright green embroidered dress swishing from side to side. ¡°What do you want Mina?¡± Lunyx sighed. Mina looked away, ¡°Umm, I¡¯m sorry about earlier.¡± She stuck out her right hand. She held up a few wild daisies. ¡°These are for you.¡± She glanced at him, but when their eyes met she quickly looked away, her olive cheeks bloomed with a hint of rose. Lunyx¡¯s eyes softened, ¡°Thanks. I¡¯m sorry about earlier, too.¡± That was enough for Mina. She tackled him with a hug. ¡°I love you,¡± she whispered into his ear and giggled. Lunyx smiled, ¡°Yeah, I love you too, you little monster.¡± He tickled her relentlessly. She laughed as she struggled to get away. ¡°And what are you two up to?¡± Annabelle asked with a smile on her face. She held two cups of steaming tea. ¡°Waiting for you of course,¡± Lunyx answered, feeling better if not physically, at least emotionally. Annabelle handed Mina her tea, ¡°Careful, it''s hot. It¡¯s blackberry your favorite.¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Mina grabbed the tea with such severity as if it was a newborn baby. Annabelle then turned to her son, ¡°And this one is for you. Your dad made it especially just for you. It''s supposed to help with your stomach ache.¡± Lunyx grabbed the cup and took a sniff, ¡°Ugh, it smells terrible.¡± Annabelle took a sniff, ¡°Oh come on, it''s not that bad. Now drink up, so you can get better. We don¡¯t want you to be sick when we check out the caravan.¡± She walked towards the campfire with Mina in tow. Lunyx looked down at the tea. It really did smell terrible. But, his stomach ache felt worse. He took a ginger sip. He almost wretched. The flavor was far worse than the scent. He glared at his father, laughing with with his wife and daughter. Leave, his doctor dad to make a terrible cup of tea. He took another sip, which was somehow worse than the first. He tried to gulp the tea down, but only managed to burn his throat. His stomach only felt worse through the endeavour. He looked around to make sure no one was looking in his direction then poured the tea on the grass. He went to sleep in the tent the guards had prepared. He hoped he¡¯d wake up feeling better. He woke up to several screams and a low rumbling growl. Chapter 3: Huntsman People, common folk and myths alike, are so often focused on achieving their dreams that they often forget the simple pleasures of life. Like breathing. You think I jest, and yet so many of them hold their breath in anticipation hoping for the moment when fate comes knocking at their door. -Still Breathing ¡°So, what¡¯s the plan exactly?¡± asked Alice as Davin rummaged through his wagon, looking for his hunting gear. ¡°There it is,¡± Davin smiled as he found his beloved cloak. It was splotched with dark greens and dull browns, ideal for blending into the nearby forest. ¡°Davin, I¡¯m serious. We¡¯ve never hunted this thing before. Not to mention we haven¡¯t told Gaius nor the rest of the guard about any of this. Let alone mistress Elly.¡± Alice chirped. ¡°Are you saying, we shouldn¡¯t take the job?¡± Davin asked with a raised eyebrow? ¡°Of course not. We are getting that gold. So, you¡¯ll be able to buy me all kinds of delicacies.¡± ¡°Your wish is my command,¡± Davin spoke as he strung his bow. Alice raised her grey feathered head high, her crimson crest standing tall, ¡°Of course it is. But, that¡¯s not what I¡¯m getting at. What I want to know is how you plan on slipping from the Convoy unnoticed. And then how we are going to catch this warwolf.¡± ¡°Werewolf,¡± Davin corrected. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about the first part. As to catching the werewolf, well, I don¡¯t know much about them. Just a couple of horror stories people told around campfires up North.¡± Davin grabbed his lucky pair of steel daggers and began to strap his quiver. ¡°You know the usual. Monsters that lurk in the shadows, come for your children, deadliest beasts in the wild. Not, that I believe half of them mind you. Most of these common folk mix up the stories of sprites with stone spiders, or pearl snakes, the werewolf stories I¡¯ve heard differ greatly with one another.¡± He raised a finger. ¡°Although, there has been one consistent theme.¡± Alice cocked her head to the side. ¡°Which is?¡± Davin grabbed the wild flowers he had picked up earlier today, ¡°They always come out at night.¡± He walked out of his wagon, Alice nesting on his head, and took in the surrounding view. The sun was setting and his fellow caravaners were closing up shop. Most of the common folk had left for now. Though, some would be back later tonight when the festivities began. Davin had closed up shop earlier, to prepare for this excursion. He moved through the crowd with a quick pace. He sidestepped the wooden stalls, walked around the large wagons, jumped above a few sprites, to their annoyance, and made his way towards a trio of bright green wagons. A woman in a white apron stood behind a large table. She was cutting a variety of vegetables strewn about the table. ¡°Good evening, Xee, you look radiant tonight.¡± Davin gave his most charming smile and presented her the flowers. Xee looked up from her cooking, a few strands of amber hair had slipped through her bun and fallen on her forehead, just above her soft forest green eyes. She glanced at Davin for a brief moment then continued chopping, ignoring the flowers. ¡°Well, if it isn¡¯t the huntsman.¡± Alice cawed. Xee looked up and smiled, ¡°And Alice of course.¡± She paused her cooking, picked up a grape that was on the table and raised her hand above Davin¡¯s head. Alice craned her neck down and gladly accepted the gift. Xee scratched her crest feathers as Alice cooed in delight. Davin cleared his throat, ¡°I¡¯m happy to see you too.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re still here?¡± Xee smiled whimsically, as she continued to pet Alice. ¡°I just need a moment of your time,¡± Davin asked, trying to ignore the arm in his face. ¡°Sorry, Davin, but I¡¯m a bit busy at the moment. I¡¯ve just started cooking and I¡¯ll need to work fast if I¡¯m to have enough food for everyone by the time they crack open the barrels of wine the sprites brought.¡± Xee spoke in a mild manner, while finally moving her hand away from Alice. ¡°Ah, so it was wine, I was wondering. Anyway, I¡¯ll be quick. I was hoping to do a bit of hunting tonight. We could have some fox for tomorrow, if you¡¯re willing to cook it, I mean,¡± said Davin with a smile. He knew it was her favorite. Xee laughed, a beautiful melodic tune, ¡°Is that so? But, I have an inkling there is something else you might need from me, ey sly huntsman?¡± Davin spread his arms out in surrender, ¡°Guilty. I was wondering if I could have a bit of meat for bait.¡± Xee shook her head, ¡°So, you want me to give you meat from the Fyre¡¯s storage so you can potentially give me back meat?¡± ¡°Potentially? You doubt my skills?¡± Davin asked in mock distraught. Xee looked at his nether regions, ¡°I doubt more than just that.¡± She continued to cut the vegetables, with an expertise speed. Davin winced, ¡°I was very drunk that night, I wasn¡¯t at my best performance.¡± ¡°Best?¡± Xee¡¯s thin lips curled into a smile. ¡°I mean I wasn¡¯t in good performance. I was in bad performance, I mean?¡± Davin thumbled. Alice laughed, ¡°Just stop while you can. Actually, on second thought, please keep going.¡± Davin ignored her jab, glad Xee couldn¡¯t understand Alice. ¡°What I mean to say is I¡¯ll pay you.¡± Xee¡¯s slit pupils narrowed, ¡°Pay me?¡± She pointed her knife at his throat. ¡°For the meat! I mean for the meat, of course.¡± Davin laughed awkwardly.Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more. Xee held her knife up for an agonizing few moments before finally relenting. ¡°Alright, but it¡¯ll cost you extra.¡± Xee placed the knife and began walking towards one of the three green wagons. ¡°What? But, why?¡± asked Davin. ¡°Don¡¯t push it. Follow me.¡± Xee said without turning around. Davin got the que and followed her up the wagon¡¯s steps. Xee turned the large lock on the metal door and pushed the door open. Cold fog seeped around them. They both walked into the cold cellar. Alice puffed up her feathers to fight off the cold. Meat hung on large hooks dangling from the wagon¡¯s ceiling. Bottled milk lay in boxes on the floor, with vegetables, fruits, and various other food. Davin looked at the wagon¡¯s interior metal plated walls, sigils carved all over them. Even though he had been in here plenty of times, it never failed to amaze him with the wonders of magic. Xee went straight to the back, with an expert knowledge of the cellar, and picked up a small slab of meat with her gloved hands. ¡°That¡¯ll be one silver.¡± Xee said as she prepared to wrap the meat. ¡°Um.¡± Davin said nervously. ¡°What now?¡± Xee asked impatiently. ¡°I was hoping I could get a bigger slice.¡± Xee¡¯s eyes narrowed, ¡°How big?¡± Davin slowly pointed to one of the cow ribs. ¡°Are you serious?¡± Xee shook her head. ¡°No fox needs that much bait. What are you up to?¡± Davin raised two fingers, ¡°I¡¯ll pay you double if you don¡¯t ask any questions.¡± Xee laughed her delightful laugh, ¡°Triple.¡± ¡°Deal. But, only if you don¡¯t tell anyone about this.¡± ¡°No, dice. That¡¯ll be extra. Not to mention the price of an entire set of cow ribs, hmm. I¡¯m not even sure you can afford it.¡± Xee smiled. Davin sighed in defeat, ¡°Will a gold coin do?¡± Xee stuck out her hand with an expectant look. Davin, unsure but, without much choice, slowly reached into his coin pouch and brought out a gold coin and placed it in Xee¡¯s open hand. She smiled, ¡°Deal.¡± Alice laughed, ¡°She¡¯s robbing you blind. I like her.¡± Xee made quick work of packaging the cow ribs. They both walked out of the cellar, Davin with a few pounds of meat, and Xee a bit richer. Davin regretted having to part with the coin. Still it was a necessary investment. Quill, the sprite, had only given him three golden coins, promising the rest when the job was done and Davin had brought the werewolf¡¯s head back. ¡°Davin.¡± Xee called out before he left. ¡°Hm?¡± Davin turned to her. ¡°When you¡¯ve finished your little scheme, you best tell me what this is all about,¡± said Xee. It was Davin¡¯s turn to smile, ¡°That¡¯ll cost you.¡± ¡°Oh, you want your gold back?¡± Xee¡¯s lips curled up slightly, her leaf green eyes grew sharper. Davin flicked his hand towards her, ¡°No.¡± Before Xee could respond, Alice cawed sharply and flew straight at Xee¡¯s face. She flinched as the large silver-tailed hawk swooped right at her, only for Alice to make a sharp turn away at the last moment. Davin wasted no time and closed the gap between Xee and himself. Davin lowered his neck and kissed her lips before she could react. She stood stunned for a brief spell of a moment. He tilted his head back and grinned, ¡°This will do.¡± He quickly stepped back before she managed to high kick him. She still managed to graze his cheek, as he ran away. ¡°Get back here, you ass!¡± Xee shouted. She quickly lost sight of him as he ran pass the wagons. Flowers fell onto the table right next to her. She glanced up to see Alice flying away. Xee sighed, ¡°Damn, huntsman.¡± A faint smile touched her lips. ----- Davin continued to run until he was sure Xee wasn¡¯t chasing. He then changed to a brisk walk as he aimed towards the outskirts of the caravan. He spotted Lady Lorelei¡¯s bright red hair, her back was towards him. He drew up his hood and quickly decided to go a different route. He rather not have to deal with her. He always felt uncomfortable around her. Alice flew by, noted Davin¡¯s hair had been covered up and opted to land on his shoulder instead. ¡°Drop complete,¡± said Alice. ¡°Thanks, love,¡± Davin scratched her belly. ¡°Wait, you did give her the flowers directly, right?¡± ¡°Close enough.¡± She looked away. ¡°What does that even mean?¡± He knew he shouldn¡¯t have trusted the bird. ¡°It means you owe me, now shut up. We¡¯re at the border perimeter.¡± Davin turned to look at the fence. It consisted of large wooden stakes planted ten feet apart from one another. Each stake was connected to the other, by a long rope, with pieces of paper interwoven throughout it. The fence was placed around the entire Fyre Convoy. When common folk came by they were told it was for good luck, though Davin new it was some sort of magic. He had to cross the fence if he were to leave. Problem was, Davin noted, as he stood in front of the fence, guards patrolled the fence at all times. ¡°Stop, who goes there?¡± asked Gaius, captain of the guard. Gaius gripped the hilt of his sword. He was a tall man, heavy set shoulders, covered in leather armor. He had short salt and pepper hair that framed his weathered face was in stark contrast to his vivid dark eyes that glared at Davin. Many a man had underestimated the captain because of his age and each one of them had paid the price. Davin had a scar on his chest to prove it. He had once been foolish enough to challenge the men to a spar. It was only when he woke up that doctor Clover had informed him that Gaius had once been sword champion of the Southern capital. And somehow, one of the finest blades in the entire world had become the captain of the Fyre Convoy. Davin cursed his luck. He knew Gaius would report this exchange to the mistress. ¡°There goes being discreet,¡± cawed Alice. Davin pulled down his cloak¡¯s hood and smiled. ¡°Hello, captain Gaius.¡± The captain relaxed the grip on his sword. ¡°Ah, Davin. Thought it was you.¡± He glanced at Alice pointedly. ¡°What brings you out here? I thought you¡¯d be drinking by now.¡± ¡°Normally, I would, but, I¡¯ve decided to go hunting tonight, hoping to catch an elk. Maybe impress a woman, or a few.¡± Davin pointed to the bow he had strapped to his back. A pitied look crossed Gaius¡¯ face, ¡°Not going to well with Xee, huh?¡± Davin became wide-eyed, ¡°What?¡± ¡°Come on, don¡¯t act so surprised. Everyone in the caravan knows about you two,¡± said Gaius. Alice laughed. Gaius looked at Alice, ¡°And if my guess is right, your hawk agrees.¡± ¡°Well, if you must ask, things are going great,¡± said Davin with indignation. Gaius pointed at his cheek, ¡°She give you that scrape?¡± ¡°...Maybe.¡± ¡°Uhuh,¡± Gaius nodded solemnly. ¡°Look it¡¯s not what you think.¡± Gaius raised his hand, ¡°No need to explain to me. Not like I really want to know how she kicked your ass.¡± ¡°But-¡± ¡°Just go. Maybe, you¡¯ll get lucky and catch an elk by itself.¡± Gaius ushered him across the fence. ¡°It¡¯s not what you think,¡± Davin tried to explain. ¡°Davin, no one cares about your hurt ego. It¡¯s getting dark, let¡¯s go,¡± said Alice. Davin sighed in frustration, ¡°Nevermind.¡± Gaius watched as the young man scurried into the forest. He shook his head and wondered what Xee saw in him. A piercing howl echoed across the forest. Wolves? He hadn¡¯t known there were any around these parts. A pack of wolves could prove dangerous. He looked back at the forest, Davin was already gone. ¡°Damn.¡± Chapter 4: Blood Such people know not fate. Fate does not knock on one¡¯s door. She glides through the bedroom window and crawls across the ceiling unseen. And then, when they¡¯re weary of holding they¡¯re breath and slip into sweet unconsciousness, only then, does fate deliver her deathly touch. -Fate¡¯s Beloved Alice weaved through the trees, searching for any sign of the beast. Though, Davin could not see her, he felt her a couple of hundred feet ahead. He walked briskly through the forest brush, trying to avoid making any loud noise. He was a seasoned forrester, yet he¡¯d occasionally stumble. He looked up only to be met with darkness. Despite being a full moon not a single strand of light pierced through the thick canopy. He was practically blind as he made his way through the forest, he wish he had brought a lantern. As he began debating the value of this venture he tripped on an oversized root, his arms flailed as he slammed to the ground. He dropped the bag of meat, and quickly checked to see if his bow had sustained any damage. The string had snapped. He cursed, the sound echoing throughout the forest. Davin cursed once more, albeit silently this time. That was what worried him the most. The silence. It was too quiet, his each and every move creating an echo, throughout the usual bustling forest. ¡°Are you alright?¡± Alice asked, a hint of concern in her voice. ¡°No.¡± Davin spoke, his voice transmitting to Alice through their bond. ¡°Suck it up, you¡¯re pain doesn¡¯t feel that bad. I bet you just tripped over your own feet. Remember the goal. Just think of all the money we¡¯ll make when we catch that dog,¡± said Alice. ¡°It¡¯s a wolf. I think. Besides that¡¯s not the problem. I just broke my bowstring, and I forgot to bring a replacement. As it stands I rather head back to the Fyre Convoy and try again in the morning.¡± He wanted to the gold, but something felt off. And throughout his short life he had learned to trust his gut. ¡°Ah, dammit Davin. Can¡¯t we kill it without the bow?¡± Alice could feel his emotional state, but she didn¡¯t care. ¡°Once you found the wolf, the plan was to lure the wolf with the bait, then I¡¯d shoot it from atop one of these tree branches. How, am I supposed to shoot it without my bow? Not to mention, even with your ¡®amazing eyesight¡¯ you haven¡¯t even found it yet.¡± Davin went over the plan one more time. ¡°Don¡¯t blame this on me. You didn¡¯t even bring another bow string.¡± Alice cawed in retaliation. ¡°That¡¯s because this almost never happen. Not to mention, I didn¡¯t expect it to be so dark, I¡¯m not used to this part of the forest.¡± He began to turn back the way he came. Alice sensed her bonded was moving away. ¡°Oh, stop making excuses, you sorry excuse for a man. But, not to worry, you still got the greatest bird of the sky on your side, me.¡± Davin was proud of his marksmanship, and he once was proud of his blade skills as well. That is until he had been foolish or drunk enough, he was too drunk to remember, to challenge Gaius to a dagger brawl. Davin grimaced as he rubbed the scar on his chest. ¡°Can you confidently say you could kill a wolf by yourself? Because, I¡¯m not gonna get close to a wolf with just my dagger.¡± ¡°Well, um¡­¡± For once, Alice was at a loss for words. ¡°And there is my point.¡± Davin stated. ¡°But! I could distract while you kill it with that dagger.¡± She spoke with inspiration. ¡°Did you not just hear what I said?¡± He threw his hands up. ¡°Oh come on, we can still finish this, just give me a few more minutes. I know I¡¯ll find that wolf, I can feel it. That savory steak will be mine!¡±Alice beat her wings faster. ¡°I understand, I¡¯d like nothing more than to get the rest of that gold myself. But, I¡¯m not an idiot either. We can¡¯t go into this without a plan.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Please, Davin. Just five more minutes.¡± ¡°Sorry, love.¡± ¡°Davin, wait, I think I found something!¡± Excitement clear in her voice. ¡°What? You found the wolf? Where is it?¡± Davin spun around. ¡°No, not the wolf.¡± Her voice grew hollow, ¡° ... It¡¯s something worse.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Davin could feel her fear. ¡°Alice, what do you see?¡± ¡°Davin, you need to get over here, now.¡±A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. After running half an hour through the dark woods Davin finally caught up to Alice. He panted heavily as he looked around for her. It was too dark to see anything. But, he felt she was near. ¡°Alice,¡± he whispered. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± She cawed in relief. Davin heard the fluttering of wings and felt a warm weight settle on his head. She was shivering. Davin raised a hand and stroked her feathers, ¡°Are you alright, love? What happened?¡± ¡°Over there, pass those trees.¡± She pointed. Davin couldn¡¯t see where she was pointing to, but at this close of a proximity he could sense where she wanted him to go. ¡°Are you gonna tell me what this is? You, know, before I head over?¡± Davin whispered as he pulled out his dagger and began creeping over nonetheless. ¡°Blood.¡± Alice said slowly. Davin didn¡¯t understand, until he walked through the trees into an open clearing. The moonlight gleamed across the scene. The grass was streaked with it. It soaked into the ground like water. It was splattered and drying on the flaps of the collapsed tents. It was dripping off the wheels of the broken carriage. The air reeked of the scent. It was pervasive, unnatural, like an act of defiance towards nature itself. Blood was everywhere, except within the bodies of those that had given it so unwillingly. The corpses were strewn all around the clearing. ¡°What in all twin hells?¡± Davin took a step back, his dagger rattled within his clammy palm. He felt a chill run down his spine as his eyes stared at the carnage. He had never seen anything like it. What was this. What happened? Davin¡¯s eyes were pulled towards the corpses. Men in armor, or what was left of them lay twisted in all strange shapes over the grass. Some were missing limbs, others torsos, and a few their heads. The smell of blood, feces, and smoke mixed through the air in a pungent scent. It was too much. Davin felt the dagger slipped out of his hand, as his legs gave from under him. He bent over and wretched. Alice flew a few paces above. ¡°Davin?¡± Alice asked with worry. He couldn¡¯t speak for the fear of vomiting again. ¡°Can you stand?¡± asked Alice. After a few unbearable long moments Davin nodded shakily. He grabbed his dagger and slowly stood. All these people had been killed. This place was still dangerous, a small part of his mind warned him. He needed to try and regain his wits. He looked around, trying to ignore the bodies, searching for any potential threats. His eyes widened in surprise as he noticed a dirt road only a stone¡¯s throw from where he stood. They were near a public road. This was the outer edge of the forest. Who would of had the gall to murder such a large amount of people so near civilization? ¡°Who did this?¡± Davin whispered. He could feel the tremble in his voice. ¡°Not a who, Davin.¡± Alice flew towards the ruined carriage. ¡°What?¡± Davin asked in confusion. ¡°Exactly.¡± She landed above the carriage. ¡°A what, Davin.¡± Davin slowly walked through the encampment. He noticed a woman¡¯s body lying face down. Her blood-stained silk dressed was the final assurance Davin needed. This was a noble entourage. The armored men had been guards. He found himself slowly walking towards the noblewoman¡¯s corpse. Her back was wide open her flesh, spine, ripped away. At first Davin thought it had been cut open, but he soon realized her back had been shredded apart. The horror of what had done this began to dawn as he stared at the large claw marks covering her body. ¡°A werewolf,¡± his voice quivered in horror. He hadn¡¯t known. He had no idea of what kind of beast a werewolf was. How could he have known. Sheer panic began to rise within him as he realized the beast could still be nearby. Sensing his fear, Alice spoke up, ¡°I checked, it isn¡¯t nearby.¡± Davin¡¯s fear was only slightly abated. He nodded a small thanks to Alice. He glanced back at the woman, he couldn¡¯t leave her like this. He couldn¡¯t leave any of them like this, they had to bury them. He turned the woman¡¯s body over and gave a small shout. Her hands were still tightly wrapped around a little girl. The girl¡¯s green dress was splattered with blood. The woman had died protecting her daughter. He pried the woman¡¯s arms away and turned the pale girl over, confirming his worst suspicions. Her back had a large gaping hole. The monster had torn his way through the mother¡¯s back and then the child¡¯s. ¡°No,¡± he whispered. He stood up and backed off. He tripped and fell backwards. Looking up he saw he had tripped over a body, or what was left of the upper half. He quickly moved away. As he stared at the corpse¡¯s rich clothes he guessed this had been the father. The man¡¯s eyes were glazed over, but were still staring at his deceased family. ¡°Davin we have to leave. This place isn¡¯t safe. I¡¯m not sure if the werewolf will return,¡± Alice warned. ¡°Then why did you bring me here!? To look at this! This horror?¡± Davin lashed in anger. ¡°Davin focus,¡± urged Alice. ¡°They¡¯re all dead. Killed. There¡¯s blood everywhere. We can¡¯t¡­ W-we can¡¯t just leave them here.¡± Davin walked back and forth as he spoke, his hands waved about. ¡°Davin focus, please. I need you.¡± Alice cried out, her high crest feathers falling low. He stopped and gazed at her, ¡°Why did you bring me here, Alice?¡± ¡°For him.¡± Alice flew over and behind the carriage. Davin stood unsure. ¡°Get over here, Davin, now!¡±she shouted. Davin forced his legs to move to her voice. When he turned by the corner of the carriage he saw him. A young man, bloody like the rest. But his chest moved. Alice stood to the side, walking back and forth impatiently. ¡°He¡¯s alive!¡± Davin ran to the boy and looked him over. ¡°He¡¯s the only one.¡± Alice said grimly. Davin noted the boy had several claws marks, though they weren¡¯t too deep. But the bite on his shoulder looked severe. He wouldn¡¯t last long like this. ¡°We need to get him to doctor Clover, immediately.¡± Davin turned towards Alice, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me there was a survivor?¡± ¡°Because how you reacted to it all. Your strong emotions, at this close of a distance, make it hard to¡­¡± Alice struggled to express herself, ¡°to be myself.¡± The bond, of course. Davin hadn¡¯t thought about it. ¡°I¡¯m sorry Alice.¡± He took a deep breath, he needed to stay calm, for her sake. He looked at the young man and gingerly picked him up, ¡°We need to get to the Fyre Convoy, now, for his sake.¡± Alice responded by flying up into the night sky.