"Hn… you need to be… calmer… young man," Melba panted between breaths, her chest heaving.
"How could I? I didn't have enough of you last night before your other half arrived home drunk." Royce nipped at the older woman's neck, a low growl in his throat. She arched her body, legs locked tight around his waist as his frame pressed firmly against her.
"He'll notice, you know… this can't go on," Melba whispered, running her hands through his hair before trailing them down his back. His hands were busy fondling her, her back pressed hard against a body of a tree.
"Let him. I bet he already knows and just won't do anything about it," Royce sneered. He ran a lingering finger over her bottom lip, watching her eyes grow dazed and her cheeks flush before he claimed her mouth again.
Their tongues danced in a frantic exchange of saliva until Royce pulled back, his fingers fumbling around his trousers.
"He doesn't… he's as dumb as the hares he hunts. But if he did find out, he'd kill you," Melba warned.
She adjusted her weight against the tree to keep from slipping, then shivered as she felt the heat of his cock against her. She bit her lip, her body eager and betraying her words.
She just felt his tip pressed against her core when suddenly, a rustle of leaves and a guttural growl shattered sounded. Melba managed to peek over Royce's shoulder just as something dark lunged from the brush.
Blood sprayed across Melba's face and skirt as Royce was ripped away. She fell to the ground, her screams finally erupting resounding in the quiet woods.
______
"Hup!" With one last swing of the axe, the log split perfectly. Adrian released a heavy breath, sweat beading on his skin.
He set the tool aside, his arms trembling slightly from the exertion. His muscles ached, but he welcomed the burn, he often wondered and even tries to see how far he could push his limits before his body gave out.
A sudden bang on his door interrupted his thoughts. He grabbed a cloth to wipe his torso, threw on his tunic, and opened the door. It was Willy, a middle-aged man who keeps a small coop of chicken and ducks and sells the village the eggs and feathers.
"Good day, Adrian."
"Willy, good day to you. What can I do for you?"
Willy, his brown beard twitching with a nervous smile, held a cloth bundle. "I'm here to ask if you could make me one of those chairs like the one you made for old Stan. You know, the one that swing?"
"Ah, a rocking chair?" Adrian nodded. "Of course. Is it for you?"
Willy shook his head. "No, it's a gift. My mother is turning 58 on the day before the Day of Light. I want to give her something special."
"A fine gift," Adrian said.
Willy laughed and waved a hand dismissively. "I hope she likes it. Anyway, here… I don't have much coin, but I hope this is fair." He handed over the cloth bundle. Inside were six eggs, their shells still holding a faint warmth.
"This is more than enough." Adrian smiled. While coin was the official trade, bartering was common in the village, and Adrian preferred food or metal over a couple of pennies. Willy sighed in relief, thanked him again, and hurried off after Adrian promised delivery before the day arrives.
Humming to himself, Adrian set the eggs aside. If he could find some fresh bread and herbs, he'd eat like a king for a week.
His stomach rumbled in agreement, noting the sun was at its zenith. After carefully hiding the eggs from scavengers, he headed out.
___
"Hey, Adrian! I saw Willy at your door. Did he give you eggs?" Tatum, a boy of ten, came sprinting toward him.
"Hey, Tatum. Done playing with stick-swords already?"
"It's training! I'm going to be a soldier someday, maybe even a knight!" Tatum exclaimed, puffing out his chest.
"I'm sure. But what's it to you if Willy gave me eggs?"
"Can I have one? I heard eggs are good for a growing boy!"
"You said the same thing about the fish I ate yesterday!" Adrian countered.
Their banter was cut short when they noticed a crowd gathering ahead. Faint screams and the sound of weeping echoed in the distance. Adrian and Tatum exchanged a look before sprinting toward the commotion.
"Oy, what's going on?" Adrian asked a passerby.
"I don't know! I just saw the crowd!"
Adrian shouldered his way to the front with Tatum at his heels. There sat Melba, the hunter Devon's wife. She was slumped on the ground, shaking violently, her dress drenched in blood as she clung to her husband. The voices of the crowd drowned out her whimpers until a booming voice commanded silence.
"Quiet!" It was Colby, the old guard. He wore a faded brigandine and carried a mace at his hip, he had grey hair stark and weathered skin. "Tell us what you saw, Melba."
Melba took a jagged breath. "A monster…"
The crowd gasped. Colby shot them a warning look.
"I was… searching for herbs," Melba said, her voice trembling. "And then I saw Royce. He was being chased."
The crowd erupted in whispers. From the corner of his eye, Adrian saw Royce's mother collapse in tears.
There was something in the whispers... rumors, and doubts. The gossip of Royce and Melba were well-known, even if they were unspoken.
The only person who seemed to not know, or realize was her husband.
"What happened to him?" Colby asked.
"Dead. Pierced through by an ugly hand with claws just as he reached me. The creature… it was on all fours, with fur like a wolf but gangly, long limbs. It growled at me before dragging him away." Melba finished before strength left her and she slumped against her husband.
The village erupted into a panic.
Royce's father, Harton, stepped forward, his face twisted with grief and rage. "I'll kill it! I'll kill it for my son!" He tried to bolt for the woods, but several men held him back.
"Everyone!" Colby shouted, regaining control. "I will inform the Baron. In the meantime, no one goes deep into the forest. It would be a fool to attack a village this size, but we must be vigilant. We will gather hunters and soldiers in response soon. Do not panic. Do you understand?"
A chorus of reluctant nods and agreement followed.
As the crowd dispersed, Adrian felt a cold weight in his chest.
He approached other youths of his age to discuss the matter, and instead of fear, most had a yearning to be the one to kill the monster, but unlike them other youths who spoke of glory and monster-slaying, Adrian felt only a need for survival. He spent the afternoon sharpening wooden spikes and fashioning a makeshift mace from a heavy scrap of metal.
As the sun began to dip toward the horizon, Adrian took a bucket to the river near the wooden bridge.
The fields were near empty; the fear of the forest had driven everyone indoors early.
He knelt by the bank, dipping the bucket into the cool water. Suddenly, the snap of a twig made his head whip around.
A scream tore through the air. Across the river, a figure burst from the tree line, sprinting for her life. Behind her, something moved with terrifying speed, a blur of grey fur and lanky limbs.
"Help! Please!" It was Halsey, the huntress. She had her bow, but her quiver looked empty. She tripped near the middle of the bridge, the bridge arch in a way to let the boat pass underneath.
Adrian hesitated for only a second before cursing his luck. He dropped the bucket, drew the handmade mace he had on his waist, and charged toward the bridge.
'She must have been hunting all day, by the God of Light, why am I the one to encounter it now?' He could only think.
Adrian judged the distance and realized he was too far to reach the huntress in time. With a grunt of effort, he hurled his weapon. The metal head whistled through the air, forcing the monster to leap away from Halsey to avoid the strike.
It landed with a heavy thud, snarling at him. Halsey took this chance to scramble away.
Now weaponless, Adrian quickly drew his knife, a prized possession he carried everywhere and prayed to the God of Light that the creature wouldn't charge.
His prayers went unanswered. The beast abandoned the escaping huntress and lunged at him with terrifying speed.
"Fuck!"
Years of pushing his body to its limits paid off as his instincts took over. As the monster swiped with a long, gangly limb, Adrian dove, rolling across the wooden planks of the bridge. He scrambled to his feet just as the creature lunged again. Instinctively, he lashed out with a kick, the force making the monster tumble back slightly. The momentum sent Adrian reeling as well, nearly losing his footing.
The monster was relentless. It shot forward like a grey blur. Adrian twisted his torso, narrowly avoiding a killing blow, but a sharp sting ignited in his side.
Blood sprayed into the air as claws raked his upper arm. Gritting his teeth against the white-hot pain, Adrian retaliated. He swung his knife, the blade cleaving deep into the creature's side as it passed him.
He spun around, bracing for another assault, but the creature hissed and skidded to a halt. It was then that Adrian heard the sound of shouting and multiple footsteps echoed from the village.
With one final, hateful growl, the beast chose to retreat. Adrian was surprise by its intelligence and then it dove headfirst into the water, swimming powerfully to the far bank before vanishing into the forest.
Adrenaline surged through his veins, keeping him upright, but as the shock began to fade, the feeling of pain returned.
He looked down at his right arm, where deep, jagged wound poured crimson onto the wood he was standing. He heard the approaching flicker of torches and the clatter of weapons and mutterings of the people.
He knew he didn't have much time, the villagers would be upon him in seconds.
As he stared at the wound, the torn flesh began to twitch. The deep, open gashes began to knit together, the skin sealing itself nearly shut with unnatural speed. He could have healed it completely with a single thought, but he stopped the process just short.
If the wound vanished entirely, the blood on his tunic and the ground would be impossible to explain.
The God of Light hadn't given him luck today, but fortunately, fate had given him a gift from the very beginning.