The walk back was quiet.
The Huntress took point, leading Myles by rope they tied around his wrist. The Hero's head hung low with his eyes focused on something only he could see. He hadn't changed at all since last night and didn't even try to run away while everyone was gone. The Huntress couldn't blame him. Where exactly could he go at this point?
A cough from her left reminded the Huntress of her companions walking with her. Their formation was completely counter to how it was when they started. Instead of everyone following close behind the Huntress they all gave her a wide berth. Blitz refused to look her in the eyes, Jet kept avoiding her gaze, and she could feel Sentinel's gaze on the back of her head.
It seemed that the Huntress had managed to taint any relationship she had with them.
She didn't blame them. Not after what happened last night.
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The Huntress silently walked through the forest, her steps hardly impeded by the darkness around her. She had traversed extremely dark areas that were the norm in Yharnam. A combination of the Night Of the Hunt and the magic of the Great Ones keeping the sun from rising. Forced to move through such areas while being surrounded by creatures that wished her dead, she had to adapt. Her eyes could adjust to the dark areas in seconds rather than minutes. Not to mention the two cubs weren't exactly careful in their flight. Broken tree branches and fallen leaves outlined exactly where they went. It would be a simple matter for the Huntress to find them.
At least, it would be.
"Tell me, why are you following me, Blitz?" the Huntress glanced at the younger woman to her left, "You'd made it very clear you do not wish to be around me."
"I'm here to make sure you don't do anything to those kids!" she shouted back, fists clenched with her eyes roaming the foliage in front of them.
The Huntress slowly turned to the old man at her right, "And you, Sentinel?"
He shrugged, "I'm here to stop Blitz from doing something stupid, and to change your mind."
"I believe I made myself very clear," the Huntress said while kneeling to inspect a patch of disturbed grass, "I will get involved with the war, but not yet. I require more information before I commit to a course of action."
"What else do you need to know?" Sentinel replied, "The monsters are outbreeding us, our Heroes are being turned against us, and the Order isn't doing shit. We need someone like you. If you join the War Effort, our fortunes would change overnight."
The Huntress stood up and started walking again, "I'm sorry, Sentinel. But, I've joined a similar conflict with very little knowledge of its true purpose before. By its end, all my allies went mad, were killed, or died by my hand when they tried to kill me. I will not make the same mistake again."
"That's what I'm saying," Sentinel continued, "I don't exactly know what you're talking about, but the past is the past. Just because you did something bad then, doesn't mean you'll do it now."
"Sen, did you not just see her try and decapitate two kids back there?" Blitz shouted in response, "Or what about what she did to your arm? Can you trust her after that?"
The Huntress sighed in frustration as Sentinel replied to Jet. The matter of what happened to Sentinel's arm was something she attributed to the Blood. Another horrid side effect of her transfusion no doubt. Investigating the exact reason was added to her ever-growing list of things she needed to look into. Things were already starting to feel like Yharnam again.
Silently she thanked Jet for going back to camp instead of following them. He pointed out how someone needed to watch the person they spent all day attempting to rescue. Even if it was an excuse to not be in the middle of those two, she appreciated his commitment to the mission. Now if only the two people following her knew how to leave well enough alone. Sentinel kept shifting between pointing out how bad the war is going and attempting to persuade the Huntress to join the fight immediately. On the other hand, Blitz repeatedly pointed out the issue with the Huntress' morals and lambasting her brutal combat methods. It was starting to give her a headache.
The Huntress started to tune her companions out, focusing on following the werewolves' tracks. They were getting close. She could tell by the tufts of fur that were caught on a few brambles. However, something was...off. She narrowed her eyes while picking up a piece of brown fur. She lifted it to her nose and sniffed it. Blitz watched with half-hidden disgust, but the Huntress didn't notice. Her eyes closed as she tried to place the scent. She had smelt it before, but where?
...No.
Her eyes shot open and she immediately ran forward. Blitz and Sentinel were stunned long enough for her to lose them in the foliage. She ignored the branches and brambles that whipped at her skin and caught her clothes. Her mind was in a panic, eyes darting to and fro while she ran.
'It can't be! They can't be here! The Plague was meant to be contained to Yharnam! How did...wait. One of them bit me. She imbibed my blood...The Blood.'
The more she thought about it the faster she ran. She heard a small groan echo from someone nearby and made a b-line for the source. She came to a small patch of yellow flowers, where a small, furry body was sprawled across the ground. She stopped in front of it and knelt, lifting the Mamono's head. The striped face of one of the werewolves stared back at her with one eye closed in pain. The Huntress recognized the cub as the one that jumped on her. The fiery one that laid out their plan.
She lifted the werewolf, using her arms as a pillow for the child, "Can you hear me? What did this to you? Where is your sister? Can you hear me?"
The werewolf coughed up a bit of blood, one arm hugging her midsection with a wince. Her eyes slowly opened up. When her vision cleared her eyes grew wide at the sight of the Huntress. She tried to get up but the pain made her lay down. With heavy breaths she spoke, "W...what did you...do...to Fira?"
"Fira?" the Huntress asked, "Is that her name? She's the one that bit me, correct? Where is she?"
The ear-splitting cry of a little girl pierced the air. It soon turned into a low, pained howling that shook the trees around them. The Huntress looked up, gently laying the Mamono on the ground. Her eyes focused on the dark forest in front of her. She stepped over the child while spreading her feet out. Evelyn and the Burial Blade shined in the moonlight as something approached from the treeline.
As it came into view, the Huntress' worst fears were realized.
It was hunched over, its spine protruding out of its skin in bloody patches. Around it was patches of thick, matted brown fur that swayed in the night breeze. It stalked forward on all fours, arms and legs elongated to help it pull itself along. The movements it made were unnatural yet it wasn't bothered in the slightest.
There was no mistaking it. The Huntress was looking at a Beast. However, its transformation was incomplete. She could still spot skin underneath the mass of fur. But the dominant reason she knew the metamorphosis wasn't complete, was the still human face it had.
The face of the other werewolf sister. She looked up at the Huntress, tears filling her eyes as she choked out both a growl and a hoarse voice, "Help me. Please. It...it hurts."
"Fira," the werewolf behind the Huntress reached out towards the approaching monster, proving her suspicions.
The Huntress' eyes flashed as she stepped towards the crying were...the Beast in front of her. There was no tension in her body as she held her Blade out to the side.
With a calm, cold voice she spoke, "Weep no longer, little one. I will free you from your suffering."
The Beast roared and haphazardly charged at the Huntress. Groups of flowers were sent flying behind it, its limbs unhindered by their irregular orientation at all.
The Huntress did not move. She merely waited for the Beast's claws to almost hit her. Then she fired Evelyn with immaculate timing. The Beast staggered up on its hind legs, its head lolling in the air.
The Huntress felt her weapon leave her, the muscles in her arm grow, and her body tenses up. She brought her arm back and shoved it forward.
The sound of flesh being torn open echoed through the trees.
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Blitz beat Sentinel to the flower patch. She came to a stop, hands-on knees as she tried to catch her breath. She coughed a few times as the cool air hit the raw skin in her throat. Her head lifted to try and find Hunt. The first thing she saw was the werewolf child upon her knees staring at something in front of her.
Hopeful that she had overtaken Hunt at some point, she ran to the child's. She knelt to the werewolf's side and placed a hand on her shoulder, "Are you ok? Come on, let's get you out of here. Someone's coming to..." Blitz's eyes narrowed as the werewolf refused to react. Her body was frozen with her eyes wide and mouth agape in terror. She followed the child's eyes...and the same expression spread across her face in an instant.
There Hunt stood, her back to them, with an inferno raging before her. Blood covered her body and dripped from her right hand, while her left hand held a glass bottle of some kind. A white rag hung out of the top with a small flame burning on its tip.
Blitz stared at the roaring fire as it began to spread across the ground, lighting the lilies around it on fire. However, whenever they spread farther than the main conflagration, Hunt would walk over and stomp them out. No errant flame escaped her, nor did it ever reach the treeline to spread into the forest beyond. Eventually, the fire was contained to a single patch of burning grass. The smell of burnt plants hung in the air, making Blitz sneeze involuntarily. Sentinel had reached them at some point, the old man watching the fire and Hunt with the same awe that Blitz did.
Hunt slowly turned around as Blitz stood up and rushed at her with a raised fist. Sentinel wasn't quick enough to stop her advance. All he could do was watch as Blitz ran up to Hunt and decked the taller woman in the face.
Hunt barely flinched from the punch. She simply stared down at Blitz, her black eyes filled with indifference and pity. Blitz yelled at her, "What is wrong with you!? Are you trying to burn the whole forest down!?"
"That was not my intention," Hunt's voice was calm in spite of the situation, "but if I hadn't acted when I did, it would've our only option."
"Oh, great, more crypt bullshit," Blitz threw her hands up in frustration, "Are you ever going to come clean with us?"
"Hopefully, no. Never," Hunt glanced behind her at the fire. It had shrunk to the size of a campfire, it's fuel beginning to run out, "And hopefully what I have done here will ensure neither you nor anyone else ever discovers it. Some things are better left forgotten. Now, Blitz. Please move out of my way. There is one last thing I have to do."
Blitz turned around and her eyes widened at the sight of the shell shocked werewolf child. She grit her teeth in anger as she ran back and stood in front of the little girl. She held her arms out, spread her legs apart, and glared defiantly at Hunt, "You can dress it up with all the pretty words you want, but I know what happened. There were two kids weren't there? And now there's only this one? That's what the fire was for, wasn't it you fucking psycho? You killed her sister and won't even let her bury the body!"
There was no hesitation in Hunt's steps as she walked forward, "Blitz, please. Move."
"Make me," was Blitz's answer.
"Blitz-"
"I don't want to...I don't want to hear anything you have to say right now, Sen," Blitz said this with clear hurt in her voice. Sentinel hesitantly reached a hand towards her, but let it fall to his side.
"Blitz," Hunt stopped when she was halfway between the fire and Blitz.
"Is this it then? Is this how you get your kicks?" Blitz chuckled more out of a need to feel brave than anything else. She could hardly breathe under the pressure Hunt was hitting her with. It was like someone had placed a bucket of water as wide as her shoulders on her back. But she pressed on, "Do you lie awake at night imagining all the people and kids you've killed? Do you smile while imagining yourself butchering them, you sick fuck?"
"Blitz. Stop," there was an edge to Hunt's voice that, if Blitz had been paying attention, would've made her rethink her next words.
"Why? Did I strike a nerve? Maybe I'm hitting the right buttons? Am I starting to break through your little facade? Good. Sentinel should see what you are. You're no savior, no Hero, no leader. You're just a freak who likes to get off to-"
There was a loud bang.
Blitz's eyes went wide. She slowly looked down and saw the Huntress' fist punching her in the stomach. She looked up and tried to speak, but something hit the back of her neck.
Her eyes flutter closed as she slumped in the Huntress' arms.
"Sen," the Huntress lifted the young woman and held her out to the old man. He grabbed with both arms, his left healed from earlier.
He hoisted Blitz over his shoulder and turned his back on the Huntress. He spoke while walking, "I'll take Blitz back to camp. If I stay here there's a chance she'll wake up and get in your way. Do what you have to, then come back."
"Understood," the Huntress nodded, "Thank you, Sentinel."
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When the old man had reached the treeline, the Huntress turned to the werewolf cub kneeling in the flowers with her hands on her head. She was shaking in fear and despair, her breathing panicked, her eyes darting from side to side.
The Huntress knelt to her side. Her arms fell around the child before she could run. The cub's ears pricked up in surprise but soon fell flat as the Huntress started to caress her head. She spoke in a soothing, motherly tone, "Poor little thing. You've lost everyone, haven't you? Your mother, father, sister, everyone's gone now. You're the only one left.
The werewolf started to shake in her embrace, but she continued, "I understand your pain little one. Both from experience and because I am the one who caused it. I doubt you will ever forgive me, or that there is anything I can do to redeem myself in your eyes. But, I can at the very least reunite you with your family."
She felt the werewolf go still in her grasp, her breathing slowing down. Eventually, she went to sleep in the Huntress' arms. Her tiny chest lifted up and down as the Huntress laid her down onto the patch of flowers.
The Huntress raised her Burial Blade over the child's chest.
She brought it down with no hesitation, no pause, and no fanfare.
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Ever since that night, there has been an unspoken tension between them. Specifically, her, Blitz, and Sentinel. Blitz hadn't spoken to her nor Sentinel when she woke up back in camp. Threatening glares and crossed arms were all she offered to the Huntress, while Sentinel was completely ignored. This made him go silent, probably from the amount of hurt he felt at losing one of his friends.
The Huntress kept her head pointed forward. She tried to keep her mind on completing the task at hand. There was nothing she could say to Blitz. Their perspective, methods, and beliefs were just too different at this point. The best she could do was apologize, which she had already done multiple times. Sentinel, she was more confident in. The old man understood her reasons for refusing and did not hold them against here. She could resolve their conflict with a simple conversation.
Then there was Jet and she wasn't sure...
"You thinking about me?" the man in question suddenly appeared at the Huntress' side, but she did not jump at his intrusion. The Huntress looked at him with a flat gaze that made his expression fall. He snapped his fingers, "Dang. Was hoping I could make you jump a little bit."
"And why, exactly, did you try to do that?" the Huntress asked with a flat tone.
"Because you're walking around with this really serious look on your face, when you should be happy," Jet threw his arms up in joy while smiling, "We got our guy, we're gonna get paid, and nobody got turned into a sex-crazed slave! That's three out of three right there.
He placed his hands behind his head, stretching a bit, "Plus your spat with Blitz is kind of bringing the whole group down. By the way, nice job. You managed to piss her off on your first day. That takes some serious talent."
"Believe me when I say that was not my intention. It simply turned out this way due to circumstances," the Huntress turned to Jet, "That being said, shouldn't you be upset with me? Blitz is your lover is she not?"
"How did...oh. So we were pretty loud last night, huh?" the Huntress nodded while the young man scratched the back of his neck, "Heh, sorry about that. Blitz tends to scream when we-ow!" A rock bounced off Jet's head, making him wince. When they both looked in Blitz's direction she was observing red mushrooms that were growing on top of a fallen tree log.
The Huntress chuckled at the childish display, which made Jet point at her with a smile, "Hah! I did it! I made you smile! Now things should start getting back to normal around here."
"Oh really?" the Huntress pulled at the rope while placing a hand on her hip.
Jet shrugged with a smile, "Ever since you got here, you've been stone-faced and serious. More so than anyone I've met before. If I can make you smile, then I can make anyone smile. Even if they're being abnormally cranky in the morning."
He said the last sentence out loud with his eyes on Blitz. She didn't reply, but her early actions proved she could hear them. The Huntress looked at Jet in puzzlement, "You surprise me, Jet. Not that I am ungrateful, but shouldn't you be wary of me? After everything that happened last night...I figured you'd be colder to me."
Jet's expression darkened and his jovial attitude diminished. He sighed while shaking his head, "I am mad at you, but it's mostly because you hurt Blitz. But, from what Sen told me, she was acting unreasonable. So I can understand why you did what you did. As for the kids...if I decided to stop talking to you over that I'd be nothing more than a hypocrite. Growing up, I wasn't exactly the nicest orphan in town. It doesn't mean I condone it, but I won't hold it against you."
"But what about Sentinel?" the Huntress knew she might be hitting a touchy subject, but it was better to get this taken care of before they reached the town of Pran, "Surely you agree with him on what an asset I would be to the Order?"
Jet snorted in disgust, "Hell no I don't. No offense to Sen, I owe that guy a lot. But the part about joining the Order or getting involved with this war at all? Nah. The Order hasn't exactly been good to me and mine, or the world at large. Let the fuckers burn due to their own incompetence. I'll be long gone by the time that happens, laughing all the way.
He patted the Huntress on the shoulder, "Now you can do what you wish, but if you want my advice; Use those skills of yours to make a decent living, then jump ship when shit hits the fan. You'll be much better off if you do that."
The Huntress looked him in his eyes and nodded. She smiled at him, "I'll be sure to keep that in mind, Jet. And...thank you for talking to me."
"No problem," he patted her shoulder again before stepping away, "Now, let's get back to Pran. I can already feel the gold coins sifting through my fingers."
The Huntress chuckled at the eager look on the young man's face. Though she would not receive much of the reward, she did gain many things from this mission. She learned much about this world, the Mamono and humans who inhabit it, the state of the war, and so much more. She had almost forgotten what it felt like.
As far as she was concerned, that was more valuable than any monetary gain.
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They arrived in Pran by mid-afternoon. The sky was covered in an orange hue as the sun began to set in the distance. A single carriage awaited them in front of the town gates. Its blue walls were emblazoned with a lion roaring up at the sun as it stood atop a cliff. Two barded horses were hitched to it, their manes hidden beneath navy blue cloaks. Five people stood around the carriage. Two were bodyguards, their full-body plate armor shining in the afternoon sun. One was the driver who sat atop the carriage with the reigns in his hands.
Another was a man who, if his familiar hair and skin color was any indication, could've only been Myles' father. He stood with a relaxed almost annoyed look on his face. A hand went to his mouth to stifle a yawn, and the other ran through his hair. He wore a pressed blue suit with matching pants and carried no weapons on his hips. He adjusted his collar and stared at the group of bounty hunters with barely concealed indifference.
In contrast, a very animated female, who was likely Myles' mother, was pacing back and forth in front of the carriage. Her light blue ball gown followed her movements just touching the floor. Her skin was as tanned as her son's, but whatever makeup she used masked it to an extent. Her brown hair flowed across her shoulders in curls while her gloved hands were kept latched to her thin arms. Her waste was pushed in extenuating her breasts within the confines of her blue blouse.
When the Huntress and her companions came into view, Myles' mother was the first to spot them. She gasped and started running towards them, her eyes focused behind the Huntress. The Huntress stepped to the left and pulled Myles forward. She quickly undid the ropes around his wrist and pushed him towards the onrushing woman.
The prim woman threw her arms around her son's shoulders, her husband following her with a box in his arms. Her short stature was a strange contrast to her son, who was a good head taller than her. She spoke in a high pitched, dignified tone, "Oh Myles! My wonderful Myles! Whatever happened to you?
When Myles didn't respond she let him go and looked him up and down. A frown creased her features as both her hands gripped his cheeks, "Myles? Why aren't you saying anything? Did those ruffians do something to you?"
She shot a threatening glare at the bounty hunters. The Huntress rolled her eyes while Jet stepped forward. He cleared his throat and said, "Madam Deltora. I assure you we have brought no harm to your son. Unfortunately, I can't say the same about the horrible monsters. When we found him, he was being held captive by a pack of werewolves. You've certainly heard the stories of what they do to male Heroes? By the time we got to him, he was like this."
"Then you should've gotten him sooner! Oh, my poor boy!" she started rubbing his head, "You don't have to worry anymore. You'll be home soon with Mommy and Daddy."
"They killed her," Myles' voice was quiet and hoarse from remaining silent for so long.
"What was that, Myles?" Mrs. Deltora leaned forward to hear her son speak.
"They killed her, mom. They killed Sara. They killed her."
His mother frowned at the name. She lightly shook him in her grasp, "So, you did go with her then? I knew it. That damn peasant probably tricked you into running away with her, didn't she? This is what happens when you don't listen to your mother."
If he felt any indignation at what his mother was saying, he didn't show it. He simply kept staring straight ahead at something no one else could see. The Huntress crossed her arms at the sight, her eyes firmly on Myles' mother.
The father walked up to Jet and nearly dropped the solid black chest into his arms. Jet nearly fell to the ground under its weight but managed to keep himself upright. The father spoke in a regal yet bored voice, "Thank you for returning my son. Here is your reward. May God bless you on your travels."
With that abrupt farewell, the father turned around and started walking back to the carriage. The mother grabbed Myles' by the hand and easily led him to the carriage, "Come on, son. We're having dinner with the Bellwoods in two days. They have a wonderful daughter that you'll be delighted to meet. She'll help you forget all about that horrible hussy who stole you away."
"Excuse me, Mrs. Deltora?"
The mother rolled her eyes as she came to a stop and turned around, "Oh, what is it? Didn't Harlod give you sellswords your-"
Something pricked the skin on her throat.
Her skin went pale and her body began to shake as her eyes slowly fell to the curved blade pressed against her throat.
"My apologies" the Huntress spoke as if she was taking a light stroll on the beach, "But I must ask you a few questions."
"What the Hell are you doing!?" Jet screamed at Hunt's sudden action, completely thrown off guard by how quickly she closed the distance.
It took Harold, Myles' father, a minute to realize what was happening. When he did he too attempted to scream, until the Huntress aimed Evelyn at him. She fired a warning shot that sped past his ear and drove a family of rabbits from their bush. He froze up under the black-clothed Hunter's gaze, his body going rigid.
Myles was staring at the Huntress with his mouth agape. Unable to speak, he darted his eyes between his parents and the killer who was threatening them.
The Huntress replied to Jet, "Nothing, at all. You have been paid. These people are no longer your clients. And I am not affiliated with you in any way. I am simply a traveler who assisted you in your task to rescue Myles Deltora. Now, I am simply teaching this 'family' a lesson. You have no more stake in this, so please, do not interfere."
"Are you...well...huh," Jet's anger gave way to slow revelation as he looked at the box of gold in his hands. He opened it up and saw the pile of shiny golden coins inside.
He turned to Sen, making the old veteran shrug, "I mean, she is right. We've already been paid. There's not much we stand to lose if she does this. The Order could come after us, but they don't know who we are so..."
"They could ask around," Blitz spoke for the first time since last night, a hand on her chin in thought, "But we haven't made very much noise around Pran. I doubt anyone would be able to pin us down. The only loss is that the Deltora's will spread lies about us, but they don't have any concrete information nor are they a well-connected family.
She shrugged, "All in all, we stand to lose nothing. Plus they're jerks. So..."
Jet nodded while smiling, then cupped a hand to his mouth and shouted, "Indeed! Thank you for all your help stranger! Deltoras we'd love to assist you, but I'm afraid our contract is up. Unless you would like to renew it..."
Mrs. Deltora scowled and spat at Jet, "You curs! You'll regret this, I swear!"
"That's a no then," Jet started to walk around the group, "In that case, we shall be on our way. May we meet again, stranger!"
The Huntress nodded towards the three as they made their way back to the city. She spotted the bodyguards moving to stop them and shouted, "Don't move, else your benefactors die here. I don't think either of you would want to return home and tell your families you can't afford food anymore."
The guards froze up at the Huntress' admission. They stepped back and let her companions pass into the city unabated. Jet made a throwing motion with his hand as they entered the open gate.
"Harold! Myles! Do something!" Mrs. Deltora shouted as she looked to her husband and son. The sweat running down her face began to stain her make up.
"Yes, Harold, Myles," the Huntress glanced at both men, "Do something. Here I am, threatening the lives of you and your loved ones. Aren't either of you going to act? Shouldn't either of you be attacking me and defending your mother and wife?
She turned to Harold, making the older man flinch under her scrutinizing gaze, "I can tell you used to be a warrior, Harold. Your body still moves with the same combat prowess from when you were younger. You have not yet lost all your skills, yet you stand there not making use of it. Why? Do not let yourself become stagnant. There is a war going on. If you better benefit your species by being on the battlefield than in the courts, then pick up a blade and fight."
Harold Deltora could find no answer. His mouth simply opened and closed without saying anything. His head fell to look at the ground, his mind trying to wrestle with what the black-clad stranger had said.
"And you," she turned her piercing gaze to Myles who eyed her with a combination of despair and barely burning anger, "I am well aware that I am the last person with any right to say this, as I am the cause of your despair. However, I am also someone who knows what you're going through far, far too well. As such, listen to me when I say this.
She leaned forward, her blade barely breaking through Mrs. Deltora's skin, "Grow. Up. You are not the first to lose their loved one. Nor will you be the last. Sulking and crying will do neither you nor anyone else any good. Your species is in a war on the edge of extinction, and you are one of the many chosen to help lead it from the dark into the light. Do not let yourself waste away in despair."
"You think it's that easy?" Myles replied, his voice hoarse but strong, "That I can just forget about her, what you did, and move on? Do you have any idea how much she meant to me?"
"No," the Huntress shook her head, "but think of it like this. You were both Heroes, correct? Both of you wanted to protect the innocent and defend the weak? What do you think she would want you to do? Cry and despair over her death? Or be a Hero?"
Myles went silent. He stared at the Huntress, emotions warring in his eyes. For what felt like hours his feelings ran wild inside of him as one tried to gain dominance. Eventually, he broke the stare, but the Huntress spotted a tiny spark deep within the dark recesses of his eyes.
She would have to hope that would be enough.
Finally, she turned to the mother. The female was shorter than the Huntress, forcing her to lean down so she could be heard. Mrs. Deltora's eyes were filled with fear and kept moving from her husband to her son. Only when the Huntress began to speak did they focus on her.
"Mothers are meant to care for their children," the Huntress began, "They are supposed to protect and raise them. When someone becomes a mother, her child should be the number one most important thing to her. Everything else should become secondary. And your child is hurt. He is suffering. You should be comforting him and soothing the wound on his heart. He is not a bargaining chip, nor is he a puppet you can string up to suit your needs.
She made sure her final words were backed by all the authority she could muster, "You are a mother. Act. Like. It."
She stepped away, sheathing her weapons faster than the eye could see. She pointed towards the carriage, "Now, leave. I am done with you."
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"I'm home," Maggie shouted into the two-room shack. A pair of tiny feet ran out of the room to her left.
Her younger brother ran to, his reddish hair bobbing on his head as he shouted, "Big sis is home!"
She held out her arms and let the little tyke jump into them. She held him close while happily laughing, "Someone's happy! How are you, Marcus?"
"Great!" he giggled while holding up two fingers, "I grew two inches today! Nick and I measured!"
"Really?" Maggie placed a hand on her brother's head, widening her eyes in mock surprise, "You did! Congrats! You'll be as tall as Nick is one day."
"Don't count on it," came a deep, confident voice from the room to the left. A young man, taller than Maggie, his smile showing off all his white teeth. His alabaster skin was covered with old welts and scars that ran the length of his muscled arms. His blue eyes were covered by his dark red hair that ran down his head.
He stepped forward as Maggie looked him up and down, "Nick, did you get into another fight?"
Nick rolled his eyes, "No, Mag. I didn't. Montgomery came around asking about rent. Told him he'd get it before the end of the week, but fucker tried to weasel his way into staying until you got back. I got him to fuck off back to his hole though."
"Nick, you know what I've said about antagonizing him," Maggie placed Marcus on the ground, "We can't afford to lose this house."
"I know, but...that guy's a creep," Nick looked at the floor while his hand closed into a fist, "I've seen the way he looks at you. If I was stronger I could..."
"Nick," Maggie stepped forward and hugged her older brother. He hugged her back, the two of them staying that way for a minute.
"Is something wrong?" the two older siblings looked at their younger brother, who was staring up at them with sad eyes, "Did I do something bad?"
"No, no, of course not," Maggie bent down and smiled at Marcus, "nothing's wrong. Why don' you go play with the toys I made you?"
Nick ruffled the boy's hair with a chuckle, "You heard her, 'Little Hero'. Go have some fun."
Marcus was all smiles as he ran through the wooden door to his right. Maggie and Nick watched him go, nodding at each other in an unspoken agreement.
They'd make sure they kept this house, no matter what. For his sake.