Marie kept cursing under her nose. The night was approaching mercilessly, yet she still didn’t find those, who were responsible for her loss.She “visited” four villages, she killed about six wolfmen. Why so few? Because they were not guilty. She didn’t know if the villages had any connections, for as she knew they could be even rivals - she murdered only when someone crossed her very path and tried stopping her.
There were two more villages to check. Hatred and fear forced her heart to beat at ridiculously high pace.
She jumped over bushes, she climb trees and higher boulders to scan the area. Nothing. Not even hour was left till nightfall. Witch clenched her teeth angered. Up until now she tried being as sneaky as possible in order to not alert the beastkin - even with divine powers she could be defeated if the mob would pin her down with a pure mass.
Well, there was no more time for sophisticated actions.
Marie charged into the middle of the village - she jumped off the tree, bolted onward, leaped over three meters tall fence without losing any momentum before she stopped with a slide in the center - in front of the elder’s hut.
Members of the clan froze confused by her sudden entrance.
She stood up, approached the closest man and hissed.
* “Where is he?”
Her voice sounded so weirdly, so unnaturally dominant.
* “W-who?” the man with wolf’s face was actually frightened.
Well, the avatar of goddess just charged into your village and is talking some nonsense. Who wouldn't be frightened?
* “The guilty!”
* “G-guilty of what?”
Marie raised her hand and punched man in his stomach. Apparently it did much more damage than she was expecting, for man turned pale felt like a bag to his knees and puked, in the meantime fighting for air.
* “This morning. Which one of you were patrolling Eastern entrance to the backwood?” She was running out of time
* “N-none of us!” somebody from the crowd yelled “... Boarders are being watched by … the keepers.” a quiet whisper spread across the crowd
* “Where are they?”
* “Nobody really knows… They are an elite that protec…”
* “WHERE ARE THEY!?”
Lead by pure fury Marie started approaching the group of people that could have simply overrun her, yet the aura of dominance that surrounded her left the beastkin confused and defenseless, like a…. lambs. Isn’t that ironic?
* “In the center of the forest there is an entrance to the sacred caves. They are watching it, but nobody knows for sure! We were told to leave this place alone! We barely see them! every two days they visit one of the clans to pick up food and supplies, then they are leaving, they almost never talk! So...”
Marie quickly gazed on the sun. The sun already changed color - from blinding yellow to bloody crimson as it started hovering dangerously close to the line of horizon. Her hours turned into minutes.
Will the goddess release her from meeting her end of bargain just because she couldn’t avenge her lover? Doubt so. Celestials can’t lie, but they form their sentences and promises in such way, that could be interpreted in dozen ways. Lamb gave her power so she could kill guilty. Could. That’s the key word. Just because she didn’t find them does not lift her responsabilites off her.
Did… lamb actually knew that it would happen? Let her rage take control over her just so she would become a sacrifice?
There was no reason to think about it. Not right now, not before the new dawn - if she would manage to see the new dawn at all.
She started running toward the fence and once again jumped over it.To the center of the forest. She will kill them - it was not a mere joyful wish, it was a promise. Even if it would cost her life, even if she would take just one of them with her! Marie was done being a golden-genius-child that could only cure pustules of old villager’s ass. She was so fucking done with blessing the ground so few more plants could grow. It was all… so meaningless. So completely useless. Pointless, if she just kept being a ballast to Johann.
The cold air - herald of night - started tickling her naked-now body. Less and less light was basking the area, which kept becoming darker with every second.
She checked dozen of places around the center of the forest where group of so-called keepers could be located when…
… when she realized that she could be lied to. Why would the would-kin betray their protectors? She was so naive! She could have take a hostage - a child or whoever, that she could carry with herself and if she would find out that given location was nothing but a lie….
… Could she kill innocent child? She didn’t know that. But, neither did wolf-kin. Damn. DAMN!
Just as she was about to give up all her hope, her enhanced hearing spotted something. Not-so-far-away, about kilometer or so. With her god-like speed she could be there in less than ten seconds. And that's what she did.
Her heart started beating rapidly, with sick, twisted motivation and bloodlust.
Yet, the sun was almost gone. Just a tiny crimson bow was not gazing over the horizon, as if saying its goodbyes. Marie jumped in the middle of clearing - in the middle of group of creatures. She recognized them, their smell, their postures, their number. Everything was correct.
She bolted onward readying her arrow.
She pounced in the air trying to land on the head of one of the beasts - with the generated momentum it would be more than enough to crack his head open. Hooded beast-man reacted just in time jumping back, but then Marie released prepared arrow.
Was it the bow? The arrow? Or her monsterous strength? Witch didn’t know that, but she realized that the arrow didn’t only hit its target - is pierced through it and the tree behind him flying deeper into the forest. The projectile hit shoulder of the attacker, went through the bones and didn’t even slowed down. Beastkin was still alive, yet with wound like that it was impossible for him to continue fighting. He felt on the ground holding his shattered side howling in pain.
Marie tried finishing him off, yet another shadow pounced at her from the side. She protected herself with a bow, changed her footing and threw second beastkin aside, making him roll few time over the ground.
Then, rest of the Keepers realized what was happening. Their instincts kicked in and they rushed trying to overrun Marie. Normally. She would run away, tried to get distance, keep running away and taking them down one after one with arrows… But she recognized one, particular shadow - the one that pierced Johann spine with dagger. The one she deemed as a killer.
With two powerful strikes she casted attackers aside as she started charging at her target. She heard beasts getting up from the ground and resuming their chase trying to pounce at her back. If that would happen, she would be done, she knew that, she knew that it was just a matter of time. Yet… she didn’t care. All she saw was the smallest beast-kin, still holding a bloodied dagger in his hand.
* “Keep her away from the tent! Avatars are preparing for the night! She cannot g…”
As if she cared about Wolf himself. Till the sun is still shining, she is here for mortals, not the gods…
… Wait. “Avatars”? More than one?
Petite wolfman tried running away, yet was far too slow for that. Marie rammed him with her shoulder picked an arrow and aimed an lying under her man. The perfect execution.
She pulled the string, she released the arrow…
… and then, the sun died. She turned into pillar of light and vanished, so did her bow and arrows. And that one, particular arrow that was inch from beastman head. She was so close to her vengeance. SO CLOSE… So… So…
Witch was forcibly relocated to unknown to her location, somewhere in the deep forest. It was completely dark for minute or two, before the moons basked world in silver light.
Something in her heart cracked, then broke. She felt on her knees. The fire of anger that kept burning inside of her perished, leaving her insides as cold embers.
She gave her everything on that one card.
And she failed. She was not only left without the only person that was worth living for… but the people responsible for her loss will be living long and well, never punished for their crimes!
A roar of beast waking up could be heard somewhere deep in the forest.
No. It’s not over. Not just yet.
These people were sent by the Wolf. She knew that. She simply knew. It was a common thing for believers to make sacrifices of dangerous creatures to their gods. Many tribes forced their youngs to hunt a predator as part of ritual of maturity. If not the wolf, if not the hunt… It would most likely never happened.
The embers of her soul warmed up before erupting with volcano of purest hatred. She got up from her knees, picked up her bow and arrows and gazed in direction from which she heard roar.
The Lamb said that they were supposed to fight for whole night or till one of them would be dead. Yet, she never said that she can’t be the one chasing after wolf.
She started walking deeper into forest. He walk turn into run, and her run turned into mindless charge. She was going to kill a god. Maybe just for today. Maybe - in the end - nothing will change.
But. She. Will. Kill. Him. Even more, she was going to do it so slowly and painfully, that the avatar of hunt would beg her for mercy of death. But she wouldn’t give him one. Not before the very dawn.
----------------------------------------
* “How is it, my lamb?” a creature - as if wolf made of shadow, approached a naked, glowing with dim light lady which was sitting at one of the branches of a tall tree - gazing over her forest. Their forest. Her sight pierced through every object and creature. She was the forest.
* “These two are quite… promising, my wolf.” the lamb said peacefully, almost relaxed “...It’s quite rare for people volunteering to be sacrifices, don’t you think? Also the quality of their spirits is simply overwhelming, yet one thing bothers me greatly.”
* “Let me guess - attitude paradox?” shadow kept twirling around the lady
* “Indeed. My lamb is much more fit to me a wolf, your wolf is focused on survival just as my lamb should.”
* “You are right, thought you are so very wrong.” wolf chuckled.
Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.
* “I know, my wolf, I know.”
* “The outcome is not yet defined.”
* “It never is. Silly humans. So fixed on seeing just one side of the story, that they simply refuse to seek and see any further. They beg for our guidance yet are not aware that they are capable of so much more…”
* “The strength of their souls, so very corrupted by weakness of their mind.”
* “The lessons of ours, so very often with such tragic end.”
* “Lesson is meaningless if the teacher gives the answer instead of student.”
* “But what if student is to foolish to find a solution for the task without a help?”
* “Then… we guide them. We let them chose. And the outcome of their action is their responsibility.”
* “It was always like this. As at beginning, so it is now. But, how do you think, what will they learn now?”
* “The man? To hold his urges, to lead them instead of being leaded. The woman? That sometimes having a power and choosing not to use it is a real definition of strength. And that you can help in other ways than simply forcingDKAKLSJKLADKDJA”
* “Only one will remain?”
* “Most likely. Unless...”
* “Unless?”
* “Unless they would find the answer without our help.”
* “That literally never happened before.”
* “Literally never.”
* “But… maybe this time it will be different?”
* “Maybe it will.” with sad nods deities ended their conversation. The chances were almost non-existing.
----------------------------------------
Johann was running through the forest at insanely high speed. The night wind was caressing his morphed body. Everything was so clear. So easy. So obvious. He was drunk with the darkness of the night.
And all this time he felt his “passenger” at the back of his mind. For now wolf kept walking in his lair that he made in the piece of his soul, like a dog baring his fangs through the bars of his cage, cage - to which door lied open. His alter ego was absorbing all his excitement, bloodlust, passion - storing it for better time - when it would explode with carnal rage of most fearsome beast.
Johann thought that he understood the intention of the Avatar of Hunt - he was supposed to carry on the hunt together with his feral partner, using his powers but not losing control. At least trying not to.
* “The night is quiet. The wind is cold. The moon is bright. It’s good night for hunt, my friend.”
He said addressing the wolf
~ “You are almost speaking like a predator, pup. Trying to act cool and composed?! That’s rather pathetic of you.”
The beast mocked him, yet he meant no offense. They were one as two. Two as one. Total strangers that knew one another from very start and closest friend that have never met. They were the Paradox.
Paradox? Ha?
* “I think I got name for you, pal.”
~ “I am not your dog to name!”
* “From now on, you are Paradox.”
~ “PARADOX?! ME!? You cheeky, rude bastard! I WILL KILL EVERYONE YOU LOVE AND FEAST ON YOUR…”
Yeah, there is still long road for them to get along. But that’s a first step, there will be many more nights. Many more hunts…
…. Something flew at him from the side, he barely managed to dodge the silver projectile that pierced several trees next to him and vanished in the night.
After the arrow something jumped from the woods. A someone - to be precise. A naked someone, well not counting a single strap of leather that imitated the bow and skull-helmet. With a greenish skin glistering in moonlight, as if oiled. A beautiful woman that is, beautiful woman with a bow. Trying to turn him into a hedgehog with all these arrows.
* “Paradox, there is a crazy naked lady after us!”
~ “Wonderful perception, are you sure you are not some kind of kingdom’s top scout? Also, you are aware you are talking aloud to yourself? I am you, I hear your thoughts, no need to vocalize them…”
Woman kicked him with her slender leg, he raised his arm to block the blow for after he inspected her body posture he thought that there couldn’t be much strength behind the attack. Boy, he was wrong.
* “Lady, can we talk about this?” He asked with rather surprised tone.
* “Die, you bastard!” A cry of pure hatred was his response
* “Whoa! Lady! Please, calm your tits! They are distracting me! LIKE REALLY. WOMAN! DO YOU HAVE NO SHAME! COVER YOURSELF!”
* “I will get dressed anytime soon! AND I WILL BE WEARING YOUR DEAD BODY AROUND MY WAIST!”
~ “What a woman. What a fire. I like her.”
Paradox. No
~ ”Paradox. YES! Look at her! Strong, fierce. She will give us strong offspring.”
She literally wants to kill us. I don’t imagine her just letting me drag her to bed
~ “Who tells you to do it in bed? Or ask her for permission? Just take what is yours.”
THAT’S SIMPLY WRONG ON SO MANY LEVELS! One, that’s bloody illegal! And even if it would be legal that would still be disgusting! And I have Marie!
~ “She wouldn’t find out… as for legality - you can’t be judged if there is no one to judge you…”
Paa-raa-dox! Later we will have a talk about morality of our actions. I don’t want you to do some weird shit next time you would take over my body.
~ “Is it really a rape if she would enjoy it?”
ENOUGH! Damn it! You are disgusting!... Still who is this lady?
~ “I believe she is a lamb.”
The other avatar of hunt Lamb?
~ “That would be my best guess.”
Same lamb that we are supposed to hunt?
~ “A-ha.”
Same lamb that should be runnin away from us?
~ “Most likely.”
She doesn’t look like she is running away.
~ “Indeed, she is not.”
So… what do we do?
~ “Dunno? Maybe… fight back?” this time, the beast sounded rather annoyed with foolishness of its host
In the meantime, he got another strike in the guts. He lowered his body and swept his arm trying to cut the Lamb into two, yet she avoided the attack by performing a perfect backflip. As she was midair she managed to put another arrow on the string.
~ “Because you look like someone that constantly needs to be told what to do, lemme just say it: you are lowering your head now.”
What?
~ “PUT YOUR HEAD AND ASS TO THE GROUND, MORON!”
Johann did as he was instructed, another silver arrows flew over his head. He wanted to mock his enemy trumphaly, but when he gazed in her direction, he noticed that lady of the silver already put three more arrows on the bow, at same time.
* “This is cheating.”
He managed to groan before he started jumping from side to side avoiding a tempest of arrows.
Silly goat, I will just have to wait till she would run out of these silly stingers…
Then he noticed again. Her quiver was just as full as at beginning.
~ “The difference between you two? She embraced her inner nature, letting it guide her. Also, she is hot. And you are plain and boring.”
I doubt that she has some parasite at the back of her head waiting to take control…
~ “I AM NOT A PARASITE! YOU F….”
Language.
Johann completely gave up moving as bipedal. On all fours he was faster, stronger and the flow of his moves was simply more natural. He started chasing after the lamb, which graciously started climbing the tree.Higher and higher. Was it like last time - when he was fighting with the shadows? No. Now it was different. He was different.
At the peak of the tree hunter bolted onward charging with his whole body mass while sweeping his arms, and even though his attacked missed, his body didn’t. They collided and started falling down, with her at the bottom. Normal mortal would be crushed with mere impact.
She groaned in pain when her body hit the ground, but mere seconds later she managed to release her leg and kick him painfully from the side, breaking his stance, then she picked a single arrow and using it like nail she pierced his shoulder.
It hurt. It burned. Like nothing that he ever felt till this day.
~ “I, on the other hand know perfectly how it hurts. Like a silver blades of inquisitors. Only pure metal and purest divine materials can harm us. Her arrows are made of moonlight itself - the essence of silver. Careful there, partner, one wrong stab with that and we may be gone.”
That’s not how hunt is supposed to look!
~ “Oh, it’ is exactly how hunt is supposed to look, but this time, we are the prey. There is something I must tell you - she is on completely different level. The way she moves, the way she uses her powers. We may not be ok, partner. Actually, it may be a good idea to say our farewells. I will start: we were together for few hours, but I already grow tired of you and your little whiny ass.”
It’s not funny, Paradox!
~ “Death is never funny. Except that one time I killed a rabbit. I have sat on him and his eyes popped out. Like balloons. They went
I can’t die here. Marie is waiting for me.
~ “Too bad that you may never see her again. I am not joking. Alone you can’t fight with her. Just can’t.”
… Paradox
~ “Yes?”
I am. Not. Alone.
~ “Already?”
Yes. Already. Show your worst, partner.
~ “Hold on tight. Gonna take you on one wild ride.”
And once again Johann was pushed onto the backseat of his soul, turned into will-less spectator.
And all the emotion that beast stored erupted. Like a tempest of the storm. Brute and furious filled with power of wind and lightning. His body morphed even more.
* “Finally treating me serious…?” the lamb asked “.. good. It wouldn’t feel right if I would kill you whe…”
Werewolf vanished from her range of sigh just to appear in the air above her. He landed onto her forcing their bodies into deadly embrace. He swept his arm, this time his razor-sharp claw slashed her velvet-like skin leaving deep, red marks.
This feeling was new to Johann, even thought he had no control over his body he felt the sensation on his claws and fingers. The feeling of light tissue being ripped under his pressure, of blood tainting his body…. it was soo.. sooooo
… arousing? He was getting high on bloodlust, it turned act of violence, pure violence into hedonic pleasure of mind. It was just so very right to kill with bare hands, wasn’t it?
Lamb screamed in pain, wiggled her body, released her hand, picked an arrow and started stabbing his side over and over again.
He knew that he was in pain, but his hunger of blood and adrenaline made his pain somewhat dulled, as if it wasn’t his body being pierced by deadly silver. Only thing he felt was irritation - that she DARED to oppose him! That she dared to disturb his art! for indeed, his brutal display of dominance was form of dark, twisted art.
Another stab of silver, much deeper one, woke him up from his trance. He had to let little lamb go as he released his grip. Lady of silverlight quickly raised up and ran into the forest holding her wounded stomach.
Were-Johann got up, shaked his head trying to get rid of nausea caused by pure element and charged after the Lamb.
He kept following the trail of blood, across the bushes, trees and clearings… till blood of drop fell on his head from above. It was a trap. Lamb knew that he would follow he, so she turned back and prepared ambush, hide herself in the branches of the trees and waited to jump on him. If that drop of blood wouldn’t fall on his head second before Lamb fell from the trees, he would have his skull pierced.
He raised his arm up, caught wounded Lamb and tossed her on the tree. The tree broke in half, yet stopped the girl which coughed blood from under her skull-helmet.
~ “This game lasted way longer than it was supposed to! Silly lamb. A cattle will remain cattle, even if it would grown claws and fangs. She had so many opportunities to kill us, but she wanted to bask in silly glory. Lesson to you, dear Lamb, Lesson that you will never put in use…”
* “When you want to kill something… just kill it!”
Johann growled aloud and attacked with his claws aimed on her throat.
* “Sorry… Johann… Could not… avenge you….”
STOOOP!
Johann wiggled at the back oh his mind, flexed against his bondage and stretched his inner will onto the werewolf
~ “WHAT ARE YOU DOING, YOU IDIOT! WE HAVE TO KILL HER!”
She said…
~ “SHE SAID WHATEVER SHE HAD TO TO SAVE HER LIFE!
Give me my body back
~ “OUR BODY! YOUR TURN IS OVER, YOU ALMOST KILLED US!”
GIVE IT BACK!
~ “DON’T FIGHT WITH ME! I AM NOT YOUR ENEMY! SHE IS!”
BACK TO THE CAGE!
Lamb noticed that werewolf hesitated and her hand bolted for another arrow.
Yes she stopped. In eyes of the beast, she noticed something. That pain - pain of fighting back for control. The pain she saw in eyes of her fiance every night of full moon.
* “J..Johann… is that you?”
* “Ma-rie… Can’t control… Run.”
* “It’s you… it’s really you…”
The bow felt of her hands. Skull of doe cracked and shattered into dust. The greenish moss-like tissue melted off her body
* “It’s really you…”
She started approaching him
* “Don’t come!” werewolf recognized his lover “...I don’t want to hurt you!...” he gazed on her wounds “...I can’t hurt you… anymore.”
Yet she jumped on him embracing his neck from all the sides.
* “It’s you… I was so afraid… I… I was sure I lose you! They… they told me to kill you…”
* “Marie… I don’t know how much longer I can keep him at bay… please…”
* “I AM NOT going anywhere!”
* “I don’t want… to hurt you… Don’t want to… Don’t want…”
Johann, so focused on arguing with his inner side didn’t realize that the thick clouds started covering the sky, and thus, the moons, cutting off the twisted radiation. Slowly the beast inside of him was falling asleep. Hunter was tensing his body forcing it not to move that he didn’t realize that he was losing fur and his fangs and claws were rapidly vanishing turning to its previous size.
* “It’s ok, it’s ok now, see? You won’t hurt me. You won’t.” Marie kept whispering to his ear petting his head.
They stayed like this for entire night telling words of comfort to each other. Even if night was still young.
----------------------------------------
* “My, my. First time since the dawn of world - they didn’t kill each other.” Lamb noticed
* “So, you won millions of time, I won millions of times, but that’s a first draw ever.” Shade turned into more humanoid form.
* “Actually, it was told that if I die, you win, but as long as I am living it is considered as my victory.” Lamb smilled teasingly from under the doe skull.
* “Really? My lamb? Really?”
She answered him by showing her tongue in playful offence
* “I should disqualify you…” the wolf continue
* “What for?” Lamb pretend she had no idea what he was talking about
* “The clouds? Even these wouldn’t be enough to break morphing and stop his bloodlust.”
* “Ah. clouds. Draw, it is…”
* “Sometimes you are acting like… nevermind.” wolf just shaked his head in disbelief “...so, for the first time in millenia the hunt is over, but night is not… What are we supposed to do till dawn?”
* “I… might have an idea…” she whispered in ear of the Wolf, which took form of beastman.
She started walking toward the bushes beckoning him with finger while taking off the only piece of clothing she had - the leather belt with arrows.
* “My-my. Seeing you naked always arouses me.”
* “My wolf, I am pretty much always naked.”
* “Yes, I know that.”
The wolf-man approached the deity, lured by her beauty.
A strange end of hunt. Strange, indeed.