They were never getting their archery lesson.
Agrippa’s face fell into their hands as they watched the constant back and forth of strikes and notes as Dyo and Ercole trained in the firelit clearing. It was interesting to watch, if a little disheartening that he’d gone into teaching another series of guards, rather than honour the agreement to pass his archery knowledge down. Yet again they were at the back, tagging along with them, people far more skilled or heroic than themself.
They sighed, eyes slipping around until they found the blood-red eyes of the vampire staring them down.
“Why do you always cower whenever I look at you? Still not used to sharing your camp with a bloodthirsty monster?” He asked with a low growl, “You look like you’ll turn into a rabbit at any moment.”
They swallowed, watching those blood-red eyes as they scowled and bore into them.
“I- I’m not going to run away from you!”
“So, you don’t deny you’re afraid?”
The pit in their stomach continued to grow and grow as those eyes seemed to grow fiercer and fiercer.
“N- No…”
The vampire snorted, “At least you can be honest about that.”
“What am I not honest about!?”
“Who you were when we first met. That you were a changeling and not a human when asking for our help, lying to me and everyone.”
“I had my reasons.” They muttered, eyes flicking away.
“Like what?”
They went silent for a moment as the spit welled in their throat and their heartbeat echoed in their ears.
“I said,” they answered with their voice barely a whisper, “I didn’t think you’d give any help to a changeling…”
“I’m a lot more willing to help when people don’t lie to my face. Every time people have lied to me I’ve been hurt and I don’t want another person to back stab me again.”
Even as they tried to avoid them, they still felt those eyes shooting daggers into them as the two sat saying nothing to each other, everyone else seemingly unaware of the two’s conflict. Just those eyes of a vampire boring down on them without any help.
What to say, what to say, what to say, what to-
“I’m sorry.”
What!?
They looked up, seeing Hreysti’s slightly softened eyes.
He coughed, “I shouldn’t have gone off on you and I shouldn’t stop you from calling me what you want, I don’t deserve to have everyone ignore my nature, so I’m sorry.”
What!?
They swallowed, “Its alright, I’m sorry for not apologizing for my-“
“It’s fine.”
Another moment of awkward silence passed between them as the clatter of swords and the crackle of the fire filled the air.
“Could you…” Agrippa mumbled, “Uh- Teach me some fighting stuff?”
Hreysti raised an eyebrow, looking down at the changeling. “I thought you want to learn some lordly archery from our fuck boy noble.”
They almost choked on hearing the phrase “fuck boy” but tried to ignore it, “I don’t think he’ll get round to me tonight and you’re really good at fighting so I thought you might be able to teach me something….”
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He studied them, thinking for a second before giving his answer. “Come with me, we’ll go away from the camp, so we won’t disturb the rest and to give a little space.”
“Into the dark!?”
But Hreysti had already gotten up, taken his axe and started walking into the forest. Into the deep, dark, rural forest with any number of wild boars and wolves. Exactly what they had been taught not to do for all their life.
They breathed in and stood up, taking their bow and followed him in toe, just hoping the Vampire could see better in the darkness than they could.
“How are you so casual about this!”
Hreysti glanced back, “Casual about what?”
“Walking into here with who knows what! A- And how can you see in-“ Their foot tripped over a root, “this darkness!?”
“Just as moonlight to vampires feels like regular sunshine we can see fine at night, though not as clearly as some others. You’re a changeling, you can turn yourself into something that can see better or just change your eyes. Surely you can do something like that?”
“I-I can try.”
“Then do it. I can deal with anything that comes out of the forest; I have dealt with worse beasts before.”
They focused on their eyes, channelling themselves like they would to change form, but trying to localise it, to turn their eyes into a owl’s as their eyelids shut.
And as they opened them, they now saw the dark world with much more clarity than before.
“I- I didn’t think about trying this before…”
Hreysti simply snorted, “I can’t believe it either. You didn’t think about doing this at all before? Didn’t you have a parent to teach you?”
They stopped, memories racing back into their mind. Bad memories.
He stopped too, turning around, “I- I didn’t see your mother while we were at your village. Is she-“
“She’s not dead just missing. For a long time. She went away when I was little on some trip or adventure and never came back. She just taught me the basics before she went and left me nothing else…”
They saw the vampire’s gaze soften once again as he walked toward them, placing a gentle hand against their shoulder. “I’m not sure saying sorry counts for anything now with how many times I’ve had to say it tonight but I am.”
“It’s fine just-“ They sighed, “It’s one of the reasons why I’m coming with all of you, to see if I might bump into her out there. I’m not sure if I’d even recognise them or even if they’re still alive but it’ll be worth it if I do.”
“I understand. I- I wish I could see mine again as well but that’s never happening. At least yours is still out there…”
Agrippa could swear they saw some tears welling in the corner of his eyes before they were wiped away with a sleeve.
“But if you want to live long enough to find them you should listen to me. You can transform yourself into something like a wolf, right?”
Agrippa nodded.
“Then you should be able to use that and your selective shape-shifting to your advantage. If you can turn your nails into claws when captured, you could bring down your captor or slash your restraints without having to fully transform.”
“Okay, but, how do I fight like that?”
He shrugged, “I can’t turn into a wolf, but we can find out now if you turn into one. I’ve been lacking some exercise as of late.”
The smile that spread across Hreysti’s face was unsettling to say the least, especially with his fangs just about in view.
“Is there anything else you want to teach me?” They asked, hopeful.
“I can’t think of anything else right now, so what will it be.”
Agrippa slowly set down their bow and tried to calm themself, “I’ll try the wolf thing…”
Hreysti chuckled, “Well then, use the night to your advantage and see what you can do against me. Don’t worry, I won’t use the sharp edge of this thing.” He said, hefting his axe.
They felt like they should be turning into a mouse now rather than a wolf, but now wasn’t the time to continue their cowardice once again. Their body contorted and shifted, their skin and flesh melting and melding into the largest and most powerful grey wolf that they could imagine.
“Impressive,” Hreysti muttered, “Now move back, and then we’ll start.”
They growled, taking a few paces back and before Hreysti could react, dashed deeper into the woods. They could smell and hear the Vampire following them but maybe if they tried to throw them off around the trees they could get behind him…
Unlike before their feet could flawlessly traverse the forest floor in a sprint and sure enough, Hreysti started to fall behind despite his own incredible speed. The two running around for a few seconds till the gap grew large enough for Agrippa to try their plan.
They dove through the gap between two knotted trees and then ran parallel to Hreysti. He’d probably smell them and hear their pattering paws but hopefully, they’d have just enough of an opening to strike.
They caught a glance of the darkened figure of Hreysti and charged. Faster, faster before he turned round with that massive axe. Please, please!
They leapt.
Time in that moment seemed to run slow as Hreysti turned around and Agrippa’s jaws bore down on them. The two drawing closer to meeting as every dreadful moment passed and Agrippa could see the axe would get there first. It would get their first and it would send them tumbling with pain all over! There needed to be-
A thought passed through their head and without any other thought they snatched it, concentrating their ability once again and morphing their body just before they connected.
As an owl flew away a feather’s breadth from the haft of the axe, flying up into the air and landing on the branch of an oak, looking down at the stunned vampire.
“I think you’ve got a lot more in you than you think.” He said with a broad grin across his face.