“What did you do!” mother screamed her face red with anger. She was a beautiful woman tall for a human and she looked to be about twenty years old even though she was much older. Jezebel towered over her but the way she held herself made her cower.
The throne room was large with marble pillars, with tapestries along the walls. She didn’t want to deal with this. “tried to make friends without being see”
“but you could have” she went on in a more calm voice she looked to her father hopefully he take her side a little short by demon standards about six foot nine tall a thick tale, hooves, ram horns a dignified face with with razor sharp fangs with a well trimmed goatee and deep red skin and glowing red eyes that would make anyone want to stay clear. but he just stood there doing nothing.
“I’m tired of being alone I’m sixteen almost a woman with no friends” Jezebel pleaded “other halfbreeds like me what's the harm I wasn't seen”
“you can’t know that'' she was right in a way “I’m willing to take that risk” “because you don’t pay the price!”
“Why are you ashamed of me? Why?” Jezebel said trying to control her emotions looking at the chief judge a eight foot demon with black skin, a human face with razor sharp fangs, folded bat wings to fly with but his eyes held no pity on her ether
“because you remind me of my biggest mistake”
“That's quite enough Julia” the chief judge said but she ran out of the throne room. already keeping to her west wing where she was allowed to go, her hooves clapping on the hard floor. This is why I need that camp. They know what it's like no one wants you and father all he cares about is me becoming a judge She reached her room slamming the door shut and now I’ll never be allowed to go there again. tears ran down her face. How can she be so cruel? Safiya was the only person who doesn't treat me like I have a disease and I met her yesterday.
“don’t cry so much. be strong” father said coming into her room she wipe the tears off her face
“why are you here to tell me I’m an abomination”
“That would be unjust,” father replied. He sat down next to me “I know you have had a hard life but lean into your demon side and you will make it” as he left the room she knew he was ashamed of her no matter what he says.
After an hour in bed it was one of those days I know I’ll go hunting that always puts me in a good mode. Reaching for her sling but what if I do it bare handed? I’m strong and fast pulse. I need to get my claws into something, but just in case, gathering her dirty cloak and gliding past the wall she paused at the camp near the east gate. She wanted to be there more than anything but best not to.
hiking to the woods a little ways to the northwest. She was very familiar with this hike. The farmers almost never paid attention to her at this point. for they had work to do. The sound of the river giving life to the forest, birds chirping, it was so peaceful that it almost lifted her sour mood entering the woods, her hooves snapping twigs and leaves making more noise than she preferred. Now where are Some nice critters to eat? She saw nor heard anything searching in the trees for movement. there! A boar lazily grazing and digging up food with its tusks too big for her to take down, she wanted a deer to test herself but not to injure herself. she slowly creeped deeper into the woods she saw a deer with antlers she creeped closer trying not to make a sound just ten feet to go. Snap a branch broke she sprang faster than she’s ever tried before the deer sprang away but she grabbed his neck sinking her claws into his shoulder as he tried to escape her grasp but she hold firm she bite as hard as she could it into its neck severing his neck veins hot blood filling her mouth it was twitching as it bleed to death until it lay still. Am I really this strong? I just overpowered a full grown deer like he was a baby. She didn't care about her clothes as she dug into her kill so much raw meat it tasted so good! After she was done there was still over half of it left so she grabbed the legs and sling onto her shoulders so she headed for home
at the edge of the woods. Safiya was standing there with her arms folded wearing a plain somewhat decent riding dress of brown wool
“Can we talk?” Safiya asked, staring at the deer on my shoulders and blood all over me.
“Of course” Jezebel replied
“I saw you glide from the palace, why did you lie to me?” she sounded a little angry “I climbed without the guards knowing” Jezebel lied
“why? That sounds dangerous” thinking frantically
“I need to glide out of the city to hunt” Safiya nodded slowly
“lets head back to camp we need to leave, the people here are not generous” Safiya said walking back she realized that the deer was on her shoulders the whole time and It’s not the tiring it felt a little heavier but she can more than manageable. the walls of the city turning to the east gate thoughts ran through her head. I'm really just going to leave my mother just like that. Yes, a part of her would miss her but I needed to make her own life and father I will miss him too. The camp will be my new home. time to turn a new page in my life.
she didn't realize Safiya stopped and bumped into her, knocking her to her knees.
“why did you st-” the words died on her tongue. The camp was surrounded by soldiers, everyone was being killed. They stood there in shock until Safiya gave a screech she pulled her back “there's nothing we can do” dragging her away
“Let go of me! we have to go back and save them” Safiya cried
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“With what my sling? They heard your cry so we don’t have the element surprise ether” the shouting of the halfbreeds made her wince
“Where can we go?” looking around for a hiding place mother might have done this after some thought
“the woods we can survive out in the wilderness” walking briskly in that direction
“the woods that's dangerous!” trying to keep up with Jezebel's long stride “what do you want to do go back and get killed”
“no” they hastily got back to the edge of the woods she halted. I don’t know if mother had anything to do with this and father certainly didn't.
I’ve never gone that far into the woods where monsters like goblins and worse live. She made a friend and I’m not about to abandon her when she needs me most she looked at Safiya and placed a hand on her shoulder taking a deep breath they both headed into the woods.
After hours of walking. The half eaten deer felt like it was made of iron but there was still plenty of sunlight left. They made camp in a small clearing so hopefully they won't get surprised. setting her deer on a large rock
“Now what?” Safiya asked
“We survive not much else we can do”
“easy for you to say you have that” pointing to her deer “what I’m I going to eat?” “berries that aren't poisonous, maybe find some nuts” she stormed off into the woods before running back to the rock
“I can’t go foraging, there's monsters and besides I don’t know which ones are safe to eat” Safiya said bitterley
“I know you can have some of my deer there's plenty” Jezebel said
“It's raw!” Safiya snapped.
“Can you eat raw meat?” Jezebel asked, desperately wanting to help her
“I don’t want to but there is nothing else she begane eating, taking large chunks of flesh and slurping them down with her beak.
“This is so gross” Safiya complained she ate in silence. Thinking mother could have had a hand in this sickens me. Whatever the case, I need to leave that place. How can someone just kill the whole camp? I never got to know Gary, sure he was a grouch but thinking him dead felt weird and sad even though I only met him once.
Ripping a rib off and gnawing at it, this place felt peaceful, not at all what her mood was, what she witnessed. Where will I find food when her deer runs out, where are we going to find shelter, we can’t sleep in the open, can goblins climb trees? It might have to do because caves are no good. I guess I'll climb a tall tree and hope for the best.
“What direction are we heading?” Safiya asked, done with her meal.
“North west I think” she didn’t respond for a while the only sound was “how are you holding up?”
“horrible that was the only family I had and now they're gone” her voice on the edge of breaking like she was about to cry do birds cry? She sat closer to her throwing her rib away hoping to be some comfort “thank you” Safiya whispered she felt good to at least help with a little of the pain. She got up and helped Safiya to her feet.
“We can't stay here, we need to move” Safiya gave no complaint as they headed north west again they progressed without much speed headed in one direction. so to make it out of the woods before winter at least that is I hope is a good strategy.
Dark came and they found a good big tree they could hide in.
It was difficult to climb with the deer on her shoulders and how tired she was but managed it. Safiya had difficulty but they rested on a thick limp and her deer on one lower branch. they sat there breathing heavily for a while
“good night” Safiya said sadly
“good night” not much else to do she too tired to talk but no sleep came she sat there watching the forest she had night vision or a worse version of it anyway so she could see pretty good nothing seemed to move, nearby a owl hooted so at least I’m not alone in this Safiya fell asleep already something felt wrong with the woods. It should be teaming with all sorts of monsters yet it was so quiet. She looked all around among the trees again, nothing that should be comforting but she felt disturbed by that was her last thought before she fell asleep.
Jezebel awoke drowsy, turning over and almost fell off the branch. She held the branch in a death grip hanging twenty feet in the air, pulling herself up leaning her back against the trunk, heart beating like a drum. looking for Safiya who was already awake.
“we’ll get moving when I eat” eating what a great idea her deer was starting to get mushy but not too bad. Safiya ate some more of her deer then left it behind no use in bringing it and left it in the tree.
They set off again north west hopping for the best. hooves and boots making noise on the dead leaves after several failed attempts to be more quiet they gave up the woods was nice, too nice which made her uneasy. where are we going and once we find a village then what? No one is going to take us in. they might have to steal new clothes and possibly food if she couldn't find anything to hunt. it might be necessary but I can’t think about it right now watching for danger finding nothing they continued on for days. Lost in the woods. Hunting for food and heading in the same general direction but finding fewer and fewer animals left them hungry more often than not. one miserable morning. They sat in a tree soaking wet as the rain poured.
“So now what genius?” Safiya mocked “what's your next brilliant move go north west and get us lost” hunger gnawed at her empty stomach. She couldn't find anything bigger than a squirrel all day.
“I’m the one feeding you so be quite” Jezebel snapped
“well your plan sucks”
“At least I have a plan, what's yours?” Jezebel challenged
“not to enter the woods without supplies”
“At least I got you that rabbit yesterday took me ten minutes to run that down so stop complaining”
“That doesn't make your horrible plan any better”
Then she saw smoke not forty feet to her left. It was barely visible. one campfire? There's no way it’s monsters, they always travel in groups “Safiya look” pointing at the smoke “should we check it out?”
“Of course it’s warm, isn't it? Let's warm up and get out of this downpour” Safiya replied, beginning to climb down. The fire was under a large rock to shield it from the downpour. Safiya placed a hand on her shoulder “let’s be careful we don’t want to blindly stubble in” shaking her hand off I’m not a fool!
They creep closer to the campfire. Those rabbits and that possum are being ruined by the fire but at this point I’ll eat it burnt to ash. she found no one around to claim it so she walked over and pulled the possum of it’s skewer ate it so fast there where only bones in a minute Safiya barely had any rabbit left by the time she was done with her meal
“It's rude to take something that’s not yours,” a new voice said, looking frantically before spotting a man, was leaning by a nearby tree. He stood over six feet tall, in furs, a long unkept beard and long hair to his shoulders looking at us funny probably from there looks
“We haven't eaten anything all day we will get you new ones won't we Jezebel” Safiya said sharply but he waved it away
“I guess I can get more, I’m Hector. But what are you ladies doing here? you should not have come here for there is a horrible beast that roams these very woods” sitting by the fire he looked shaken. But then why is he here?