"You have died so I may live," he said. "Forgive me. Your sacrifice is honorable. I thank you," he finished, a tear sliding down his cheek. Nrayen, his pack brother, growled softly. "Don't worry boy," the hunstman said. "You won't go hungry tonight."
Renee could have watched him forever, but she was being called. She shifted back to her wolf form, and ran silently through the woods. She had been watching the huntsman for a month now. She found him fascinating. The trees told her all they knew of him, and his history. He had been raised by the wolves, after his parents had abandoned him. He lived in the woods with them, his pack. She didn't know his name though, and she was too frightened to ask him. But she could ponder that later. Now, her mistress was calling, and she was curious to know why. She ran through the woods, a black streak against green vegetation. A shadow of night during the day. The last Wolven Shifter.
The gate was open, and while guards anywhere else would have killed her immediately, these knew better. They would get a lot worse than death if they killed her. Her mistress would see to that. Once inside the gates, she shifted back into Nymphan form. She walked through the halls of her mistress's palace, heading for her private chambers. She opened the doors, and walked in, to see her mistress, standing by the window. Renee bowed low. "You called me mistress?" she asked.
Elisa Queridon turned, smiling at her. "Yes dear, yes I did," she said.
"May I ask why?" Renee asked.
Elisa chuckled softly. "You Shifters are so impatient. I assume you have somewhere else you'd rather be?" she said.
Renee nodded, and Elisa laughed. She was in a good mood. Renee wondered who she'd killed to have put her in such high spirits.
"Very well then, I'll get right to it. I know you've been following a huntsman for quite some time, have you not?" she asked.
Renee bristled, immediately on guard. "Yes, I have," she said.
Elisa smiled, again. Really, she must have killed someone she'd been longing to kill for a while. Maybe she'd finally gotten the stable boy trampled to death.
"Well, I want you to bring him here," she said. Renee stared a her.
"Why?" she asked.
"Why is really none of your business dear," Elisa said. "Just bring him to me."
Renee shook her head. "Not until you tell me why," she said.
Elisa stood, looking none too happy. "Do I need to remind you that I have your Name?" she asked.
Renee shook her head. "No you don't mistress," she said.
Elisa smiled nastily. "Then go fetch him," she said.
Renee walked out of the room, her mind spinning. Her mistress wanted the huntsman. She didn't know why, but she could tell that this probably wouldn't turn out so well for the huntsman. And though she had long ago promised that she would never fall in love, she was afraid that she had now gone and done just that. She tried to stay away from the huntsman whose name she didn;t even know, but she had so much free time. Her mistress hardly ever called her, and she didn't have much else to do, so she watched him. She knew there was no way that they could ever be together. He would never love her as she loved him. She was a Wolven Shifter. Hated by all. And even if he could love her, her mistress would never allow them to be together. No, she was afraid that she was doomed to heartbreak. She ran back into the forest, to look for the huntsman.