Disclaimer: I own nothing! Except for Rai.
Native American legend in here. I don't mean to offend anyone. I understand Skinwalkers are dangerous and I find them fascinatingly terrifying.
Rai is almost a yandere. Undoubtedly.
Yandere (ヤンデレ) is a Japanese term for a person who is initially very loving and gentle to someone (or at least innocent) before their devotion becomes destructive in nature, often through violence and/or brutality. ... Yandere are usually, but not always, female characters. ~ I took this from google. Haha. These are not my words.
RAI IS A DOMINANT FEMALE CHARACTER. If you don't like dominant women then this story is not for you. Most of the men are just as dominant.
Sorry for any mistakes. I checked it over a little too quickly. My apologies in advance.
" Once upon a time long forgotten, deep into the north there lived a woman known for all for her magic abilities. One that was said to have found immortality through dark arts. Another for her being able to shapeshift and run into the night taking the form of different animals. A witch. A Shapeshifter. A monster that awaits in the dark of the night.
The folk said to tell the witch apart from other animals is that she didn't possess a tail, that when she transformed she did not look right. That something was off with the way she moved and if you were unlucky enough to see her, run. Run fast and quickly and do not stop till you are safe inside your house because if she should catch you, she could steal your very life. Your very soul. Keeping in the darkness with her, forever.
Folk say she was a dark beauty, with olive skin and hair as black as ebony. The only light feature were pale eyes behind dark lashes. She wore animal hide. A dark animal that fed on flesh and blood.
She traveled far from home, away from the snow and toward the deep forest and lush green hills, where she fell deeply in love with a fair one.
An elf-kind
A creature that shown with the light of the stars. She wanted him. For her own, to possess him and take his very soul. He would be hers, in time."
The old woman with silver worn hair and ageless blue in her eyes laughed as her grandchildren looked up toward her in fear and wonder from the small bed. Another twin bed sat not to far from the one that held the twins. Two twin young girls that were aged 8 springs with wavy blond hair and the same set of pale eyes.
" She did not not get him did she?" The small girl with the slightly chubbier face begged her Grandmother who sat in the oak chair next to the bed. The other turned to her twin with a sour look. " Of course not. The witch never wins in fairytales."
" Oh but this one did." The old lady chuckled as the twins turned to her with expressions of horror upon their small faces. " Nay, it is not true!"
" Please tell us it is not."
The woman smiled. " Yes. He loved her very fierce and she him. You both know the stories of the evil shadow that fell across the lands and ring that almost ruled them all."
" Yes, it happened thousands of years ago, almost a million!"
" Be quiet, Inne. Those stories are lies and it was not even close to a million."
" No it did happen, Elona."
The went silent as their Grandmother shot them a stern glare. " It is not lies," The Elder started.
" Let me tell the story of your great ancestor, the witch Rai who lived in a world of elves, men, dwarves, and other wonderful creatures.
" The witch was our Great Grandmother!" Elona gasped and Inne's mouth dropped open.
" Yes," The elder laughed. " And the elf she loved was your Great Grandfather."
The twins gasped out again and excited looks fell upon their faces. " Tell us the rest of the story."
" Alright, So it began so long ago when magic still held fast on this land."
~Past
Pale eyes watched the hunter and his son as they crouched down some on the snow covered hill that wasn't very far from the village. The sun was setting and it was not much longer till dark fell.
" Look boy, see that dog."
She felt a growl push up from her throat in warning.
" Is it the witch, Father." The boy didn't wait for a reply, he raised the bow and arrow toward the dark canine. A hand reached out to stop the boy. " Wait son. Look,"
The boy looked at the dog not to far from them, it was shaggy and dark as night with matted fur and a set of strange pale eyes that looked toward them with hidden intelligence. " The beast has a tail. Tis not the witch, it wouldn't have a tail for it goes against her very nature."
" So it is just a mangy dog?" The boy asked lowering his weapon and giving her a chance to escape. She turned a bounded off into the snow covered forest.
' foolish mortals.'
Again with the tall tale about her not having a tail in animal form. Where in the damned dark did they get these ridiculous stories. Rai passed through the small forest quickly and ran up the steep hill toward her small cottage that lay further up the into the valley.
She needed to leave this area yet she couldn't abadon her small sanctuary. After being here for well over a two centuries, She still loved it but something deep within her heart stirred. Yes she was immortal. Immortal in the sense of that she never aged. No doubt she could be killed as she had been injured in the past more times then she would like to admit by foolish folk who believed her evil.
Perhaps she was, she did not know. What would it take for her to be evil? Slaughtering the entire village would be evil, right? Or would it just be a bad choice? She huffed as well as she could in dog form as she came to a halt outside the door that led into her warm inviting home
At least inviting for her.
She shifted quickly, groaning as her bones rearranged themselves to fit her human form. Standing up on her legs she stretched and then moved to open her door, the black tattered robes hanging off of her in strands, she reached up and removed the broken skull of the canine that was attached to her forehead.
She set it down on the dark long set table filled with books, glass jars of vile looking substance, and small vials of liquids. Bones from the animal that helped the transformation made it possible for her to shapshift. She took the black ripped robe off and set it next to the skull. She looked down to the dark animal hide that she wore. Hide of the wolf. It wasn't a dog but it was close enough to make the canine transformation complete. She sighed as she lifted the cup filled with water and brought it to her dry lips.
She drunk as if she had not had water in years. Transformations took their tole on the users. Made them weak and tired once they shifted back. Rai sighed again as she tossed the cup over her shoulder not caring where it landed. It was empty anyway.
She moved to her small bed in the corner of the room and fell ungracefully on the furs closing her eyes and breathing out with relief.
' Perhaps I need to leave this place for a while.'
She was asleep before she knew it. Her boots still in place on her feet.
The morning came quickly, golden light from the sun shown through the small windows of the cottage. Books were open and placed on the floor as smoke lifted to the ceiling. Rai sat in the middle if the books surrounding her and she smoked gently from the pipe in her hand. The smell of burning poppy surrounded her as she breathed it in. It would be very strange for anyone else to smoke the dried flower but for Rai, it helped open her mind and soul to new spells and powers.
She read slowly, taking in the words from the ancient books left behind by her Grandmother. The one who gifted her with the power she had now. Rai hummed as a loud knock sounded on her door. Her head snapped to the side. Pale eyes wide. Impossible. No mortal from the village would be able to find her safe haven. The cottage would be invisible to them. To ones with ill intent.
Ill intent...Someone from the village had come for help.
Rai sighed as she put out the fire in her pipe and then stood up, opening the door to the stranger on the other side. A woman. Pale eyes widened as she stared at the woman. Not beautiful, very plain in fact bowed her head to the witch.
" You are the witch of the mountain are you not?"
" What do you wish of me?" Rai asked as she folded her arms over her animal hide. The woman with brown hair trembled, her lips shaking with fear.
" Tis my husband. He had laid with the wench from the tavern. I have confronted him about it and he tells me lies. That he would never do such a thing but I have seen it with my own eyes. I beg you witch, curse him. Make it so that he will never look upon another woman again but me, so he knows who loves him most."
Love. Love. That did not sound like love to Rai. She stopped her lip from curling in a sneer. She was as foolish as her husband. While he lay with women in the village, his own wife comes to the very feared witch to place a curse on him. There is no such thing as love. Not unconditional love. Fleeting love yes. Love was only an emotion. Rai knew that.
" Nothing is for free." Rai hissed and felt amusement as the woman took a step back, shaking violently.
" You will eat my soul for this?"
" Tis the price." Rai lied, wanting to see the woman's reaction. The mortal nodded with determination, " Then so be it."
Rai walked toward her, rolling her pale eyes in the process. " I will not take your soul. I only ask for the clean bones and feathers of a raven. Skull intact. and three silver. Tomorrow night I will come for your husband, I ask that you place the raven remains in your front window seal, leave the door unlocked. Sleep well, I will not harm you or your children on that night. On my magic I swear it. "
Rai started down at the shorter woman as she nodded before grabbing Rai's hand and kissing it quickly. Rai jerked at the touch but it was over in mere seconds. The woman bowed her head and turned to head back to the village in a quick pace. Rai watched her go. It was not the first time a villager asked her for her magic. But it was always done in secret. After all you didn't want the other villagers to find out you went to the witch. You'd be burned at the post for such foolishness.
The next night came quickly, the moon was bright and full. A dog with matted fur creeped into the village unnoticed by townsfolk still out and moving around the dirty streets. Voices and music could be heard from the tavern close by. Sounds of drunken voices and laughter from inside continued on as the matted dog moved passed the building. Pale eyes looked around, searching for the home with the remains in the window. It didn't take long to find, the smell of death clung to the bones and her nose picked the scent of it up.
The house lay further out from the others which was well and good for Rai. Less noise to be heard for nosy folk. If anyone was watching, they would have been terrified to see the shadow of a dog change into a human figure in the moonlight on the side of the house. The door creaked open and the figure moved into the sleeping home. Pale eyes were surprised to see the same boy that held the bow and arrow toward her days ago was sleeping not to far away. She smiled in humor.
She moved further into the back where her eyes rested on two figures sleeping. It was time to work.
.
.
.
The mans eyes opened in surprise, cold sweat covered him and a sense of dread filled his insides. He sat up just as a shadow passed across the wall by the window. He cursed and stood up, in the process of waking his wife that lay next to him.
" Mija." He spoke in a hushed whisper. She turned to look at him while rubbing the sleep from her eyes. " What is it, Rouild?"
" Something stirs the air tonight." He whispered. " Check on our son."
Mija nodded and pulled up from the bed and moved to the front of her home to see her child still asleep. " He's is sleeping."
" Are you daft, Woman? He is not there!"
Cold set in the pit of her stomach as her eyes lay on her son who was stirring from his father's shouting. She turned to look at her husband as her son slowly woke up. " Rouild, he is there."
" I do not see him. I see only an empty bed! I will find him! I swear it!" The man pushed his feet into his boots and grabbed his cloak. Throwing it on before grabbing the bow and arrows. Mija watched her husband as something twisted her insides. Was this the work of the witch? Was this dark magic. It must of been for her husband couldn't see their only son who was now sitting up in his bed with confusion. " Father."
Her child muttered but her husband didn't seem to hear him as he threw open the door and walked out into the cold. " Tis a clear night. It will not be hard to find him."
Rouild spoke to his wife and his own son climbed out of bed, " Find who? Father!"
Mija moved to the entrance as her husband once again ignored their son. Rouild pointed to the moonlit hills that led to the forest. " There he is! Daft boy! Taio! Boy! Come back!"
Mija looked but didn't see anything but a figure of an animal. It was...a dog! Mija felt icy fear hit her and her son grabbed her shoulder. " Mother! Where is he going?"
Taio ran out of the house as his father took off running toward the dark forest, toward the dark canine. " Mother! He must not go there at night. The Witch!"
Her son ran past her and further into the village to look to other men to help bring his father home.
Mija watched as the dog disappeared to the other side and turned to look on the edge of the window to find the remains of the raven and the three silver gone.
" Yes. The Witch." She whispered as her husband disappeared over the hill where the dog stood.
Rouild cursed as he ran after his son. He watched the boy run through the dark trees. His bare feet surprisingly light on the snow. " Taio! Boy, get back here!"
The man yelled as he moved slower through the snow. The light from the village was gone and all he had was the light from the moon. The forest was dark, still and he could still see his son dodging around the trees far ahead of him.
" If you do not come back, you will feel the strap, son!" Rouild shouted the warning as his son disappeared into the dark of the trees. The man cursed again and looked down to follow his sons footsteps in the snow.
His heart dropped as his eyes looked down around him. Not one mark was ahead of him. He turned to look behind him to see only footsteps from him, there were no other marks in the snow.
" What witchcraft is this?" He whispered as he heard laughter start from all around him. It sounded like a female. " Who is there? Show yourself!"
The laughter continued on as he held the bow up, arrow quickly in place. A figure moved toward him and stepped out into the light.
" Couiasua?"
It was the tavern wench. She was pretty. With dark hair and blue eyes and a nice figure. Rouild moved the bow down and took a step to the woman. " What is this?"
Couiasua smiled before opening her mouth wide. Horror fell on the man's face as maggots poured out of her mouth and landed on the snow covered ground almost blending in.
" Tis a nice night." The tavern wench spoke through the maggots as the trees groaned around them. Rouild gagged as the wench threw up more maggots. Terrified eyes watched as bugs crawled all over the ground, he could see a snake moving along the branch of a leafless tree; though it was in the middle of the winter. Laughter started up again. The bow was dropped from his hands as he about clawed his eyes out. Covering his ears he whimpered as he shut his eyes tightly.
" Be silent!" He screamed and was startled when everything did go silent. He opened his eyes slowly, To see no bugs, or maggots, or even wenches. Rouild looked up to see a dog in front of him. A dog on tall legs with matted fur and pale eyes silently watching him.
" You."
He choked out as he watched the dog stand on its hind legs, bones snapped and shifted around. He yelled out in fear as a young woman stood before him in tattered clothes and a skull of a canine attached to her face. Pale eyes watching as she moved closer to the man. He fell to his knees, the bow lay forgotten in front of him.
" Witch."
Rouild whimpered as the dark woman stood over him. He cried out when she grabbed a fist full of his thick brown hair. She yanked his head back and poured something vile down his throat. He gagged and cried as she released him, he fell forward on his hands as he looked up with absolute fear.
She opened her mouth and spoke a dark speech. The wind howled, the moon hid from the world and the trees groaned in anger as she poured dark magic into him and his very soul. The curse took hold and Rouild felt it trembling through him. He bowed his head " I beg you."
He cried out softly when she went silent. " Do not take me from my family."
" Father!"
Moonlight shined down on him.
His head snapped up to find the witch had vanished and turned on his hands and knees to see his son and other men from the village rush toward him with weapons. He looked to see his wife with them. She never looked more beautiful. He sobbed openly as his son and wife embraced him. " The witch. She..."
Mutters broke out among the people as they looked uneasily to each other. Rouild looked around until his eyes settled upon another woman from the village. She would have been nice looking if not for the maggots around her eyes and in her hair. She smiled at him kindly. Yet he froze up as black maggot filled teeth were shown to him. He screamed in fright.
.
.
.
Rai chuckled as she took the black robe off once more when she was home. No. He would never be able to stomach another woman besides his wife again. She held up the gifts his wife left her. No doubt the man would be tormented for the rest of his life. He had to one to blame but himself...and his wife. Rai didn't need anymore visits from Mija again. She got what she wanted and now she had to live with it. No doubt she would be very angry at the so called witch. Rai sighed, it was time to hide her home to all until this blew over.
A/N: Oh my goodness, I wrote this a while ago and it's just been sitting in my laptop. Hope you like it.