III
The Hunter and the Hunted
Guy was awoken by the crackling sound of flames. He blinked open his eyes, raising his head from the table. The old woman was hunched over her hearth, rekindling the fire. The cave entrance was bathed in a slim gray light from the foggy morning outside, but as soon as the fire was started, the warm orange glow filled the cavern once more.
He looked down at Meg, she lay as still as ever, but the sickly pale color was leaving her face. She looked as if she was merely sleeping. The old woman turned about a bit, "A good morning t' ya, wolf." She said, her aging voice tinged with amusement.
"What time is it?" Guy asked, his voice raspy with sleep.
"Just after dawn." The woman scuttled from the fire place, holding a wooden bowl in her hands. "Here," She handed him the bowl, "Drink this."
"I'll not have that. It doesn't appear to be fit for a dog." Guy growled stubbornly at the woman's offering.
She merely cackled, "Carwyn might disagree with ya." She gestured to the great black beast who was currently curled up into a ball of fluff by the fire. "He likes my cooking just fine. Now drink this, while I see t' yer pretty one."
Reluctantly, Guy took the bowl from the woman. He took half a sip from it. The taste of the meager soup not terribly disagreeable to him. Perhaps it was just fit for human consumption after all. He guzzled the rest of it down, surprised at how his hunger came raging forth. Wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve he glanced at the old woman who was steadily unwrapping the bandages about Meg. The woman prodded at the stitched up wound, which still looked red and terrible, but not so inflamed. The woman gave a pleased, little grunt as she lathered more poultice over the stitches. "She be a strong 'un." She nodded as she replaced the old bandages with fresh ones, "Methinks she'll come 'round yet."
"She'll live?" Guy asked his voice hoarse with hope.
"Aye." The woman said as she took the unused bandages off down the pathway leading to the underground stream to wash them.
Momentarily alone in the cavern, Guy took hold of Meg's hand again, "I told you, you'd be all right." he whispered. He couldn't recall a time when he had felt so much blissful relief.
"Now," The old woman announced her return with a gruff clearing of her throat. She stood near the exit of the passageway, brushing her hands down her apron to clean them, "Ye can do something for me."
"What do you have in mind, old woman?" Guy snapped, quickly releasing Meg's hand.
She gave a cackling laugh and tossed him an old bow and three arrows which had been languishing near the crevice of the passage, "Ye can hunt for tonight's supper. Yer pretty one is going t' be frightfully hungry when she wakes."
"You are incapable of doing this yourself?" Guy argued, he wasn't going to tell her no, simply because he didn't want to reveal that he wanted to be there when Meg woke. He wanted to be the first person she saw when she opened her eyes again.
"Oh no," The woman laughed as she watch Guy bend over to retrieve the bow and arrows which had landed at his feet, "But 'tisn't every day I have a strong and willing, volunteer t' help me in my chores."
"You manipulative witch." Guy grumbled causing further laughter from the woman.
"Ye ain't going on yer own either," The woman gave a shrill whistle, awakening the black wolf from it's sleep, "Carwyn will accompany you." The wolf padded over to the woman, sitting himself down by her heels.
"That monster?!" Guy exclaimed, "Are you eager to see me killed, witch?"
She patted Carwyn's head gently, "He's the finest hunting companion I have ever met. An' he'll no' harm a friend o' mine."
Guy looked warily at the dark eyes of the black wolf. He felt as if the beast was eyeing him right back. "Fine." He muttered.
The woman grinned, pleased she had gotten her way, she gave Carwyn a nudge, "Ye go with him, aye? Ye wolves had best travel together."
"Will you stop calling me that!" Guy said as she slung the bow over his shoulder.
"Why should I not, eh? Ye have grown from the pup ye were, surely?" The woman smiled, her eyes twinkling with a coy light.
This question gave Guy pause, he narrowed his eyes at the woman. Why did she mean by that? "Who are you?" He asked gravely.
The woman merely nudged her head towards the exit, "Ye best be off, yer wasting daylight."
***
Carwyn bounded away into the expanse of the forest like a gleeful child no longer kept under the stern watch of a concerned parent. Guy was certain he had lost the wolf the moment he entered the sunlit forest. Blinking his eyes to adjust to the sudden shift in light, Guy realized he was part of the forest he had never been in before. He would stay close to the cave, lest he find himself lost.
Left to his own thoughts in the wood he was able to reflect on the old woman's parting words to him. She had hinted that she had known him before, and as a child too. He wracked his brain trying to figure out if he had ever seen the woman before, but no image would come to him. Perhaps because he had worked too hard to forget his childhood. It was so detached from him now that when the rare occasion arose and he did remember certain instances of his past, he thought he was viewing another man's life.
A snap of twigs had him on the edge as he quickly notched an arrow to the bow. Isabella's men? He was still a wanted man, and he had no doubt his sister would have him hunted down like a dog. He glanced around at the forest, constantly turning so that he moved in a slow circle. He found his would be assailant in the shape of dove alighting onto the forest floor. Oh, well, not a soldier. Here was something to at least bring back to the cavern. He drew back the arrow slowly taking his aim. He lowered the weapon again as a second flurry of wings and snapping twigs alerted him to the presence of a second dove. The pair walked close together. Guy stared at them momentarily. Two for the price of one? He would have to shoot fast if he didn't want to startle the second one.
A thought interrupted him once again, what if they were mates? He'd be able to kill one surely, but the other would have a significant chance of flying away to freedom. He shook his head. He was going soft; worrying about the possibility that a dove would grieve for its companion. He steadied himself and took aim again. Too late! The two doves flew up into the sky and disappeared together. Guy cursed under his breath. At this rate he would be lucky if he managed to catch anything.
A low howl broke the morning tranquility. Guy only knew of one creature responsible for such a call. He followed the sound of it, and was greeted by the sight of Carwyn, who held a rabbit clamped tightly in his massive jaws. Guy was impressed, the wolf was indeed a great hunting companion. Carwyn padded over to him, but instead of dropping the rabbit he merely sat himself down beside him and began to rip the carcass apart, devouring it himself.
"You great, selfish brute." Guy swore at the wolf. The wolf snorted as if in response and continued his meal. His teeth now gleaming with the shining stain of crimson.
The wolf made short work of his meal, the animal had proven barely scrawny enough to make a satisfying snack. All that was left of the rabbit were a few tufts of fur and a few small bones. Guy glared at Carwyn, "Well, at least one of us is satisfied." He muttered sarcastically.
He waved his hand downwards in front of the wolf, signaling for him to follow him. Carwyn growled dangerously and snapped at the hand, Guy pulled it away just in time. "Bloody monster. I swear I will shoot you here and drag your flea-ridden corpse back to the cave and have your witch of an owner boil you down until you're fit for nothing but scraps!"
Carwyn barked, Guy's tone giving off every feeling of a confrontation. Guy growled right back, causing the wolf's ears to flatten down to his head in surprise. "Getting through to you, now? Good, now march!" He shouted, pointing down the forest path ahead of him. Carwyn bounded away again at the sudden, intense urging. Guy smirked, feeling rather pleased that he had finally talked some sense into the beast--that was when he realized he had spent the better half of ten minutes arguing with a wolf.
***
Meg gave a thin groan and tilted her head to one side. Her eyelids fluttered open delicately. Where was she? She tried her best to look at her surroundings, but she could not see much, apart from a strange bed, and stone cabinet. This was most unusual setting for Heaven. Unless this wasn't Heaven. The jarring thought cause her to try and sit up, but a fiery, unbearable pain in her lower side caused her to sink back down with a whimper of pain. The flash of such pain signaled that wherever she was, she was in neither Heaven nor Hell; it certainly looked like both and none.
"Be ye awake, pretty one?" The old, raspy voice startled Meg. She looked around frantically, cursing her feeble position.
She started when she saw the face of an aging crone leaning over her. The face seemed kind at least, if not sharp and stern. The old hag smiled crookedly, "Well, well, a good morning to ye, pretty one."
She tried to speak, but found she had not the strength, and that her throat was as dry as a bone. She gestured to her throat, her arms feeling like mere string, she could not move them for very long.
"It be water yer after." The hag nodded knowingly. She brought a bowl to Meg's lips and carefully place a hand under Meg's head, easing her up a bit so that she could sip. She let out mewling protests when the water was removed so quickly.
"Not so fast, jus' enough t' wet yer mouth. You'll make yerself ill if ye drink too quickly, now." The hag chided. "Ye just rest, pretty one, ye can have more later."
The hag began to walk away, but Meg managed to grasp the hem of the woman's old, and tattered cloak. She moved her lips, desperately trying to formulate words. "G-g-guy?" She whispered. "Wh-wh-wh..."
The old woman patted Meg's hand sweetly as she placed it back upon the table, "He be out hunting, for me. Aye, an' he'll be most pleased t' see ya awake, oh yes, most pleased."
This was a satisfying enough answer for her. Meg smiled and found she had not the strength to keep her eyes open a second longer. She closed them, and sleep came without another moment.
***
The rest of the morning proved far more productive. Guy succeeded in catching two rabbits, while Carwyn trotted alongside him, holding a pheasant in his jaws. The wolf seemed rather pleased with himself and he walked back to the cave at a rather sauntering gait. Guy paused before reaching the small clearing at the cavern's entrance, Carwyn had stopped abruptly in mid-stride and his ears had perked up. What had he heard?
Quietly Guy readied his bow as he saw Carwyn drop his catch and pad quietly towards the cavern. An arrow came out of nowhere to land at the wolf's feet. The animal snarled wildly as a soldier crashed out of the trees. Carwyn lunged for the man, defending his territory. Before the man could reach for his sword, the wolf had pounced on him. He swiped at him with a clawed paw, but could find no fleshy space to sink his teeth into. Another soldier was emerging from the trees as well.
Guy fired an arrow at the hidden soldier, finding his target in the groove between the chest and shoulder plate. The man fell over, not mortally wounded, merely injured. Guy charged out of his hiding place. Those were Isabella's guards. And there were probably more of them lurking about.
Carwyn was not pleased to have his prey taken from him, but Guy ignored his growls of protest as he unsheathed the soldier's sword. Without waiting to hear any cries of mercy he pulled down the chainmail covering the guard's neck and slit his throat. Leaving the unfortunate man to die in a pool of his own blood, Guy advanced upon the fallen soldier. He received the same treatment as his counterpart. He could not afford to leave them alive. If more soldiers came, it would not just be his life he risked, but Meg's, and he would not do that a second time.
He dragged the two bodies away, further into the forest to throw of the trail and, using the borrowed sword as a shovel he covered the twin pools of blood with dirt. It was an amateurish disguise, but it was the best he could do for now. Reclaiming their forgotten prey, Guy and Carwyn made their way into the sanctuary of the cave. Guy realized for the first time how sensible it was that the old woman should have made a home out of such a place. The almost impassable entrance was enough of a determent to even the curious of searchers, he wagered. No one would ever think a snug and roomy cavern lay just ahead.
He emerged into the cavern proper. Carwyn dropped his pheasant and promptly made his way over to the hearth, where he laid himself down, stretching his hind legs luxuriously, and curled up for a nap.
"What did ya bring me?" The old woman demanded.
Guy showed her his success and the woman merely shrugged, "It'll do." Guy burned at the woman's direct ungratefulness.
"Oh," the woman said as she took the game over to her chair by the hearth, "Yer pretty one be awake."
Guy felt the strength nearly leave his legs as he dashed over to the table. He tried to still his anticipation. Meg's eyes were closed, but she appeared to be sleeping only. He placed a hand against her cheek, letting his fingers trace up and down the contours of her face. "Meg?" He whispered.
The eyelids fluttered briefly, but the movement stilled in time, "Meg?!" He called again, stronger this time.
She blinked now, opening her eyes with a tired effort. She focused in on the man standing over her. The expression her wore upon his face was that of the greatest relief mixed with that of the slightest of happiness. "Guy..." She smiled at him.
A flickering smile that wasn't sure how to be a smile, spread across his face. He was certainly some angel bent on keeping her soul intact, she marveled. She tried to move her hand to reach out for him, but found that her will had no effect on the movement of her limbs. She was too weak from blood loss to even fathom moving. Perhaps that was best, she wouldn't know what to do if she had been allowed to be held by him a second time. She certainly didn't deserve it.
"Nearly lost you." he admitted. He didn't seem to know exactly what to say to her, or how to say it.
Unable to speak, Meg rolled her eyes at him, never letting on that she had thought she was going to have to wait for him in the afterlife. Guy smirked at her and Meg wondered if all angels held such expressions of idle amusement.
She sighed and closed her eyes for a moment, she had to concentrate when she wanted to speak, "Tired..." was all she could manage.
Guy nodded, "It's all right," he soothed, "You can go back to sleep."
She tilted her head towards him, feeling her consciousness fading fast, "Be here...when..."
"Yes." He said, answering her before she could finish the question, "Yes, I'll be here when you wake up."
She smiled and nodded her head slowly before allowing sleep to overtake her yet again. Guy stood over her in stunned silence. His heart was beating so rapidly he almost couldn't breathe. He thought he would never see those eyes open again. He had cheated death out of its most precious prey.
"She'll be needing the bed." The old woman said, interrupting his quiet elation. "Now that she's on the mend, she should be kept comfortable. Shift her over there."
Guy took Meg in his arms as gently as he possibly could. He turned about and laid her down upon the many blankets and quilts which made up the bed. This was a much better place for her to be resting. Guy pulled the quilts up and over her, making sure that she would be kept warm while she slept. After assuring himself that Meg would be quite all right, Guy turned to face the old woman, the tenderness and affection he had shown Meg had vanished so suddenly it was as if it had ever existed. He eyed the woman with cold curiosity and suspicion. "Now," he growled, dragging a chair over to the hearth to sit opposite of the woman, "Tell me who you really are."
A/N: Seems both Meg and Guy are in danger of idolizing the other. Believe it or not, they will both snap out of that when they go back to realizing that they are merely human after all. XD