Becky slowly came awake, keeping her eyes shut for a moment to gain her bearings. This wasn't the cave. It wasn't the feckin' forest either. Last thing she remembered was a huge wolf baring down on her. No, wait, last thing she remembered was the bite by one of those horrific feckin' demon hounds. She shuddered at all the evil she had seen that day.
But, where was she? There wasn't a sound in the room, save for panting and the occasional feminine chuckle or murmur. Was someone gettin' theirselves some action? Surely not with her layin' right in the feckin' room with them. She smelled sulfur. What the feckin' hell was going on.
Opening her eyes, she took in the picture before her. There, in the middle of the room, stood a beautiful young lass. Her silver hair pulled back from her face. Her eyes were oddly colored, one flashing lavender and one flashing blue. She cocked her head to the side every so often and chuckled or hummed, staring at the… at the feckin' hellhounds from the forest! She needed to get out of here! But she was hurt, wasn't she? No, wait, there was no pain. Moaning, she glanced down at her leg and saw that there was no bite there anymore. Her favorite feckin' breeches were torn where there used to be a gaping wound. There was leftover blood marring the soft leather, but there was no injury. Looking up in horror from where she lay on the bed, she met the eyes of the woman in the middle of the room.
"Hello there, hunter, please remain calm. You are safe here. This house is a sanctuary for all those in need," she said with a small smile. "Apparently." She mumbled the last bit with a wee bit too much sarcasm for Becky's liking. "What is your name, hunter? I can't keep calling you Cinnamon, even if Baron wants to." She chuckled softly at that. "My name is Erin, by the way."
Peering at the girl with a confused look on her face, Becky replied, "Becky. Th' name's Becky. What th' feck you mean Cinnamon? Is it my feckin' hair?"
One of the hellhounds snorted in what sounded like an ungentlemanly laugh. She shot him a glare. What the feck was the Erin lass thinkin' having hellhounds in her feckin' home? And who the feck was Baron?
"No, it's not your hair, Becky. It's… well I guess that's not my place to say. How is your leg, are you feeling well?" Erin walked over to the bed to inspect Becky's torn breeches. She hummed and gave a happy smile at the healed wound. "It looks all better now. Baron wanted to make sure that you were completely healed up from the bite, and you should have no issues."
"B…Baron? Mah leg?" Becky asked shakily. What… the… lovin'… feck… was going on here?
Erin fixed her with a hard stare, then her eyes softened in resignation. "The wolf you've been hunting? He's the one who saved you." She huffed out a small snort. "Although I have no idea why." She paused for a second, her lavender eye twinkling a little more than the blue one, then continued, "Well, I guess I do have an inkling," she chuckled softly.
Hearing a growl from one of the hounds behind her, she turned her head and cocked it to the side again, as if listening. "She's not a threat here, Seth. Keep your knickers out of a bunch."
Becky snorted at that. She didn't know who Seth was, but he sounded a right shite. Reaching down her side, she groped for her weapons, finding none. "What'd ye do with me dirks? And me bow?" She cried out in shock at her lack of defense.
Erin eyed her with a small smirk, "Baron took those. You'll get them back, hunter, no worries. We just didn't want you to wake and attempt to fight all those present. I have already healed three tonight, I do not feel the need to heal the same three again in less than twenty-four hours." She paused, looking over to the hound by the fireplace. "Yes, Roman, I know it wasn't anyone's desire to hurt the girl. It's just been a bit of miscommunication on everyone's part, I believe. We should probably grab Baron from outside and get his input. He will be happy his Cinnamon is awake anyway." She blushed slightly and glanced back at Becky, "I mean Becky… sorry," she murmured with a smile.
Da feck? "Who's Roman? And Seth…" Becky glanced at the three hellhounds in horror, "Ye can talk t' the demon folk? Tis black magics here! Yer evil! Get back from me! Get me mah weapons and let me go this minute!" She sat up quickly and her head throbbed slightly, causing her to groan out. Erin reached over quickly to grab her shoulder before she could shrink back from the touch. She glanced up, scared at what Erin might do, but the girl's eyes had changed from lavender and blue to pure white and black. It seemed that even if she were to speak at that moment, the lass wouldn't even hear her.
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She had her dolly in her hands, a firm grip around its waist. In her other hand she held a tight grasp on the tiny dirk her Da had gifted her on the first morning of her fifth year. "Keep it wit' ya, gaol," he had told her. "Ye never ken when I might be needin' extry help wit' th' huntin'." His blue eyes had twinkled when he told her this and he had ruffled her hair affectionately. She wanted to be just like him. Hunt and protect the world from all the evil beasties that came along. Now, here she was, hiding from it all, and there wasn't a bleedin' thing she could do t' help him out.
He had shoved her into the hiding place beneath the floor when the alarm bells in the village had sounded. Her mum had stayed by his side, brave through and through. She watched from the small crack in the boards as they attempted to keep the attacker out of the house. She wanted to cry out, she wanted to scream. But he had trained her for this moment, he had told her to never make a sound. They could hear better than anyone. They could smell fear. They were evil and must be eradicated from their world.
Her heart leapt in her chest as she watched large claws scratch through the door. Her mum screamed loud and braced herself for the oncoming fight. Becky stayed. She stayed, and she watched in silent horror. She watched in shock as the huge silver wolf demon broke through their only defenses. She didn't let a single cry leave her mouth as she watched her Da fight the evil being with everything he had. A single tear dropped when her mum was flung against the wall, long ragged scratches down her neck exposing tendons and rendering her lifeless body limp against the floor.
She clasped her hand over her trembling mouth and watched as the wolf circled her Da, fangs bright in the moonlight from the door. Da fought the best he could, but the wolf was too strong. A huge silver jaw opened wide and bit into the exposed neck of her whole world. Blood sprayed everywhere as the wolf tore into her Da, ripping his throat out with a snap. His body crumpled to the ground, twitching. Blood gushed out of the wound, pooling around his body. His lifeless form joined that of her mum, not moving save for the occasional death twitch.
The wolf raised his bloody snout and sniffed the air. He looked around their hut, stopping to gaze where she was hidden. His eyes flashed amber and black and his long tongue came out to lick his fangs. She shuddered, keep calm Becky. Tis not th' time t' lose yer head. Da wouldn'a want t' lose everyone. Don't make his sacrifice in vain.
The wolf trotted over to the hiding place, sniffed again then something outside must have gotten its attention. He tilted his head to the side and his ears pricked up. His mouth opened in a vile grin and he turned to run out the door.
She waited there, for how long she did not know. Her tears fell silently as she willed her two parents to move. As she willed them to get up, get her out of her hiding place and envelope her into a warm hug. To tell her all was well. The blood was no longer flowing from her Da's wound. It was over. They were gone…
Erin slowly came out of her reverie. Sadness settled into her chest as she considered the petrified hunter on her bed. No wonder she made it her mission to kill wolves. No wonder. A tear dropped out of her blue eye as she thought about that poor little girl having to witness so much horror at such a young age. She wondered when she had started to train, probably that day if she was anything like Erin. She understood Becky's desire to kill all the werewolves in the world, but that did not include her dearest friend. She needed to get Becky to stop hunting Baron. She needed to fix this.
Becky sat immobile, watching her with a mix of confusion and fear. Erin didn't have time to go into every answer that the girl needed right now. Sighing, she considered just how much easier her life was only three… no four days ago. But, alas, there were more important things to deal with now than her self-pity over what got dumped on her doorstep.
Looking over to the door she realized that Baron would have a long road if he wanted to get into the good graces of this woman. Poor wolfie, always choosing the hardest path to take, she chuckled to herself ruefully.
She glanced over to the three hounds who had taken over her small sitting area. She needed to get them out so that Becky might calm down a bit. She was used to the magical kingdom, but it was a little unnerving even for her to have the three of them sitting there watching her. Especially since not a few hours ago she would have considered them a threat to her safety.
"We need to give Becky here some space to recover," she said into the minds of the three. "I'm going to let Baron come in and sit with her a few minutes. He's always been good at calming me down." Seth snorted again. She shot a sharp look his way, "He may be a wolf, Mr. Rollins, but he's also the best man I've ever met in my entire life. He could have killed you and he didn't. Believe me, I've seen him in a fight, that little paltry bite he took out of your shoulder is nothing. And, he saved your friend…he saved this girl. That's all he does," she sighed a little, "saves people." She brought her finger up to her cheek and tapped lightly, "Maybe it's time for him to be saved."
"We kind of stand out in a crowd, Erin," Dean's raspy voice filtered through her thoughts. "Not to mention it's still the middle of the damn night. Where do you suggest we go?"
"Let's give Baron and Becky the hut tonight. The four of us can make our way to the cave and stay there overnight. I'm sure no one will notice a woman and three dogs walking along, and if they do…" she smiled sincerely, "I'm sure you'll help me out with a fight."
Was it her imagination or did that earn her a smile?
She turned back to Becky, "I'm going to bring Baron inside now. He will stand guard over you tonight. Do not make me regret the decision to trust you with my very dearest soul in the whole world." She walked closer to the hunter on the bed and leaned in to whisper softly, menacingly. "So help me, hunter, I will end you if you hurt him. I will call on the very powers of heaven and hell to my aid if so much as one hair on wolfie's head is harmed while I am gone. I will hunt you and take everything you even remotely hold dear. Do not cross me. Do not disappoint me." She leaned back, satisfied that she had made her point. Becky's eyes were large green saucers and she gave a small nod. Good, Erin thought, convinced. This hunter wasn't the only one who knew how to put up a damn fight.
"Shit, Erin, and we thought the Queen was the evil one," Dean chuckled in her head. Oh! Apparently, she hadn't whispered as quietly as she thought.
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Baron stood quickly as Erin exited the hut. Had something bad happened in there with the hounds? They seemed like they were actually decent, for demons. He hoped that his nose hadn't steered him wrong.
She gave him a smile and walked over to where he stood. "I think that you should probably take over the vigil inside, Baron. The hounds and I have much to discuss and the hunter… Becky, her name is Becky, and she is awake." She patted her hands nervously on her skirt, fiddling with the fabric between her thumb and forefinger. "They were human, Baron. They need someone to help them out. I know that they have been cursed, but we need to discuss more options. I'm not worried they will harm me." She raised her head and met his amber eyes with her dual colored ones, "I might need to call on the mad one to see if he knows anything."
Baron's heart leapt at the knowledge that the sweet cinnamon smelling hunter was awake. He had been more worried than he would have liked to admit, however he was pretty sure his little angel knew just how worried he really was. She probably knew more about the whole situation without him saying anything. He was not too thrilled about her suggestion to visit the mad one, but he often had lucid moments that were helpful.
"It is not wise to travel to where the mad one resides at this hour, even with three demon hounds to protect you. Where will you go tonight?" Baron said after a moment.
"I will take them to the cave for the rest of the evening. You and the hu… Becky, I think you have much to discuss, yes? It will be better without an audience. I do not trust her wholly yet, but I can see that she has her reasons behind what she thinks is right." Erin walked closer to him and leaned her head against his heart. He immediately wrapped his little one in a hug. "You will need to move slowly with that one, Baron. She has been overly hurt in her young life."
Baron let out an involuntary snort, "Most of the women in my life have been." Erin shot him a scathing look and he released her to hold up his hands in defense. "Just be careful. I do not know how they got here and came for you, angel, but I understand your desire to help all of those in trouble. Make sure you take all precautions, remember what I taught you."
"You be careful too," Erin said quietly and raised up on her tiptoes to kiss his cheek.
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*A/N*
All translations used are from Google Translate - pardon any mistakes
gaol - love
ken - know
