Wolf grinned further as he started to walk closer to her. Smooth and slow, taking his time with each step, hearing the soft crunch of hay beneath his feet. The moon had finally risen; the sun had set, sealing Wolf's fate for the next 48 hours. He wanted to run out and gaze at the moon, but he had a little business he had to deal with first. He saw the door out of the corner of his eye, but made no attempt to shut it, he knew he was faster than she was. He became closer and closer to her, and yet she made no move for the door.
Perhaps she was too scared to move, he thought, it had happened before. Wolf remembered times he had cornered farmers, but they were scared stiff. He left them with satisfaction and smiled remembering them clutching their shovels in terror, too afraid to move and too preoccupied to actually use it in defense. Most of them probably forgot it was in their hands and were to busy thinking about their possible death that might be quickly approaching them.
The closer he got, the fuller scent of her aroma flooded him. Small, and yet succulent. She would never compare to a shepherdess, but maybe she could come in close. His eyes flashed widely at her as he dropped his head slightly so now he was gazing at her by the tops of his eyes, his smile still broad and evil. Still, the girl did not move. She didn't hesitate, or shift her eyes away from his. Surprisingly, she held her ground.
Finally, Wolf stopped and was less than a few feet away from her. One quick move for the throat and she could be down in a second, he knew it, and for some reason, believed she did as well.
"What are you doing in here?" He asked very slow and smoothly.
She did not reply. Wolf was beginning to feel confused. This had never happened before. She did not tremble, or search around for a quick escape. No, she was collected and knew what she was doing. She also disregarded his question.
"I know what you are." She said bluntly. The girl still did not take her eyes away from Wolf as most scared people do when an animal stares them down. She returned his gaze confidently and showed no signs of terror.
Wolf was taken aback. Sure, she possibly could know from seeing him change the few minutes ago, but everyone that had seen him change, never waited around for him to recover. Why had she stayed? Why was she talking to him and not running away screaming or looking for someone to help build a bonfire and burn him?
"Do you now? And WHAT exactly am I?" He called her bluff. He stressed the word 'what' as if it was venom. He hated being regarded to as a thing instead of a person. Too many had done it before her, and too many had learned the penalty of calling him that as well, if she did it again, he wouldn't wait for her answer.
"You are a wolf." She said plainly.
"Oh really? And … do you know what wolfies do to girls who push their luck?" He took another step closer to her and purposely pulled back his lip in a sinister smile, revealing his long row of teeth.
This time, the girl took a step back. Wolf took pleasure in making her cower before him. Making her feel weak and insignificant as people had done to him. Ooh, how he wanted to make her pay for all the pain he had to endure in his childhood and even as an adult. He wanted to hurt her, as if that would cure everything and make all his pain go away.
"I'm not afraid of you." She declared, but he could sense her fear. It was pouring off of her and filling the barn. Her eyes finally flew from his and darted around the barn, finally fixing on the door behind him, not dumb enough to turn her back on him. His smile grew. This would be fun. A challenge.
"Oh, I think you are." He took another step towards her. His eyes started to glow a bright shade of yellow and a low throaty growl escaped his chest. She knew what he was planning to do. His pace became more rapid and he got closer and closer to her. She moved back with each step that he made that advanced on her, and without watching where she was going, her back bumped the door and shut it. She was pressed to the barn door, the latch digging into her back.
She was immobilized. Wolf put his hands on each of her shoulders, preventing her from moving. Her breathing was ragged and she tried as hard as she could to hold in her rapid breaths, but with little success. He inched closer to her, and she could soon feel his hot breath on her face and neck. Just as he pulled back and was about to make a move, possibly a fatal one, she yelled. Not a fearful yell, but one with demand.
"STOP!"
He was quite surprised to hear that from her. She was so small and innocent, so frail and yet trying to seize power over him. He wouldn't allow it. He paused and looked at her in the eyes. His yellow eyes were still wild and focused on the direct middle of her eyes, staring into her. It was as if he was searching her soul, trying to figure out what gave her the strength to stand up to him like that.
"Why should I!?" He asked, loosing his grip on her a little, waiting for a reasonable explanation. His patience was very thin and it took most of his power not to sink his teeth into her and rip out her throat that very moment. She moved away from the wall slightly, getting away from the door handle driving into her back, but Wolf thought it as an attempt to escape and shoved her against the wooden panel again. She moaned as her back slammed against the latch and looked at him again, and then answered.
"Because I have the crystal."
Perhaps she was too scared to move, he thought, it had happened before. Wolf remembered times he had cornered farmers, but they were scared stiff. He left them with satisfaction and smiled remembering them clutching their shovels in terror, too afraid to move and too preoccupied to actually use it in defense. Most of them probably forgot it was in their hands and were to busy thinking about their possible death that might be quickly approaching them.
The closer he got, the fuller scent of her aroma flooded him. Small, and yet succulent. She would never compare to a shepherdess, but maybe she could come in close. His eyes flashed widely at her as he dropped his head slightly so now he was gazing at her by the tops of his eyes, his smile still broad and evil. Still, the girl did not move. She didn't hesitate, or shift her eyes away from his. Surprisingly, she held her ground.
Finally, Wolf stopped and was less than a few feet away from her. One quick move for the throat and she could be down in a second, he knew it, and for some reason, believed she did as well.
"What are you doing in here?" He asked very slow and smoothly.
She did not reply. Wolf was beginning to feel confused. This had never happened before. She did not tremble, or search around for a quick escape. No, she was collected and knew what she was doing. She also disregarded his question.
"I know what you are." She said bluntly. The girl still did not take her eyes away from Wolf as most scared people do when an animal stares them down. She returned his gaze confidently and showed no signs of terror.
Wolf was taken aback. Sure, she possibly could know from seeing him change the few minutes ago, but everyone that had seen him change, never waited around for him to recover. Why had she stayed? Why was she talking to him and not running away screaming or looking for someone to help build a bonfire and burn him?
"Do you now? And WHAT exactly am I?" He called her bluff. He stressed the word 'what' as if it was venom. He hated being regarded to as a thing instead of a person. Too many had done it before her, and too many had learned the penalty of calling him that as well, if she did it again, he wouldn't wait for her answer.
"You are a wolf." She said plainly.
"Oh really? And … do you know what wolfies do to girls who push their luck?" He took another step closer to her and purposely pulled back his lip in a sinister smile, revealing his long row of teeth.
This time, the girl took a step back. Wolf took pleasure in making her cower before him. Making her feel weak and insignificant as people had done to him. Ooh, how he wanted to make her pay for all the pain he had to endure in his childhood and even as an adult. He wanted to hurt her, as if that would cure everything and make all his pain go away.
"I'm not afraid of you." She declared, but he could sense her fear. It was pouring off of her and filling the barn. Her eyes finally flew from his and darted around the barn, finally fixing on the door behind him, not dumb enough to turn her back on him. His smile grew. This would be fun. A challenge.
"Oh, I think you are." He took another step towards her. His eyes started to glow a bright shade of yellow and a low throaty growl escaped his chest. She knew what he was planning to do. His pace became more rapid and he got closer and closer to her. She moved back with each step that he made that advanced on her, and without watching where she was going, her back bumped the door and shut it. She was pressed to the barn door, the latch digging into her back.
She was immobilized. Wolf put his hands on each of her shoulders, preventing her from moving. Her breathing was ragged and she tried as hard as she could to hold in her rapid breaths, but with little success. He inched closer to her, and she could soon feel his hot breath on her face and neck. Just as he pulled back and was about to make a move, possibly a fatal one, she yelled. Not a fearful yell, but one with demand.
"STOP!"
He was quite surprised to hear that from her. She was so small and innocent, so frail and yet trying to seize power over him. He wouldn't allow it. He paused and looked at her in the eyes. His yellow eyes were still wild and focused on the direct middle of her eyes, staring into her. It was as if he was searching her soul, trying to figure out what gave her the strength to stand up to him like that.
"Why should I!?" He asked, loosing his grip on her a little, waiting for a reasonable explanation. His patience was very thin and it took most of his power not to sink his teeth into her and rip out her throat that very moment. She moved away from the wall slightly, getting away from the door handle driving into her back, but Wolf thought it as an attempt to escape and shoved her against the wooden panel again. She moaned as her back slammed against the latch and looked at him again, and then answered.
"Because I have the crystal."