Chapter 5
That night Strife was out in the woods picking up sticks and grumbling about his duties of the night ordered by Death.
"He has me doing everything." Strife complained to himself.
"He wants me to get wood for the fire, take care of his damn horse, fetch food, while he does nothing but sleep in his stable and I do all the work." He picked up another stick.
"Death is a strange one. Why did he save my life?" Strife whispered to himself.
He wants something. Why else would he save me? Strife wondered.
And I know I've seen that face before, but that's impossible, the man is dead. Strife dismissed the thought.
Well whatever he wants I'm not going to do it. I'm leaving this place so he-
A growl shuts Strife's train of thought. It sounded like a tiger. Best to get out of the woods, Strife told himself. He walked a few steps and heard branch crack, but it wasn't from him. It was from someone else, possibly a hungry, man-eating tiger. He heard the growl grow louder. Dropping his sticks, he ran out of the woods, only stopping to catch his breath by a tree near the barn. He thought he was safe but felt a presence behind him. Strife looked back and saw the demon man raising an axe on him. Strife's eyes widened and h took off, missing the axe by a mere inch. The demon gave chase, holding his axe.
The tiger roared, tackling the demon to the ground, going straight for the jugulars. The sight of the tiger killing the demon made Strife get a new motivation to run. He took off to Death's stable.
"Death! Death!" He yelled, pounding on the door. There was no answer. Strife finally got the door open. It was empty. Of all the times for Death to not be around for a fight. Strife looked around quickly for something to fight the tiger with. He grabbed a crossbow and a few arrows, leaving the stable, and finding a good view through the barn to strike the tiger. He pulled the string back on the bow and put in the arrow. He aimed for the tiger, who was still maliciously attacking the demon. He was about to let it loose when a hand plucked the arrow from the crossbow.
Strife looked back and did a double take when he saw a woman in a black hooded cloak and a blue dress. He closed his gaping mouth and opened it again to speak.
"Who..."
"Shh." She silenced him. There was silence outside the barn too. The tiger's attacking had stopped. The woman walked out of the barn where the dangerous tiger was on the loose. Strife had to warn her.
"Hey, hey! Don't go out there! There is a mad tiger out there and a dead demon!" She put up her hand, assuring him it was all right.
"I know." She left Strife in the room and walked out in the open.
"Ma'am please!" Strife warned, but she didn't stop walking.
Strife couldn't help but watch and pray, something he rarely did, that the tiger wouldn't harm the woman. He looked on, dumbfounded, at the scene transpiring before him. The tiger approached the woman like he knew her. She rubbed his head affectionately and walked off with him into the night.
"So far this night, I've been chased in the woods by a tiger, almost killed by a demon man, and now I see a beautiful woman walking off with a tiger. I must be dreaming." Strife yelled, throwing his arms up.
"You are dreaming." The woman called out. Strife froze and stared at her. He ducked into his stable. The safest thing for him now was to stay in his stable and hope what he saw really was a dream.