Well, here we are for another chapter! I hope you are enjoying. Now the last chapter didn't really go anywhere, But! This one i'm going to try and get it moving. So, I hope you all enjoy the next few chapters. :)
Chapter 2: Why us?
After letting those words sink more into my thoughts, I slowly come to realization of what is going to become of me and my brother. I slump down into my chair more and more till my back is in pain. All my thoughts race over and over about what will we'll be facing in those dark woods. After a few minutes to ponder on my own thoughts, it comes to me. My brother was also chosen.
"Father...Did you say we're both chose~" I'm quickly stop as my father speaks in a sadden, but calm tone. "Yes. We didn't have enough young men to be chosen this time. "But why Tim?!" I scream with tears racing down my cheeks. "He's not even old enough to understand what those things are! He hasn't even taken up a sword in a proper manner!" At this point i'm more livid then sadden. "I know...I tried to beg the priest to only at least take one of my sons..." Father cried out as he slowly slouched down in his chair, soon cover his face with his hands. Tears fell to the ground as they slipped through his fingers.
I get up and walk over to Tim who is currently in shock. His eyes are widen with fear, but at the same time seem empty... They say as if he knows his life is'over.' I wrap my arms around his shoulder, trying to hold back my own tears after my anger calmed down. I realized that I must protect him at all cost! I won't let those disgusting monster eat me or my brother.
"Tim...I will protect. I won't let them take you, like they did mom..." At this point I can no longer hold back my tears. The memories of mother come flowing back. After all the years that they took her, I never stopped hating. Seeing her face as they took her into their nest. I couldn't stand it. Luckily father was there to grab me before I went charging in.
After mentioning mother, Tim quickly snapped out of his shock and cried deeply into my chest. His arms around my waist. We hug deeply and I continue to tell him i'll be with his always during the dark hours. "Don't worry Tim...I won't...I won't let them take you! Even if I have to die getting them away from you, there is no way I can let them have you too." I cry out looking down at the top of my brother's head as he cries more. My shirt soon becoming drenched.
"Boys...Listen to me. I've tried teaching you everything I could. You know the rules of the village, and of their 'game.' Use your skills, and try your best to hide." Father slowly give his advice on the matter. The 'hunt' or the 'game' people would call it, is what our village was able to 'negotiate.' After the monster became more 'human,' the pack of wolfs that lived near the outskirts of the town became what they would call a 'Werewolf.'
After they invade out village, they took our food and all the men. No one knows why they tend to take only males, but nonetheless, we grew to hate them more and more as our village grew fewer and fewer. They would come and grab more men every few years, but stopped after noticing there was almost none left. Before they came we had a village of around 1200 people, almost 50/50 men and women. Afterwards, it became around 800 people. The men went to down to only 20% of the town's folk.
After we realized this, we knew that we wouldn't survive or be able to repopulate if it kept up. A village elder went into the woods to speak with them. When he came back he had told the village of what he was able to 'negotiate.' He had told the Wolves of the village's dire situation. The beast explained why they took the men, but the elder never said what it was. Nonetheless, they had talked and they both wanted more men to be bred. They had set up a series of 'hunts,' that would be taken every 5 years. 15 men would be chosen from the village. Then they would be sent into the dark forest that the wolves remain in. Here they would have to survive the night, and if they couldn't, they would be eaten or dragged back to their lair.
I let go of my brother, and soon after my father went to him and hugged him also. I noticed the knife on the wall my father used while he was a rouge. This blade was a steel dagger. It had teeth on the ends of the steel. The carving of a wyvern could be seen deep in the steel as it glistened red. Before my father could notice, I grabbed the dagger and put it into my back sack.
So? What did you think? In this chapter I tried to explain the story a bit more, but didn't wish to give a lot away. What monster took his mother? It wasn't a werewolf due to it being a nest, not lair. Why would their father simply give up his children? Did he know something they didn't. The wyren on his dagger can say a lot. At any rate, there is much more to go! I hope you enjoyed. Cya you next time! :)