Post by Lythari on May 10, 2005 10:18:37 GMT -5
"You want to know of my life?" replied the hooded woman as she knelt over the fire. Sitting back down again she carefully slid out her scimitar and removed a small whetstone from a pouch. Appearing deep in thought she slowly moved the stone over the blade making a small scraping noise. "Where should I begin?" she said with a grim smile, still gazing at the blade. "I was born in a small village in Aglarond. I lived there in a secluded cottage with my two older brothers and our father. My mother had died in childbirth. We lived a happy and quiet life there busy with our daily chores."
"Little did I know that my life was to change forever. I was but sixteen the day it happened. I was preparing our morning meal watching Rothian, one of my brothers, chopping wood when I heard the yell from the field. It was my eldest brother sprinting towards us. Behind him coming down wagon rut to our cottage was a band of men on horses. My father emerged from the shed only to rush into the house. I knew that he would come forth again bearing the sword from above the mantle. Rothian moved over to me still bearing his axe and told me that I must hide and escape if it came to it. I was spellbound by the events that seemed to be happening so quickly and only nodded without taking my eyes off of the dark band that was rounding the bend of our field. I ran to the edge of the forest in a state of numbness and hid behind the rounded boulder that I had played by as a child. From this vantage point I could make out my father and two brothers armed with an axe, a pitchfork, and a sword stand before our cottage as the men rode up to them. My heart sank when I saw the gleam of their drawn blades. My father shouted something at the mounted figure closest to him then stood with his sword at the ready. A moment of silence passed between the two groups. Then two figures rode around the group of men towards our cottage. As they did I saw one of the mounted men raise a bow and fire an arrow straight at my father who cried out in pain as it struck his chest. The band, as score or so in number, rushed at my family and I heard the inhuman cry of a horse as my brother with the pitchfork drove it into its chest tossing its rider to the ground. The riders swirled around my family then and I could see no more, my only ability to listen to the clashes of metal and screams of agony. I crouched there, barefoot, only wearing my morning gown and felt as helpless as I had ever been in my entire life. I wanted to go to their aid but I was overcome with fear and knew that I alone would not be able to offset the balance. When I gazed up again I was greeted with a horrific sight, the riders had dismounted and were scurrying across our homestead. Yet one black figure remained and knelt beside a figure clutching a sword that was driven in the ground. A flash of sliver followed as the black figure drew a knife and slit the throat of the wounded man who slumped over in accordance with the other bodies on the ground. At that point I could take no more, I turned and ran wildly into the forest. I don't know where I was going; I could not get to the village because the men blocked the road. I just ran. I ran until my gown was torn and caked in mud. I ran until my feet were dirty and bleeding. I ran until my cheeks were streamed with tears. Then as I was pushing through a bough of thorns my foot caught on a root and I fell hitting my head. Then all was black."
"When I awoke it was near dusk. I pulled myself up with my aching limbs and stumbled forward. I began to despair as darkness fell and soon the only light that guided my path came from the full moon. Finally I spotted a clearing ahead and I made my way clumsily towards it, every step causing great pain in my feet. I broke through the brush into the hillside meadow and collapsed upon the long grass. Then I heard it, a long eerie howl. The sound seemed to run up my spine and I shuddered involuntarily. I clenched my eyes shut as hard as I could trying to will it all to go away, but finally I forced my head up and looked. High up on the rocky hilltop across the meadow there stood a silhouette of a wolf howling at the moon. The sight was all at once terrifying and darkly beautiful. The beast then lowered its head and leapt down its perch towards me. My fear brought out the last measure of strength that I had in my body. I forced myself up and crashed noisily back into the forest in desperation. I don't know what drove me, my mind was exhausted but somewhere that desire of every living thing to continue living kept me going. I stole a look behind me only to see those terrible yellow eyes following me in the darkness. Suddenly the forest floor gave way and I tumbled into a steep creek bed. So I crawled, pulling myself through the mud I made it up the other side of the depression. Onward and onward I crawled, I could not gather the strength to stand. Finally I came to a cliff that looked out over a dark valley. I slumped down, beaten. I could not bear the pain any longer. 'Let it come' I said to myself."
"I rolled over to gaze into those burning yellow eyes once more. They were so close that I gasped. The dusky gray animal would have come up to my shoulder were I standing. What happened next is difficult to explain in words. The wolf seemed to fade, yet its eyes remained. Its form became unsubstantial, turning to mist that blew forward and washed over me. It felt warm and wet on my skin as I lay there. I heard whispering of a low voice in my ear that only said 'You shall have your revenge,' and then it began. I felt a strange sensation deep inside my stomach that seemed to radiate outward to my skin that began to tingle. I seized onto a rock as the world began spinning around me. As I held on I watched the battered nails on my hands grow long and thick. I let out a yelp as felt the canine teeth lengthen in my mouth. Finally I looked down and saw that the same dusky gray fur of the wolf was growing from my body. Then all became a blur of movement. I was running through the forest, yet I did not know to where I went. It seemed like years passed as I lunged forward through the dark trees."
"Finally I came to a light in the darkness, the flickering light of a fire. As I approached it, I realized that it was the center of a camp and there were dark figures moving around within it. Circling the clearing that held the encampment I saw that it was none other than the highwaymen that had sacked the cottage. I took the first one as he ventured into the forest to relieve himself. Leaping from a tree I tore out his throat before he could raise his voice. More followed as I seized them silently in their sleep. As I knelt over yet another sleeping man a yell of alarm arose from one of the sentries behind me. I spun and lunged at him hitting him square in the chest and knocking him to the ground. His blood covered me as I clawed the flesh of his face. I rose to see three more of the bandits with weapons drawn facing me. As the lead one rushed forward swinging his sword I caught his wrist and slashed his throat. Dodging the other's swing I knocked him over and bit into the leg of the third. As I looked up again I saw the black clad man once again. He was moving toward me with a sword and a dagger in hand. There we grappled, he swinging at me and I dodging his blows. Finally in his desperation he overstepped and threw himself off balance. I landed on his back throwing him to the ground. He struggled frantically to right himself but was only able to scream into the chill night air as I sank my teeth into his neck."
"I awoke the next morning laying in the middle of the camp naked, my body returned human for except for the silver streaks in my hair. The fire had long since burned out and the bodies of the bandits lay scattered haphazardly around the clearing. I looked down upon my blood soaked hands and then around to the fallen men and felt no sorrow. My old self had died. She could not have done this. I was something new, something stronger. As I sat there staring at the ashes of the fire I realized the thrill that the hunt had been, holding the lives of those men in my hands, and tasting the blood of their leader. I rose and gathered clothing and some leather armor from an overturned wagon. My old life was over, but the Beastlord had given me another."
"Little did I know that my life was to change forever. I was but sixteen the day it happened. I was preparing our morning meal watching Rothian, one of my brothers, chopping wood when I heard the yell from the field. It was my eldest brother sprinting towards us. Behind him coming down wagon rut to our cottage was a band of men on horses. My father emerged from the shed only to rush into the house. I knew that he would come forth again bearing the sword from above the mantle. Rothian moved over to me still bearing his axe and told me that I must hide and escape if it came to it. I was spellbound by the events that seemed to be happening so quickly and only nodded without taking my eyes off of the dark band that was rounding the bend of our field. I ran to the edge of the forest in a state of numbness and hid behind the rounded boulder that I had played by as a child. From this vantage point I could make out my father and two brothers armed with an axe, a pitchfork, and a sword stand before our cottage as the men rode up to them. My heart sank when I saw the gleam of their drawn blades. My father shouted something at the mounted figure closest to him then stood with his sword at the ready. A moment of silence passed between the two groups. Then two figures rode around the group of men towards our cottage. As they did I saw one of the mounted men raise a bow and fire an arrow straight at my father who cried out in pain as it struck his chest. The band, as score or so in number, rushed at my family and I heard the inhuman cry of a horse as my brother with the pitchfork drove it into its chest tossing its rider to the ground. The riders swirled around my family then and I could see no more, my only ability to listen to the clashes of metal and screams of agony. I crouched there, barefoot, only wearing my morning gown and felt as helpless as I had ever been in my entire life. I wanted to go to their aid but I was overcome with fear and knew that I alone would not be able to offset the balance. When I gazed up again I was greeted with a horrific sight, the riders had dismounted and were scurrying across our homestead. Yet one black figure remained and knelt beside a figure clutching a sword that was driven in the ground. A flash of sliver followed as the black figure drew a knife and slit the throat of the wounded man who slumped over in accordance with the other bodies on the ground. At that point I could take no more, I turned and ran wildly into the forest. I don't know where I was going; I could not get to the village because the men blocked the road. I just ran. I ran until my gown was torn and caked in mud. I ran until my feet were dirty and bleeding. I ran until my cheeks were streamed with tears. Then as I was pushing through a bough of thorns my foot caught on a root and I fell hitting my head. Then all was black."
"When I awoke it was near dusk. I pulled myself up with my aching limbs and stumbled forward. I began to despair as darkness fell and soon the only light that guided my path came from the full moon. Finally I spotted a clearing ahead and I made my way clumsily towards it, every step causing great pain in my feet. I broke through the brush into the hillside meadow and collapsed upon the long grass. Then I heard it, a long eerie howl. The sound seemed to run up my spine and I shuddered involuntarily. I clenched my eyes shut as hard as I could trying to will it all to go away, but finally I forced my head up and looked. High up on the rocky hilltop across the meadow there stood a silhouette of a wolf howling at the moon. The sight was all at once terrifying and darkly beautiful. The beast then lowered its head and leapt down its perch towards me. My fear brought out the last measure of strength that I had in my body. I forced myself up and crashed noisily back into the forest in desperation. I don't know what drove me, my mind was exhausted but somewhere that desire of every living thing to continue living kept me going. I stole a look behind me only to see those terrible yellow eyes following me in the darkness. Suddenly the forest floor gave way and I tumbled into a steep creek bed. So I crawled, pulling myself through the mud I made it up the other side of the depression. Onward and onward I crawled, I could not gather the strength to stand. Finally I came to a cliff that looked out over a dark valley. I slumped down, beaten. I could not bear the pain any longer. 'Let it come' I said to myself."
"I rolled over to gaze into those burning yellow eyes once more. They were so close that I gasped. The dusky gray animal would have come up to my shoulder were I standing. What happened next is difficult to explain in words. The wolf seemed to fade, yet its eyes remained. Its form became unsubstantial, turning to mist that blew forward and washed over me. It felt warm and wet on my skin as I lay there. I heard whispering of a low voice in my ear that only said 'You shall have your revenge,' and then it began. I felt a strange sensation deep inside my stomach that seemed to radiate outward to my skin that began to tingle. I seized onto a rock as the world began spinning around me. As I held on I watched the battered nails on my hands grow long and thick. I let out a yelp as felt the canine teeth lengthen in my mouth. Finally I looked down and saw that the same dusky gray fur of the wolf was growing from my body. Then all became a blur of movement. I was running through the forest, yet I did not know to where I went. It seemed like years passed as I lunged forward through the dark trees."
"Finally I came to a light in the darkness, the flickering light of a fire. As I approached it, I realized that it was the center of a camp and there were dark figures moving around within it. Circling the clearing that held the encampment I saw that it was none other than the highwaymen that had sacked the cottage. I took the first one as he ventured into the forest to relieve himself. Leaping from a tree I tore out his throat before he could raise his voice. More followed as I seized them silently in their sleep. As I knelt over yet another sleeping man a yell of alarm arose from one of the sentries behind me. I spun and lunged at him hitting him square in the chest and knocking him to the ground. His blood covered me as I clawed the flesh of his face. I rose to see three more of the bandits with weapons drawn facing me. As the lead one rushed forward swinging his sword I caught his wrist and slashed his throat. Dodging the other's swing I knocked him over and bit into the leg of the third. As I looked up again I saw the black clad man once again. He was moving toward me with a sword and a dagger in hand. There we grappled, he swinging at me and I dodging his blows. Finally in his desperation he overstepped and threw himself off balance. I landed on his back throwing him to the ground. He struggled frantically to right himself but was only able to scream into the chill night air as I sank my teeth into his neck."
"I awoke the next morning laying in the middle of the camp naked, my body returned human for except for the silver streaks in my hair. The fire had long since burned out and the bodies of the bandits lay scattered haphazardly around the clearing. I looked down upon my blood soaked hands and then around to the fallen men and felt no sorrow. My old self had died. She could not have done this. I was something new, something stronger. As I sat there staring at the ashes of the fire I realized the thrill that the hunt had been, holding the lives of those men in my hands, and tasting the blood of their leader. I rose and gathered clothing and some leather armor from an overturned wagon. My old life was over, but the Beastlord had given me another."