A bang exploded the quiet of the forest, followed almost immediately by the whip-crack of a swing. Leaves rustled, twigs creaked, and terrified birds burst out of the canopy like arrows.
The forest, previously quiet, now shook with life in maddened flight.
At initial glance, the source seemed ordinary: a fallen tree trunk along a narrow path. Then the ground began to shake under heavy footfalls. The snarling, guttural creature honks rose and fell through the trees, closing in and closing in until a full stampede could be seen in the distance.
A herd of wild boars, tusks glinting, slashed through the bushes as if the devil himself chased them.
Usually, the boars wereavage creatures—gracious predators if cornered. But today, they moved as though terrified prey, eyes wide with feral fear, screaming as they ran away like insects. The entire herd stampeded along the trunk, branches snapping and earth flying beneath their crazed hooves.
One of the boars fell behind. It labored for breath, foamy mouth, loose tongue hanging from the long run. A look of desperation in its eyes, it stumbled upon the soft babble of a stream.
The boar hesitated for half a heartbeat. Instinct cried to it to run—but thirst won.
It lowered its head to the stream and drank greedily, the cool water coursing down its parched throat. The taste was so sweet, so refreshing, that for a moment it forgot about the shadow behind it.
A bush to the side of the stream quivered.
The boar didn’t see at first, too intent on the water. The bush quivered again, and this time—two bright eyes glowed in the dark bushes.
The boar stopped in its drink.
The eyes glinted, joyful, near-giddy... and then vanished. Original content can be found at noⅴelfire.net
The boar jumped back, water streaming from its snout, its eyes fixed on the bush with its heart thudding against its chest. Minutes ticked into seconds. The woods became still as if waiting to exhale. Nothing happened.
Finally the boar snorted and sniffed. Maybe it was nothing. Maybe—
A blur of darkness leaped from the bush. Claws out, it lunged at the boar with the weight and power of a giant cat bringing down its quarry.
The boar shrieked—a mad shriek which tore through trees. The second boar farther to the rear heard the shriek and fled, terror driving it between tree trunks. Its little legs pumped as fast as they could, but then—
The shadow was back again, this time on its tail.
The boar screamed, dashing frantically into the hollow of a rotting tree trunk, to escape. But the shadow had already occupied the space, waiting. The unfortunate beast stood transfixed, looking, and scurried off in another direction.
Flash of metal. Flash of motion.
The boar plummeted, a rents gash across the neck. A stillness followed save for the labored breathing.
Out of the darkness, the hunter emerged into the light.
Blood ran across his cheek, and he wiped it away with a weary, amused groan.
"Well..." he grumbled, looking around at the mass of dead bodies that covered the forest floor at least ten boars high, stacked and sprawling in miserable heaps. Their blood colored the earth, mixing with the leaves.
Luther’s hair had grown out since the last three months, gathered into a sloppy half-ponytail that streamed behind him. He wore a white-gray tunic gathered up into his usual belt, and his crystal earring glinted in a soft shine.
A blood-dripping dagger rested in his hand. He sent it flying once, spilling the blood onto the earth before twirling it carelessly.
Dinner’s ready, he said to no one in particular.
He bent down toward the closest carcass—but a sharp whistle pierced the air.
A spike drove into the ground where Luther’s foot had just touched. He jumped back immediately, eyes squinting.
Out of the thicket emerged a monster. It was low and gaunt, covered with jutting spikes on its back. Its jaws snapped with pointed teeth as it snarled.
It wasn’t because of Luther—it was because of his kills.
The thing leaped, wrapping jaws around one of the butchered boars and dragging it back.
Luther blinked, cocked his head, and made a low whistle.
"Well, aren’t you rude," he said in pretended disappointment. "That’s my dinner."
A standoff ensued, predator and thief staring each other down.
Then the beast ran off, dragging the boar behind.
"Oi!" Luther yelled, shrugging off his temporary shock. "That’s my’s! Do you know how much work it took to get that one out of the underbrush?!"
He chased after the monster, weaving between trees with dagger in hand. The creature wasn’t going to cooperate—it sent spikes flying behind it, hooked projectiles tearing through wood and slamming into the ground.
Luther jumped out of the way with a laugh. "Oh, so that’s how you play it?"
He sprang forward and clutched the side of the carcass, his heels scrabbling in the earth.
"Let. Go!" he snarled.
The animal roared and pulled back with an even greater force. For a ridiculous moment, the two of them hung frozen in a game of tug-of-war as kids.
"Come on, it’s already dead!" Luther snapped. "You can’t even cook it right!"
Finally, the monster screamed and released its hold on the carcass. Luther stepped back, nearly falling, but managed to hold on to the prize.
The beast, starved of its meal, turned to flee.
Luther’s grin widened. His eyes glowed with an unearthly, star-like radiance. He went after the creature, catching it by one of its spikes and dragging it off its feet.
"Where do you think you’re going?" he teased, hoisting it up as if it were a toy. The beast writhed and bellowed, its legs and arms waving in the air.
Luther threw back his head, looking from the struggling creature to the pile of boars, and back at the creature.
A wicked grin spread across his face.
"You know," he mused, stroking his dagger along his shoulder, "I wonder what I could do with you..."
He paused for dramatic effect, his grin spreading almost wolfish.
Then he leaned forward, whispering with feigned sweetness:
"How about... we take a little ride?"
The monster shrieked.