Forest of the huntress:

  The forest was quiet, bright sunshine shined through the gaps between the leaves as it fell onto the damp trail infront of me.

  I followed the trial, one hand occupied with a leash and the other occupied with a bow.

  A bag of arrows hung down from my shoulder, my leather belt carried a knife and some other necessities.

  My leash was connected to the necks of four wolves who closely followed me behind, they were silent and cautious.

  I sighed, my brows were damp with sweat, the forest was eerily quiet and my patience was running thin.

  Which isn't good.

  Today is going to be my first hunt after all.

  Everything was ready, my plan was perfect, my wolves were well fed, my weapons were newly bought and my archery practices had gained me some muscles and experience.

  Hunting is a source of living after all.

  And everyone in the vicinity of the huntress' forest knows how to hunt.

  You would be considered a disgrace if you didn't know how to do so.

  I glanced towards my left, where the deepest parts of the forest lay and where no mortal dared to step inside.

  After all, this is where the goddess of the hunt resides.

  I fastened my pace, I tugged the leash which caused the wolves to increase their speed too.

  The trial I'm currently walking on is frequently used and the chance of encountering a prey is very low.

  So, I have to venture deeper into the forest.

  Way deeper.

  But not too deep lest I offend the goddess.

  There had been rumours of such things happening after all.

  Offend her and you're dead, she won't even spare your family.

  The only reason I'm still lingering around here in the outskirts is to find an easy kill.

  Which doesn't seem to possible.

  I have encountered none.

  It seems most of them are hiding inside the depths.

  I guess there's no other choice then.

  I stopped, dead on the path and turned left, into the depths of the forest.

  The wolves followed as I headed deep into the forest.

  The bright sunlight couldn't pierce through the trees here, they were so dense they formed a 'roof' to protect the damp and dark path from sunlight.

  The surrounding here were more gloomier than the outskirts, the silence however was broken by the cries of crickets.

  Although after a few moments they disappeared.

  Something silenced them.

  Despite the creepy atmosphere, I somehow felt at peace.

  I always did.

  Whenever I was by nature.

  The leaves dripping with droplets of water due to yesterday's rain, the smell of wet soil, the tall trees and thick bushes were extremely...

  Tranquil.

  Comforting.

  Right now, I was away from civilization, away from humans, away from conflicts.

  If I die here, no one would know.

  No one would care.

  Me included.

  After all, in the eld, we are all supposed to return to mother nature.

  However that doesn't mean I want to die.

  This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

  It just meant I would accept it if it comes to such a conclusion.

  It doesn't mean I wouldn't resist nor struggle.

  I mean, who doesn't want to live?

  As I was deep in thoughts, the peaceful and eerie tone of the forest was broken.

  Broken by...

  Growls.

  Growls from behind me, growls from the wolves.

  I turned around, a weird sensation rose in my heart as I stared at my hunting wolves.

  I have never seen them acting like this.

  They were growling, hissing, saliva dripped towards the ground from their open maws as they stared at me in rage.

  One started barking at me, it's saliva flew all over the ground and towards me, my face.

  My right eye to be exact.

  The others followed suit in barking, they haven't started getting physically aggressive.

  Yet.

  Dammit.

  I flinched in reflex and immediately abandoned the leash.

  My free hand rose towards my eye, while the other eye kept a close eye on the wolves.

  I was calm, surprisingly.

  What came off as a suprise were their aggression, which I have never seen them do before.

  One tried jumped to jump onto me with its open maws while the others just kept on barking and freaking out.

  Although it tried, I slapped it away and turned back and ran.

  There's only one explanation for this sudden turn of events.

  Rabies.

  To hell with it.

  Anxiousness rose, impatient hands tried to remove the thick infected saliva, confusion was apparent and danger followed close behind.

  I ran, the wolves followed closely behind, there were four of them and I am sure I can't fight them off.

  I have only one option and that is to run.

  I can also try to climb and hide in a tree but I don't think I'm fast enough to climb one while they closely follow me.

  As I kept on running, a sudden thirst gripped my throat.

  Huh?

  I was confused, is this how rabies felt?

  I didn't know.

  All I could do was keep on running and hoping.

  I passed by many trees, most of them were marked with the common tongue, which I was lucky enough to be literate in.

  Although most people speak the language, it doesn't mean they know how read or write it.

  And all these markings said one thing–

  A warning.

  Stay out.

  Only that, nothing more nothing less.

  I wanted to listen to the warnings, however, the ferocious barking following behind me says otherwise.

  I sighed, I had no choice other than to keep on going forward.

  Wait, why forward?

  A sudden realisation came, I turned right but before I could do so, some squirrels from the trees above fell onto me.

  Some fell to the ground, most survived while the others were crushed by my foot under momentum.

  The furry little creature used their claws to hold onto my hair and started nibbling at my skin.

  No, nibbling isn't the correct word...

  They teared through my flesh and skin, revealing parts of my bones underneath.

  I stopped momentarily under pain and our of rage I grabbed these creatures and threw them to the grounds.

  However.

  They were relentless, they didn't care as they tried to jump onto me once again.

  I however wouldn't repeat the same mistake, I grabbed some and squeezed them to death under anger although some managed to get past my hands I still killed them.

  Blood stained my face, some peeled off flesh and skin hung down from my face.

  Gasps for air escaped my mouth, disgust rose in my stomach as I stared at the dead squirrels.

  After calming myself down, I realised–

  I immediately turned around, and there they were.

  Standing alone, their barking have ceased but their agression still remained in their body language.

  They were shivering, shaking, not only them...

  My eyes widened, I was surrounded.

  Surrounded by animals.

  Bears, wolves, birds, snakes, countless amounts of such creatures surrounded me.

  My right eye felt hot and swollen, involuntary tears shed from it.

  I had no escape, except–

  I turned around and darted towards the forbidden parts of the forest.

  Either way I'm dead.

  I just want to delay it.

  I ran and ran, animal cries followed me as exhaustion filled my legs.

  Stil I kept on running.

  However.

  Just as I was about to take a turn, something crashed into me.

  It was huge, rough brown fur covered it, and a huge mouth bit down on my shoulder.

  I screamed in pain.

  Screams which were drowned.

  Drowned by the horde of animals.

  I fainted.

  Or did I die?

  ********

  I can't feel, I can't hear, I can't see...

  But I'm still alive.

  I can sense my body and yet I couldn't move it.

  I could sense my eyes and yet I couldn't see.

  I couldn't do anything.

  Although that state only lasted for a moment.

  Consciousness flickered back into my body, control returned, I felt my hands, my legs, my eyes, everything...

  I snapped awake, gasping for air, however all that escaped my mouth were high pitched clicks.

  What?

  My body felt weird, it felt sluggish.

  What happened?

  I didn't know.

  I raised my hands towards my face, they were the same but my forearms were different.

  It was covered in fur.

  I ignored it for now and checked my surroundings.

  I was in what seemed to be an cave, rough stone walls surrounded me and I was laying on the ground.

  The walls were lined up with torches which lighted up the cave.

  I slowly stood up albeit almost stumbling onto the cold hard floor.

  I used the walls as support and started walking under the guide of torches.

  My body felt foreign, my stomach growled with hunger and thirst gripped my throat.

  My vision was blurry and my body felt weak and heavy.

  I kept on walking.

  I don't know for how long I walked nor why.

  I just wanted to escape.

  In the end, the animals, the animals of nature tried to kill me.

  Nature tried to kill me.

  Despite how much I loved it.

  This didn't affect my lover or devotion to it though.

  After all, this is why I love it.

  It is fair towards all, it is unfair towards all.

  Impartial and indifferent.

  Truly out of mortal comprehension.

  That's the reason why I love it.

  As I was thinking, something entered my vision, the path came to an dead end which I could see from the distance.

  But I didn't turn back.

  What made me stop wasn't the dead end, it was...

  An altar of stone was built there, and on it a woman slept peacefully.

  I started to approach her.

  The altar seemed crudely made and blood dripped onto the ground from it.

  Each step forward increased my hunger, each step forward dried my throat.

  My sluggish body almost fell over, I forced every last bit of my willpower to keep walking.

  Finally I reached the altar, I held onto it's sides as support and got a close look at the woman.

  Her face was...

  Blurry after all.

  Hunger..

  Thirst...

  My shaking hands approached her face, slowly cradling it.

  My hand was hesitating.

  I was hesitating.

  I was hungry, there was nothing here to solve it except...

  Was I really gonna do it?

  I slowly raised her head with my hand, bringing it closer to mine.

  Why not?

  At that moment, the woman's eyes snapped awake.

  At that moment I saw, despite the blur, I saw.

  I saw my reflection through her open eyes.

  An elk stared at me from her reflection.

  However, this elk's eyes were situated forward like a predator, it was unlike a prey.

  Her dull eyes stared at mine.

  No, they weren't mine.

  These eyes were emotionless, they were unnerving.

  This isn't me.

  The woman didn't resist nor did she scream.

  She just stared at me.

  And after what felt like an eternity, she spoke,

  "Do it, you can't resist it anymore."

  Her voice was tranquil and peaceful, just like nature.

  Just like mother nature.

  "Hecate's plans to escape godhood is going to start after all."

  She continued and I couldn't hold it back anymore.

  I opened my maw, lined up with sharp teeth.

  Today, I will feast..

  Feast upon a god.

  ********

  Underground tunnel:

  Hundreds of footsteps echoed inside the chamber as knights in armour explored the tunnel.

  They were in a haste, after all, a cult got into the Wiccan forest due to their mistake.

  The chamber was covered in vines and vine cocoons.

  An eerie green glow emanated from them as they lit up the surroundings.

  I stood alone, watching the knights get to work.

  A female nun stood beside me with a bitter expression on her face.

  "Aster, how did they get in?", after a moment of hesitation she asked the question she had on her mind for a long time.

  How was I supposed to answer her?

  I didn't know too.

  "Only the pope knows, Estelle, why don't you go help them out?"

  I suggested, I didn't want to get nagged at this moment, I am already stressed enough.

  I just wanted to shoo her away.

  Luckily for me, she left without much questions.

  I sighed, the knight order of the church of stars were now sent out to explore and investigate the recent cult activities.

  Apparently, the pope received a 'prophecy' from the goddess they said.

  'Apparently'

  A lot of casualties has occurred, the people we have freedom from the cocoons have died on the spot.

  Every single one of them.

  Except–

  I stared at the wooden cart beside me, a lone man laid on it, unconscious and filled with injuries.

  The most gruesome one of them being his right eye and throat.

  None survived except him, the knights were ordered to leave the bodies here, for now.

  The survivor was to be taken back to the church.

  Poor guy.

  "I wonder how you survived?"

  Interesting indeed.