Something Wild (Child of the Winter Moon Book 1)

12: The Trail of Treats

Geralt found the chapel the book spoke of. At least what the book was calling a chapel. In truth, it was just a shrine, covered in cookies and other treats. He crouched, picking one up and crushing it in his hand, all manner of grubs crawling across his glove.

"So this is the Trail of Treats," he said.

This was very much like the tale of Hansel and Gretel, lost children that followed a similar trail to be murdered by a child-hating hag, who coincidently thought their blood would make her younger. A cautionary tale for children not to wander the woods alone. Geralt followed the trail and saw how it was literally a trail of treats. He soon found himself in a small village.

"Dog went in the kitchen," a boy was singing. "Stole a hunk of meat."

A little girl followed. "Cook gave him a lickin', strung him by his feet."

Another boy took up the rhyme. "Cook then bled him empty, stripped his skin off clean."

Geralt turned a corner as a second girl said the next line. "Laughed and said, 'How tasty, best sausage I have seen!'"

"Cook's a stupid killer, shouldn't have ate the pup."

"Now we'll light a fire, gonna roast him up!"

"One, two, three, the one to fetch the kindling's... thee!" Five children were reciting the rhyme and they all stopped when they saw Geralt.

"Interesting rhyme," he commented.

"Don't know you," a little blond-haired girl said. "Go away!"

"A young woman got lost in the swamp. She has ashen hair and a scar on her face. You kids see anyone like that?"

"Ain't no lassies here," a little boy said.

"What am I?" The blond girl asked.

"You're no lassie. Lassies got tits!"

Geralt was a bit surprised that a boy his age would say something like that. At least a non-Witcher training boy.

"They do," another boy confirmed. "Heard an 'ol man say once, when the army was here, he says, 'Hide them lasses in the woods. They's dazzling the soldiers with their tits, and it's torturing the poor lads!' That's what he said."

"Listen," Geralt cut off any more talk of tits. "This girl is in trouble. I understand you might not want to help me, but you could try to help her."

"How do you know she was here?" the first boy asked.

"I heard she visited the witches in the swamp."

"But there's no witches here," the second boy said.

"There's only frogs," the blond girl said.

"And snakes," the first boy added.

"And Johnny," the second boy said.

"What's this talk?" an old woman said, walking up to them. "What kind a' jabbering is this? Eh?"

The kids went silent.

The old woman turned to Geralt. "No one allowed here! Just kids. My kids, they're allowed. But who are you? Wearing swords, like a bandit?"

"You look after these kids?"

"They're my grandchildren."

"Gran's good to us," the first boy defended her. "Gonna be soup with scratchings for supper!"