♥︎ 𝑩𝒆𝒏𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒕 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒂 𝒃𝒆𝒂𝒖𝒕𝒚 ♥︎

Chapter four

The woods were illuminated by a menacing white light as lightning flashed. The wind picked up a little later. As Miche trotted nervously forward, leaves whipped across the field at his feet. When a loud crack of thunder erupted in the skies above, the horse's eyes bulged. He rattled his bit while jigging his head.

Erwin could tell what the big animal was trying to say from his front seat in the carriage. Let's turn back now before it's too late. But Erwin was aware that it was already too late. They'd gotten themselves trapped in the middle of the "black forest," as the locals called it. Rumors abounded in that densely forested region. It was rumored that there were witches living there. Others said it was home to packs of wolves that were more intelligent than most men. Some also said that the trees had the ability to communicate. It was the kind of place where you could see dim, aggressive eyes everywhere.

It wasn't the kind of place where you'd get lost in the middle of the night, particularly in the middle of a storm.

"Maybe we should have turned right at those crossroads, old friend," Erwin said, his hands trembling on the reins as the sky lit up with more lightning. "And maybe I should stop pretending that my horse knows what I'm doing."

Another bolt of lightning hit right then. This time, it came dangerously close to hitting Erwin and Miche. It missed them, barley, but not so much a gnarled and withered oak. It was ripped in half by the lighting. One half of it dropped into the road in front of Miche when it split. The other half slid to the side. Erwin noticed that the second half of the tree had dropped right next to the previously concealed narrow path as he looked closer.

Erwin moved his gaze back and forth, uncertain of what to do. He had a logical, practical part of him that knew he needed to keep going on the road. However, a small part of him knew it would never happen. Not that night, at least. He was unable to maneuver the cart, himself, and Miche around the downed tree. He sighed and yanked on the reins, directing his horse down the path.

As the horse whinnied nervously, he said, "It'll be fine, Miche." He added softly, "I hope."

Erwin became increasingly unsure that things would turn out well as they progressed further down the road. The weather, which had been stormy before, became much worse - and stranger. Despite the fact that it was summer, light whirling snow started to fall, dusting Miche's jacket and turning his dappled grey coat white. It became eerily silent as well. The thunder died down, and the clip-clop of Miche's hooves became the only sound echoed through the seemingly empty forests.

There was a piercing howl after that.

A big white wolf exploded out of the bushes moments later, narrowly missing the cart. Erwin glanced over and saw a group of beasts running parallel to them. "Go, Miche!" he screamed, slamming the reins against the horse's neck as if the creature wanted it.

"Hurry!"

With no time wasted the Horse broke into a gallop. However, the abrupt movement clashed horribly with the cart's age and general state of disrepair. The cart buckled and the saddle loosened just as the horse began to pull away from the wolves. The cart tipped in a matter of seconds.

The sudden movement, on the other hand, was alarming. As the cart dropped to the ground and he was hurled into the air, Erwin screamed. He heard the slavering howls of the wolves and the sound of his beloved music boxes shattering as they fell, and he realized it was only a matter of time before he, too, fell and was killed. His plummeting body came to a jerking halt just then. Looking up, he found that a low-hanging branch had halted his descent. He dangled helplessly from it.

Miche kicked out a hind leg, topping one of the wolves, shaking off the last bits of his leather belt. He dashed under the tree after seeing his owner dangling from it. Erwin didn't squander any time. He released himself from the branch by reaching over his shoulder and falling onto the horse's back. He then kicked the big animal forward with a loud H'yah. Erwin clung to Miche's mane as they sped through the forest. The wolves pursued, their eyes bulging with hunger and their jaws gaping wide to expose razor-sharp teeth.