Blood Moon

Chapter Eighteen - Her Creature

In her blind panic Albie only paused once, at the edge of the clearing - which way had she come? Her eyes scattered across the scene trying to find something, anything familiar. It was hopeless however and at the sound of a growl her body pulled her back into the forest.

She didn't know when the daylight had disappeared but it was now pitch black. So dark, she could barely make out her hands. The lack of light played with her vision and each tree she spotted became a foe before melting at the last minute back to it's true form.

Her legs, already exhausted, burnt. Her clothes and skin torn to pieces already, rubbed against each other and she was vaguely aware she was bleeding.

The things that stalked her sniffed the bloody air longingly. Some had already fallen behind but there was a laziness to her creatures gait, as it's legs bounded in ease, tongue lolloping from side to side.

Once, a long time ago, a half domesticated wolf had been looking for a quiet place to die and it's senses lowered had stumbled into the woods. The fungus that inhabited it now had not inherited it's love for people, it had however, inherited it's love for the hunt. This forest was it's home and it knew every clump of it. Soon the human would tire, this creature never would.

A tree with a twisted face stared out at her and she jumped away from it before a beautiful realisation reached her. This tree and her had already met, on the way here. She let the glimmer of hope warm her inside, she might make it. As much as it was safe to do so Albie inspected the neighbouring trees she passed. Yes, she reflected, I have been here before.

The trees said nothing, content to tower above her. They had seen many worse things befall little girls here.

Finally, Albie gave a sigh of relief as she spotted light poking from the branches furthest from her. It shone through in hopeful quantities and she prayed her muscles could hold till she reached the edge. Perhaps, her hidden opponent could not follow her here.

When she finally got to the light, her heart dropped. The trees had guided her in a full circle, she was back at the clearing. No closer to home, yet infinitely more tired.

To her right, she heard the rustling of bushes and she felt the change in the air as her creature swished towards her. Something inside Albie broke. She had always been the kind to go down fighting but she was weak.

It always caught her eventually.

"Albie look!" At the sound of Lilo's voice Albie turned to the circle, the sword was back at it's centre.

In the day after Lilo's collapse Albie had gone back to the forest in search of the blade. In a similar way as after the river swim though, it had disappeared. Perhaps, she thought, her and it had been meeting all her life. There was not much time for thinking though, as the wolf dived at her yet again.

She rolled. Then in a blur of motion sprang up, using her jump to power her towards the sword. Grabbing it by the hilt, she put both her arms to it and pulled it from the stone. Almost falling backwards into Lilo's mushrooms as it came away with no complaint. Experimentally, she held it in one hand. How could such a large lump of metal be so light?

Albie turned, sword in hand. The creature had paused now and it's head was cocked, so she was worth considering now hey?

Strangely Lilo, before that moment, had not considered why the fungi had come for their small gang. They had after all, not yet done much in the way of important things. Watching Albie now though she reminded Lilo of a very old prophecy, one her parents had told her stories of. King Arthur, who had disappeared and who would, she remembered, return when England needed him most. Well, the world could definitely do with Albie now.

For a second, neither Albie or the creature moved both in awe of this sudden changing of the tables. With a snarl the creature jumped, it's mouth open ready to cling to her neck. The sword sang to Albie as it swung through the air and she winced as she heard the sawing of metal on bone.

It's body hit the ground with a final thump. Her wolf did not move. Albie had won.

The wind pulled her short blond hair back then and she stood, the perfect avenging warrior. Strange, she pondered, it's eyes had seemed almost kind in their last moments.

From the circle Lilo watched the wind play with Albie's short blond hair as she stood. The perfect avenging warrior. What a strange gang they now made: this queen, her witch and Lilo - the link. How, two weeks ago, had they met in the woods to drink?

Lilo felt very far away.