Burn Butcher Burn

The Ends Beginning

The ground was moist, the grey sky was at fault for that. Mud swarmed around Gaelira's boots, trying to push her back to the main road. It was quite, a lovely sound, a sound taken for granted too often. Though it was quite, it was not peaceful.

To her left she could hear water rushing, taken a few more steps to the water she saw it was too dirty for any hopes of a drink. With a sigh she began to move to explore more of the swamp, until a deer, mindlessly drinking from the filthy water. Quietly, in hopes to not startle the doe, she slipped her bow off her shoulders and into her hands. She cringed when she began to pull an arrow from the rest, making a sound that made the deer ears perk up, but not looking up.

She nocked the arrow in place, but before she could let go, she heard a screech then saw a monster break through the barrier of the water. The dear scrambled away, with a large wound on its hind leg.

" Damnit," Gaelira hissed out, contemplating on leaving the scene or not. She looked back over to the monster that had attacked her meal, and saw that it was not alone. What she assumed to be a man, had just sliced one of the creatures limbs off. He was successful in avoiding the oncoming attack's for a while, but must have slipped and submerged under the water once more.

Watching what she now determined to a kikimora stab blindly into the pool, Gaelira finally released the arrow, hitting it as a distraction from the man who was know likely drowning. The creature snapped it head at the girl, giving the man the time he needed to bring himself back up. He had his silver sword ready to pierce the kikimora through the root of her mouth, but another arrow beat him to it.

He breathed out roughly, watching the beast fall back into the water, noticing the arrow lodged directly through her skull. He let out a sigh while catching his breath, aware he was not alone. When he turned around, it did appear to the human eye that he may have been alone. The first thing he saw was the deer panting hard due to its wound.

" Today isn't your day, is it?" With no reply, he raised his sword and put the poor animal out of its misery. Before he could find the archer, he heard footsteps approaching his contract. He turned around to face them, his sword drawn once more.

" You needn't worry, I am only retrieving my arrows. She's all yours." Geralt first noticed her heavy accent, noting that she is not from around here. He watched her face snarl up while pulling one of the arrows from the kikimoras head, mumbling about how gross it was. She wiped the remains of the monster off with a cloth before putting them away with the rest.

She walked to the now dead deer and sighs. She then stood up and began to leave the man to his monster.

" Wait." He called out, she slowed down, telling herself to just keep walking, but then stopped with a sigh.

"Yes?" She said as she began to turn around.

" Do you want anything in return for your help?" She thought for a moment.

"Nope, have at," she turned around once more and took a few steps. " Wait," she stated walking near him. " Where are you going with that thing?" When she was able to see his face for the first time, she noticed that he was human, anymore at least. His eyes were yellow, and his hair stripped of any colour.

" Blaviken."

" Would you allow me to accompany you?" He nodded before heading to the kikimora. She looked around to see how he was going to carry that back to the village, then saw a horse. She questioned how she could have possibly missed that early, it was not a small horse.

Together they shared the venison, and headed towards Blaviken. The silence around them was uncomfortable. Geralt rode on top of his horse, and Gaelira tried her best to stay somewhat close. He was a few paces ahead of her, but made sure he was still near enough. As the neared the little town, Gaelira pulled her hood up, not due to the rain though. As Geralt dismounted Roach, he noticed her hood.