The Witch On The Mountain

Chapter 5

I sat under a tree watching the section of forest Nathaniel had disappeared into. He had been gone for awhile, my stomach rumbling  as I awaited his return. Resting my head on my knees I tried to seek comfort in the green fabric of my dress.

He said he would have left at Dawn but I was glad he stayed. I enjoyed him being around me. I wasn't sure why he was even here but I knew I didn't want him to go.

I looked up as he came out the forest, covered in blood a deer slung over his shoulder. It left a steady trail behind him,  its neck torn open.

"Deer stew." He dropped the carcass on a section of grass reclaiming the blanket to wipe the blood that had painted his skin.

I looked down at the animal with pity, somehow killing it didn't feel right. But werewolves were carnivorous so maybe it was ok. Nathaniel needed animal flesh to survive after all.

" I'm not sure how to prepare this. It isn't eaten raw right? " majority of my food could be eaten in there natural state but the idea of eating this animal raw made my stomach turn.

He chuckled, " No, well you can't anyways." he said as he tied the soiled blanket around his waist again. Reaching down he picked up the animal.

"I'll make us something" he held the animal against him letting me wonder why he bothered to wipe the blood away before. " Bring me a knife. "

............

The wolf's prowess managed to surprise me again, he cut the deer apart quickly and precisely with minimal help. He than proceeded to start a fire and combine the vegetables and meat in a pot. With water taken from the river the ingredients came together as a thick stew.

The meal took awhile to prepare but it looked fantastic. We had settled behind my home taking shade from the early afternoon sun, a bowl in both our hands. Nathaniel looked eagerly at me as I regarded the food before me.

"Tell me what you think." He said eyes sparkling in anticipation.

The ingredients had come together in a light brown stew, potatoes, carrots and onions cooked along side the meat that Nathaniel had cut into small chunks. I looked up at him as his gaze peered into me.

I took up the spoon ensuring to get a piece of meat, taking it in my mouth I chewed. It tasted better than anything I had every made for my self, the flavor coming together nicely and the texture of the meat foreign but delectable. I couldn't hold back my sigh of pleasure.

Nathaniel laughed. "It's good then" he said as he also started eating. He had only meat in his bowl, I think he only put the vegetables in for me.

I nodded as I shoveled more food into my mouth. It was so satisfying, as if all this time I was eating something unfulfilling. He laughed again, I didn't like the way he laughed at me.

I swallowed before I spoke. "You're a good cook." I said as the particularly big bite of food went down. I assumed it was his technique that made the meal so enjoyable not just the addition of flesh.

"Yeah I kind of have to be" he was eating his food in large bites but he did seem to be choking.

"Huh?" I didn't understand his reply.

He looked off into the distance where the brightness of the sun hit the land. He seemed to contemplate as he stared out into nothing in particular. "Let's just say I didn't always have someone to cook for me growing up. Things like that I had to do for myself."

My brows frowned into confusion. "Doesn't everyone do that for themself?" I'd always done it for myself, was that not how it was suppose to work?

He looked over at me his face hard set " Your answer makes me wonder what kind of life you've lived to make you think that's normal at your young age." Did I say something to upset him? I wasn't sure.

I stared down at the almost empty bowl " I've had all the responsibilities of this cabin since I was a child, that's just how it's always been." A silence fell between us. "Either way I'm not all that young I'm 18 . I'm a woman now. Or will be soon anyway."

He looked over at me smiling again " Oh. How are you planning on becoming a woman." I could tell he found something about my declaration very amusing.

I stuck my nose in the air as I boasted about my future "I'll have my awakening and you won't think I'm weak anymore. I'll be a full fledged witch and have all the power that comes with being one." Surely this Witch custom was widely known, I didn't need to hide it from him.

" Oh ok. I thought witches were born with their abilities and got stronger over time" he turned his bowl to his head scraping along the bottom. He used the cloth to wipe away the mess he had made on his face. He didn't know about awakenings? Had I given him too much information?

What he said was true to a point, 'certain conditions have to be met to attain one's full power' covent leader had explained why witches needed awakenings 'to stimulate one's potential'. Nathaniel continued.

"We wolves shift once we turn 13, thereafter we try to become one with our wolves. Our measure of strength is how in tune one is as a whole, how well you merge instinct and humanity." He set the bowl aside before he continued. "In our pack anyway, each pack has there own way of determining rank and strength."

He looked me in the eyes as he spoke next " Oh and I don't think you're weak, to do this, live and thrive on the land like you do takes someone strong. After knowing you can't even use magic and you've done all this with just your own hands makes me know you have more strength and resolve than a lot of wolves I know."

He stared down at me all intense, his words cutting deep. So he didn't see me as some powerless weakling wanna be witch. I had always done things on my own so to me my actions didn't seem like any great feat. My tasks were just things I had to do or no one else would do them for me.

My responsibility.

I swirled the spoon in the now empty bowl. I didn't feel strong, I knew I was weak. Him being here not afraid of me just sitting so relaxed with someone he barely knew contrasted his words.

But than again I wasn't too threatened by him anymore. I trusted him in such I short time.

I just knew he wouldn't hurt me.

His hand on my shoulder interrupted my thoughts.

"But don't worry, I'll make sure I'm here to help you, you shouldn't bear all these burdens alone. I'll always be here to help you from now on."

I looked up from the empty bowl, he was looking down at me his large hand weighing down on my shoulder. His eyes were blazing with conviction, the fire of his resolve burned bright in his gaze. This strangest part of this whole situation was that I believed him wholeheartedly.

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