The Alchemist: Journey of Truths (slow updates)

Chapter 4

"Oi lass, you shouldn't be here. This is no place for women. Go away." The man seemingly the leader reacted first after they got over the surprise of my presence. 

"No. you leave." I replied.

"Last warning." The humans had all grabbed some form of a weapon.

"You will cease your activities right now and stop using what nature gives you for greed." I warned. The men just laughed.

"Who will stop us? A pretty little lass like you? I would love to see you try." The one that had been busy skinning the fox challenged me

"Boss, she's one of those elves." the third and nearest man told the others.

"oh, I am sure we can get a pretty penny as ransom. Elven children are after all rare and therefore valuable. Get her." The nearest one charged, about to just grab me when Fenris appeared. His sons approached the scene from two other sides with threatening growls. Hati guarding the captured foxes.

"Final warning. Leave and do not return." I spoke. The humans attacked but I used my gift to make tree roots tie them up much like the traps the foxes were caught in. Skoll sat on the men with Hati, while I walked to the foxes gently, in a non-threatening manner. First, I freed the mother, then the pups. "I am sorry for allowing this to happen. I was too slow." I destroyed the traps. The foxes fled the scene well, all but one did. It had a wounded leg.

"Come here little one." I used my gift and a small piece of cloth I ripped from my dress to make a quick and tiny bandage. "Now be careful, okay? It will fall off when you are fully healed." It ran off to the family that was waiting in the bushes.

"Leona?" papa Aragorn's voice called out.

"Over here papa!" Aragorn found us. "What happened?" he asked.

"Greedy poachers." Was all I offered. The wolves got up and together we made the humans walk halfway home where guards from Rivendell were awaiting us. The humans were taken into custody and would be punished accordingly. The wolves had been making sure the humans wouldn't try anything while I was riding with Aragorn on his horse.

"Tell me everything that just happened." He demanded.

"These three had caught a family of foxes and were skinning them right then and there. They had just finished one when I got there and they just threw the body away like it was trash. Thanks to the wolves and my gift I could stop them from continuing and here we are." I said leaving out some parts.

"We shouldn't have talked first. She could have been used and sold to the highest bidder as a slave!" one of the captured men told his 'friends'

"SHUT UP!" The leader yelled. Aragorn told the guards what to do with them, and then we were alone, as Fenris and his sons were dismissed to rest up.

"Why didn't you tell me about their plans for you?" Aragorn asked.

"That wasn't what was important here. I wasn't the one in real danger. The fox pups were. They were innocent young lives about to be lost either by being orphaned or by death." I explained.

"That is why you aren't a monster. Those poachers were, what with how they treated their catch. You could've let your wolves kill them but you simply turned them in for punishment. And you considered the pups more important not choosing to flee when they tried to attack you." Aragorn explained. Mulling it over, I remembered something.

"The fourth man." I remembered

"Huh?" Aragorn asked confused by my random words.

"Fenris said there were four men. We only got three. Which means-. PAPA MOVE!" we both ducked our heads when an arrow shot just past us startling the horse. Papa calmed him down, but we were turned around now, open targets.

"Where did it come from?" He asked.

'Master let us hunt. The human is a threat to you. Fenris offered.

'Very well. bring him alive. Be careful.' The three appeared. Fenris howled announcing the hunt. The wolves ran, while I told Aragorn to take us home again. Once back, we were greeted by mama Arwen and Lord Elrond.

"Are you hurt? Did you eat? You look a bit unwell." mama Arwen fussed.

"I'm fine mama. Just a bit tired." I tried to reassure her. They stared at me as if trying to find little signs of lies.

"That's a relief. Then let's get you freshened up and in bed." She tried to sent me to my rooms.

"No. I need to wait." I disagreed pulling back.

"Wait? For what?" Elrond asked.

"My wolves are hunting. They'll be returning with their prey soon. The prey needs to be punished for his crimes against the laws of nature." I replied.

"Then we'll turn him in like the others. I can do that while you rest." Aragorn offered.

"No. this one is mine. Mother nature demands retribution. Do not worry there will be no blood spilled in Rivendell. While I wait, I'll read that book again." I did just that. It was a strange story. I was apparently some kind of warrior. Human first. Born into a rather normal family, though the manners of my creation were less than normal. Hoping for affection from the mother, I began making and repairing and later became a soldier. The family broke up in my youthful years. I had a half-sister and a father-figure who considered me one of his own even though I wasn't.

I was just getting to the years as a soldier when Fenris told me they were back. Getting to the footbridge, I found the wolves at the edge of the woods with the fourth human. He was terrified and only slightly wounded.

"Human, do you know of your crime?" I asked.

"P-please call back your wolves my lady. I won't do it again, I promise." He begged while sitting on his knees.

"I don't know. Your group caught a family of foxes for their pelts, not intending to use the rest of the rest or properly dispose of the bodies so other predators could easily find them, which is against the natural way of life. And for what? Money. I doubt if I were to let you go, you wouldn't do this again, you would just be careful not to get caught again." I replied. 
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How will Leona deal with this man?

Let me know what you think and have a nice week!!!