Mama Nina's Diary - Borderline Dead (Complete)

11th March (continued)

And find us it did! Some weird horrific spirit suddenly possessed Aria, her features contorted, and she made to attack us. Broderick heard her scream, and with his quick reactions, he sprinted in to restrain her. Unfortunately, he didn't count on her abilities, and she slipped from his grasp. Troy also grabbed her, and he hung on.

She kicked at them, trying to break free, screaming and carrying on. Suddenly, she quietened, and her face cleared. Her breathing was hard, but she had enough self-control to tell the boys to get off her.

I am relieved that her composure and strength of will could overcome that terrible spell. Now that I have been able to focus on it, a good deal of lore is coming back to me. The forest turned Aria into an Abysmal Wretch. I look back at the forest and notice the telltale signs of the twisted magic of the Demonic Abyss infecting our realm. Hmmm, I wonder how that realm is getting through here? It is a realm of pure chaotic evil and has no place in this world.

We have travelled through the danger without being aware of it and out the other side into a relatively safe area. Safe for now, but I don't know for how much longer...

Broderick sends Henry forward to investigate the tents and argues that we need to pack up and rather come back tomorrow during the daylight.

I try to explain that going out is going to be far worse than staying. We made it through the woods, with only one of us being affected. Probably because of the early evening, going back through the deepest part of the night would be suicide.

Broderick reasons that, as they have been doing this for years, one night more won't make a difference and White Raven argues that letting them get away with one more minute of evil is equal to being evil yourself. Aria kind of argues to stay too, but with much less vigour I think the possession has rattled her a little.

I focus my attention on the still night. No one seems to rush to see about the sounds Aria made. There are no signs of living... children, pets or fires besides faint smoke from the main house's chimney.

I feel a tugging in my soul. A beast's face emerges in my mind's eye. The wolf, large black and silent. I know what I need to do.

I turn to the party, cut off the bickering and tell them I will investigate the houses in my wild shape. I will signal if I get into trouble, and Henry can follow me in case something or someone incapacitates me.

Before anyone can object, I turn, close my eyes and phase into the wolf from my mind. A Dire Wolf, my shoulder easily would match up with that of a warhorse. I open fresh eyes and suddenly the dark forest doesn't look as dark. I hear Henry's hoot, but other than that, the night is pretty quiet.

I breathe deeply through my nose and my mind explodes with scents. Human bodies, dirty, sweaty, and unwashed. Their smell almost matches that of the apes in the travelling circus. Shit, piss, sweat and fear.

The smells all lead to the north, to the big house. A few trails around the mother-in-law's shack off to the side. I hear Broderick say, "How will she signal us if she's a wolf?" I let loose a mini howl and trot off, a wolfish grin on my lips.

I cannot relax for long and in two steps, I put my nose to the ground and track. Left, Right, Left. Humans, deer, turkey, hare. But mostly humans. There is a spot where a dog peed that triggers my wolf brain. Hmm, male, small, no threat.

I slink up to the house, having slipped through the tents, sensing no living thing.

I get to the main patio and skirt to the right, between the big house and the mother-in-law's hut. I stop at the first window and peer inside... nothing. No humans, no movement.

I move on to the next, sniff and peer. Also, nothing. I move to the door of the mother-in-law's hut. Sniff at the door. Hmmm, dog, humans. Might be there, might not. Nothing really unusual. I can't try the door without possibly alerting someone to my presence, so I decide to continue around the house. Sniffing and peering in at windows all the way around. Nothing.