His Beauty and Her Beast

CHAPTER 2

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“Father, I am going out to collect sticks for the fire!” A young man shouted to his grunting father who was repairing the blown-over house that fell victim to the harsh winds of the forest.

“Ay, lad. Don’t stray too far, you hear me?”

“Yes, Father.” He got up, slinging his basket behind his back as he headed off into the dark and eerie forest.

The young man was fearless; there wasn’t much he was afraid of, nor was he scared easily. This trip into the forest felt rather like an adventure than a task given to be done.

As he was about to enter, he spotted two of his brothers playing with each other, and he flinched. Despite his fearlessness, he didn’t do well with pain as his brothers would often beat him; they were bullies through and through.

“Hey pipsqueak!” Called one of the brothers. “Where ya think you’re going? Aren’t you going to greet your brothers?”

The oldest of the two grinned at him, showcasing his broken teeth that he got from messing around with Father’s work tools.

“What are you looking at, you little snitch? Want me to gouge your eyes out?”

“I-I’m sorry. Forgive me brother.” The young man bowed as low as he could, hiding his anger and frustration of being discriminated.

Even though he was not his father’s child, father raised him like he would his sons. The brothers didn’t take kindly to that. They would insult him, beat him and harass him whenever possible. It became unbearable for him and thus told father everything that was going on.

Needless to say, they got the beating of their life; they hate the young man immensely now.

“That won’t do,” he pondered. The young man stood trembling as the oldest scrutinize the forest ahead of him.
“Ah! I have an idea.” He grinned maliciously.

“Do you want us to stop bullying you?”

The young man jolted, shocked by what he just heard.

“Answer the damn question or I’ll rip ya a new one.” He raised his hands to hit the young man but stopped midway. The boy covered his face in fright.

“Alright, I want you to walk to the centre of the forest, mark it and come back. That’s all you have to do. If ya do that, I promise I won't trouble ya anymore, princess.” The oldest coaxed the young man who at the time naively believed that they would keep their promise despite their sneers.

“Y-Yes! I can. Please don’t hit me.” And so, with a brave heart the young man entered the forest, while his two brothers snickered behind him. Whether they had an ulterior motive or not, the young man would never find out as it will have been the last, they ever see of him.

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Walking through the forest proved to be an easy feat for the young man as he had ventured many times prior. He didn’t mind the spookiness and eerie sounds; his imaginative mind thought of many hidden possibilities, and so he explored, picking up dried twigs and wood, humming a soft tune under his breath.

Various small animals and insects scattered about, and he marvelled at the different species of wildlife that surrounded him. He would take notes of it in his journal as he continued to collect twigs for replenishing the firewood.

The further he went in, the darker his surroundings became. By this time, it was now evening, and he began to wonder when he would find the centre and mark it. He could feel exhaustion creeping in along with every step he took, and he knew he needed to find it fast.

However, what he saw next froze him in place.
It was a peculiar creature, crouched in a feral position. It was slowly circling a small animal who froze in its tracks, much like the young man was. Donning a beautiful mane, it glowed in the fading sunlight that trickled through the tall trees. It growled lowly, crouching closer to its prey. Stepping back ever so slightly, the young man swept with exhaustion, stepped on a dry twig.

The sound reverberated through the forest.  Suddenly, all eyes were on him. The creature instinctively saw an opportunity to escape, scampering away, leaving him behind along with the predator.

Growling gutturally, the creature crouched on all fours, making its way towards the young man. The young man, though a bit terrified stood in silence as the creature circled him around him ever so slowly, licking its lips. Upon closer inspection, he realized she was a female lioness. 

From what the young man knew lionesses didn’t have manes. They also weren’t found in forests like this; she was an anomaly, he thought.

Deep in thought, he was unaware of the lioness creeping ever so closely to him. Opening her jaws wide, she roared in his face. Caught off guard, he fell, his basket rolling away in the process. She stood over him, breathing deeply. 

The young man’s life flashed before his eyes, and he knew his fate had been sealed.  If only he never listened to his brothers, he would’ve been back home, eating supper with father, telling of his adventures in the forest.

He lamented his impending doom. Closing his eyes, he counted down the seconds. After what seemed like a few minutes, nothing happened. He was confused, as he could still hear the deep breathing of the creature above him. Taking a risk, he opened his eyes, and what he saw next took his breath away.

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