The Hunt

Chapter One

*Just a friendly warning, this story does connect to my other stories later on in the plot. THE HUNT is connected to MAOPM, MDAPM, TAD, TSW, and MMME. You don't have to read any of these to enjoy this story but just be warned that there might be spoilers later on if you're currently reading one of those titles. Enjoy!* 

The Hunt

Chapter One

I couldn't leave it alone.

To be fair, I couldn't leave much alone.

I bent down, my long hair brushing over my knees as I scooped the bird up into my hands. The crow was seriously injured, one wing bent far out of shape and the other nearly shredded. Its feathers were the same inky black as my nails. Its chest rose and fell rapidly, my touch inducing panic despite my good intentions. The bird's tiny eye rolled, assessing the threat I posed.

I cooed to the bird in an attempt to reassure it. It squirmed uncomfortably, trying to lift its rigid wings. The creature was breathing hard as its feet scraped against the inside of my hands.

Its thick beak snapped down on the supple skin of my curled hand and in my shock, I lost my grip on the bird. It tumbled, one wing flapping tirelessly in an attempt to slow its decent. It hit the ground and was still. I looked to the bird and then to my bleeding hand, feeling a low pang in my stomach. Some things couldn't be helped.

"Morda?"

I looked up, surprised to hear my name in the middle of the forest. A couple of my classmates stood a few feet from me, beer cases and sleeping bags in hand. Technically, they weren't my classmates anymore; I had graduated high school two weeks prior. The group eyed me warily.

Britt Aiken noticed the crow at my feet. "Did you just kill that bird?"

I looked down at the crow and back at the group. If I said no, it was unlikely they'd believe me. If I said yes, they would freak. So I said nothing.

Britt's boyfriend Kale looked to my hand and frowned. "She's got blood on her hands, do you think she...?"

"It fell," I said.

Britt raised an eyebrow and her friend, Amanda, did the same. "Fell from where? Did it fall before or after you snapped its neck?"

I felt my eyes sting and began to blink rapidly, hoping to keep the tears from falling. I had thought, stupidly thought, that I would never have to see my classmates after graduating. At the time, I forgot that we all lived in the same, small town.

"I was trying to help the bird but it bit me and I dropped it."

"So you did kill it?" Kale stated, "you let the thing fall to its death."

"I—no—"I fumbled for words, too upset that they were trying to twist my intentions. I had only wanted to help the bird, I hadn't wanted it to die.

"She was probably going to use its body for a freaky sacrifice or blood call or something," Amanda said, "her mom is in to all that stuff you know." She was most likely referring to my mother's amateur fortune reading and her supernatural shop in town.

"What were you going to do Morda? Summon the Devil?"

I was flushed and numb. "No, I wanted to help it."

Britt tugged on Kale's sweater, her eyes large and round as she stared at me. Kale brushed her off, grinning. "Help it? Help it die so it could help you speak to the dead? Your mom is a witch right? So aren't you one too?"

Embarrassment was desensitizing me. "N—no."

"No what?"

"I wasn't—"