The Scent of the Monster _ Aita's Children

Chapter VI _ Old Promises

July 1990

Selene's muscles ached from the effort of staying still to avoid trembling. She perched on a white fir tree, scanning the dark landscape. The relentless rain had been pouring for over an hour, and the cold had seeped deep into her bones.

It was a damp night, and Lucas had put her on watch in the heart of the Orfento Valley woods. Selene had understood immediately—it was a test. Whether of courage, strength, or cunning made no difference: she had to pass it if she wanted to become a real hunter.

She had even boasted, as usual; Lucas had asked for a six-hour watch. She had rounded it up to ten. Now, however, Selene felt every single minute weighing on her, and she was only halfway through. She was glad to be alone because she felt like crying, and no one should see her cry. At eleven, only little girls cried.

were taller, with wide, umbrella-like canopies. But she hadn't been able to reach the higher branches and had settled for this one. It served her right... let it be a lesson.

Her stomach growled, and she hugged her arms around her belly. It's only one night, she repeated to herself. If she was scared by this, how could she hope to become a monster hunter? She would never earn that title.

However, a rustling of leaves made her jump. It wasn't on the ground but up in the treetops, more or less at her height. What was it? A squirrel? Maybe a barn owl or a tawny owl? As she grabbed the hunting knife Lucas had lent her, Selene tried to sniff the air, but the rain carried the scent of wet dust and resin, masking everything else. Selene knew the Latin strix migrated through these parts. She had never seen one but certainly didn't intend to make its acquaintance that night. They said it had four legs and slept upside down like bats. But most notably, it had a large hooked beak and a proboscis to suck the blood of its victims.

Another rustle, and this time Selene flashed the knife, ready to strike... When the mysterious figure jumped out onto the adjacent tree, both let out a scream of fright.

"Are you nuts? Put that thing away!" the boy said, pointing at the knife.

"Raoul!" exclaimed Selene, catching her breath. "What are you doing here? Besides nearly giving me a heart attack!"

"More like pneumonia. Here."

The boy threw her a cloak. Selene didn't thank him but didn't waste time putting it on to finally shield herself from the rain.

"I came to see how you were doing."

"This is a test of courage. If Lucas finds out you're here, he won't let me become a hunter."

"Oh, come on. I did it three times and never lasted the whole night."

"Well, I intend to make it through."

"I'm not here to stop you."

At that point, Raoul made himself comfortable, taking a position as well. Selene wanted to argue that she needed to be alone, but she didn't hurry to chase him away. His presence was oddly comforting.

Selene huddled in the cloak, sniffing the air. It was filled with the smell of moss. But it wasn't the trees or the season. It was Raoul: he smelled like forest moss.

"How did you find me?"

"It wasn't hard. I just followed the footprints you left under the last ten beeches while trying to climb them. By the fifth, I figured I should look for a fir—the only one with dry ground at its base," he said, pointing at the tied branches.

Selene huffed, irritated; Raoul was two years older than her and a master at making her feel foolish.

"Don't take it personally," he said. "You'll learn. You're good. You learn faster than I did."

"Not fast enough," she muttered.

Raoul studied her for a moment.

"Why are you so eager to become a hunter, Nene?"

"Nene" was the nickname only Raoul used for her. And Selene didn't know why, but she felt a warm shiver every time he said it.

"Because I don't want to be afraid anymore," she replied, convinced.

Raoul thought about it. "I've met a few hunters. In my opinion, the best ones are those who are still afraid. They last longer."

"Then I want to become strong, to protect the people I care about.

"Selene reflexively scratched her nose, and Raoul didn't miss the gesture. It was a feeling they shared: regret. Both wished they could go back and protect their loved ones. They were orphans who had discovered too soon that monsters were real.

"In that case, I make you a promise, Nene," Raoul said, waiting for the girl to look him in the eyes. "Until you become strong, I promise I'll protect you..."

"Wake up, picciridda, we're here."

Selene opened her bleary eyes, trying to focus. The car was parked, and the interior light was blinding her; outside, it was pitch dark. They had traveled on secondary roads avoiding toll booths, and Lucas had taken over driving near Venice. In two and a half hours, they had finally arrived in Cividale del Friuli.

Selene rubbed her face and temples, relishing those memories. It had been ages since she last dreamed of those training days with Raoul. Five years had flown by... But those were just memories. She needed to focus on the present.

While Lucas stretched his back, Selene prepared herself by removing the filter from her nose. Once out of the car, they began their exploration.

They had no precise indications other than the werewolf had been spotted near the Church of San Pantaleone. It was a rustic structure built on an old Lombard settlement. Behind the church lay a green area with a small wooded patch. If the werewolf had hidden there, the search would be brief.

But a providential gust of wind reached Selene's nostrils.

"This way," the girl said confidently.

Lucas followed her.

They were heading north along Viale Trieste. The current from the Alps had brought with it that unmistakable scent of wolf and rust that Selene had been chasing for seven years. In about ten minutes, they reached the Natisone River, above the famous "Ponte del Diavolo": The Devil's Bridge.

Selene paused. Then she looked to her left, where a closed gate led to the staircase descending under the bridge. She looked at Lucas, and the man took the route, athletically vaulting over the gate. When it came to Selene's nose, Lucas trusted her implicitly.

Selene donned her silver knuckle-duster and drew her ruthenium knife. Then she followed the pirate down into the pit.

***

 And so we met Raoul, even though he was only 13 years old. Plus, we've arrived in Friuli! The region where I live. It was intriguing to discover all these legends about Friulian monsters. There will be many, I promise! Starting with the legend of the Devil's Bridge... If you want to find out in the next episode, add the novel to your library, and you'll receive notifications for new chapters.

Curious to learn more? Add the novel to your library to get notifications for new chapters. I hope you enjoyed meeting Selene! Share your thoughts in the comments, and if you want to support this project, please like and share it with your friends!