Alicya's heart

Part 11: a loss (Alister's POV)

I woke up and wiped my eyes. It was a particularly hot morning, with barely a breeze coming into the glassless windows. Great it'll be a muggy day I can already feel the sticky air. Today would have been mine and Alicya's wedding, would have been. I push the thought out of my mind and find the will to get out of bed. I pull the thin cover off of me and sit up, stretching my aching back. If there will be no wedding today, then I have to at least get something done, right.
I pull on my deer skin pants and grab my bow, time to hunt. We need food and if I'm lucky no other creatures will be moving about the woods today, doesn't seem they are a fan of the heat. Guess me and the beasts have something in common. That and the utter rage that runs through our bodies.
The door to alicya's home is creaky and I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to sneak out without waking her father. I slowly closed it behind me, which admittedly made the creaking even louder, ugh. I made it half way down the path before I heard someone calling after me. I spun around and it was my father. "What do you want?" I asked in an annoyed tone, he's the last person I want to follow me into the woods. The last person I want to see. I've avoided him like the plague and still he finds me. Damn small village I guess. He runs to catch up. "Alister... hey.. I thought I'd come along." I could hear his labored breath through words, trying to catch his breath, his hands on his knees in a hunched position. " Who said I wanted to be followed." I walked further up the path leaving him behind. I could hear his footsteps running behind me to catch up.
" Wait, son, I just don't want you to be alone today, I don't want you doing something stupid." I rolled my eyes and turned around. "Now you care? Now you want to make sure I'm ok? That's funny father, real funny. You know maybe my heart just grew a bit." The sarcasm in my voice bit him, I could see his skin shudder. " Look son. I've not been a great father, or husband, in many aspects. But, I do care about your well-being. And in these woods you don't need to be alone." Damnit he had a point. "Fine, but only for safety purposes." I walked further into the woods allowing him to follow behind.

The shadows overcast by the leaves almost made it look like the sun had gone down mid morning. The smell of turned dirt filled my nose. I loved these woods, been here many times, most of them with Alicya. Even her attack didn't deter me. It's like the forest called to me, almost felt like a friend. All the trees, briars, berry bushes. Every creature, even the bad ones, made me want to come back. It felt like home. I don't know if it's the adrenaline or the nostalgia that keeps drawing me here but I end up under the shadow of these trees again and again, even when I don't need to be.
The sudden movement of something that wasn't me nor my father drew my attention. Just ahead in a clearing past the brush, was a good sized hog. Pawing at the ground and pushing air out of its nose in a loud succession. It was angry, but at what. I looked in the direction it's eyes were pointed to but could see nothing but leaves and vines. I moved slowly towards the edge of the brush, bow in hand. I steadied my bow and aimed at the hog, right at the time I was about to draw my bow something jumped out of the vines and snatched it up, then it ran back into the coverage of the forest. I motioned to my father to be quiet and stay where he was he nodded back in agreement, holding his knife firmly in his hand.
Another beast, not huge, maybe a yearling, jumped out and grabbed the hog. It quickly retreated back into the thick trees, disappearing from view. It had black and green scales, looked almost like a lizard but its face had a smashed in look. Short snout big eyes walked on all fours but could use its front limbs to grab things. I haven't seen one of those before, I've seen other lizard-like creatures but not like that. This was new, different. For some reason or another, this excited me. It didn't have the infected look, it didn't act crazed, just hungry. Was this creature a danger to us? Or would it act like the normal creatures of the forest? Why did I want to find out? I shook the thoughts from my head and moved slowly forward, keeping an eye on the brush and trees. I motioned for my father to follow me.
        We had to find more animals. We were running out of meat in the village, fast, maybe a day or two of it left. Our fields were wilting and the rains haven't come in a while, and our streams only supplies so much hydration to the vegetables. The sun was beating down on my arms as we walked through the woods. I could feel the heat all but blistering my skin, the days were only getting hotter, which made me worry for the village. Sweet started bearing on my shoulders, running down my back. I made my way to the nearest creek so me and father could cool off for a moment, maybe see a beast or two. It was unusually quiet when we reached it. No birds chirping. No frogs croaking. Nothing, it made me feel on edge but I moved forward, cupping water in my hands and splashing it on my face. Enjoying the cooling sensation it bring to my sunburnt skin.
         I whipped my head as I heard a rustling in the trees, just beyond my sight. My father grabbed his knife readying himself by the water. I drew my bow and waited quietly. Before I knew it something came running at us full force. Making it to the creek before I could realize what was happening.