Red Within The Forest

Chapter Twelve: When The Cries Echo

The sky was steadily becoming dark as the stars were peeking behind the gray clouds. The full moon surfaced every now and then to see what was going to happen with the night rolling in. Small snowflakes trouted down, tenderly kissing the ground in welcoming fresh snow. Nia gripped the hilt of her tuck sword; her dark brown leather gloves made her hands become clammy. Her body felt hot. Another wave of pain struck her abdomen. Nia thinned her lips to suppress a whimper trying to escape her lips; she fought it down by sucking in some air. 

 Gawen's crushed footsteps met her ears and she straightened her back. Nia breathed out, the hot air fogged up her vision for a few seconds as Gawen stood next to her. He stared right in front of them, "You sure you're feeling up for this?" he asked. Nia frowns, "We have a duty we need to uphold. I can't allow one small illness to get in the way of achieving that." she stated. Gawen muttered something under his breath. He shook his head and placed a hand on her shoulder, "If you need to rest, please rest. I don't want to lose you like we did with Mother." he told her.

Nia blinked in surprise, "You knew?" she said. Gawen fought down a sigh, "That mother was sick on her last mission? Yeah. I actually thought you didn't know and kept it from you." he admitted. Nia thinned her lips, "I just...I don't want to let them down." she said. Gawen frowned, "Nia, you can never disappoint mother and father. You know that right?" he told her. Nia shook her head, "But monster hunting has been in our family bloodline for centuries and even then, a small illness wouldn't have driven them away from a mission." she argued. 

Gawen shook his head as she continued, "They've practically created monster hunters and if I flunk out because I was sick, I would be made a laughing stock to the family name!" she stated. Gawen gripped her shoulders, "You need to listen to me alright? You can never disappoint our family and ancestors. You are one of the most hardworking, self-driven person I have ever got the pleasure of knowing." he said.

Gawen wrapped his arms around her, "I understand as a monster hunter you want to finish this mission. But as your brother...last thing I want is to lose you because you've placed so much pressure on yourself." he stated. He smiled at her and placed his hands on her face, "You are strong and you don't need to prove yourself to anyone. If our ancestors were still alive, they would be so proud. Mother and father would have been proud of the person you've chosen to be today." he told her.

 Gawen placed his forehead onto hers, he closed his eyes, "If anything...I am proud of you. I don't want you to lose yourself to this though. You have so much to live for but if you wish to continue then I will support you." he said. Nia's bottom lip trembled. Her vision blurred as her shoulders shook. She took in a deep breath, "Thank you. I'll try to take it more easy from now on." she told him. Gawen gave her a look, he knew she was just saying that to please him. He clenched his jaw, "Alright. But if I see, even one hesitation because of your illness, I'm dragging your ass to safety." he told her. 

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A loud howl echoed against the trees of the forest. Villagers whispered amongst one another and the woman and children along with the elders raced inside the safety of their homes. The men stationed themselves in front of the doors; each one holding a weapon of their own, from axes to pitchforks. Nia and Gawen raised their swords, both standing side by side at the entrance of the village. Nia's body shook while sweat trickled down her forehead. She shuddered against the cold caressing her exposed face. A sudden force of movement caught her attention from behind the treelines of the forest. Nia lifted her blade some more. Gawen brought his fingers to his lips and whistled. Shouts reached the siblings' ears to let Corvina and Anton know of where the beast was.

The large figure emerged from the trees on its hind legs, standing tall. Its glowing eyes trained right on them. The werewolf snarled at them, its canines seemed to grow in size as it snapped its jaw at them. Nia lowered her knees as her eyes trained focused on the beast. Gawen heard Corvina and Anton running next to them. Corvina lifted her crossbow towards it, "It's just standing." she pointed out. Anton grinned wildly, "Most likely assessing the situation." he added. The monster growled and lowered its body. Gawen narrowed his eyes, "It's getting ready to bolt at us. Remember...don't get bitten or scratched." he stated.