Shapeshifter, Fae and other Inconveniences

Chapter 2

"Come on out little lady!" "No need for you to hide yourself we'll sniff ye out anyways!" Deciding that running now would be to late regardless and would only make me turn my back towards the approaching group I settled for direct confrontation.

 Unsheathing one of the daggers from my belt underneath my cloth I stepped away from the tree and turned towards the shapeshifters. A bolt move I regret instantly when I see the head of an arrow pointed directly towards me. Sure, I could still throw my dagger, but the arrow would hit faster and harder judging by the young man holding the bow which such precision as if it was a part of him. Just two steps ahead of him were the other two men.

 They appeared to be a few years older than myself, but you could tell by the slightly worn-out expressions and the faint bony cheeks that living a life in the wild had carved its marks into them. The oldest looking one of them seemed to be leading the trio. Additionally just like myself I could make out sharp canines on them that the smallest men to the left of the bow user was baring at me only adding to the tension of the whole situation. Even though I couldn't fully make out their shifter forms I was certain that I was dealing with another predator.

"There ye are! So ye really are one of us huh? What are ya, a fox or something like that?" The one on the left and oldest looking of them spoke up. Looking straight into his eyes I remained dead silent. Trying to dissolve the situation easily had already been out of the question when the men decided to aim their bow at me. "Not one to talk, are ya?" Annoyed by the men I slightly bared my teeth my ears underneath my hood moving downwards in a defensive stance. "I am a simple traveller who just happens to pass through, and I surely mean no harm" I pressed out.

Slightly squinting his eyes, the man to my left pondered on my response. His gaze swiftly travelled down my body bevor making its way up again lingering a moment to long on my cloak. "You are with them, aren't ya?" His statement made his two companions tense up understanding hatred written across their faces. "Who?" The confusion in my question was evident I had no Idea what the man had meant with "them", but the prospect of an additional threat didn't calm the uneasiness in my stomach.

 "Don't ya act dumb on me! I know these patterns worn into your cloak! A stinky spy aren't ya! Whatever the man had seen in my robe must have triggered him into believing I was a serious threat. The situation had quickly escalated and was only further spiralling out of my control not that I had any to begin with. I still had no clue what my choice of clothing had to do with me getting accused of being a spy. 

The cloak had been the only stroke of luck on my journey so far since my departure had been rather rushed, I had only grabbed what was in reach and hadn't thought about the upcoming winter at all. Finding the thick greyish cloak in a puddle had come to me like a sign directly send from heaven. Even though it had suffered from the water and looked a bit frayed the cold autumn nights had been way more endurable with it tightly wrapped around me. I had barely spared a thought about who the rope had belonged to previously or if wearing it would put a certain label onto me.

Abruptly the man seemed to have made a decision with a curt nod he signalled towards the other two. They swiftly closed the distance giving me no room to run. I lifted my dagger hoping to be able to make them back of. Unfortunately for me the bow wielder kept his distance. Dealing with the two closer to me in close combat would have been no problem at all but the last man would be sure to make his move before I could even strike. "Drop your weapons!" the oldest warned with a snarl. My mind was soaring with thoughts finding myself under these precarious circumstances really wasn't on my to do list for today. 

Why did they have to have a bow user with them! And why did my magic have to be unusable like this. Seeing no other possible way to save my self from getting pierced with an arrow I dropped the dagger in my hand lifting my hands above my head. Frustration cursed trough me as well as a hint of anxiety. "Good girl! Don't put up a fight know we don't wanna scratch this pretty face now, do we?" Add to my roster of feelings disgust only increasing when the oldest stepped closer towering slightly over me moving his hands around my waist and legs removing the last two daggers, I had on me in addition to my bow and arrows.

He signalled to the smallest who came up to me pushing my arms down behind my back rather harsh. Oh, How I hated my helplessness why had I always relied on my stupid magic and never concentrated on wielding any weapons or my claws the common defence mechanism used by shifters. "You'll be joining us for now while answering some questions about, ya friends ya hear me!" starting to lead me somewhere I surely wouldn't want to go I struggled against my capturers hissing and baring my teeth though there was nothing I could really do.

 "Fae scum." The shifter behind me mumbled. "Never leaving us just be!" Fae? They had encountered Fae. The self-declared highest species of the big six. Always putting themselves above others treating shifters like mere animals. No shapeshifter in their right mind would ever be on a friendly basis with one of them. But worse putting two and two together it struck me that due to my cloak that apparently was of faeish origin I was being associated to have done exactly that teaming up with Faes and their doings. Trying to explain things now would most likely not help me convince them not to take me hostage but at least it was worth a shot.  

"Wait a second you guys got this completely wrong. I found the cloak in a puddle it was not given to me by a fae I would never work together with them!" Snorting the oldest snarled back at me: "Yeah sure, and ma grandma can see the future. We already met one like ya bevor. Yall are the same trash all thinking ya better than us. "" What?! No, I'm just like you a shifter don't you get it dumbass!" Trying to pull the "we are the same" hoping that would make them feel with me wasn't all that bad of an idea unlucky for my bratty mouth the insult slipped out faster than I could even process. 

Abruptly turning around the shifter nearly crashed into me staring me down from above. "What did I say, all the same just talking down on us!" He hissed punching me in my gut making me topple over and cough out spit It was a good thing my tummy was hollow all the way anyways. "Bring her to the hole we'll have a nice little talk about your fae friends. 

Enjoy cooling down until tomorrow." He added with a grin turning around leaving me with the other two who instantly pulled me up roughly and dragged me to where I could only guess the hole was. Well, this wasn't at all how I hoped the rest of my rather boring morning should have turned out.