The Wolf's Den

Path 1: Adrieve, Chapter 5 (Warning Inside)

WARNING: Cannibalism (to represent the Cat gobbling up the Mouse in "The Cat and the Mouse Set Up House"), actual violence, and mild swearing involved. Please read responsibly. Thank you.

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        When she finally stopped walking, Adrieve leaned against the wall and bit her lip. What those three men said wasn't true, right? There was so much better to do, and they'd just kicked her out without actually meeting her. Maybe they were just quick to judge, but to Adrieve, she could care less. They'd been rude, and she hated rude people. Still in a silent rage, she took the nearest hallway, tired of her current one, stomping along the middle of the newly discovered hallway. It smelled like food, as if someone were cooking, and, stepping nearer the smell, she heard her stomach growling, a frown deeply. Still able to use the doorknobs on each side of the door, she opened this one, stepping in to see dinner for two set up, one portion smaller than the other.

        "I thought I heard someone entering," a man said. "Care for some dinner? I just made some and it's a shame to eat alone. It may be great to eat alone, but eating among friends is always nice, too."

        "I'm not your friend," she growled before shutting the door behind her and taking the outside doorknob with her. "I smelled food, I haven't eaten, and I demand I eat with you." Food was, after all, good fortune, was it not? Despite her three 'curses,' this was great fortune.

        "I suppose you could join me, yes, my friend's a bit late, and she's usually so punctual. Go ahead, sit down and eat with me. Wine?"

        "Wine would be great. I'm awfully thirsty, too."

        "Very well then."

        As the man filled her wine glass, he sat across from her and sipped at his own wine, watching as she ate fastidiously. "Enjoying your dinner?"

        "Yes, of course, a meal is a meal."

       "I suppose so, yes," he murmured, a shake of head but not saying more as he dug into his own meal. "You must have a name, do you not? I shall tell you my own to start conversation. My name, as it turns out, is Mr. Catly. It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, I'm sure."

        "Sure," she said. "It's Adrieve, my name. That's what it is, and it would do you well to remember it. I'm looking for my companions named Tilli and Ryland, have you seen them?"

        "No, not exactly, but they sound like wonderful dinner companions."

        Shrugging, she seemed to lose interest as she stopped to sip her wine, choking on it and forcing herself to swallow. Her wine was awfully red, uncomfortably red, she felt, and it tasted funny, too. Well, odd, at least. "Where did you get this wine at?"

        "I made it, my friend who is rather late tonight helped me make that a couple days ago. Why? Do you not like it?"

         "No, I do, it's just that--- Well, it tastes like blood."

         "That's because it is. Your meal is also made of man."

         Spitting out her food, she stood, but wasn't quick enough to counter Mr. Catly as he stood, shoved his chair to the ground, and approached her with some weapon in his hand. "One more word and I'll cook you, too. Now go sit down and enjoy your meal. I took a lot of effort to cook this, and my friend would like you to finish your meal. Good food is hard to find, after all."

          Standing again, she pushed him away, took his weapon while he was still shocked, and held it towards him threateningly. "You don't get to order me around! No one does! It took a lot to get where I am today, and I can't even begin to imagine what you did to the person I just ate! How about you sit down and I'll leave, because I refuse to eat one more bite."

        "That's not how this works. This is my story, and you can't control it. If you play nice, I won't eat you, too. That is how this works. Put the knife down and eat with me, all I ask is for the company."

         "I refuse to do so! Instead, how about I see you in Hell?"

         Before Mr. Catly could answer, she shoved the knife into his side, smirking whilst doing so, and stepped away from the table and opening the door while he was down, tearing the doorknob from the inside as soon as the door was open, pushing her way through and letting it slam behind her, not glancing back and not replacing either doorknob.