Winter Prey

Chapter 33

Chapter 33

It gazed down at the elderly woman. She lay in slants of early gigijeb light filtering in through some sort of covering on the window. She reminded It of someone long ago. The memory would come in time. Now, a more important matter threatened. Since She had left, hope for this being the final hunt had dimmed, even though It had expanded mind-power and found a faint enough trace to demand Her return. Fierce anger at Her desertion and threats still roiled. Someone must pay, and the one here might know secrets to spill...with persuasion. It had encountered this woman now and then during an earlier hunt. She held knowledge. She was one of the storytellers.

It scooped the woman up, a clawed hand over her mouth so she could not scream. It even gathered the bed clothing around her as she struggled uselessly, terrified eyes staring imploringly. This one would live for a while. This one might have answers. If not, her skinny body would not make a feast, but that would not matter.

It wanted no uncertainty about where this one was, and left an obvious sign.

It carried her through the house, pausing close enough to the man who sprawled on his bed deep in sleep to sniff the dregs of whiskey in the air, far enough away to only feel the outer edge of the protective barrier. That jewel hung around his throat, even all dibiguk. Perhaps he always wore it; perhaps only when necessary. He was a puzzle, this white man. Perhaps a danger or perhaps drawn here as part of the path the Odjitcags had written in the stars for this season. The one It carried might be able to answer that. She and this white man had formed a partnership, one which had to do with It.

A roar built in Its throat, a fierce desire to let the white man know of Its presence, capture him, also, and persuade him to share the knowledge in his mind. The protections he wore made it impossible, though. It wanted to be closer to this one at some point. Some point when he forgot to wear his jewel or carry his own spirit bundle. It bit back the roar with a grimace of disgust. Not now. Not when It was unsure what sort of ability this one claimed.

The woman continued to fight with all her puny strength, but with power at full bloom, It held her negligently. The man stirred, and It frowned. Did he have the same sort of senses that She had? Could he discern Its nearness while he slept?

Something to think about later. For now, the lair waited. It didn't bother to close the door. This one needed to wake and realize nothing could stop It.