Falling Feathers Book I - Rogue Without Fear

Chapter XVII

>>> Chase Ashfield <<<
I wiped the sweat from my forehead as another warm gust of air blew against my face.  The hot rays of the sun beat down on me.  The humid air made it uncomfortable to breathe.  It'd been nearly a month since I met with Lux. We'd met twice again since then. In the long, hot summer month that had past, we hadn't figured out a new leader. Lux had suggested that I could be leader, but I told her that I wasn't sure I wanted it. Being a werewolf and knowing they were there for me was all good and well, but I wasn't sure I wanted the power of leader. Power corrupts.  So does killing, I added.  But I've killed before, and I don't plan to stop.
    I wandered around town.  I didn't have a set destination, I was simply drifting about the streets of Shepherd's Rest. After enjoying the scenery by the farm, I was now making my way North, up by the inn and pub.
    Alys's condition had barely improved. Peter had returned, a little over a week ago. He reopened the pub, but without the same warmth and care that he used to have. Things had changed, and not for the better. The doctor studied Alys and said that it looked like influenza, and that she should make a recovery, as long as they kept her warm. Alys spent every day in front of a fire, with Peter tending it. And somehow, despite following the doctor's every order, Alys was still getting worse.  Her coughing fits and fatigue had gotten stronger, and she'd started developing fierce muscle aches.  Despite my attempts of avoiding attachment, I found that I had gotten attached to Alys and Peter.  As I watched Alys's illness and Peter's heartbreak, I found myself fearing the worst. With my fear, I had trouble sleeping at night.
I hated attachment.  I never gained anything out of it.  With the life I lived, I'd learned that by getting attached the only thing I ever got was hurt.  I didn't want to hurt the ones I cared about.  I didn't want to see them get hurt, either.  But now, watching Alys's life slip away day by day, I had a terrible feeling she wouldn't recover.
    I saw Soren being nudged out the pub by Peter. Listening carefully, I heard a bit of their conversation.
    "Thanks ... Soren." Peter said softly.

>>> Soren Hawethorne <<<
"I don't know where this came from."  Peter sighed.  "She just started coughing, a little over a month ago.  Since then she's just been getting worse.  I don't think she's gonna live much longer, if her condition keeps on goin' the way it's goin'..."  I nodded and grimaced.  Alys always was a nice pleasant woman.  I'd never gotten to know her too personally, but when I came for a drink she served with a smile.  Her and Peter both.  They were such nice folk, and it killed me to think of her leaving. As Peter started ushering me to the door, I could hear her retching in the upper floor of the house.
    "You should probably go, you've got an inn to keep," he murmured. I nodded my agreement.
    "Especially with A-Scarlet's frequent disappearances now," I added. He doesn't know her true name yet, he still thinks she's Scarlet. Peter unlocked and opened the door, and walked me out.
    "Thanks for coming by, Soren." He murmured, before closing the door after me. I looked ahead to my inn, and started walking.  Suddenly, a wolf howl pierced the air.  It came from the woods, which was surprisingly odd considering that it wasn't evening yet.  I spent a few moments gazing pensively into the woods. I thought a bit about the wolf. Where it was, what it was doing, where its companions are...  It wasn't long before I had the nagging sensation that I was being watched.  Suspicious and alert, I slowly turned my head over my shoulder.  After quickly glancing around at the road behind me, I noticed no one facing my way.  The only people I could see were ones that were minding their own business.  After an exasperated sigh, I turned back to my inn. The creaky door swung open, revealing the empty room inside.
The inn was normally quiet, seeing as not many people came.  The only people who stayed were the few weary travelers who needed somewhere to stay the night.  If any were here, they had undoubtedly already left by now, off to whatever destination they had set.  As a host, I always tried making my inn seem as homely and comfortable for whatever odd guests stayed.  I never had much to provide, besides some of the beers or other spirits from Peter's tavern.  Shepherd's Rest was a quiet town, far from the bigger ones.  With small towns often came few provisions.  We lived off the land, mostly Antony's land.  The nearest trading town was Angel's Peak, and that was a long way away.
We were a quiet and humble town, where houses were passed down through the generations and most everyone knew everyone else.  A few of the folk in our quiet town were strangers, but strangers who appeared often.  No one knew who they were, and rumours spread, but rumours are after all, rumours.  They're not always dependable, or truthful.  I didn't believe the rumours I heard of the strange folk.  Or at least, I liked to believe I didn't.  However, with the growing proof and suspicious activity, I wasn't sure if I was being completely honest with myself anymore.