The Eighth Sin

Episode 3 - The Sin in the Sleeping Forest

A Heart. A curious thing indeed. You can have many hearts given to you, but you can only give your heart away to one person at a time. A heart can control your every action, yet you have no say in what the heart does. No one really understands the heart. That is, unless you're speaking of the one that is the main organ in the cardiovascular system.  

~Y/N's Perspective~

"Hey, Meliodas, are you sure about this? We've been out here three hours now. There's no sign of  any animals, much less any humans either." Hawk says as we walk slowly through the forest, careful to not trip over anything. 'This thick white fog is really slowing down our progress...' I think to myself as I turn back to glance at Meliodas, who is walking behind us. "You're right Hawk." Elizabeth agrees with the pig, and then turns back to look at the blonde man. "Sir Meliodas, do you really think we'll be able to find one of the Eight Deadly Sins here?" She asks, and I brace myself for Meliodas' reply, which if I know anything about my captain, is going to be completely ridiculous. "Probably." He says nonchalantly, surprising me with the seriousness of his answer, even though it was a bit nonsensical. "You mean we came here without any solid evidence!?" Hawk yells, obviously angered. I just sigh, nodding. After being with Meliodas for about fifteen years, I was used to his way of not thinking things through.

"I heard there's a terrifying monster who lurks around here watching and waiting..." Hawk says mysteriously, which probably would have had a much more creepy effect if he hadn't been cut off by me slapping Meliodas. "Captain!" I yell at him, letting my hand down fall back to my side. "You pervert!" Meliodas rubs his cheek while staring at my face with a wounded look. "Lady Y/N? What was Sir Meliodas doing..?" Elizabeth asked hesitantly, either because she was scared of me, or she was afraid of what Meliodas was trying to do. "Oh, trust me, Sweetie. You don't want to know." I say, pulling Meliodas along.       

Meliodas suddenly hops up, brushing himself off. "Well, putting that aside for just a minute. I might have a little evidence. Traveling through the Forest of White Dreams on horseback is more difficult than you think. It's so hard to get your bearings, that experienced travelers go around it." I nod slowly, seeing where my captain's logic lies. Elizabeth seemed happy as well. "This would be the perfect place for someone to hide out!" She said excitingly while bringing her hands up to her chest. I smiled, remembering how I used to hide here whenever I didn't want my sister to find me.   

"Now come on slow pokes, pick up the pace, would ya!" Hawk yells, most likely reaching the end of his patience. "Hey, hold your bacon! Not a lot of fun travelling with a nervous piggy!" Meliodas yells back, keeping up his nonchalant attitude until he stops, looking at the scene ahead of us.

"What do ya mean, calling me a nervous piggy, huh!?" A chorus of Hawks yells down to us from their perch above us. The pigs all squeak, and they turn to look at each other. The one in the middle (the real  Hawk) voices the other's panic. "It's a herd! They're all me" He says, the other (imposter) pigs agree with him.

"This is the monster of the forest?" Elizabeth asks, a bit surprised at the oddness of twenty Hawks, as the said pigs squirm and question their current situation. "I, for one, find I terrifying." Meliodas says, and while I don't openly agree with him, and do admit that this could present quite a problem. Especially once all of the pigs start running down to me and Meliodas, insisting that they each in turn are the real  Hawk. Meliodas seems to ponder this for moment before grabbing my hand and dragging me through the stampede, sending the numerous Hawks flying. Elizabeth runs up to them, the worry showing on her face. I'm about to warn her not to do anything ridiculous, but it's to late. Soon, Elizabeth has a storm of crying pigs jumping behind her, and pleading for help. "Um, Hawk..?" Elizabeth says in a confused tone.