The Dreamer and the Hunter - A Beauty and the Beast Story

Just Rumours?

"A woodcutting machine?!"

"Yes it was a sight to behold."

"Crazy old Maurice." LeFou shook his head and took a drink from his mug. "I'm almost surprised Belle hasn't inherited more of his quirks!"

"You can't judge someone based on who their father is," said Madame LeBlanc from behind the counter where she was serving them breakfast. She eyed Gaston when she said this.

He pretended to ignore this. It was early the next morning and he and LeFou had planned to go hunting.

After breakfast they gathered their weapons, readied their horses, and set off. As they rode out towards the forest Gaston noticed LeFou was very quiet, and his eyes kept darting from side to side. He also kept jumping at every sudden noise and movement.

"LeFou what's gotten into you?"

"Oh, nothing," his friend replied. "I just can't help but be a little nervous now with all those rumours going around about that beast-"

"-And they are just that, rumours," Gaston cut in. "Nothing more. Really LeFou, don't tell me you believe in all that nonsense about some sort of demonic beast."

"W-well I was talking with Stanley and he said when they went out on their last hunt-"

"-Stanley doesn't know what he's talking about." And that put an end to it.

The woods were quiet that morning, just as they had been told. Animals and their tracks were scarce. This made the tracking and hunting process difficult.

"Hmm, this is very strange," Gaston said softly as he and LeFou crept through the trees. They had tied up their horses a little ways back and continued on foot, weapons at the ready. "If this keeps up there may be a shortage of food in town."

As they came around a cluster of bushes, both men drew to a halt. LeFou let out a gasp and immediately looked away while Gaston continued to stare.

"How can you look?" questioned LeFou, still turned away.

"Trust me old friend, I saw sights like this almost every day during the war, this and/or worse. But then, it was a dead man, not a dead deer."

The sight before them was gruesome indeed. A bloody, mauled deer, or what was left of it, lay upon the grass. The grass around it was stained red with blood. Gaston approached it to inspect while LeFou hung back.

Gaston knelt before the dead animal. "Wolves. Must have been."

"I've never seen the remains of a wolf attack like this before," said LeFou, daring to look upon it again.

"Well what else would it be?"

A beast. LeFou winced and pulled his gaze away from the gruesome scene. "Are you not the least bit concerned that those rumours might be true?"

"Don't lose your nerve LeFou," Gaston said, and finally turned away.

(Oooooo..... Mysterious.... Haha thanks for reading! Hope you're enjoying! :))