10 Minute Tales

Jan 14 - Never Ask an Owl for Directions

She grunted softly as she lifted the corpse of the beast. Yesterday, it had been a mighty wolf, a terror for the nearby village and bane of the shepherd; tomorrow, nothing but bones, maybe the hunter's trophy. First, though, she needed to get out of the forest, get back to civilisation. The forest, already dark, was becoming pure black. Even the lantern on her hip, flaring brightly now she had bested her prey, seemed dim and powerless against the forest's gloom. She shivered a little as the leaves rustled from the wind, the same wind that bit at her, stealing her warmth.

"Dead man's forest..." she muttered, hauling the beast's corpse over a particularly gnarled root. The forest was supposedly cursed, though she believed herself strong enough to withstand it. Tonight, however, it seemed less likely. The screech of an owl interrupted her chain of thoughts, settling nearby. She looked up at it. It was a beautiful specimen, jet black feathers save for the occasional white one. She smiled at the sight; the village believed that this rare breed was an ill omen, but she admired their patterns. She had fashioned a quill out of one of the white feathers, and it had improved her writing tenfold. It hooted again, staring at her. "... what? I killed it fair and square." She commented.

"Hoot."

"Look, I'm just trying to get out now, okay? I don't want it to be tomorrow before I return, that's not gonna be good for anybody."

"Hoot."

"You know the way out? Great, lead on!" She chuckled. "What am I doing, talking to an owl like this..." she shook her head and walked on... stumbling with a yelp over a root the shadows had hidden. She struggled to keep her balance but ultimately failed, crashing to the ground with a thump and a yelp. Crash! Splash! She tried to get up, and paled a little. Her lantern had broken! "Crap...!"

"Hoot!" The owl hooted again, seemingly more insistent. She looked at it, squinting to see now. It started preening itself... but held its wing outstretched. She stared for a moment, not understanding.

"I go... that way?" She asked, pointing. Gods, she was losing her mind after all.

"Hoot." It looked at her again. She gulped nervously, but turned. She swore it had been the other way... but she had asked, and it had answered. Something strange was happening tonight.

     The woods were still dark by the time the huntress came across the clearing, but she was starting to adapt to it. The clearing held nothing but a set of ruins, the remnants of a tower scattered around the area. Curiously, the smell of cooking meat drifted through the air, a smell strong and rich enough to send her stomach growling.