Vitals || Book 1

Chapter 1

I skipped down the gravel path, the quiet crunch of the rocks sounding beneath my feet. The sky was a perfect blue, just right for reading in the sunshine. Rounding a corner,  I spotted the town's marketplace in the distance. Perfect! Now I could get some food for when I got to The Great Oak. I wandered slowly over to the Baker Stalls and inspected each loaf vigorously, watching for anything other than soft baked goods.

You could never trust people in these parts these days. People were often feuding over their belief in The Great Goddess Adilina, so it wasn't foreign for there to be weapons around, stuck in everyday objects. Such as bread. Honestly, I think it's quite stupid for grown adults to be arguing over such a ridiculous thing. I mean, we haven't seen her for centuries, why would she randomly appear out of the sky at this very moment?

Quite suddenly, I spotted a perfect loaf, perched on the corner of the wooden table. I sauntered over to the owner of the stall, an old dear called Benec, and whistled a jaunty 6 note tune.

"Good mornin' lassie , how are ya on a fine day like this?"

I smiled politely at him. Benec was a jolly fellow,  and was plenty nice if you were on his good side. But if you got on his bad side, then you almost always were doomed in the likes of the marketplace. If you were starving to death next to him, he wouldn't even glance at you, let alone help you. So that's why I try to be polite. He was also a friend of my dad, so he's quite close to my heart.

"Good thanks. This bread sure does look fine. How much for it?"

"600 tovha. Ya goin' to The Oak again dear? A young lassie like you should be at home helping ya mam', not reading books. Anyway, it don't matter. You're a smart 'un," he rambled as he loaded the bag with the bread with extra treats.

"Thank you! I'll tell my mama about this, she'll be grateful."

"Ya mam's a lively one, ain't she? Bless her, ya Pa always put her first."

"Mhm! Bye uncle Benec!"

I smiled to myself as I started skipping down the path to The Great Oak once again.

The birds sang as I passed them, almost in greeting. I whistled back, feeling as free as a bird. The day seemed perfect, almost too perfect. Never mind. It was only me and my silly suspicions.

I rounded The Great Oak, circling around to find a good place to sit.

The Great Oak was a huge... Well, oak, covered head to toe in magical symbols. Mama said that it was made by Pa, so that he could keep the tree safe. It seems a bit unrealistic, but if it's real then it's doing a pretty good job. The tree is full of hollows, so it's a good place to read. Me and mama have been coming here since I was born, having picnics and reading.

Mama was the reason that I started reading. Pa said that he would like me to be smart and kind. Mama kept the promise, teaching me to read.

Books are honestly one of my most beloved things in the world, apart from my Mama and Pa. I love them because they whisk me off to a different world whenever I start reading. My favourite kind of books are the ones that have a princess that always saves the day, with the power of friendship! Soppy, I know, but it just inspires me to see someone's life go so well. I just stand out, so it's reassuring.

I open my book and start to read:

"M-Muni senpai... You can't kiss me... I-It's embarrassing..."

"You know I'll be gentle, Hina chan. I love you."

Muni's lips crash into mine, causing for my WEREWOLF tail to swish back and forth in pleasure and my WEREWOLF ears to twitch. I kissed back gently, my lips brushing softly against his.

Suddenly, he strips my shirt off-

I slam the book shut. This is too embarrassing. I flick past a few pages, trying to find where that scene ends. Is this it? I cautiously keep reading.

A/N: H0T SCENE AHEAD! SKIP THE ITALICS TO BE PURE

"Oh~" I moan. "It's in too deep! I'm going to... I-I'm going to...! Ah!!"

Oh hell no. What age rating is this book? I flip over to the back. Oh.

Tossing the book back into The Oak, I get up, dusting the dirt off my clothes.

I hear a snap. Is someone else here? I focus all my senses into listening. I can hear the scuttling of a ladybird, the chirp of a cricket. And someone... Breathing? I navigate around the tree, glancing in the direction of the noise. Then instantly, silence. Shoot. They must've noticed me. My instinct turned on like fire spreading through a forest. I've got to move quickly.

Then a piercing sensation exploded in the back. Drowsiness washed over me like a soft, black wave.

Then, I backed out.

Hello kiddies! I hope you liked this chapter. It took me a day and a half to write (I was too lazy to type).

886 words