Pick Your Path: Book 1

95

The following night, you head for the waterfall to find Raven there waiting. She seemed fairly calm, like she always was.
" Ready?" she asked quietly, standing up from where she was leaning against one of the trees at the base of the waterfall, " This way." she turns around, walking into the forest. She glanced over her shoulder and from time to time to make sure you were keeping up.
" Where are we going?" you asked, following her quite closely.
" Exploring." she gave a brief response, tail swaying behind her. She wasn't wearing a close today, just a simplistic outfit that was easy to move in. She checked the black bands where her claws were. A sickle and chain that hung at her side, the silvery blade flashing in the dim moonlight.
" Alright." you nodded hesitantly, instantly put on guard. Why wouldn't she have her weapons on her, " W.. What's with the weapons..?"
" Protection. Don't you do the same?" Raven glanced at you, spinning around to face you. She continued to walk, still facing you.
" Well... uh.." you glanced away. Yes, you did grab a weapon.. but was there really a reason to use it right now?
" That's good." Raven nodded, twitching an ear, " The woods are often full of night killers. It's always best to have a weapon just in case." she spun around again, tail waving. She picked up the pace, a light hop to her step. It almost looked as if she was trying to about putting weight on a certain leg, but it was hard to be certain in the darkness.
" Night killers?" you asked, confused. What are those?
" Monsters." Raven answer, " And the occasional assassin."
" Assassin.." you repeated, nodding. Raven continued to walk, limping faintly still. Her tail swayed, flashing in the dim moonlight that filtered through the canopy.
" Yes. Some roam the forest at night, looking for an unsuspecting victim. The insane ones are particularly hard to deal with." Raven explained, twitching an ear and rotating it to listen around. Her reddish brown eyes glowed faintly, glancing back towards you. The news didn't surprise you.. After all, assassins kill for a living, who wouldn't go insane? Wait...
" Do you do that?" you asked, treading cautiously. She slowed to a stop, steps dragging against the ground as her cloak curled around her. Her tail swayed forward, curling over her legs in rippling waves of darkness.
" There's.. really no reason to know that. " Raven's voice was dripping with distance as she looked away silently, turning to start walking again with a more brisk pace. You followed quickly, but kept at a distance. She might have been one of those insane assassins and she might have had the idea of trying to kill you!

A. She's trying to kill you?
B. She's not answering it because of another reason?

The view rests in the eyes of the beholder. Nevermind trying to convince, she won't listen anyway. I'll deal with it if it does happen, Shadow.. As much as I hate to, precautions must be taken in order to ensure the code stays unbroken. ~ R

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Path A

" You're bringing me out here to kill me.." you mumbled, prompting Raven to glance at you, perking her ears, " That's why you agreed to this. Is that why?"
".. (Y/n), as much as I may look like the villain here, you're not exactly correct.." Raven responded with the same tone of voice, " Let's get this journey on with. We have a long way to go." Her tail swayed as she continued to walk.
" I'm not going anywhere until you tell me." your response came with a strong resolve as you stood your ground. Killer or not, she probably wasn't trustworthy either way. Neither was who ever she was talking to that night. For all you know, it could have been an illusion all along. That only further proves the point that the half-breed in front of you is insane or at least spiraling down that path.
".. Stubborn, aren't we?" Raven sighed softly, " Fine then. You don't have to come. Leave." her voice was spiked with what sounded like harshness and even a hint of betrayal, " No one asked you to take the offer I had. Go on, leave. Stay in the forest then, don't follow me."
" Fine then, I will."you hissed back. She backed away to walk off in to the dark forest alone, spinning around with a swirl of her cloak. Her tail swayed faintly as she vanished into the shadows, not returning. You watched her leave, looking away. Was that really the right decision..? She seemed almost.. betrayed by your response. You turned away, walking off again, who knows that awaits in the forest now..
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Path B

Raven continued to walk, silence falling between you two. She had her reasons for not answering. It would be too radical to just assume she was out to kill and was insane because of a simple statement she said.  Furthermore, the Queen trusted her to carry out missions. She couldn't have a couple of loose screws in that mind of hers, right? You follow her over to a large meadow. Moonlight shone on the blades of grass, casting almost a mystical effect. Raven gave a soft sigh, bit didn't say anything. Her tail brushed over the grass faintly, causing it to ripple. She walked out, letting the moonlight shine over her dark pelt and cloak. It washed over her almost like growing silvery waves.
" You coming, (Y/n)?" she asked, snapping you back to reality. Something about her– it just feels off.. No normal werewolf would be able to have such a profound effect.. The again, she isn't fully werewolf, she's part fox as well. Could that be what's causing this? That's the most logical answer here. You walk out behind her. The grass rippled out from under your steps, similar to a water droplet hitting a puddle. The entire area seemed so serene, nothing could happen..
..
..
...
.
Wrong..

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She's here! Come along, Wisteria! Nathan, you too! We've been expecting this for weeks, come on! Go! ~ Trickster Pterodactyl

Who's that with her?! Intruder! Intruder! Take whoever that is down! ~ Little Velociraptor

Wait! Come back you two! Don't jump to conclusions! That person might not be a threat! Won't you listen to me once?!~ Ingenious Spinosaurus