Breath In The Dark // P. BLACKWOOD

Chapter 5

(Not Edited)

Deep in the Greendale woods, five not-to-be-messed-with witches trekked along the tree lines of Moon Valley in search of a someone, the only one who had ever spurned her title as Queen. In the hopes for her to help shed some light on the true intentions of the Feast of Feasts.

On the other side of the woods, another group of five were scavenging along but not for the same purposes.

Now normally hunting trips in the Kinkle family was strictly a 'men only' thing but this year, however, Mora had other ideas. She just couldn't leave Harvey to fend for himself for hours, with their dad and grandpa. Even if Tommy would have been by his side.

So when the men were about to leave, she ran down the stairs dressed in a burgundy red plaid shirt she tied in a knot just under her belly button. And over that shirt, she wore a dark blue vest matched some blue jeans and a pair of brown hunting boots.

"Ready?" She asked the group as she stood next to Tommy.

"Woah woah woah, where do you think you're going, missy?" Jeff inquired.

"Hunting, obviously," She answered.

The senior had the nerve to laugh, "And who let you think that?"

"Didn't realize I needed permission," She responded hotly.

"Listen, hunting has been a part of the Kinkle tradition for a while and-"

"And the last time a checked I am a Kinkle. So I have as much right to join as everyone in this room. Unless the reason why you don't want me to join is that you're feeling threatened by a 'little girl', as you put it." She challenged, "It's the 21st century, it's time you keep up."

Everyone stood silent, all holding their breaths to see what Jeff's reaction will be at Mora's defiance. They could see his jaw tighten and his eyes scrutinizing the teenager.

"Exactly like your father," he commented under his breath, but everyone heard.

They then looked to him and saw him looking at the ground, body tense.

"Alright," He said finally, "Alright, she wants to come with, so be it. We'll see if you truly have the stomach for it." And he left out the front door.

And that was how she found herself walking beside her twin, a hunting rifle strapped over her shoulder, listening to her grandfather's storytelling.

"This part of the forest is where the Kinkle men have always hunted," Mora rolled her eyes catching the intended emphasis on 'men' as her grandfather continued, "They used to call it Moon Valley. I'll tell ya, I've seen some strange things out here."

"Might wanna cut down on the drinking then," Mora whispered. Tommy nudged her as if to reprimand, but she could see the amused smile he was trying to suppress.

They soon came across a deer that was peacefully eating, completely undisturbed.

"Oh that's a beauty," Jeff laid his hand on his son's rifle that he had raised, intending on shooting the animal.