16 Mother!

Grandma Azere was busy tending to her plants when the black mist suddenly materialized in front of her.

The mist evaporated into thin air, replaced by the black witch standing on the ground.

"How are you today, Azere?" the black witch asked.

Grandma Azere looked at the visitor for a few seconds and spoke, "Why are you here?" she asked, and resumed uprooting the weeds sprouting all over the vegetable garden.

"I was wondering though, why the wolf didn't leave the cave yet? What could be the problem?" the black witch asked.

Grandma Azere shrugged and refused to comment on the black witch's statement.

The black witch looked at Grandma Azere. "You seemed to be not interested in the developments of your charge and the wolf," she asked.

Grandma Azere looked at the witch. "What is done is done. I leave everything to destiny," she replied casually.

The black witch raised a brow. "You're not worried about your charge's condition? If the wolf get's out of the cave. Sabrina might not be able to survive alone in the cave surrounded by dangers lurking around her," she stated.

Grandma Azere didn't reply to the witch's statement. She went silent for a moment, then she remembered the question that she wants to ask the last time the witch visited her. She looked at her and asked, "What is exactly the curse is all about?"

She wasn't there when the curse was served to the wolf boy ten years ago.

The black witch smiled wickedly. "The wolf boy is cursed. The first woman he will share a kiss with will turn ugly and she will be imprisoned in the cave as his replacement. The kiss of a virgin maiden would free the wolf boy from the cave's captivity. That's all I know..."

"Is there no other way to free the girl from the cave?" Grandma Azere inquired.

"I dunno..." the black witch answered, shaking her head. "Why-? Are you planning to tamper with Mother's curse?"

Grandma Azere sighed. "And If I will? What are you going to do?" she asked, looking at the black witch's eyes intensely, wanting to know her plans.

The black witch glared at Azere. "Don't even try! You have already done enough damage in the past! I won't allow you to change the curse that Mother had given to the boy. She left the responsibility on my shoulder to oversee the situation, you shouldn't interfere even for the sake of your charge!"

Grandma Azere sighed deeply. What happened ten years ago was pretty messed up. And until now, she's still heavily punished for her mistake. She can't even save Sabrina who is like a daughter to her. She felt useless!

She lowered her eyes on the ground feeling defeated.

The black witch went to Grandma Azere's side and spoke, "Do not do anything to tamper the curse, or else I have to do the unthinkable!" she warned her gravely.

"Can you bring me to Mother? I will ask mercy for my girl," Grandma Azere pleaded, because the black witch is the only one who knows Mother's location.

"No way! Mother is recuperating in a secluded place. I will never bring you to her location to disturb her, just because you are playing emotionally weak again!" the black witch said indignantly.

"Just this one, please! I will never talk to Mother again!" Grandma Azere pleaded.

"Shut up!" the black witch said angrily. "I don't like hearing anymore of your pathetic blabbering!" she said and vanished from the garden with the wave of her hand.

Grandma Azere released a deep sigh. She screwed up big time in the past and because of that... two innocent people suffered due to her mistake. And until now she's still making up for her mistake. If she can only turn back time, she will never commit the same mistake again!

She shut her eyes for a moment, blocking the tears from leaving her eyes. The shadows of the past are tormenting her again, it's making her weak inside. No longer in the mood to continue tending to her vegetable garden, Grandma Azere left the backyard and went back to the house to take a short nap.

...

Back in the cave.

Lunchtime, Sabrina and Rhett ate lunch together in the chamber.

After eating lunch.

Instead of going to the entrance of the cave like she always do, Sabrina went to the stream instead and washed her clothes. Rhett did the same with his clothes.

After they finished washing their clothes, Sabrina took a bath first followed by Rhett.

Rhett was donning clothe on his body when he heard a hissing sound and he knows too well what type of animals produce that kind of sound. "Beauty, we have snakes somewhere! Go now to the chamber and never leave that place until I say so! Leave now!" he gently pushed Sabrina away from the stream.

Horrified, Sabrina saw the giant snake at the top of the rock, she bolted towards the direction of the chamber, running for her dear life.

Rhett scanned the rock where the hissing sound originated. And there it is! On top of the rock is a snake. It's a green anaconda that is 7 meters long and weighs about 100 kilograms.

The snake was eyeing his prey hungrily, its tongue was sticking out from his mouth, ready to attack the prey.

Rhett transformed himself into his wolf form and ran away from the stream, leading the snake to the farthest area of the cave.

The snake chased the wolf, slithering between rocks and passages, going after its prey.

Then Rhett finally reached the end of the cave. He transformed into his human form and picked up the machete that he had hidden behind the rock near the end of the cave.

The anaconda finally caught up with Rhett and attacked him using its tail trying to corner him.

Rhett swung the machete and strike hard into the anaconda's tail that is about to envelop him.

The anaconda's tail was severed and separated from its body, angering the snake further.

The snake attacked its prey with its head but was viciously cut with Rhett's machete before it can reach him.

The snake died, bleeding on the ground, unable to survive due to its severed head.

For Rhett, killing the snake is easy peasy. He had lots of training during his ten years of imprisonment inside the cave, snakes are his regular deadly visitors now and then.

He put the machete behind the rock and casually walked towards the chamber as if nothing happens.