Mistral Veil
The obscure forest stretched in endless gloom as I laboriously rose from the damp earth. Every leaf beneath my weight emitted a muted rustle, and my body twitched and rebelled as if it belonged to a stranger. With unwavering effort, I gradually gained control over my limbs, though my legs still felt numb.
The sight of my clothing deepened my confusion—a tattered brown linen trouser fastened with a cord at my waist and a dirty, white linen shirt. The underbrush of root-speckled ground directed my gaze to majestic trees veiling the sky. Sunbeams penetrated the leafy canopy, painting a shadowy dance on the forest floor.
Lost in thoughts about my origin and potential betrayal by my friends, I attempted to stand. The earth clung to my hands, but concerns about my surroundings and lack of clothing prevailed. In an upright position, I sensed a daunting silence—no birdsong, no rustling leaves. An icy shiver ran through me as I vainly sought human presence.
My desperate call to my supposed friends faded in the forest's silence. A fleeting shadow on the left quickened my heartbeat, and mysterious movements around me betrayed the presence of an intelligent being observing and circling me.
The cracking of branches behind me snapped me out of my thoughts, and as I swiftly turned, the beast stood before me. Its majestic appearance, towering height to the chest, and the diabolical grin with teeth as long as my fingers unleashed a wave of fear upon me. Realizing it was no ordinary wolf intensified my shock, especially considering the size of its menacingly open jaws that could effortlessly engulf my head. Fear of the unknown engulfed me as I stood motionless, trapped in the ominous proximity of the imposing creature.
The devilish expression in the wolf's eyes stifled me—he knew my helplessness and seemed to effortlessly control my fate. My shirt clung with sweat as the monstrous wolf menacingly approached, and I reluctantly stepped back. It seemed to understand every move I made, waiting for my surrender.
Yet, in a moment the monster hadn't anticipated, I seized the opportunity and sprinted about 50 meters before it decided to chase me. With each step, my hope of survival dwindled. The wolf's moist, warm breath on my neck and the sound of its threateningly open jaws heightened my fear.
As I thought I glimpsed my mother behind a tree, waiting with her homemade pastries, her apparent rejection puzzled me. However, in the next moment, as I stumbled over a root and anticipated my impending doom, the monster narrowly shot past me like a missed arrow. Just as unexpectedly as my stumble, the beast seemed to lose control of the situation.
We locked eyes for a moment before I leaped up, turned, and ran in another direction. The wolf had to turn before it could chase me again, but after what felt like hours, it was back behind me, its claws scratching the ground and its panting breath audible.
In the distance, I saw a tree that looked like a hiding spot. Doubling my effort, fueled by the speed only a murderer's beastly pursuit could generate, I ran towards the tree and leaped into the hollow revealed by the roots.
The snapping sound behind me indicated that I had apparently jumped just in time to escape premature death. A roar interrupted my thoughts, beastly and full of rage, and I tried to make myself as small and quiet as possible.
However, all my efforts seemed in vain as I once again saw the light blue eyes of the wolf and knew I had not escaped it yet. His eyes emitted a madness I had never seen before. The foam from his mouth dripped through holes in the roots before me, forming a small puddle.
The gigantic wolf, driven by madness, tried to work its way through the wood, succeeding in advancing further. I kicked the wolf's face repeatedly, and a few times it almost managed to tear my leg with its teeth. But with every effort I made to keep it from invading, it managed to come closer.
In a desperate attempt not to be torn apart, my heart pounded with fear louder than any war drum. So that I didn't hear the second roar, decisive and powerful. Yet, the beast before me claimed all my concentration. As my strength waned, my steps weakened, and my vision blurred, in that moment, I saw a figure larger than the wolf sprinting towards it.
I tried everything to recognize this figure, only as it came closer and the wolf tried to catch me again. In this crucial moment, the majestic elk hit the wolf, ramming its imposing antlers against the wolf, who staggered back. A wild battle unfolded before my eyes, the two animals fought bitterly before disappearing together into the thicket of the forest.
The distraction gave me the opportunity to pick myself up. With trembling legs and a racing heart, I dared to look in the opposite direction and continued my way. The forest remained filled with a oppressive silence, which now seemed to offer protection from the previous dangers.
The sounds of the elk-wolf battle gradually faded as I ventured deeper into the forest, away from the monster of the woods, praying to my gods that the beast would be shattered by the elk.