Chapter 9

In front of me stretched seemingly endless rolling hills and grassy plains. Winter still touched much of the landscape, but without the shadow of the trees sunlight was slowly melting the nighttime frost from the ground.

A part of me longed to return to the frozen forest. It had been my home for almost two months.

'I'll miss the taste of deer.' I thought to myself.

Initially I had viewed hunting with distaste. The human within me felt that killing was cruel and unecessary.

After fusing with the brown bear and the wolf I found my perspective had changed. The circle of life was bloody, any one of the predators I had killed would've ripped apart my throat with glee.

It could be argued that harming living things was in itself wrong. But I didn't care.

No ordinary beast could survive against me for more than a few seconds. If I chose to start a massacre I would be unstoppable.

While ecosystems could adapt to change over time, there was simply no way for a region to recover if I killed off all the top predators.

In order to not wreak irreparable destruction on nature wherever I went, I had no choice but to restrain the red flame's appetite.

I pressed a paw into the earth. The soil was soft and rich, a stark contrast to the frozen forest floor.

Due to my huge body weight, large distinctive footprints would be inevitably formed as I walked. Within the forest, the falling snow helpfully hid my tracks, but beyond the boundaries of the densely packed trees, the imprints of my paws would draw far more attention.

I couldn't help but growl helplessly at the thought of the trouble my footprints would bring.

The sensation of the warm sun on my back was new and pleasing. My eyes became squinted with content and my long teeth glinted as the corners of my slip curled upwards in a bestial smile.

Enjoying the nurturing heat of the sun I plodded forwards on my journey.

The occasional faint scent of human activity lead me in the right direction.

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"Must we really freeze our bones collecting herbs just a few coins.

The merchant spoke of roaring forges and the battle cries of the Cintran soldiers; I could go to the city and bring back more coin than we could ever make picking these herbs!" Spoke a young man. His back was hunched and his knees bent as he delicately cut the roots of a leafy green plant.

Not far away from him, a burly middle-aged man was also harvesting the same plant.

The two men, old and young, shared the same pair of aquiline eyes and defined masculine chins. It was obvious they were father and son.

"How many times must I tell you! Those palace guards you envy so much are nothing but pompous fools with shiny swords.

Your brother is an experienced butcher, your sister is already carrying her first child; I worked till my fingers bled to feed and clothe you! Why is it that the only thing you're capable of is dreaming for the filthy city!" The father's chest heaved angrily.

Turning to his son with red cheeks he spoke with undisguised disappointment, "Maybe one day you will amount to something like your siblings."

Too angry to look at his useless son, the father roughly dusted himself off whilst muttering curses and stomped away into a thicket of trees hidden from his son's sight.

Bitterness contorted the son's face into a snarl. His knuckles became white with pressure as he tightly gripped the handle of his basket, the bottom of which was barely obscured by a few handfuls of the leafy plant.

Gritting his teeth the son spoke in a venomous tone, "All you can ever talk about is what my brother and sister are doing with their lives! Why do you look down on me for wanting a life beyond this insignificant stupid place! Weren't you young once too, has your brain forgotten how it feels to have ambition!"

Suddenly the son's head whipped to the left.

Aaaaegh!

His father's scream rang out unmistakably in the forest.

All grudges were instantly forgotten. Without hesitating for a moment the son was on his feet and sprinting towards his father.

"Father what is it!?" He shouted, bursting into the clearing and looking frantically for his father.

Then his eyes froze in place. His knees began to tremble.

Larger than a pair or horses stood shoulder to shoulder, the black beast loomed over his father with an icy gaze.

The son seemed to see tens of teeth, as long as the sword he held, snapping shut with a crunch around his head.

Silver glinted in the air and the son's blade clattered to the floor with a metallic ringing.

Like a huge black mountain the beast stood there silently. Lazily it's eyes flicked to the newcomer. The aura of the giant creature made even breathing difficult for the two humans.

After observing the tiny beings for a few moments longer the beast growled. The simple action sent nests of birds squawking fearfully as they desperately fled into the skies.

Then without touching a hair on the humans' bodies the great beast turned and left.

Only after several minutes did the pair of humans regain their ability to breathe normally.

The son's heart pounded fiercely in his chest and his tone was filled with horror, "What was that?"

Trembling, the father slowly turned his head, "Something we never should've seen."

"I don't understand, how could a beast grow to that size! No creature would be able to oppose it! It would take all our hunters to kill it." The son said with a shaky tone.

Lost in his thoughts, the father still seemed to feel the chill of the huge beast's shadow swallowing him up.

"No." He said, barely aware he was even speaking.

"Men can't kill that thing. No, only another monster could hope to wound it.

It wasn't even interested in us, in it's eyes we're nothing more than ants."

Silence hung in the air.

Suddenly the father hurriedly got to his feet. He was running before he started talking, "We must warn the village! The hunters, they don't know that thing is out there!"

Realisation dawned in the son's eyes. Hastily he picked up the basket his father had forgotten and chased after him.

"A beast! There's a beast in the forest! It's fur is as black as the night and it's teeth are as long as a butcher's cleaver! It's as tall as a house and it's breathing sounds like a blacksmith's bellows!

I saw it with my own eyes, so did my son! Tell everyone, light the smoke signals, the hunters must return at once!" Not caring for the tears in his clothing from where he had ran through nettles and tripped on tree roots the father shouted at the top of his lungs as he entered the village.

Immediately the peaceful atmosphere shifted to one of panic and fear. Children clung to their mothers' legs and men charged out from their houses, holding whatever weapon they could find.

A sense of order only returned to when the village a few tall and strong hunters raised their voices above the panicking cries.

Once the chaos had subsided, an elderly man stepped out from behind the hunters, "Calm down, calm down! Joseph and his son are right here, do you see any wounds on them? The beast's stomach is clearly full, it has no reason to desire human blood."

Bringing his cane down heavily against the stone square the elder paused for breath.

He continued, "We shall send men to the lord's residence tonight. By tomorrow his soldiers will ride out to slay the beast."

In a sharp contrast to the previous wailing and sobbing the villagers cheered rowdily.

Several voices suggested roasting the huge beast while others bragged it would go best in their own recipe of stew.

The human heart was easily swayed by the will of the masses. Neither the father or son remembered the terrified words they had spoken earlier.

Already they were beginning to wonder whether the beast was truly as large as they thought. No creature could grow to that size. Fear had confused their minds and twisted their perception.

Tomorrow the beast would be pierced by spears and swords.

While the villagers happily discussed what they would do with the beast's flesh the son stood quietly to the side.

His aquiline eyes burned with intensity and his mouth whispered to himself.

"The lord will surely reward those who discovered the beast. My father will not be able to keep me in this place if a lord allows me to join his guard!"

Human greed was endless.

It was a pity that greed so often lead to destruction.