The Hunter's Apprentice (13 page)

The hunter stood up with great difficulty. He swayed on his left and nearly fell. He managed to keep his balance.

-Let’s go and take a look, he said as he walked through the bushes.

Aerys ran after him.

-Is it really safe to do so?

-Werewolves don’t eat vegetables lad, he replied with a laugh.

Aerys did not know what to reply to this and hence he followed him as the entered the clearing and made their way towards the door. If he had not seen the smoke or the girl, he might have thought it to be abandoned. The windows were condemned and the whole thing looked like it was about to fall down. They arrived at the porch and the hunter knocked on the door several times. He could barely stand.

The door opened and the small girl appeared. She was pretty despite the dirt that covered her face. She looked at them with frightened eyes and made a movement with her hands. But Aerys could not understand what it meant. He was about to ask her when an old woman appeared behind her. Aerys immediately felt uneasy in her presence. He could not explain it but there was definitely something about her that was not right.

-What brings you here strangers? She asked in a sweet feminine voice.

-We are hunting werewolves, the hunter replied rather loudly standing awkwardly on the threshold.

-Oh, said the old woman with shining eyes. So you are the famous hunter that killed that werewolf?

-Yes my good lady, replied the hunter proudly. Have you see any around there?

-I’m afraid I have not seen any of them around. But my old man maybe has. He’s gone out at this time but you could wait for him. He should be around anytime now.

-That seems like a good idea. I could do with some rest.

-Come on inside then, said the old woman. She ushered the little girl inside and they followed. They found themselves in a really dirty room. The whole place was covered in dust and looked like it really needed a good cleaning. Aerys wondered how they could live here. The old woman walked towards the small kitchen at the back and started to peel the tomatoes that the girl had plucked.

-Settle down, she said from there in a honeyed voice. I will bring you something to eat in an instant.

Aerys looked all around for a chair to sit but there was none. So they settled on the floor itself which looked less dirty than the rest. The girl sat in a corner and watched them with the same frightening look. Aerys wondered why she was afraid of them so much. Maybe it was the hunter’s face which scared her.

The old woman came back with two glasses filled with tomato juice. As Aerys took his glass, he noticed the girl shaking her head quickly. The old woman turned violently then and the girl resumed her old posture in an instant. What was that all about? He looked at the glass more closely. It did not seem suspicious at all but the girl’s reaction was clear. She did not want him to drink this.

-What’s the matter boy?, asked the old woman. Are you not thirsty?

He shook my head.

-Drink, she said in a commanding tone that surprised him.

-I don’t want to, Aerys replied getting up. Something was wrong here and they had to get out. He turned towards the hunter and to his horror he saw that he had collapsed on the ground drooling worryingly.

-What have you done to him? he asked rushing to his side. He was barely breathing and blood was coming out of his mouth.

-Nothing to worry about, he heard the old woman’s voice behind him. You should have drunk too.

Aerys tried to lift the hunter up to leave this place but he was too heavy for him. He tried though but he did not bulge. He heard the girl shout behind him then and when he turned he understood. The old woman was on the ground and she was growling as her body changed. It grew bigger and bigger and fur appeared on her. Aerys watched as she transformed into a wolf. We had fallen in a trap.

Aerys drew his sword out and stood between her and the hunter. The sword shone fiercely. The wolf let out a howl and stood up fully transformed. She was all white and had yellow eyes. That was it. The thing that had bothered him about her. It was her yellow eyes. He cursed himself. He had read something about it in the bestiary of the hunter. How could he have forgotten such a thing? It was too late now.

He took the defensive stance that the hunter had taught him and waited for her. There was some fear in him but it did not paralyze him anymore. He did not want to let her kill more people. He had a chance. She was old. Her reaction would be slower than the first wolf. This gave him a chance even if it was a small one. She still remained a werewolf and he was just a boy.

She was about to attack him when she stopped suddenly. Aerys thought he saw her smile and wondered why. He looked towards the girl quickly to see if she would transform too but she remained in her corner terrified. She pointed towards the door behind him. Aerys closed his eyes for a second. He knew what was happening. The door opened and an old dirty man appeared in the doorway. He smiled and walked calmly towards the werewolf and stood by her side.

-What do we have here?, he said in a rasp-like voice. If it isn’t the hunter and his little apprentice. That’s so nice of you to pay us a visit.

Aerys remained silent. Even if he had wanted to say something he would have been unable to do so. His throat was dry and his feet were shaking. A strange aura emanated from the old man; something brutal and destructive. Everything was lost. He knew that he was not strong enough. The old man radiated of power and domination.

-Understood that you have no chance?, he rasped. You should have drunk the juice. I would not have eaten you immediately then. But since you’re awake, I will not miss this opportunity. He began to transform but then Aerys felt a sudden pain in his head and he fell down on the floor. The last thing he remembered before passing out was the girl holding a pan with which she had knocked him out.

CHAPTER 12

He opened my eyes slowly. The pain made him realize that he was still alive. It took him some time to grow accustomed to the light and he noted that he was in the clearing. He tried to move but something restraint him. He looked down and saw that he was tied to one of the wooden posts that he had seen there. He tried to move but the rope was tight. There was a great fire that had been lit in front of me and it burned joyfully in the night. He looked at around him and found the hunter in the same position as him tied to the next post. He was still unconscious. Aerys hoped that he was still alive. He did not know what he had given him to drink but it was certainly not something good.

He tried to free himself again but in vain. He sighed frustrated. They had fallen in a trap. Again he could only blame the hunter. Was he not supposed to know that werewolves could transform into humans? He cursed him loudly. He casted a look towards the house but there was no noise coming from it. They were probably just sleeping after their deeds. If only he still had his sword. He might have been able to free himself and ran for it but it was nowhere to be seen. He gazed emptily at the burning fire for such a long time that before he knew it dawn was beginning to appear. He could see the darkness beginning to fade away slowly.

It was then that he heard a growl and something moved to his left. He looked there immediately. His eyes met those of the old man as the latter emerged from the woods. He looked as terrifying in the darkness. But it was not him that caused the greatest terror in Aerys. The old man was carrying something in his right hand. Aerys could not see very well what it was but as he approached near the fire, the light illuminated it and he felt his blood freeze. It was a head… a severed head.

The old man walked straight to him and knelt in front of him. A foul odor emanated from him. Aerys nearly vomited and turned his face away.

-You don’t like my smell lad?, asked the old man with the same rasping voice. He laughed and grabbed Aerys face and turned it to face him. Look at me, he added threateningly.

He held out the head. Aerys let out a shout of horror. He recognized the head even though it had been mutilated.

-You remember him right?, said the old man. Yes… It’s him… that fool who brought you here. You should have seen his face when I tore through his door. He squealed to spare him…Offered me gold…like I could be bought…

He spat and brought the head near Aerys face until they were only inches away.

-Look at him well. This is only the start. More and more will follow until no one is left.

He stood and tossed the head to the ground. He walked away and left Aerys alone. He did not dare to look at the head again. He breathed in hard as he tried to keep his calm. But he could not evade the fact that a man had died today. He had paid for contacting them and they had failed him. They could not take out the werewolves unfortunately. Slowly the darkness surrounded him and he collapsed under the fatigue and stress.

He woke up the next morning feeling as miserable as ever. He looked in front of him hoping that everything was just a nightmare but the head was still there. It was starting to decompose and it was beginning to smell. Flies were already attending to it and they flew all around Aerys too. He wanted to push the head away but he knew that it was improper to do so. He looked to his left but the hunter had not awakened yet. Would he ever? Aerys sighed. He wondered what the werewolves had in store for them. They could have killed them any time since their capture but they had not. Whatever they were planning it was probably not something good.

The rest of the day passed by really slowly. His stomach growled mutinously as he had not eaten since their capture. He felt restless and his forces began to abandon him. The heat only worsened his state and he had no place to shelter himself from the burning sun. He sometimes heard noises coming from the house and heard the girl cry in pain. Aerys wondered how they could hurt their own. Not that he pitied her. Far from that for he hated her. She had knocked him out. He probably had no chance against them but he could have hurt one of them. That would have been a satisfaction.

Sometimes the girl came out to do different chores. She would fetch water from the well or chop wood with a big axe that looked far too big for her frail hands. However much to Aerys surprise, she could chop the logs so easily that he was certain that she was a werewolf. Only a werewolf could muster such inhuman strength. She looked at him several times though but Aerys ignored her royally. He had no intention of talking with her. She was one of them.

It was a little before dusk that the old man came out of the house again. He walked towards them and went to examine the hunter. He kicked him but the latter did not react. He kicked him again and again but he obtained no reaction.

-What’s wrong with this one? He asked turning toward Aerys?

Aerys shrugged.

-Maybe what you gave him.

-I told her to be careful with that stuff, he said scratching his head. Let’s hope he wakes up then.

Aerys looked at him incredulously.

You don’t want him to die?

The old man turned towards him and smiled.

-No…I don’t want him to die like this. He does not deserve to die so peacefully.

He walked towards Aerys.

-I have reserved something for both of you and it would not do for him to die. I will make sure he suffers for what he did and you too boy. You too you will pay.

He sat down and examined Aerys.

-You are the same age as my son, he grunted.

-Your son? Aerys asked.

-Yes, my son. He was a lively young boy. My pride.

-Where is he? Aerys asked wondering how many werewolves there were.

His face turned sour.

-Dead.

A horrible feeling invaded Aerys. He was beginning to understand.

-You killed him, he said in a calm yet angry voice. You wretched hunters.

-He killed many innocent villagers too, Aerys retorted.

He stood up and spat before him showing his fangs.

-I will make sure that you suffer as I am now. Those villagers will regret ever calling your master here and when I am finished with them I will take care of you. I told you yesterday. No one will escape. I will bring back here everyone’s head for you to see.

He transformed into the big white wolf and strolled away slowly. Aerys watched him go horrified. He was going to kill more innocents tonight and there was nothing he could do to stop him. He was helpless.

He could not find sleep that night and stared emptily at the dark sky. There was to be a way to free themselves. He was thinking of nothing but that now. He could not let the villages be murdered one by one. He tried again and again to free himself but the ropes were incredibly solid. He looked everywhere for something to use to cut it but there was nothing, not even a rock that he could have used.