Chapter 4:

A Man, a Wolf, and a Cat...

Erdulden

Twelve hours ago

I leaned over and whispered into Damian’s ear.

“It's a flower, it only blooms during the winter, very good for elixirs.”

Oh, how I love talking about plants, little moments like this are the bread and butter of my day.

He looked back at the old lady.

“Yeah, of course.”

“Oh, splendid!”

He took the leather bag from the lady, rather forcefully, and started walking to the flowers.

“Save travels!”

The lady kindly said.

However, Damian strangely disliked that comment.

“What was that?”

“Oh, I said safe travels!”

I went to Corban to see if he was confused as well, which he was.

Damian then grabbed his head.

I should have forced the sleeping elixir down his throat when he was pretending to sleep. He probably thinks we don’t notice, at least I do, I don’t really know what Corban is thinking.

Damian walked away, and so did Corban.

“Hey!”

I grabbed him by the back of his shirt collar.

“Now where do you think you're going?”

“Oh, I promised my boss that I would help clean…”

“Hmpf! You need to say no sometimes, or you'll end up working for someone else your whole life!”

I released him, frustrated that he wouldn't be home so I could test some elixirs on him. I still want to memorise that herbology book though.

“I’ll be home by supper!”

Corban ran off, waving behind him smiling. I went home, grabbed my book off the kitchen table and jumped straight into my bed. Flipping pages to my bookmark, and I started reading…

CRASH!

I jumped up, startled by the sound. Looking out my window I realised it was sundown. Must have been Corban falling over the carpet. He usually does that…

Then I heard an animal growling, a pretty large one too.

Not again.

“Damian!”

No answer.

Why isn't he back yet?

I quickly pulled out a vial out of my bedside table, it had a type of chemical when exposed to the air it combusts into a fiery explosion.

The growling came closer to my bedroom door; I could hear its claws scratching the floor.

CRASH!

“SHIT!”

The door flew off its hinges onto the floor beside me.

There it was… a wolf.

A black one with darker sections that smelt horrible. It was unnaturally big, but not like the minotaur.

Petrified, I stood still, holding my breath as it bared its teeth. I couldn’t throw it, I tried to use my other arm, nothing.

“Circe? What happened to the door?”

Corban walked through the door, hearing his voice gave me a second of inspiration. I threw the vial as the wolf turned its head towards the left, dodging it.

It shattered on the wall instantly reacting with the air and exploded. The explosion was bigger than I estimated and blasted me through the wall behind me.

I landed straight on my back, and- and-

An explosion blew me back, slamming against the wall. I looked up and saw a black wolf, whimpering as fire burnt his fur into ash.

The wolf then locked eyes with me.

I can’t be scared now, I don’t know if the explosion was caused by Circe or someone else, it was definitely not the wolf.

I don’t know how strong the wolf is, but one good hit would disorient it enough for me to get to Circe.

I need to protect her.

I slowly stepped to the right and hit something metal with my foot. It was the fire poker.

Once I move to grab it, the wolf will charge, then I can attack.

The wolf started shaking, like a dog after taking a bath.

It then locked eyes with mine, slowly putting one paw in front of the other, growling and showing me its teeth.

I had to wait for the right moment, I needed every advantage I could get.

Stepping on a hot coal from the door, the wolf broke its eye contact and stepped back whimpering from the pain.

NOW!

I grabbed the fire poker and ran towards the kitchen cupboards. As expected, the wolf charged but not instantly. It bashed the dining table with its head into the wall trying to hit me.

This was my chance.

I closed my eyes and swung the metal rod, which struck into something flesh-like.

Yes!

I took this chance and ran to our bedroom, opening my eyes and noticed a man blocking my path, with another black wolf with Circe on top.

Another one?

I made eye contact with the man, he was tall and slender, wearing an expensive outfit. It had a small black coat with a black undershirt, with a green cloth down the middle, black pants, and leather shoes.

Based on his outfit he must be a foreigner. But why us? Why come to this small village in the middle of nowhere?

That doesn't matter now.

I winded up the fire poker, and swung at his head, but I couldn't move it. I looked behind and saw the wolf holding the metal in its mouth.

I forgot about that, no, I opened my hands releasing the weapon and charged the man.

I’ll give a quick blow to his gut, then I’ll—

Stopping me in my tracks a third wolf almost appeared out of nowhere clasping down on my neck with its teeth. Blood dripped down my neck and onto the floor, but it wasn’t mine. Teeth stained red with blood from its previous victim.

Damian? No, he wouldn’t let a measly wolf beat him, except…

I look up to the man, he looked, confused. Like a dog eating their owners’ corpse thinking nothing is wrong with that.

My adrenaline eventually ran out and I…

Both knocked out, the man placed Corban on top of Circe and walked out the front door. To the right, Ritza injured, hobbles toward the man, bite marks collapsed his armor.

“I thought I told you to kill him”

The bloodied teeth wolf submissively looks up; the man doesn’t make eye contact. He sighs.

“Whatever, maybe wolves aren’t the best servants, I’ll right that down later”

As he finishes his sentence, waving his hand the wolf starts suffocating, crying out as the others watch in horror. Eventually the wolf stops and turns into ash.

“NO! GET BACK HERE YOU COWARD!”

Ritza barely stands up, using his sheath as a cane

“I understand that you are angry that you lost to a mut, but have some honor.”

“NO! GIVE CIRCE AND CORBAN BACK!”

The man stares at Ritza genuinely confused at what he said.

“Interesting, and no I will not, I was promised my very own shop in my hometown… plus a little more, so… Buh bye!”

Lifting off the ground the man fly’s away as the wolves carry Corban and Circe underneath him.

I can’t believe he kicked me out of his carriage! I sat quietly and still, well… until his dog saw me… BUT STILL! I’ve been walking for about an hour now, my paws hurt, and my orange fur is now brown, I didn’t think the stereotype was still true… COULD THIS GET ANY WORSE!?

Just to my surprise I look up and see two wolves, one carrying a girl and the other a boy.

Jumping quickly into a tree they run pass me and I get the children’s sent… it was familiar…

No! I’m not going to put myself in other people’s business, not again, but…

Against my judgment I followed them, jumping from tree to tree, they would definitely sense my magic if I used it this close, even using my aura is risky. Closely observing the kid’s injuries, I noticed bite marks and burns. Were they fighting back? Then the girl woke up, she jerked up but quickly laid back down like she didn’t want the wolf to notice.

UGH! Why couldn’t they be helping her?!

Picking up my pace, I got around 200 metres ahead of them. Using my magic, I placed a false floor on the trail and waited. The wolves kept their speed; perfect they didn’t notice… As soon as one paw hit the trap the ground opened up into a gaping hole 10 metres deep, I jumped out of a tree and quickly created a moving metal dome cage to catch the kids and placed them gently down.

I made eye contact with the girl, her eyes looked very familiar.

“Behind you!”

Before I could turn around a man kicked me in the gut and sent me flying towards the kids, I couldn’t sense his aura.

“Listen cat… I enjoyed your little mouse trap, but now, give me back those kids.”

He doesn’t seem strong, but somehow, he hid his aura completely.

“You didn’t say please” I said smugly.

Bloodlust filled the air.

Instinctively I created a square metal cage with an opening at the bottom above the man and dropped it. Burying the walls half a metre underground.

Never have I felt an aura that pure before, usually other emotions are present, but not for this man, who is he?

“Who the hell sent you?!”

He said while grabbing the bars of the cage.

I didn’t want to engage in case he had a ranged ability; I looked up to the girl.

“Can you carry him?”

She nodded, got low and stood up holding him in her arms.

“HEY! Don’t ignore me! I am going to find you, and I really don’t want to waste energy to kill you.”

Both the girl and I turned around and walked away.

After we got out of sight of that guy, we found the trail again and started following the cat. Corban also woke up and hasn’t said anything yet, which is normal for him but somethings off.

Also, I just realised THIS CAT CAN TALK! IS IT TRANSFORMATION MAGIC?! IS THERE A PERSON INSIDE?!

Wait… I can ask her if cats really have nine lives! Or maybe its rude? Wait, if she is like a normal person, does that mean she’s naked right now? Should I cover Corban’s innocent eyes?!

“Okay now since were in the clear, no, I am just a regular cat, no we do not have nine lives, and if you have a problem with me not wearing clothes STOP STARING”

“YOU CAN READ MINDS TOO?!”

“No, everyone just has the same questions in Deltora, no wonder why you all look the same, no creativity.”

“Aww.”

…

“Never got your names, or a thank you.”

“OH, I’m sorry… I’m Circe, and this is my brother Corban, and thank you for sa-“

She stopped walking, turned around and jumped onto my shoulder, she then started sniffing my neck.

“Um… what are you doing?”

“I KNEW IT! That’s why you smelt so familiar!”

Both Corban and I looked at each other.

“What? Knew what?”

“You’re Hades and Telia’s kids! You smell just like your mother.”