A fast walk under the moon

We left the people of the hamlet back, my ears barely able to listen now to the far off sounds of fear from the animals, when we entered the forest.

We didn’t run, it would just make sure that in case something big came out, we would be too tired to fight back.

Hunin and Mugin didn’t caw once, happy to simply wait when they left us behind, the red and blue eyes of the two crows far too intelligent, even when I could understand when they cawed.

Which is also why I was slightly scared of what was before us, if the crows that asked for corn and cuddles all the time were so serious, staring at us, still as statues until we reached them, and then they would take flight again in the moon-lit night, my eyes barely able to see.

The Spirits were not helping, their words becoming jumbled by the chatters they had, shout joining shout, but at least this time not as loud, the only common words being the rough direction they had given me.

Ingrid, instead, seemed to be in her element, despite the holiday dress, her flintlock gun barely having any reflection in the night, her face set into stone while her eyes darted to the roots on the ground, avoiding them, or to the closest movement, be it birds, rodents or lizards.

After twenty or so minutes, my hearing was back enough that I could ask to the terrified animals what was happening, our breaths forming small foggy clouds in front of our mouths.

“Nightwing, what happened? Hunin and Mugin are not saying anything, do you know something?” I asked the brown and white Grand Duke, the owl turning his orange eyes, almost drowned by the black, who opened his beak and spoke, his tone deep in my ears, while the two crows watched him carefully from the perch:

“Listener, I am not aware of what caused the howl from the sky, but Nature reminded me of a time similar, and now all living are scared. I do not know more, I apologise.”

Damn it, and the spirits were still a cacophony of sounds and feelings, and I could not get a word in without a wall of words and emotions hitting me.

“Thank you in any case. May I ask you to spread the word of a truce tonight? I don’t think that the situation is normal enough that the Cycle should rotate tonight.” I asked, trying to be as neutral as possible.

I had been a veterinarian once, helping any animal was my duty, all of them.

My house and the lapid were neutral spots, but I hoped the goodwill I had created in three years would be enough for a night, so to investigate and avoid attacks while we did so.

The owl stood there, his eyes blinking slowly, Ingrid waiting beside me, her rifle at the ready for dangers.

Then the owl hooted: “I accept, there will not be many preys in any case, and I will not risk my children’s health by angering you. I will also spread the word, but I will not promise more than that, those who live here are scared, and some will die due to that. Good hunt, he-who-listens.”

I nodded sadly at that, the owl flying away with a beat of his enormous wings, the night swallowing him while he howled the request I made.

Ingrid stepped beside me and asked, her tone just above the ringing I still had in my ears, while her eyes continued to dart around, her hands clenching the gun: “So, what did he say, Vic?”

“Nothing much, but maybe we can get for the forest to return to a more normal situation. I don’t know about you, but a buck charging at me would be somewhat bad for my health.” I quipped back, hiding the discomfort I felt at the continuous sounds, the whistles and the screams, the bleats and the cries.

It would be a long week after this, I already knew.

“That’s because you still are so thin! You ought to eat meat, not just berries and milk!” Ingrid grumbled good-naturedly, kicking slightly my shin, and I chuckled at that, trying to keep up the mood.

Then we heard a massive roar.

The forest became silent for a second after that, only for more to leave that zone.

There!

Listener-

Follow-

Move-

Unluckily for me, the spirits wanted me to go there, and the two crows impatiently landed on my shoulders and started to beat me on the head with their beaks.

“Please say we don’t have to go towards the bear. Please.” Ingrid begged me, her green eyes very much wide.

I acknowledged her request and simply started walking, the roars of defiance and anger of the bear making my legs tremble at each step due to fear.

“Damn it.” Ingrid groaned and followed me, her knuckles white for how tight she was keeping the gun.

I didn’t blame her.

The ground trembled when we got closer.

The smell hitting us was of ozone and burnt wood, but no fire.

How it was possible, I could not think at the moment.

The spirits were clamoring, while the two crows were flying fast, followed by us

My ears started ringing again, but under the ring I could hear the sound of claws against…metal?

“Stand…back…beast! I will not…hold back!” A female voice shouted, laboured but strong and proud.

Aid her!

End her!

Understand her!

What was happening there?

There was a clearing there, close to a rocky side of a mountain with many caverns, that I did not dare to go overly much if not invited.

“You touched my cubs! You will die now, false human!” The mother bear’s roar now reached me, understandable now instead of the nebulous rage and anger she had been roaring before.

She was the queen of this mountain, and it seemed that whoever was there had royally infuriated her.

I ran.

I would not let something so foolish be the reason of someone’s death, be it man or animal, I had made my own oaths, damn it!

I could be in another world, but they still had their weight!

I did not listen to Ingrid’s shouts, nor did I listen to Hunin and Mugin’s caws of warning.

“I am Lucrezia…of the house of Iunia! Of the family of the Brutii! I will not fall…without taking you! In the name of my ancestors…I will stand here!” There was one woman, if the voice she used was right, clad completely in armour and in chainmail, a broken sword in her hand and half of a shield in her other arm, the helm on her head reflecting the light of the moon.

She was swaying on her feet, and was pointing her sword to the mother bear.

Yep, that’s the Queen of the mountain allright, who was, for now, simply threatening her and keeping her four cubs behind her.

For now.

“Stop! Woman, put down your sword if you don’t want to die!” I shouted, trying to run in between them, my lungs burning at the effort, my tone brutal while I made sure to keep my eyes on the Queen.

“Listener! Get out of the way! You may have aided me in saving my cubs, but this one has threatened them, injured them, and she will die for this!” The bear growled, and went on her hind legs, getting on her two feet and becoming even more threatening, almost two and a half meters of furious animal, ready to tear us limb from limb.

I heard a small click from the forest, and I knew that I had to work fast before the situation escalated even more.

“I do not think she did so willingly, oh queen! Let me see to the cub, let us not spill blood uselessly!” I pleaded, not lowering myself.

She was a prideful one, and liked me, and would not like if I tried to be to humble.

“What are you-” I turned towards the fool and shushed her, her helm tilting up when I did so.

I didn’t care about some stupid noble deciding to pilfer her dad armour and go die, but I would not see blood on the ground for such a thing.

“Listener…” The bear was full in thought, and went down on her four legs, myself standing straight: “Only because of your actions for me and others, and your neutrality, I will accept. I will bring my cubs to your cabin, and you will follow me with that fool.” She grunted out, her white maw opening out at the last word.

“I accept, I think she is injured as well, so you will all be needing aid.” I spoke out as calmly as possible, the spirits having quieted down.

This woman was the one wanted by the Spirits, and I would need to understand more, maybe ask Grandma for help.

Hopefully this mysterious Lucrezia would be able to walk with us.

Then the woman fell forward, armour and all, passing out, nary a sound.

Damn it.