He gave my body a squeeze, then kissed me and said, "Yes, I am very fortunate to have you here with me." He smiled, "I'm going to try to nap for a couple hours, I think."
I nodded with a smile. "Alright. I'll keep watch."
I moved off him when he lightly patted my hip, he rolled over and appeared to readjust himself. He settled quickly, and I started working at untangling my rapidly curling hair. I'd tame it back into my braids if I could. If it wouldn't obey, I'd have to get it wet first. After twenty minutes, my arms had grown tired.
I only had it a third of the way untangled. The sky was considerably dark, though I was sure that was the storm, rather than the time of day, plus I wasn't hungry yet. As I looked outside there was suddenly a bone chilling wail. It was an inhuman sound. I reached for my bow and strung it immediately.
Gregor was up and alert, looking towards the camp. I reached for him, my fear nearly tangible. I pressed a finger to my lips, then looked the opposite way. Towards where the sound had come from. Nauseated, I saw an animal walking in a strange manner, nearly stumbling as if drunk.
As I stared at it, I realized it was also misshapen and becoming longer. It was moving in the direction of the camp... and talking in a strange voice. A voice I was sure I almost recognized, but for it sounding wrong.. My voice.. I realized.
It went within ten feet of the walls of that camp, hunkered behind a bush. "Heeelp. H-heeeelp." It called.
No one came out. In fact, any lights that had been on in the camp were all squelched. I felt my body trembling as I watched this thing. It moved around some. Seemed to huff. Then started using a child's voice. Calling for someone. Anyone. Then in my voice it said, "My lover.. would hate.... that."
I heard a very low growl from right next to me. I looked at Gregor. Placed my hand on his cheek. I realized he'd taken on his shifted form for the better seeing and hearing. The creature was moving again. In a search pattern. It was this moment when I realized how silent the trees had become.
Nothing about this creature was ok. To my growing horror, it's body was still morphing. One of it's arms had extended considerably, so it crawled around lopsidedly. One of the legs had shrank it, and it's neck stretched impossibly. It lunged at the base of a tree suddenly. Digging furiously.
Squeaks and yips filled the air, mockingly copied and distorted by the creature. Until the creature pulled the animal from it's hiding space and ripped it apart, crunching into it while it shrieked, dying. The creature then morphing into that animal and leaving it's skin. When the wind blew, from the direction of the camp, to us, a putrid rotted smell permeated the air. From that thing, I was sure.
It wondered around some. Still walking uncomfortably. It went to the opening of the camp and stopped. "Let. Me. In. Help! Let mee in.." It called like that, through the rain, for ages, it felt like. Then it wondered away, in the opposite direction. I didn't dare move until I heard the wild life begin to stir again.
"That.. was just wrong." Gregor said.
I nodded. Still shaken. "It sounded like a wendigo when it screamed.. but they don't do all that."
"No, that was something different. Almost feels like something worse." Gregor said.
"Should we tell Bibs?" I asked.
"Yes, I believe we should." Gregor said.
"Can we go back?" I asked.
"With this recent discovery, I feel we have decent reason to head back, yes." Gregor nodded.
I hated with how relieved I felt with that. Still I took out the stone Bibs had given me. I contacted Bibs as Gregor got his things together so that we could head back.
I felt a connection form, *Yes, Ashtar?*
"There's a monster.. It wails like a wendigo, but sheds skins and copies voices. And reeks." I said, speaking quietly. "It mimics what people say."
*Well, that sounds dreadful.* Bibs replied.
"We're moving back to camp for the moment." I said.
*Alright, we will reconvene there and tell each other what we have found out.* Bibs said.
Accepting that, we ended the connection. Gregor and I headed down the tree, wearily, then, and started heading back. We went quickly, and with little words being exchanged, the rain stopped along the way. When we reached camp, I stared at the entryway.
"What's the chances that it has to be invited inside, do you think?" I asked.
"You mean like a vampire?" Gregor asked.
I nodded. "It was begging to be let in."
"May have just wanted somebody to get close enough to attack." He replied.
"True. It did call for help." I said. My nerves were still on high.
"It's hard to know for sure. Either way, I don't think I'll be answering any doors without being able to see outside for a while." Gregor said.
I nodded in understanding. "I think I'm gonna get some sticks and vines and put a door up, just in case."
"Think I'll help you in that endeaver." He said.
We gathered up the things and were weaving them together in camp when Bibs and Kershka arrived.
"What are you two up to?" Bibs asked.
"Making a door." I answered. "It's for peace of mind."
He looked at Gregor. "What happened?"
"Shexs already told you what happened." Gregor said.
"Well, not all of it. We was gonna watch the camp at night to see how many more enemies we were dealing with, but while Gregor napped in a tree as we waited for nightfall, that odd creature wailed and shambles like a drunk corpse around, practicing my voice, then it called for help." I paused. Organizing my thoughts, and pausing my hands.
"In other words it was very distressing." Gregor said.
"It caught an animal after going after it in it's hiding hole like some kind of starved rabid coon, and then ripped it apart and chomped it while it died. Then it took it's shape while shedding it's skin. Only to walk to the open gate area of the camp and call to be let in. Then it gave up and wondered off." I told him. "Distressing is not the words I'd use, but it works."
"Well, if it was that bad, a few extra defenses wouldn't be a bad idea." Bibs said.
I'd started helping with the door again. "Oh, right. And red suit stopped by to kidnap me. So said himself."
"Asmodeus showed up." He sighed. "Seems I'm going to have another conversation with him at some point."
I blinked and looked at Gregor with a horrified look and said, "... Oh, Gods, how close do you think it was to me for it to repeat my words I spoke to Asmodeus?!?!"
"There's no telling. It could have extremely good hearing and heard you hundreds of feet away." Gregor said.
"Then, why did it not come for us in the tree? And it didn't mock your voice." I'd freaked myself out, tucked myself under his arm and cuddled up to him shivering.
Gregor rubbed my back. "Is there anything a little more sturdy you can put up than a door?"
"I think I have a few things I can put up." Bibs replied.
Once I'd calmed down, and stopped thinking about it, I finished helping Gregor with the door, and we put it onto the entrance. It fit snuggly and functioned well. I checked 9n the cubs then. They hissed initially and then mewled for food. I gave them some water, knowing they needed it since they couldn't nurse. That seemed to appease them for now. "I should hunt." I commented.
"I'm going with you, then." Gregor said firmly.
"I will not refuse." I replied.
"Alright, then. What are we hunting for?" Gregor asked.
"Should be a fatty animal, like a boar. Hares are really lean, so should be only occasional. Plus, if it's a bigger animal we can all share it." I pointed out. "If there're geese, that'd be nice, too."
"It's been a while since I had goose. Let's get out there and see what we can find." Gregor said.
"We can get some wild veggies, too. I saw miner's lettuce and fiddlehead ferns." I told them.
"I enjoy a good fiddlehead, but I don't know what that kind of lettuce is." Gregor said.
"Mm.. it's kinda like a spinach taste, but crisp and slightly sweet." I explained as we headed out.
"That sounds like it would pair well with several things." Gregor said.
I was weary heading out, but we went towards the water. On the way, I picked some of the miner's lettuce, and offered a piece for Gregor to try, eating a piece myself.
"Hm. You're right. It is slightly sweet." Gregor said.
"It can treat scurvy." I told him. "And goes well with.." My voice trailed off as a feather caught my eyes. As I looked at it, I heard a goose's honk nearby. My eyes lit up with excitement. "Did ya hear that?"
"I did. Let's see if we can find it." Gregor said with a grin.
When we got close enough to see them, I whispered, "Catch or shoot?"
"Shoot." He decided. "Best to go ahead and get it knocked out."
The geese were a little larger than I expected, but they were still just geese. Either way, I took aim with my bow. I waited for a good moment and loosed the arrow. The geese seemed confused, so I took another before the rest flew off. That'd feed us all, I was sure. I gutted them and plucked their feathers, washed them, saving the good feathers, and storing the guts in a large leaf that I twisted until it formed a pack of sorts.
The fiddleheads were found quickly enough. With some wild broccoli and leeks. We returned with our camp after that, Gregor carried the birds for me. Kershka had set up some cooking gear, while Bibs was busy with putting up protections on the camp.
"Hwah." Kershka said. "We will eat good."
"Glad you approve, Kershka." I grinned. Then in Giant I asked, "*Have you tried miner's lettuce?*"
"*I have tried the tiny greens.*" Kershka agreed with a huge grin, "*Bibs has made sure I tried many things.*"
"*Thought you may have. You can cook?*" I asked.
"*I have learned to cook many things for.the tiny folk.*" Kershka nodded.
"*Oh, good. Bibs and Tilton forbade me from cooking. I'm that bad at it.*" I told him.
He laughed. "*Don't you worry, then.*"
He took over a the birds and cut me a portion for the cubs. The cubs growled viciously while chewing on the goose meat. It was so cute that my reservations towards them faded. "Oh, my. How cute." I said cheerfully.
Gregor was chatting to Kershka, and Bibs had finished up what he was doing, so I told him more details about the camp we'd investigated and about the encounter with Asmodeus. I didn't mention the kissing or the intensely confusing sensations that accompanied it. I did rough house the cubs, though and put them back in the hiding spot when they got sleepy.
Soon enough, the food was ready. Kershka served it up, and it was delicious. I wasn't usually a fan of fatty and greasy meat, but it paired so well with the miner's lettuce that the meal became quite pleasant. The full feeling made me feel sleepy. But I wanted to go wash up before even considering sleep.
The only problem came to that I hated water and that creature would probably be wondering around still. But I also didn't wanna be naked near any of the men. I didn't think I was ready for that with Gregor, Bibs was a very good friend and Kershka was like an uncle. But I was uncomfy with how dirty I felt.
I decided then. After I'd helped clean up the stuff from dinner, I leaned against Gregor's back and whispered in his ear about my dilemma.
"You know I can just look away, right?" Gregor asked.
"You won't be naughty?" I asked, red faced.
"No. I will respect that you don't want me to look. That is quite easily done." He replied.
"You're not mad?" I asked.
"Why would I be mad you set a boundary? that just seems odd to be mad about." He said.
"You make that sound so obvious that I feel silly." I responded.
"Well, for some people I would recommend setting up such a barrier and asking such questions." Gregor said.
"Sure you don't mind?" I asked.
"Yes. I'm sure." He said, amused. "I'd be happy to help you bathe in peace."
I was glad our conversation was being really quite. I kissed his cheek and said, "Same to you."
"That would be much appreciated. I would like to bathe." Gregor said.
"Let's get ready, then." I said.
Our seperate baths in the nearby river were chilly and uninterrupted. I finally managed to tame my hair, as well. After his bath we'd headed back, on the way he said, "You truly have some issues with water, don't you?"
"Yeah. As I said I'd nearly drowned a few times as a child, then once while I was traveling with Bibs and Tilton a place we camped got swamped by a massive wave. I got pulled out a ways barely keeping air in me. It's what prompted the swimmin' lessons, but I was too panicked to learn by that point." I explained. He'd heard me have to hype myself up during the washing. "I do fine getting in, it's just the water on my shoulders or face makes me panic."
"Unfortunately, I'm not much of a swimmer myself, so I don't know how to help you with that. Wish I could." Gregor said.
"It is enough for me that you want to." I said. "If I wasn't being a chicken I would have just gone by myself. But that creature has me really freaked out."
"Completely understandable. I didn't like any of that. All of my senses rejected what I was seeing." Gregor said.
I nodded. We got back to the camp really quickly. "It reeked, too."
"It did. I don't believe it knew what a bath was." Gregor said.
I checked my bag and got the night shirt out. I'd change into it when it was time to sleep. "Did you wanna go back over there tonight, or no?" I asked.
"I think we'll stay here for tonight." Gregor said.
"I won't even argue that." I said.
"Good. Because I'd lose that argument if you decided to have it." Gregor said.
I giggled, "Aren't you agreeable."
"I certainly try to be." He replied.
It had gotten dark outside by this point, Kershka was getting ready for bed, and Bibs was flipping through some books. When I started getting particularly tired, Gregor offered to sleep with me. Since I'd had a rough couple of days. I nearly declined, but at the same time it was quite comfortable to do so.
We went into a tent together and I dressed in my night shirt. I put my back to him and fell asleep quickly. While it was still dark, that terrifying wail could be heard, but it sounded so, so far away. I was able to fall back to sleep, but I snuggled into Gregor first. Placing a leg over him.
In the morning I woke up, noticing Gregor looked a little tired. "You okies?"
"Yeah, I didn't sleep so good, kept hearing rustling. Shifter hearing can be a bit of a double edge sword." Gregor said.
"Mm." I hummed and stretched. "I'm sorry. You coulda woke me and we could have talked."
"No, that's alright. One of us might as well have a good night's sleep. Let's see if Kershka has made breakfast, yet." Gregor said.
I nodded and sat up. I pulled off the nightshirt and pulled on a new outfit for the day. Gregor had dressed himself during this. We then went out to find that Kershka had indeed made breakfast.
"I see you decided to stay up through the night." Bibs said to Gregor.
"My senses were on a bit of an over drive all night. So I didn't have much of a choice." Gregor replied.
"Maybe you should have a nap before we head out." I suggested.
"A nap does sound like a good idea. Now that everyone is up and about, I should be able to sleep easily." Gregor said.
I checked in the cubs, and fed them the guts from the geese for their breakfast. They ran about and played like cubs do. Gregor took a nap after breakfast. Plans were made and discussed between Bibs and I.
I went outside briefly to get some herbs for a tea and came across a skinned animal that appeared to have been ripped apart. When I returned, I told Bibs what I'd found close to our camp. I definitely didn't like that. I also wondered if Gregor had been aware. It was likely, wasn't it?
Either way, I brewed the energizing tea for when Gregor woke. Luckily enough, I didn't manage to ruin it. Gregor appreciated it when he drank some. He headed put when he was ready, I pointed at the dead thing on the ground when we passed it. But I didn't say a thing about it.
I babbled to him about some silly story I'd once heard, until we were close to the camp again. Once there, we went over the plan and executed it without issue. There had been only ten that we hadn't been counted yesterday. The only change I made to the plan was questioning about that creature.
They'd clammed up, initially. But I promised to tie them out to a tree so the creature could claim them. The sheer panic in their face led them to give us all the lore they had on the thing. They briefly had hope that I'd leave them alive. I let them keep their hope, and struck them from behind.
In the hidden chest were documents, gold, and jewels. I took the weapons from the people we'd taken out, as well as their valuables, and stored them in the chest. Out of pity, perhaps, I piled all the bodies in a sandy area and set them on fire. I didn't want to bury them, but I figured they should be laid to rest in a way.
Gregor carried the chest I'd loaded down, though I'd offered to, and after I raided their warehouse and freed the animals, we returned to our camp. Once there, I made some efforts to make the camp homier. I made a food storage area in the cave, having dug it into the wall and floor at the back of the cave. I mean, it was more of an alcove, really.
I cleaned up the opening to the alcove, and moved the chest into that room. I chatted to Gregor the entire time, before playing with the cubs. I fed them a bit of the spoils from the camps warehouse. I also made sure to give them plenty to drink, water wise. Once they'd fallen asleep, I offered my lap to Gregor for another nap.
He used it well. I rubbed his beard and massaged his jaw as he napped. By the time he woke back up, my feet were numb. I didn't complain though. Instead, I leaned down and kissed him. He seemed really happy.
Jokingly, I said, "Shaved your beard."
He groggy wiped at his face. "I'm sorry, you seem to have missed a spot."
I giggled and kissed his nose. "Naw, I like how you look, so I wouldn't do that."
"Your lap is a wonderful pillow, by the way." He said.
"Anytime you can use it." I said.
"I'll keep that in mind, and I'll try not to abuse the privilege." Gregor said.
"You're seriously cute, you know that?" I asked.
He brushed his fingers against my chin. "And you are gorgeous."
The cubs were awake and stumbling around, as babies do. I was sure I wasn't attached to them. When Bibs and Kershka arrived, I fetched the papers from that chest for him. Then I began telling him what we'd learned of the creature.
It was a type of 'flesh pedestrian' that was specifically called a fleshgait. It mimics voices, lures people with familiar sounds, can shape-shifting, has a green shine to it's eyes when light is cast against them, eats people, and haunts the woods.
It's not allowed inside, unless invited, and will try and catch the victim asleep after learning it's habits through a few days. It hunts at night, but can do so during the day. Never whistle, it invites them to you. Unlike skinwalkers, it can take human shapes though were never human.
For the next week after this, Gregor and I shared a tent, we were sent to locations that we scouted, then cleaned out, releasing captives. Hunting and tending the cubs. They'd maintained their wild nature, and at the camp today I found some milk that I gave to the cubs when we returned to camp.
Gregor and I shared many kisses this week, and the kissing had sometimes become very intense, leaving us both panting and wanting. We'd not done more, though. And we'd both made ourselves content with that. He watched over the surroundings for me when I bathed, and I did the same for him.
I felt massively spoiled by his attention and the time we were spending together. It made me feel nearly greedy for more. It did seem that every other night the creature drew near our camp. But not during the day. This night, for example, it called Gregor's name as we ate dinner.. in my voice.
"Alright. That's enough of this thing, I'm going to kill it." Gregor said, standing up.
"Do you know how to kill it?" Bibs asked.
"To be honest, no. But I figured I'd try a few things." Gregor replied.
"That's a terrible idea..." I said.
The creature didn't help. Sounding frustrated it called again and again until my voice twisted with the calling. It then used Asmodeus' voice.
"Wonder how ol' boy would feel bout that." I commented.
"Oh, I'm sure he would live it." Bibs said.
"Could we set up a trap to send it to him?" I asked.
Bibs had a thoughtful look. "Give me a couple days. I may be able to whip something up.."
I took Gregor's hand, "See, it can entertain him for a bit and they can both leave us alone, however temporarily."
"We'll see what's able to be done. This could turn into quite the amusing tale." Gregor said.
"Well, aren't you a sweetling?" The creature sneered, "Sweetling, sweetling, sweetling."
"Urgh." I grimaced.
Then the voice changed. "Sprout, up for a catch?"
My breath caught and I stared towards the door in shock. "That's.. terrifying."
"Everything about this creature just tells me to kill it." Gregor crouched.
"That.. how can it know my father's voice and the nickname he'd use?" I wondered. "No one has mentioned that."
"Is that what it's doing? If this creature can peer into minds then it's more dangerous than we have given it credit for." Gregor said.
"My father said that afore we'd go fishin'. How nostalgic." I said. "No worries, I shan't fall for it."
"Good. I'd have to pen you. And I really don't want to be that aggressive." Gregor said.
"I'll wrestle with you, just not tonight." I said.
"Alright, I'll hold you to that." Gregor said.
"You do as I sleep, yes." I joked, grinning.
"Are you trying to tease me right now?" He asked looking at me.
"Nooo, never." I said, giving an innocent look, then grinning big.
"I am happy for the both of you, but extremely happy that Tilton is not here." Bibs said.
I laughed and said, "I love you, Bibs."
"I love you as well, Little One." Bibs replied.
We chatted until bedtime. The next day we went to the last locations within a days travel to our camp. Due to it taking a full day to just get there, I brought the cubs with me. I was dreading camping out. I didn't want to in the least. But there was not really a choice. We took a brief nap in a tree, before heading into the camp during the night. We made short work of it, releasing the captives and getting some sleep for the journey back in the morning.
The only thing was, first thing in the morning a crew to transport the slaves arrived. It was a hard fight, in which I was injured. I couldn't hold or draw my bow with the injury. But my dagger was still able to be used. Gregor treated my wounds when the fight was done. It hurt a lot.
We finished what we needed to do, fetched the cubs, then one of the Elf slaves mentioned about an Elven village nearby. So we headed there. They were not entirely happy with visitors, but the one of theirs vouched for us, and so we were quickly accepted. Wood elves.
The mounts of the enemies were given to the village, and I relinquished the cubs to them, too. They were better equipped to raise them, and had some orphaned animals to raise as well. On the way back, with the documents and such, I had a little cry. I'd gotten attached to the cubs after all.
Gregor did his best to comfort me, but it wasn't like I enjoyed pets very much. Nor was I going to keep the cubs. Now they'd be safe longer than I could provide, since we don't ve going home soon. We got back just after dark, to Kershka having a meal ready.
The meal was great and I soon fell asleep before even going to bed. I roused when Gregor took me to bed. As he gently laid my tired body in the tent, he'd not noticed he woke me, until I looped an arm around him and kissed him. I sighed softly during the kiss before falling back to sleep.
When I woke in the morning, Gregor seemed in a decent mood. "Good morning, sleeping Beauty." He said.
"You look like you slept well." I said.
"Like a log." He replied.
"I fell asleep really early." I commented.
"I figured you were really exhausted. And then you grabbed me before you fell asleep." Gregor said.
"Yeah, I wanted to kiss you." I grinned.
"I was alright with it. Lovely little good night kiss." Gregor said.
"Was it a good sneak attack?" I asked.
"It was. Extremely effective even." He replied.
I stretched, and said, "Ouch!" When my wound from yesterday throbbed.
"I think we'll take it easy today." He said.
"I didn't expect it to hurt still." I grumbled.
"Not everything can be healed with a night's sleep." He said in a reasonable manner.
I sat up and clenched my hand, wincing when I felt stabbing pain radiate through my arm. "Yeah, I'm gonna have to rest this today, I won't be able to hold a bow."
"Would you like to go back to the Elven village and take a look around?" He asked.
"They didn't seem to like us much. I know they were friendlier when we were vouched for, but I'd rather not force hospitality." I said.
"Mm true." He said. "Well, was there anything you wanted to do today?"
Jokingly, I raised my left hand as a fist and said, "Beat you up."
He gave me a 'really' look, "Sure." He tapped the top of my head with the side of his fist. It didn't hurt at all, was just playful.
I gasped in response. "I'll tell Kershka you're bullying me."
"Don't do that. He may believe you." He said.
I pouted. "It's true." Barely able to contain my amusement.
"My deepest apologies. I hadn't meant to bully you. I shan't do it again." He said sarcastically.
I started to get up, "You're fo-" an odd sensation stopped my words. I sat back down quickly. "Go out. Please."
"Al.. right. Are you ok?" He asked, getting up to head out.
"Yep. Fine." I said, slowly growing pale. "I'll be out shortly."
"Alright. I'll see you in a little bit, then." He said.
My bag had been taken off near me, so I got into it immediately and took out some female products. And changed my underclothes. The pants and underwear I'd been wearing had been bled into now. I would need to go clean them, though it'd be difficult to with my injury. In addition to that, I was a little bloated.
This meant my other pair of pants didn't fit at this moment. I felt tears well up in my eyes. It wasn't like I'd prepped for this. I took out the dress I'd packed and put it on. I was glad I'd bought it, after all. I wrapped my underclothes in the pants, and put them in my bag. Then I left the tent.
"Everything alright?" Gregor asked. "You certainly seem dressed for a day off."
I stifled the enraged feeling that boiled up at the comment, he wasn't being mean. He didn't know. But it didn't stop the tear I'd been fighting off from rolling down my face. "Everything's fine. Be back."
"Do you want to go alone right now?" Gregor asked.
It was a reasonable concern. I hesitated. "Would probably be dumb. But it's embarrassing."