Chapter two:
It was well past sunrise when Alfric was informed of his son's disappearance. The servant reported seeing Leofric walking out in the snow the previous night. He sneered at the thought of his son. Who could understand Leofric's ways? He blamed Anna, his late wife, for raising their son to be this way. The Duke ignored the feeling that something was wrong with his son, went for breakfast, thinking that Leofric would arrive any moment from then.
Hours passed and before one knew it, it was sundown once more. The servant who informed him of Leofric's disappearance had knocked on his study to reiterate that his son was, still, nowhere to be found.
Thus, Alfric stood at the door, cane in hand. It was past supper and yet the young man had not arrived. The niggling thought that his son had met misfortune was now at the forefront of his mind. Of that, he was most certain now.
The Duke watched the snow fall heavier than it had been the previous night, clouding his vision. He shut his eyes in a sigh, understanding. Regardless of whether or not Leofric was dead, the young man wanted to be rid of society. He must have run away. Very well then.
"One problem gone," he then said in a grave tone, turning away from the doors and heading back to the warmth of his room. The Duke would never speak of his son again.
Meanwhile, the previous night in the forest…
Leofric kept walking, paying no mind to where he was. He let his minds eye guide him, taking the well-worn shortcut to the forest. He walked, mind in disarray. Boots crunched with each step as the snow fell.
He did this often – walk without paying attention and thinking about everything and nothing. He had been cautioned on it many times – enough that he could give every correct reply to each word said to him on this matter. No matter what anyone else said, he knew this forest, and the forest knew him. The 21 year old man let his right hand trail along the trunk of one of the larger trees he knew to be there. He was safe.
Leofric paused in his footsteps. He thought he heard something. He tilted his head, listening for something, and hearing nothing. Shrugging, the young man continued on walking, brushing past trees he was so familiar with and coming to stop before the tree trunk he often sat on to write. He sat on it now, brushing the humble pile of snow away. He looked up at the sky, noting the full moon that illuminated the glowing sky. He loved being like this, far from the expectations of his father, from the grief of losing his mother.
The only other thing his heart longed for at this moment, was Freya. She was a beauty to behold. He closed his eyes and began to picture her face – lovely pale skin with freckles and wide grey eyes so innocent looking. She was a brilliant maiden, and daring too, for carrying on this romance behind their parents' backs.
Leofric felt like a fool grinning at nothing. Such was the essence of true love. He loved everything about her. His wish was to ask her father for his blessing to marry her. He would be the happiest man alive then. By the stars, he swore to do anything to make her happy.
He paused suddenly, turning to his side as he heard a twig snap. Someone was there. Leofric swallowed as quietly as he could muster, stanging from his position and looking in the direction he had felt a presence. The young man leaned forward, eyes squinting to see better. It looked like a shadow of an animal. He moved closer, making out nothing. But his fear increased. Dare he go closer still?
The young man now breathed heavily, reminded oddly of the woman's warnings earlier that day. Attacks, she said. Might they have been animal attacks, or human ones? He had not thought to ask. Yet here he was, his heart pounding furiously in his ribcage and nothing in his mind but fear.
He gazed at the unmoving shadow that had to be that of a large animal. he wondered if he should leave now. But his decision was made for him as before he could think, he felt a blow throw him back. His back hit a tree and he slid down. His breaths quickened as he stumbled to his feet. Pain sang in his veins as he saw the animal in full – a wolf! He couldn't stop the gasp that escaped through his lips, legs weak and frozen. This was terror.
Leofric began to shift backwards slowly, watching the wolf advance on him. This wasn't a normal wolf to his eyes no wolf had eyes that glowed red like that, or was so large. This was a monster. One he had never seen before.
The rumours never seemed so real before.
He turned to run, legs carrying him as fast as he could go. But the wolf was faster. He felt another blow as paws the size of his head landed on his back. Leofric fell to the ground with a thud.
In the darkness, he began to attempt to raise himself from the ground and cry for help, but he found that not a word could leave his lips when he felt breaths down his neck. He shut his eyes and prayed hoping this would not be his last day.
The wolf seemed to be laughing at him in huffed breaths as he fought to get up. It felt like he was prey playing a game that he could never hope to win. One more time he began to run with less-than-obedient limbs flailing around, in a direction he couldn't fathom. The light of the full moon provided no help to him, and looked a little brighter as he ran for his life. Still the monster caught up to him, this time he felt a sharp pain in his right shoulder. He screamed until his voice was hoarse, he felt his arm grow numb as the jaws of the monster held on, not letting go or loosening up.
Leofric screamed, falling to his knees in a pain he had never felt before. The bite burned his veins, like he was being boiled alive. He had no idea when he lost consciousness.