|The wolf|
The trail leading into the shriveled parts of the forest had less snow than I was expecting. Perhaps the weather fears baba, and it decided not to cause her too much of a hassle by filling everywhere with snow. There are bits of snow, and little flakes are still pouring from the sky. Landing on my fur coat. The trees, if you didn't step close to them, had their eyes closed. The closer I got to one, the more that started to change. It would peak it's black pupil less eyes at me. There isn't a single good tree in sight.
Each of them have faces but no leaves. Just dry twigs, skinny and unhealthy. Half of their life having been sucked away by Baba's black magic.
The old woman, most don't know her name. There are stories about her too. If you knew her name, you would run for the hills. I have to keep my mate away.
Because although she likes me, baba yaga has never been known to be amiable. It depends solely on her mood.
Nine times out of ten, she's hostile. I won't even allow the wolves to search for her.
One of my rules state that if they come across a sparrow, they should run in the opposite direction.
Her house stands amongst the withered trees. It's chicken feet situated into the ground. It looks like a regular hut from afar. But the hag that lives in it, is far from the word 'regular'
Several crows longer on the branches of the trees. She owns several of them, with just one trusted sparrow.
The door opens the second my boots hit the front porch. I can see nothing but pitch black. I'm not afraid of her. Frankly, I don't know how to process fear.
I'm aggressive. Prone to violence. And very impatient. Amongst those three, fear doesn't have a spot to exist. I entered her home, it feels like the temperature went up.
If she wasn't a creepy hag, I might have asked how it could possibly be colder in her home than it is out in the snow clouded weather.
The house is dusty, she'll need help cleaning. And I help around whenever I'm here. She's old. She's deformed, but she's a good friend of mine.
Or my only friend since everyone else is a pain in my ass.
Baba appears out of the kitchen, she's applied a glamour to keep her real form from outside look. She believes the crows mock and laugh at her. The door closes, and I offer her a smile as the light flickers on.
The glamour makes her look like an old woman. Full grey hair folded into a bun, with two chop sticks shoved into it. Her skin is clear, paler than what you would consider normal. She's dressed in a thick white dress, sleeves long and puffed out. The jewels at the end of them moves, and I know there are souls of the unfortunate trapped in there.
"Derek!" She exclaims. Matching over to try and hug me. As always, I step out of her reach. "Still not a fan of physical contact. You mate must be a sad woman." She laughs, and it echoes around the house. I hear soft pleas for help, but tune them out.
Whoever claimed the king of werewolves was a good man, wanted the world to bear my wrath. I'm no hero.
I don't even identify as a good person.
"Baba, it's good to see you. Would you mind if I didn't a little cleaning? Your house is always a mess."
"I'll never turn that down." Her eyes sparkle.
I shrugged off my coat, and hung it. Leaving my chest bare. Should I have worn a shirt? Probably. But I don't wear shirts, or underpants. This world is lucky I even wear pants.
Baba provides me with the utensils to clean her living room. The pleas for help never stop.
"So, Derek, I'm sure you're not here to just help an old lady clean."
"Of course. I'm not that modest."
She laughs a full belly laughter. "Thank goodness. You're hear about the dragon shifter your mate killed. First of all." She skipped back into her kitchen, returning a second later with a little apple. "Feed her this, it'll mask her scent from your people."
Of course she would know everything that had been transpiring, that sparrow watches me. Her interest in my life should be worrisome, but I find it amusing.
I might not be all that sane. Can you believe that?
"Thank you." She walked towards the door, where the coat rack was placed, and shoved the apple into the pocket of my coat. "Next, I see you're not pleased with her. I must say, she's exactly how I thought she would be."
I growl, and she mouths the capital O. Pressing a finger to shush herself.
"How can she be exactly what you thought? She's a brat. I get this feeling she hasn't even shown me her true colors."
"Believe me, you're right. She's just getting started. She's a woman who hasn't seen freedom in years. Held by that bastard, oh that man will play right into my hands." This time when she laughs, the pleas go silent. The noise is an eerie prickle at my ears. "She wants to be free, Mr Reid. She wants to be her own person."
"Unfortunately, she's mine. This world is too dangerous for people to be on their own."
"Oh you're right. Her people, so few of them left." Her smile nearly splits her face as it stretches to her eyes. My mind makes note of that. Baba has been watching red's people.
That can never be a good thing. Everyone she takes an interest in, either becomes her dinner, or a sucker she uses to benefit herself.
I hope red falls under neither. But I need to understand her abilities.
What she did to that shifter ….. she might be stronger than she looks.
"Let me make us tea while you clean. I suppose you should know what that curse really is. My dear, you're not ready for this information. So I'll only tell you scraps." She promises before hopping like a bunny until she's out of my sight.