It was had been a month since Berry had joined the army, but he had already grown accustomed to his new routine. In the morning he would wake up early and go for a run with the other new recruits. It had been hard at first but he was starting to enjoy it now. Like so many of the others he had joined to get out of the small village he grew up in. The only other option was to farm, not the life he dreamed of. He like so many of the others wanted a life full of adventure. So when the recruiter showed up he jumped at the opportunity. He had always felt like a burden on his village after his family died. Victims of a monster attack. Not a uncommon story, many of the orphans taken in by the church shared his origins. He had spent most of his time doing odd jobs trying to be useful. Now he had a purpose.
After the standard physical training and marching drills was weapon training. He wasn't very good with any of the weapons he had tried so far. Never hitting the targets with bows or sling he moved on. Most of the melee weapons were too heavy to swing with ease even when two handed. He wasn't very strong compared to the other guys, which looked like they were born swinging great hammers. "Here try this" said instructor Samuel handing him a spear. Despite his gruff exterior Samuel was patent and encouraging. "You are on patrol starting tomorrow?" Samuel asked. "Yes its my first time."Berry said nervously gripping the spear tight."Just listen to Jameson and you will be alright. He knows what he is doing."
Jameson was a few years older than Berry and had been with the army for over a year. He had been promoted to squad captain recently. "Listen up" he said doing his best to sound confident. "Are patrol should be easy, we haven't had any reports of monsters or bandits in the area recently. But that doesn't mean we can take it easy. You never know what can happen out there." He stopped looking at his little group. Tim and Alex were brothers who looked almost identical. The easiest way to tell them apart was there weapons. Tim loved his hammers and Alex his axe. The four of them were to patrol the road between the fort and the nearby city of Frostharrow. It was a two-day walk from the city to the fort. So there patrol would last four days total.
Berry had been nervous before they left that morning, but after a uneventful day walk he relaxed. They had only seen a handful of people traveling the road. No one of note. As they stopped to set up camp for the night. Jameson had given each of them a task and they went about doing their part. Berry went out into the woods to gather wood for the fire. He had a arm full and was headed back to their spot just off the road. When suddenly he heard a woman scream echo through the silent night air. Jameson and the others had their weapons drawn looking off into the darkness that had apon the woods. "What the hells was that?" Alex whispered trying not to break the silence that surround them. Another scream came echoing out of the darkness from across the road."let's go!"Jameson ordered as he took off in a sprint, Alex and Tim close behind. Berry dropped the sticks he had holding way to tightly to his chest. Grabbing his spear off the ground he rushed to catch up. The sun hadn't fully set but the thick canopy of trees block out the dim dusk light. His heart beat pounding like a drum faster and faster as he started to fall behind. Suddenly after rounding a large tree and almost running right into Alex he stopped. The thre of them were like statues eyes fixated straight ahead. Berry not able to see moved around Alex and Tim. As soon as he did his stomach dropped from the sight before him. Every muscle in his body tightened and a chill ran down his spine. No ghost story or stories of monsters could of prepared him for this moment. Before him saw a beast twice the size of a man hunched over a woman's body. Black fur covered its Grey skin. Thick vains protruded from massive muscle on four arms. Each looking like they could crush a skull with ease. The beasts head resembled a wolf only meaner with large horns like a bull. Berry took a step back his body moving on its own. A twig snap under his foot as a thought ran through his head 'I've killed us all'. The beast rose on his hind legs standing as a man would turning to face his new preay. Jameson fired a shot catching the monster of guard with a arrow to its eye. "Run!" Jameson yelled firing and shot just missing as turned to run himself.
Berry took off glade for all the morning runs he had been forced into. If he was in this situation just a month ago he would have already been laying on the floor gasping for breath. His legs throbbed as he pushed them harder than they had ever been pushed befoe. In the darkness and panic he had become separated from the others. His guilty hope that it would follow them and not himself quickly faded. His back explored in pain as a wicked claw tore though his back sending him flying to the ground. He wanted to get up, he wanted run, he wanted to live, but his body wouldn't move. The beast made a sound that almost sounded like laughter. A to human like smile on its face showed fangs dripping with blood and saliva. Crawling backwards in a desperate attempt to escape he fell. Berry had gone over a cliff hitting his head on a rock as he tumbled into the dark.