Just as I am stepping over to gather fruit with him, his head snaps up. A warning growl leaves his lips, and I freeze, watching as he searches the surrounding forest. I look around in confusion, and his head whips towards me.
Inside. Now!
His voice is guttural and fills my head like a roar as he turns and runs towards me. I stumble back from fear and shock, and fall to my bottom just as something crashes towards us through the forest. Within a blink, it smashes through the trees and into the clearing before the den.
I cannot help but stare. I have read of the monsters and magical beings in the forest, I have even healed their bites and attacks…but this…this is more than I could have ever imagined.
It’s large, giant, and taller than the trees. It hunches, its back bumpy and curved. Its skin is a sickly yellow—maybe it used to be human? It has one large eye in the center of its head, the iris a beautiful bright blue colour. But over the smooth skin of its skull are smaller eyes, which dart around freely. It has no nose, just thin lips where fangs hang from. Its torso is massive and lumbering, with two extra arms below its normal two. It also has three legs, one of which drags behind it as if it’s useless.
It is monstrous and beautiful. It was no doubt deformed by magic, but it is a true fae, a dark fae, but fae nonetheless. And in its strength and magic, I can only see its beauty.
My wolf reaches my side as I’m staring and nudges me into the den. I reluctantly roll inside. He does not follow though, he stands before it with his fur on end, and he looks bigger than ever, his head lowered in warning. A growl vibrates the earth as the creature ambles closer, and the growl turns into a threatening roar.
Its head lowers as it looks past my wolf to me, and then back to the wolf. In its hand is half of a broken tree, but it’s just hanging there, not being thrown or used as a weapon. Does it truly mean us harm?
But then my wolf lunges, warning it with a snap of his teeth.
It makes the monster bellow with anger as he lumbers backward and then drops its head further before charging at my wolf. He dances out of the way of the den so I am not crushed, drawing the monster with him until they are facing off across the clearing.
It plods forward, almost like it’s falling, but my wolf thinks it’s attacking, and maybe it is. My wolf races at him, pushing from the ground with an impressive leap, and lands on its leg and starts to climb, biting and slashing as he goes. The monster roars and tries to hit him with the tree trunk, but it misses and the bludgeon flies harmlessly into the forest with a crash.
Covering my mouth and the gasp that wants to escape, I watch the giant try to grab and pull my wolf from him, spinning around wildly to dislodge him. But my wolf hangs on, climbing across its body and ripping with his claws and mouth until I see green blood running from many wounds.
With one last slash, my wolf drops to the ground as the giant falls to its side, too injured to attack or go on. My wolf circles it warily, warning it to stay down before he begins to back up. He keeps his eyes on the creature, until he is before me again, half in the den.
Are you okay? he asks worriedly.
“Are you?” I counter, reaching for his fur and digging my fingers in.
I’m fine.
I nod, and when my worry settles, an aching pain fills me, and when the creature starts to whine in agony, it doubles. I look to him before bringing my gaze back to my wolf.
“Thank you,” I whisper, as I look outside to see the injured creature moaning. “What is your name?” I ask the wolf.
Slate, and don’t fucking think about it.
“Think about what?” I murmur, but my magic is escaping me, pulling me to the creature which continues to wail in pain. I can feel its agony as my own, and something other than me, something more powerful, is urging me to help it.
To save it.
About trying to heal it, he snarls.
“I have to,” I reply, and try to get past him, but he blocks the way with a growl. I narrow my eyes. “I ran from beings trying to control me and use my magic. Do not make me run again. This is who I am. I am a healer, and that creature is in pain. He will not hurt me. I know it the same way I knew you wouldn’t. Now let me pass.”
I see him debating my words before he snarls and moves aside. He follows me out, shadowing my every step.
I will make sure he doesn’t attack. He dies at the first sign he’s going to hurt you, understood?
“Understood,” I agree as I move closer to the creature. A nervous energy fills me, but I ignore it. It is my duty, my destiny, to heal. He whimpers as we draw closer and recoils in fear. It sends a pang of pain through me. This poor creature must have to attack to survive. As a monster, that it is expected of it, or it would be deemed weak and killed.
Even monsters deserve compassion.
I drop to my knee and hold out my hand, keeping my eyes steady and soft and my voice low and calming. “Hello, my name is Alejandra. I mean you no harm. I am sorry for my friend, he thought you meant me harm. May I see to your wounds?”
All of the eyes lock on me. It is slightly unnerving, but I keep eye contact as he whines again. I shift closer, and he recoils slightly, so I still and coo, “It’s okay. I promise I don’t want to hurt you. I want to heal you. I am sorry for the misunderstanding or if he scared you.”
Slate snorts. Scared it? He wanted to eat us.
“Shush you,” I warn him, before looking back at the creature. “I’m sorry, please, I’m going to come closer, okay?”
I shuffle closer again, and this time, he doesn’t flinch, but his mouth opens on a whimper, showing me rows of sharp teeth. I note I need to stay clear of its mouth. I move around its huge head until I’m almost touching it. I debate where to put my hands. Is it rude if I touch one of its eyes? Would he think it was an attack?
“I am going to place my hands on you, so please be still. It will tingle, but it is just my magic healing you,” I explain, and he settles like he understands me, which makes me smile as I lean forward and place my hands over his head as delicately as I can.
I feel a few of the eyes blink underneath my palms, the brush of the lids and small eyelashes tickling me before I close my eyes and push every other distraction but my magic away.
The creature jolts in my hold as my power flows from me and into his body. He lets out a strangely cute noise as I slowly heal him. It’s mainly skin tears and surface wounds, but I find a festering bite on his hip which goes deep and is pumping venom into its body. It’s not from Slate, and I don’t ask. When I’m done, I pull back. My body is cold and shaking from doing too much healing in the last few days.
I almost fall backwards, but my wolf is there. Slate props me up when I falter, and I lean into his fur as I blink my eyes open and find the creature sitting up slowly. I have to crane my neck back to meet its eyes. “Thannnk youss,” he whispers gutturally, his voice rough like he isn’t used to speaking, and I’m a betting he is not.
“You’re welcome,” I offer. He stands, and with one last grateful look back at me, he lumbers into the forest. I slump into Slate more, who holds me up easily.
You can’t save all the monsters, darling.
Yes, yes, I really can.
Slate
She is exhausted again, repeatedly tiring herself out without getting enough sleep or food to sustain it. I manage to get her back to the den where she lies down almost instantly, proving just how tired she is. Her face is pale, and her eyes are almost fuzzy. I venture back out and bring her food.