Chapter Text
Cold. That's what she thought as she spied her prey from the shadows in the twilight-soaked forest. Between the snow-covered branches, she could see the deer carefully and quietly doing its best to find a decent spot to eat amidst the frozen landscape. There was an ominous chill in the air pushing her quarry ever closer to the edge of fear. Yet, it was the pangs of hunger that drove it further into the forest and ever closer to its doom for something was looming in the darkness that also hungered.
Quietly, she perched in the shadows waiting for an opportunity to strike. By rights, she could have taken her prey much sooner, but the frigid air made her uncomfortable. She didn't want to risk the likelihood of a lengthy chase; leaving surprise her best option.
Slowly, she slinked ever closer, keeping her breathing steady and short to avoid the gentle mist of her breath from spooking her target. Closer...ever closer she crept. Every step minding the cold ground underneath. Every step pushed her towards a much-desired fresh meal.
It didn't take long before she was close enough to pounce. She curled up her hind legs in preparation when there was a noise from her left. The spooked deer looked up from its meal as the world stood still around it. A low, barely audible, rustling could be heard moving in their direction. Her ears piqued, and she followed the sound to its source: labored breathing not far from the deer's location.
Based on the gait and breathing pattern, it was a human, followed by multiple humans. A chase most likely. There wasn't much time before the humans were upon them and their meddling would scare away her prey.
She dove at her meal using both her size and speed to her advantage. Fear reflected in its eyes as she menacingly barreled down upon it. Claws extended. Death guaranteed. Instinctively it prepared to run only to have its legs taken from under it as her jaws grabbed its neck sending it into shock and ending its life in one violent blow.
The action caused the approaching human to pause as he, too, had sensed fear, despair, and an undeniable murderous intent in front of him.
She stood still, melding spookily against the eerie forest backdrop; the remains of her trophy in hand, her previous dull fur now the same hue as the forest itself.
The human slowly trotted into her space. Completely unaware of how much danger they were in. Their sword at the ready, their gaze flittering across the landscape trying to discern what it was that was making them uneasy.
"Who's here?" a male voice nervously called out.
She stared down at him curiously. She wasn't fond of humans as they were more like parasites upon the land, defiling everything they came in contact with. They weren't content with only their share. They indiscriminately took from others, including their own. Even so, she held no real animosity towards their kind. She preferred to avoid them if possible, not because their weapons could harm her, but because their tenacity could sometimes make slumbering difficult.
However, there was something pleasant about this human. His skin was darker than she had ever seen around this area. She had heard of dark-skinned humans who lived further South in a region she had never explored before, but had never seen one up close. His smell was particularly calming and earthy in a sweet flowery essence kind of way. Nothing like the mud and dirty smell most humans carried with them.
Seemingly spotting her in the darkness, he stared at her not with fear, but with adoration before stepping back and into the clutches of the band who had been following him. He turned quickly to avoid a crossbow bolt that had grazed one side of his cloak.
The area was dark, dimly lit, and not the best place for a fight. She silently wished him luck, then turned to leave once he turned away from her. Whatever fight he was about to get into didn't concern her and with her food getting cold, there was little reason to stay.
She hadn't reached more than a few paces before she stopped. There was a feeling in the pit of her stomach that nagged her and it wasn't that familiar hunger that she had been fighting the last few days. No, this was something more...unknown. Strong. It made her shudder.
Slowly, she turned back towards the man she had left only a minute before. Making sure to place her meal snuggly on a sturdy branch to keep it out of reach of other predators who were surely lurking in the dark.
When she reached the area the dark man was standing with his sword pointed in the direction of another man who was twirling a knife in his hand. Standing around him were five other men who were all armed and visibly angry. Three of them carried torches that they held close to the man with the knife.
In the dim light, she could finally see the face of the dark man and was surprised at how handsome he was, especially for a human. The exoticness of his face was foreign to her. His chiseled jaw, sharp brown eyes, and full lips were easy to look at.
The man in front of him asked angrily, "Where is it?"
The handsome man held his ground as he replied, "I told you, I don't have it."
There was laughter from those around him. "Yeah, yeah. We know you took it, now hand it over."
A brief moment of uneasy silence spread through the area. Each member threw a concerned look at the man in the center who appeared to be the leader of their group. Eventually, the dark man spoke, "You stole that brooch from a little farmhouse not far from Barwave. Killed the woman who it belonged to, raped her daughters before you killed them too. Leaving the husband to die in the snow. His only request was to get it back. I asked for it nicely, just like you're doing right now, but you refused. Now you don't have it...and I don't have it."
The leader spit towards the handsome man. "You expect me to believe that shit? What you took was mine...ours. We want it back or we'll just take it out of your arse instead."
The dark man sighed, and stood up straight, sword pointed at the man he was verbally engaged with. "If you kill me, then you'll never find it."
"Ohhh, so you know where it is?"
"Of course, I know where it is. I never said I didn't."
"A smart arse, eh? I suppose you want us to keep you alive so you can tell us where it is?"
"Something like that."
"And if we kill you we'll never find it?"
"That's right."
The leader turned to the rest of his men and laughed with them quickly joining in. "Oh, no! Whatever are we to do?"
As if on cue, another man ran up to him. He was practically out of breath and covered in dirt. He held his knees as he reached up to hand the leader a metallic item wrapped in a worn piece of cloth. "I found it, Joam. Tracks led right to it."
"Thanks, Pug." The leader unwrapped it and held it up for the handsome man to see. "Now, now, now. Would you look at that? Seems we don't need you after all."
She had half expected the dark man to be shaking in his boots. However, his demeanor never changed as he steeled himself for what was to come. Coolly, he shook his head and then adjusted his grip on his sword. "Joam, did it ever occur to you that you're a wanted man? That the local magister would place a bounty on your head for 10 gold. 'Dead or alive,' he said. In this case, I don't really need the money, I'm content with doing this for free."
Joam scowled at the dark man as he waved him off. "If I thought you could touch me, you'd be dead already, shithead." He sheathed his knife, then patted one of the men closest to him on the shoulder. "I got what was mine, now you'll get yours for making me run through this cold arse creepy forest. Arl, take care of this bastard and you don't have to make it quick, either."
He started to walk away when something flew through the air catching Joam in the back. Everything around him stopped; the snow, Arl, Joam, Pug, everything in the air, and everything around them. Those who weren't caught in the spell attacked the handsome man.
There was a blur of swords, maces, weapons, bodies, and blood as he worked his way through his attackers. Watching him work was awe-inspiringly beautiful. The gracefulness of his moves, the calculated strikes to various parts of their bodies, and the skill at which he dispatched his enemies was the mark of a true master. She was caught up in the spectacle of it. One man against many. Against the odds, like the tales from the traveling bards she'd sometimes listen to in taverns. She never believed such a thing existed, because humans were fragile creatures who usually died when tapped firmly and could rarely fight more than two enemies at a time. Yet, she was witnessing that very act with her own eyes.
The thrill of the fight took hold of her and when she spied one of the men attempting to strike him from behind, she sliced his belly open with one swipe of her clawed hand. Once she had revealed herself, the atmosphere on the battlefield transitioned into one of raw fear. Her towering frame and blood-red glow radiated her bloodlust. Death awaited everyone in her path.
What happened next was nothing but carnage to a scary degree. Blood. Bones. Rent flesh. None were spared. None were shown mercy. It had been years since she had lost herself to the bloodlust. Along with it a reminder of why she both loved and hated the cold descent into chaos. The smell of blood on her fur, on her nails, coating the ground in its almost sticky coat of crimson gore, and the feeling of freedom it gave her. A release of her primal fury she spent many years trying to suppress. It was intoxicating. However, it came with a cost. The longer she continued, the more of her senses she'd lose. Those around her, whether they were innocent, guilty, child, adult, animal, or old person were in danger. The thoughts dominated her dreams for days which made sleeping uncomfortable. She loved the feeling, but hated the aftereffects.
Amidst the carnage, she heard someone yell, "No!" It sounded like her impromptu partner and when she turned her head, she saw him dive in front of an incoming projectile that struck him violently in the chest. His momentum sent him sprawling into the snow, face up, with what looked like an arrow sticking out of him. Her eyes widened at the sight and the realization he had tried to save her.
She roared in blind fury. Only one word ran through her mind...death.
The shooter immediately realized their mistake, but wouldn't have long to regret their decision. She let him run briefly allowing his fear to overcome him. Perhaps even cause him to relieve himself as he scrambled to what he thought was safety. In seconds she was upon him tearing into his flesh almost severing his head from his body. She casually tossed his mangled corpse into the snow, then sprinted back to where the dark man had fallen.
When she arrived, he was covered in snow and starting to shiver uncontrollably. She breathed a sigh of relief with the realization he wasn't dead. At least he wasn't yet.
The fading light of the torches provided her with an up-close look at him. He was quite handsome for a human. Not overly tall, but his shoulders were broad and masculine, especially for his size. Something about him captivated her and before long she had caught herself running one of her claws affectionately across his cheek.
What was she doing? He needed immediate medical attention. Thankfully she knew someone in the nearest town could save him.
Quickly, she gathered him up along with his fallen weapon, cradling him close to her chest hoping that her fur would keep him warm. The flight to the nearest town would take time with the sting of the frigid air threatening to complicate an already dire situation. It wouldn't do to have him freeze to death before she could get him help.
Just as she was about to depart, she remembered the item covered in cloth. Carefully, she laid her patient against a nearby tree, then expeditiously searched the bodies. It didn't take her long to recover it from the cold hands of a deceased Joam. Her curiosity nagged her to unwrap the treasure revealing a beautifully crafted silver brooch with many small blue sapphires inlaid around the outer edge. They encircled an oval aquamarine stone at the center. The workmanship was remarkable. It was easy to see why Joam didn't want to give it up and why the original owner wanted it back.
The brooch was hastily wrapped in its covering, then stuffed clumsily into her passenger's backpack. She gathered him up again, using her body to keep him shielded from the elements and ran until she entered a clearing allowing her to safely take to the sky. Under the cover of night, she could easily travel from place to place without being spotted. It was her preferred time to travel by air. The way the moonlight caused her fur to glisten was impressive and made her look dazzling against the night sky.
Frantically, she sped through the heavens. Her precious cargo was snuggly held against her body. His breathing had become ragged and her fear for his life swelled. Even though the arrow wouldn't have caused her any harm, he had risked his life to save her...a monster. Few people had ever shown her such kindness over the three thousand years she had been alive. None had actively tried to save her life. She was always the one doing the saving and yet this fool of a human risked his life to save her from something that wouldn't have done her any harm in the first place. Either he was a fool or a kind-hearted fool.
Holding him as close as she was, she could feel some strange magical energy emanating from him. It was bound to him like a mystical net. Intertwined with his natural mana to the point where it was doubtful he could ever be separated from it. The threads of fate surrounding him were much stronger and more pronounced than they were for her race. As a celestial being, her kind was no stranger to fate's unpredictable grasp, but this human was...intriguing.
She reached her destination...a small home outside of a nearby town. The owner was a cleric of Freya who ran an inexpensive apothecary. He seemed like a nice person and that's what she needed. She didn't know much about taking care of a human and could only stop the bleeding from his wound. Anything more had to be done by someone knowledgeable on the subject.
She placed him deliberately in front of the cleric's door. Doing her best not to aggravate his injuries more than she had already done. His breathing was still erratic and he was visibly sweating. The threads of worry tugged at her heart and she did her best to shrug off the feeling. He was a human and their worlds were vastly different. He had no place in hers and she had no place in his.
Coughing from around the corner snapped her back to reality. The adventurer would be in good hands and that was enough for the night. Whatever feelings she was drowning in had no place in their world. The human would live and that fact brought her some level of solace.
As she ascended into the sky, she rapped on the front door with her tail to alert the cleric inside he had a visitor. From a nearby hill, she could see the cleric answer the door and take in his injured visitor. The act of which eased her mind.
It had been an eventful night and all that was left was to retrieve her forgotten meal, fly back to her cave, and rest for the night. It had been years since she had that much fun. She would never see the handsome dark-skinned man again, but she was happy their paths crossed if only briefly. A reminder of how vast the world was and how little of it she knew even across her long life.
"Have a nice life, human," she thought as she sped silently into the cold snowy expanse of her lonely world.
* * * * * * * * * *
The passage of time had been mostly meaningless for her. Hours bled into days that eventually bled into years and centuries. Until recently, most of her time had been spent sleeping, hunting, eavesdropping at various taverns, and generally staying out of sight. She lived in her own little world oblivious to the wider world around her.
Her mother had taught her letters before she went away and it allowed her to read books whenever she could find them. Lazying the days away was normal for her so anything terribly different soured her mood. However, there were days when she'd become curious about the world and take a short trip to a new area for a new experience.
Her life was spent mostly in solitude and she generally preferred it that way. There weren't many of her kind left in the world. Most of them left the mortal world to travel the other planes of existence. Much like dragons. She remembered her mother explaining to her the need to avoid asserting their dominance in the world of men, because doing so unnaturally tipped the balance. They were unnatural beings; born of magic and forever tied to the hands of fate.
Since her encounter with the human, she had become restless. She was curious as to his fate and had spied on the cleric until he left, then followed him back to the body of Joam to collect his head. From there, he traveled to another location to retrieve his horse and rode quickly to the next town. After conducting his business, he met with a tired old man, then left town towards the city of Barwave where he came to rest at a small home not too far out of town.
Once he was safe, she convinced herself he was fine and returned home only to visit the house again the next day to continue her observations. He had tried to save her life and she felt it was only fair to guarantee his well-being. It wouldn't do if he suddenly or spontaneously dropped dead from his injuries.
To her surprise, the days of following him turned into weeks and weeks turned into months. When it came to him, her curiosity could not be properly slaked. She'd stop following him for a couple of days hoping to return to her normal routine, only to feel restless in her cave, curse herself for being dumb, then head to his home again. She had even managed to find a nice little cave not too far from his dwelling where she could sleep and still be close by if she was needed.
In her months of following him around, she was able to learn quite a bit about him. His name was Ekko. He was a bounty hunter by trade, but tended to spend most of his time at home. He was a mage, though what kind of mage she didn't know. Based on her observations, she figured his area of study was object manipulation. Ekko was also an accomplished swordsman. One of the best she'd ever seen. He made sure to practice every day regardless of the weather conditions.
He lived alone and didn't appear to have a wife or children and that fact put her at ease. Deep down she knew what she was doing was considered taboo in the culture of men, but she wasn't human. Those rules didn't apply to her. Knowing he didn't have a family or someone who might stand in her way tickled something deep in her stomach. It encouraged her to continue her pursuit even as her better judgment screamed at her constantly.
Watching him live such a solitary life reminded her of just how lonely her life was. Years would pass without any contact whatsoever. She did have a friend, but they rarely met. She was a witch who lived in a tower not too far from her cave. An elf of some renown who loved to travel, causing her to be away for years at a time before she'd resurface. Not that it bothered her, because she enjoyed her solitary life. Then why did watching Ekko live such a quiet life make her feel so lonely?
One night she was perched on a hill not too far from his dwelling. She had found a nice patch of grass near a small rocky outcropping and was curled up in just a nice way to have a clear view of the surrounding area. Her belly was full, the night was fairly warm, and she was content enough to peacefully rest underneath the stars.
She was resting comfortably until she began to feel the presence of someone approaching from her right. From the gait, she could tell it was humanoid. No matter what, she couldn't be found out in the wild by some random stranger. Rumors of some monster roaming the hills of Westmorland were already circulating and if they persisted they would send search parties or adventurers to track her down. Neither of those scenarios boded well for either side.
Hurriedly, she sprang into action, only to be intercepted by a figure in the dark. She stood before it, on all fours, teeth bared, shoulders hunched, and eyes red with hostile intent. One false move and this person was going to die violently.
Ekko stood before her, not the least bit afraid of her menacing aura and display of power. Internally, she had hoped he would get the message and go away. She was too embarrassed to face him head-on preferring to allow her base animal instincts to take over.
He held up his hands in surrender while slowly stepping away from her. His face was calm, serious, and devoid of any discernible emotion. Whatever he was thinking was lost to her and that made her more uneasy.
They stood there for what seemed like hours staring at each other waiting for someone to make a move. A classic standoff. A battle of wills. A dance of raw indomitable power. Her heartbeat thundered so hard in her chest she could feel it in her throat. Claws dug furiously into the dirt. The world stopped spinning in that brief moment. There was only her, the monster, and him, the swordsman.
It was Ekko who relented first by flopping to the ground with his legs crossed and a cocky smirk on his face. He slowly pointed to a rock, picked it up, then cast a light spell on it. The low-energy light shocked her at first causing her to briefly reel back.
Ekko crossed his arms, then said casually, "If you want to eat me, go ahead. I won't even fight back."
She approached him slowly, menacingly, with a low growl. Intent on driving him away so that he wouldn't come to find her again. Standing in front of him, she bent down and stared into his eyes, her fear aura in full effect. He initially blinked, then reached up and rubbed her chin.
Shocked at his display of affection, she nudged him hard sending him fully to the ground. No one touched her. No one. It was a mistake he'd only be able to make once.
Once he was down, she pounced on him, pinning him to the cold earth with one hand lightly digging into his flesh while the other ran across his cheek. Not hard enough to break skin, but just enough to make a statement.
The sensation of his touch still lingered on her fur. It was...it was...soft, almost pleasant. The first time she had been intentionally touched in millennia. Her mother was the last being to intentionally rub her fur. She had forgotten the sensation. How comfortable it was. How much it soothed her, eased her fears, and made her happy.
She looked down at her captive. Anger was still present in her eyes, her bloodlust rising. Their eyes met. Again, they were locked in a battle of wills. However, what she saw in his eyes wasn't fear, anger, or even discomfort. She saw determination. A steadfast resolve to do...something.
She had no idea what she had planned to do to him at that moment. Kill him? No. Then what?
It wasn't until he showed her a sad smile as he reached up and grabbed the finger pressed to his jaw that she felt her ears burn and her vision became blurry. The invisible strings around her heart tugged ever so slightly and that made her more self-conscious of what she was doing and who she was doing it to.
No. NO!
She didn't want to hurt him.
Quickly, she backed away, cowering next to a nearby boulder. So many emotions fought for domination in her. Anger at herself for losing control. Fear that she may have accidentally killed him. Sorrow at the thought of how he'd now see her. Worry over what their encounter would mean going forward. Happy that she stopped herself from doing something she knew she'd regret later.
Ultimately, the emotion that won out was guilt. It was so strong she couldn't even look at him.
An uneasy amount of time passed while she continued to sulk. Wallowing in her self-imposed misery until eventually he pulled himself up, strolled over, and sat beside her in silence.
She was unsure how much time had passed before he finally broke through the strange veil of uncertainty between them. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you," he paused to sigh to himself. "I'm not even sure you can understand me."
She could most definitely understand him. When she was young, she made a mistake that could have been avoided if she had only understood the language of man. Since that mishap, she made a point to learn new languages even if she couldn't speak them. Knowing languages also made it easier to avoid danger. It was a hard lesson to learn and one she would never forget.
Reluctantly, she nudged him on the shoulder to get his attention, then nodded to him; signaling that she did indeed understand.
He nodded, then said, "I want to thank you for saving my life and leaving the brooch with me. I don't know how I can thank you."
She hadn't realized, but her illumination glow had changed from blood red to a soft green. Her instincts screamed for her to walk away, to leave this encounter as one freakish moment in her life that she could look back on fondly. Getting involved with mortals was considered taboo for her kind, yet she simply laid her head down and piqued her ears to continue listening to his soothing voice.
"My name is Ekko. What's yours?" he asked.
Name?
She had no idea. Her birth name had been lost to the passage of years. She couldn't remember what her original name was and even if she knew it would be practically unpronounceable to him anyway. Admitting she didn't have a name would be preferable than trying to explain it to him.
She shook her head casually.
"You don't have a name? Hmmm...if we're to be friends, I believe it will be necessary for you to have one. Are you okay with being my friend?"
She nodded. A friend? He would make her second friend ever. She was moving up in the world. He seemed like he'd make a great friend, too. There was no problem with this.
"Good. Then what name should I give you?" He placed his hand on his chin losing himself in deep thought.
After a while, his voice turned serious and he looked solemnly at his ankles. "I have these dreams. Sometimes nightmares. I see many worlds outside of my own. Different versions of me. All caught in a strange tapestry of fate. At the center of this web is a woman. Her visage changes from dream to dream, but she's always there. I don't really know what my relationship is with her, but sometimes she had blue hair much like your fur. Now that I fully gaze upon you, I see a strange similarity between you and her. Could you be my world's version of her? I wonder."
There was a weight that settled on top of her upon hearing his story. Was she the reincarnation of a woman from another time, another place, or another universe? She understood the base aspect of dreams as being a connection to an underlying fabric of the universe. An area where magic dwelled. It was forbidden to pluck those tendrils due to their unpredictable nature. One of the last lessons her mother taught her before she moved on to explore the planes.
Could she be the manifestation of another being?
Yes, it was a possibility.
Did it matter?
No, because whoever that being was previously was gone, they weren't her any more than she was them. Their memories now shattered and faded into the ether of the vast universe. Whatever they were before was no more and for that reason, it didn't matter.
Ekko kneeled in front of her and rubbed the underside of her chin. "How about Powder? Wouldn't that be a great name?"
It was hard to contain her internal laughter. Powder? What kind of a name was that? She wasn't some dumb pet. Surely he could think of a better name.
She huffed at her condemnation of the name causing him to chuckle. "When I first came to Westmorland, I had never seen snow before. Where I come from, it's almost always hot and the air is suffocating. I had heard stories of this white substance that froze fingers and toes. It covered the world in frigid powder and dared men to traipse through it. The first night I ever saw it, I was on that hill over there. It was a full moon and the way the moon's light hit the surface was one of the most beautiful scenes I had ever seen in my life. The way the blueish hue of the moonlight caused the powder snow to sparkle was breathtaking.
"When I look at you, I get that same feeling. That's why I chose Powder."
Explained that way, "Powder" didn't sound so bad after all. She would allow it. Enthusiastically, she nodded her approval.
He then surprised her by scratching her behind her left ear. She quickly backed away causing him to step back as well. More touching she wouldn't condone, even if his scratching under her chin felt nice.
Ekko raised his hands, then sat in front of her. "I'm sorry again. Your fur is so soft, it's hard to fight the urge. I promise I won't do it again."
Powder eyed Ekko suspiciously before settling in across from him once more. She didn't mind being around him, but he'd have to curb the touching.
"They say you're a monster. Like a dragon roaming the countryside. Only not a dragon. From what I can tell, a celestial cat. You're good at hiding and being able to change color like that helps. The townspeople think you're a myth. A fairy tale. I thought so too until I saw you with my own eyes. You even saved my life. And then there's the matter of you stalking me for the last few months. Why...I wonder?"
He stopped to eye her curiously and she returned his gaze by doing the same. With a short chuckle, he continued, "We're friends now, so you can stop following me. Feel free to visit me whenever you want. My door is always open. Besides, I wouldn't mind the company."
Thinking about it, she wouldn't, either. The thought of having another friend had a nice feel to it. If he didn't have any objections to her visiting from time to time, then she was fine with the arrangement.
They sat together staring at the stars until he began yawning. "I think it's time for me to sleep. Drop by tomorrow night if you want to. I'll cook dinner for us. You ever had a freshly cooked meal?"
She had tasted cooked meat before and it was delicious, but took too long to prepare. Biting into the wetness of fresh meat was just as good. She wasn't one to turn down food, though. Not having to hunt was preferable to hunting, even if the food wasn't exactly what she wanted.
Powder nodded.
"Great. I'm not sure what you eat, but I'll figure it out," he said as he stood and dusted himself off. "Goodnight, Powder."
She watched him disappear around an imposing rock and once he was gone she released a breath she had been holding since he called her a friend. When she started the day, she had no idea she'd end it with a new friend. Not only would she have a new friend, but a new name as well.
Powder.
Like the moonlight glistening across the powder snow beneath the stars.
The thought of it made her giddy. She always knew her coat was gorgeous against the backdrop of the night sky and the fact that he had noticed made her feel warm inside. A feeling she had never felt before, but welcomed with open arms. Something new and exciting in her rather boring life.
With the knowledge of Ekko going to bed, she decided to do the same. As she flew back to her cave, her heart was aflutter, her head was swimming in a sea of random thoughts, and her stomach was full of butterflies. Underneath the myriad of mixed emotions she was feeling, the best of all was the happiness and joy of Ekko accepting her completely. It was the best way he could have ever repaid her.