Eris Vanserra Fanfiction-A Land Of Lavender And Thistle-Book One

CHAPTER XI

Ruth

Icelyn hadn't come as quickly as I expected she would, leaving me in the local library for a good hour. I had leafed through half the Beginnings of Prythian, and was already eying the shelves for the next book to consume, when the fairy rushed to the table.

She apologised for taking so long, saying the market was full and everything just stretched into a while of standing, greeting, buying and waiting in line. I waved her off, but she urged me to take a tasty-looking bun as a token of her apology. Icelyn asked if I would go with her, though I told her I'd be staying for some time, enjoying the things I found and lying that some memories began to bubble to the surface. 

When she was certain I knew the way back to the cabin a hundred or so yards outside the town, Icelyn left me with the books and the bliss of limitless knowledge. Eventually, what were just a few more chapters and minutes turned into texts upon texts and hours blended together. All until the lights of the library became the only source of light, the sun minutes from vanishing beyond the low hills farther north.

I remembered the way back to the cabin, every log, maple and hole in the trees branded in my mind. However, I wasn't fond of the idea of marching through the woods of a faerie land and encountering something that would chase me until I became its munched dinner. Not to mention it probably wouldn't be the smartest idea to lead such a creature to the cabin.

Although, there was no other alternative for me but to head straight through the forest and hope for the best. As I strolled out of the town, doing my best to ignore the glances I received from the citizens, I picked off a lantern from the fence of one of the houses at the edge of the town. With it swinging from my fingers and a few books tucked under my arm, I abandoned the small city.

The majority of my trek back was quite enjoyable and serene, with the crickets strumming in the bushes, the last of the diurnal birds singing from the branches of the red maple trees. I was pleased with the aura of the forest as the sun casted its ruby rays through the trees.

Then, when I was halfway to the cabin and only the far away crickets could be heard, something unfriendly sounded from somewhere nearby. It wasn't three steps later that my foot dropped into a trace on the dirt road. When I lowered my gaze and pointed the lantern to the thing in the ground, a gasp escaped me.

It was thrice the size of my foot, similar to the pawprint of a bear. Only, I had never heard of a bear with three long fingers. Or that it left behind black swirls, like onyx veins which were netting over the earth at the rims of the footprint. 

My heart began to pick at its pace as I crouched, holding the books tightly to my chest and placing the lantern closer to the footprint. Just when I thought I saw the dark tendrils worming in the ground, something noised from behind me.

My spine had gone rigid as I swallowed. Slowly, I turned to see what it was, fearing to drop the books or the lantern in order to take my weapons. If I left the lantern, I'd be running blindly through the forest; and the books, well … 

What monster would drop books into a filthy ground and leave them to the mercy of some beast? I certainly did not.

Then again, when I had only spied the murky silhouette twice the size of a grizzly, I knew my few short blades would be useless. So, human or not, I did the one thing every mortal desperate to survive would do.

I sprinted.

I had run through the trees like a headless fool, the lantern swaying in my hand before I deemed it smarter to press it against me and avoid the clatter. My breath was short and quick while I dodged low branches and fat roots threatening to trip me.