A Fools Wish

Chapter 1 - Beasts In All Ways

The trees look like bones.

No, Ezra Flarid thought, the bark is too dark, but the way the branches splayed out like human limbs she disagreed. The higher branches looked to be pleading with the sky, arms stretched out in agony. It wouldn’t get the trees anywhere. Praying for something that wasn’t there.

The only life left on the trees were their simple green leaves, but even those looked shriveled and sick. That was one thing the rest of the world didn’t have - life.

Everywhere she went it was a walking graveyard.

Her feet crunched against the dead leaves beneath her. Focus. That was Ezra’s main goal as of now. She needed to be back before dark.

Before the beasts came out to play.

She began to look towards the forest floor, searching for the hoof prints she found earlier. It was a surprise finding the prints not far from the Wall. It was good luck to even find a rabbit… but a deer? That was a fortune.

She followed the path of prints until the small trail spread out into a meadow. A beautiful meadow. Flowers of all colors and species huddled together on the ground. As alluring as it was, it was quite… strange.

A realization hit her. She had never seen this meadow before.

Almost everyday she would search this forest, almost going as far as the end of the valley, but… now there was a meadow. She didn’t know to take this as an omen of good or bad. She also didn’t really care.

She scoured the flower ridden field searching for what could potentially be her dinner. There in the distance was a buck. He nibbled on the grass below completely oblivious to her existence. She was surprised to find it was quite healthy. Both its antlers were the size of half its body. It looked to be well fed.

She grabbed her bow from her back, quietly as she could, and knocked an arrow. Then she took aim.

Inhale.

Exhale. She let her finger slip from the cord, the arrow piercing through the air. The sharp arrowhead embedded itself in the space between the buck's eyes. Her aim struck true.

Putting the bow onto her back once again, she started her trekk to the buck. Looking up close she now saw its darkened flesh. The skin on its armpits and neck seemed to be… deteriorating. She could smell the rotting flesh. She would have to cut around the decayed areas.

A never ending feeling of dread washed over her as picked up the dead deer.

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The weight of the deer was weirdly comforting as Ezra walked through the deserted forest, but that seed of dread stayed. The sun was setting a beautiful red. A fire burning across the sky. She couldn’t help but get lost at the sight.

The wind nipped viciously at her skin, waking her from her daze. It was getting dark. Her legs pumped at a quicker pace. She was doomed if she didn’t reach the Wall before nightfall.

She felt eyes on her as she walked through the trees. She pretended not to feel the icy feeling along her spine. A shiver raked her body.

There before her was a footprint. It was almost the size of her face, maybe bigger. Smoke rose from the print. The footprint was burned into the soil.

Scorchers.

Scorchers were vicious beasts. They were bigger than the regular grizzly bear. Claws as long as her forearm and teeth the size of her hand. Armor of scales protected its body, which also happened to constantly emit flames.