Several uneventful days had passed with the strange woman coming and going, bringing back all manner of items. From herbs, to firewood, to whole corpses of animals she had deftly hunted. While it would take even a group of our most burly men to completely devour a deer carcass, this woman had an appetite more voracious than a bear awoken from hibernation. She still butchered them in the nude of course so as not to stain and soil her clothes, but she had elected to do it outside now as a courtesy to me. She fed me parts, of course, but she ate most of it in just a matter of a couple days.
On this day I was strong enough to sit up with little pain, and conscious enough to ask her some real questions.
"So um...what is your name?" I asked as she devoured a roasted deer leg eagerly.
With a mouth full of food still chewing, she turned and replied
"Name...? Name....hmmm...I don't think I have one of those as your kind describes them. Most folk who pray and leave offerings call me 'She Of Ruin'. It's really silly, isn't it? I'm not quite that different from you all, you know. I mean, aside from being born of an ancient god who's name no one remembers, having dominion over natural disasters and weather, and maybe being taller and a little stronger, I'm really just a funny looking version of you!" She beamed at me with a big smile, showing slightly elongated canines, but her nose scrunched up just a little as she smiled, and I couldn't help but find that utterly adorable.
She continued
"Maybe I am quite different, you know. But I don't really like showing that off. That's why I'm isolated like this. I occasionally help people like yourself in these woods and honestly I think that's why they leave me little gifts and trinkets."
She took another hunk out of her deer leg with a slight growl and began to chew.
"I don't...mmf...like keeping them though...nom...I sneak them back to the villagers while they sleep. (Swallows)"
"Well you seem...quite modest." I said sheepishly, unsure what to say in this situation.
"Oh dear...I must've spoken too much...it's not often I have guests this long. I think the last one was maybe...40? 50? 60 years ago? One loses track when time is no object... They weren't so lucky though, they only survived a couple days."
I grew a little faint at that realization, but then remembered her deterrent for the wraiths.
"What was that light you used? The one that scared them off?" I asked inquisitively.
"Clever, eh? It's a concoction mixed together if sacred cave mushrooms and roots from a young slivertree! For some reason mixing them makes a bright light that assaults the senses of those creatures. I don't know why it works, I just know it works even if only temporarily. Certainly saved your arse didn't it?"
She finished the sentence with a hearty belly laugh that crinkled her nose once again, and I chucked too, the light effort hurting ever so slightly.
"you probably shouldn't exert yourself too much just yet, you were quite injured, and needless to say, bloody damn well lucky to be alive. AH! that reminds me! I made you something. Imperfect, to be frank, but I feel like itll help you a bit on your path to recovery."
Like an excited child, she quickly stood and bounded toward the entrance of her humble cave dwelling. shoving open the heavy wooden door, She stepped outside for only a moment, then re-entered with whatever she had fashioned behind her back.
"ta-daaah!"
she beamed gleefully, producing a somewhat crude but quite sturdy looking wooden crutch with flourish, clearly quite proud of her work.
"I had a feeling you might pull through, so I made you this for when you could finally stand up a little. it took me hours of chopping, carving, and sanding but this should help."
"All this effort for me, eh?" I said, using all my strength to try and get to my feet. my legs, however, would not cooperate, And despite my best effort, I grew quite dizzy and toppled over. Quick as a flask, the woman caught my fall with a strong, yet gentle hand.
YOU ARE READING
A Different Fantasy: The Sorin Chronicles
FantasyA Fantasy novel (maybe series) with adult themes and subject matter, although it does not rely entirely on it. this draft is likely to be very rough, but I hope you enjoy the story.
