Beasts of The North

Prologue

It was a special occasion, winter had ended. It was time for harvest season, our happiest time of year. Babies were born after parents were cooped up half the year, food was plentiful, and the sun's rays stretched across the sky as if to personally greet each person during the day with it's never-ending warmth. I looked around our little community and smiled. We had come so far from our ancestors, while some would say we had gone backwards I would disagree. Our people are happier now than they were in the age of metal and machinery. We were closer in our a small, personal groups than we ever were in our cities of thousands.

The sound of stifled laughter caught my attention and pulled me from my thoughts and I followed the noise to the edge of the festivities. I slowly, quietly passed the banners and lanterns surrounding the village center as I wandered to a wiggling bush on the sidelines. I cleared my throat loudly, which seemed to cause the bush to shake and snicker even more.

"Oh my," I exclaimed, "I wonder where those little boys are. If I can't find them them soon they might miss out on desserts."

At my news of missing out on sweets, a hushed conversation occurred within the green brush and two little boys crawled out sheepishly. The smaller of the two on the brink of tears as his hope for sweet treats dangled on a thin thread.

"Are there still cakes for us, Ellie?"

The older one spoke up as he held the other one's hand. Their eyes brimming with tears and I couldn't help but laugh. Their problems were so simple and sweet. I crouched down to their level and gently touched the tips of their noses with my finger.

"Of course there are, little ones, but we must hurry back."

Their eyes brighten and smiles spread over their faces. I swung the littlest one up on my hip and took the open hand of the other and we walked towards the group. Once we got closer, I set one down and released the hand of the other as they ran off towards their parents to be hugged and kissed with love. I took a deep breath and my lips fell into a large grin. The setting was perfect. The trees just touching the edge of our little settlement. The homes carefully built within a short distance of each other, there was no privacy here but it was replaced with a sense of belonging. We didn't need to be separate from each other because we were all family.

The center of it all was where all of our festivities were held. A large and long wooden table filled to the brim with food and drink for all. My father sat at the head of the table chatting with those around him. If we ever needed someone to call our leader then he would be that person. His wise gray eyes smiled loving at everyone and they were his most unique feature. The rest of him was that of an ordinary father figure, his stomach with just a little too much weight and his hair just changing to match his eyes. He caught sight of me and smiled lovingly before waving me over. I smile back at him and made my way towards my seat at the table. He was never overly affectionate towards me, but still made his love for me known. I think I reminded him too much of my mother. I never knew her as she left right after I was born. Dad says I hadn't even fed once before she was out the door. I asked him once about her, and that was all he had say. Others would tell me that I looked exactly like her. I had dark brown wavy locks that fell softly down my slender frame, a small and rather unassuming nose, and a round face. My dark brown eyes are my favorite feature, though. They were bright and full of life.

I sat down next to my father and he took my hand and gave it a quick squeeze. He knew that I was always nervous at the gatherings due to the large number of people, but never failed to make sure I felt safe and loved. He cleared his throat to speak you could hear the quiet murmurs and soft persuasions as the last of the little ones finally settled in their chairs. Dad stood and smiled at me before dropping my hand and opened his mouth to speak, but never said a word. A tremendous howl silenced his words and everyone's heads turned towards the woods as a chorus of growls and snarls began to sing through the air around us, trapping us in our seats in fear. I stood up to move closer to my father and all hell broke loose.

Fierce and terrifying beasts sprung from the edges of the forest, right where the little ones were playing before. They stand tall and proud as the growl menacingly at us. Everyone jumps up from the table all at once, and as quickly as they try to run they are slaughtered even quicker. I suppress the urge to vomit as I watch children torn to pieces as they are ripped from the arms of their mothers. A father tries his best to defend his family with a chair, but is no match for this master of tooth and claw as he is ripped apart in front of me. His family was quickly descended upon once their protector lost his battle. It seems as hours had passed when it has barely been seconds. Those on the outskirts were already dead or dying and the wolves were quickly coming closer.

It was then that the horrifying truths made their appearance. I watched as men emerged from the forest. I had never met anyone outside of our village and prayed by some miracle that they were here to save us, but they did not come armed with any weapons. They came forth almost naked and I watched as their bodies began to twist and snap until suddenly they resembled the very beasts that were tearing us apart. I was frozen in shock and fear standing right next to where my father was. My father!

"Dad!"

I'm screaming for him, hoping against hope that he was spared somehow. I run past the slain bodies of those I would call family. Their blood soaking into the grass and covering my feet. I barely take notice of the newly changed wolves as they begin fighting the first ones, because in that same moment my eyes came across my father and my breath left my lungs in a hopeless cry. I ran and fell to my knees onto the dirt and the rocks, and sobbed. His stomach was torn open and his intestines were spilling out onto the ground. There was no coming back from an injury like this. I knew that these were his final moments, but I couldn't accept it. He reached his shaking hand out to touch my cheek and wiped away the tears that were falling down them.

"Don't cry for me, Giselle."

His pleas were barely a whisper among those that were still screaming for mercy. He took a deep gasping breath as and grabbed my hand.

"I want you to stay strong for me. I need you to make it through this."

"Don't talk like that, Dad. I can get you out of here and we can find-"

He cuts me off and winces at the pain it causes him.

"No, Ellie. I'm not going to make it out of this. I need you to promise me, you'll stay strong. No matter what happens. I need you to be stronger than you've ever been. I need you to survive. Promise me, Giselle Lynn Tieres. That you will be happy and you will be strong."

I hold back my tears, as my father openly weeps into my arms, begging me to live for him as he is dying.

"I promise, Daddy. I love you."

He's smiling as his eyes close. He squeezes my hand one last time when I'm suddenly ripped away from him by a brutish, naked man. I'm carried away from my dying father and see him smiling as his eyes start to close.

"No! Let me go!"

I scream as I'm dragged away.

"Please, my father, please I need to be with him!"

My pleas are ignored and I'm taken towards a group of angry, bloody, and very naked men and thrown in the middle. They growl lowly at each other, in their beast language and I look around at the carnage that was once my home, my family, and my friends. My eyes fill with tears that are begging to fall but I hold them back. It's not what he wanted. My father wanted me to be strong. The growling slowly began to taper off and I looked up at my captors. The brutish man from before yanks me off back up off the ground that he threw me on.

"Why do you smell of wolf, human?"

He snarled at me, still holding my arm. I find myself whimpering at him and quickly stop, suddenly confused. I ignore his question and try to my best to yank my arm out of his grasp. I was quickly rewarded with a slap across my face and I was falling backwards into darkness.

~~~~~~~~~

Just to alleviate any confusion, this chapter is a revised version. 

The above photo is Giselle.