Hunters

9 - A Bond Between Human and Animal

Alesana had seen bats before, but never during daylight and never this big. Their bodies were moonlight colored, their fangs shiny like the blade of a dagger. Sticking the arrow back in the quiver across her shoulder, she held her sword in front of her. She didn't know if the animals would attack her, but they didn't look all too peaceful, and they came straight towards her.

As soon as the first bat was within reach, she struck with her sword. She stepped back until she felt a tree against her back, which protected her from behind. The raven circled her, picking at the bats with its long beak. Alesana was afraid that one of the bats would bite it, but she had no time to keep an eye on it; she had her hands full with the animals coming for her.

Three small bodies fell on the ground, blood staining their pale skin. They were no match for her sword, but there were so many of them she couldn't beat them all off. Teeth ripped open the flesh of her arms and legs, and she beat them off her, screaming. Bloody marks that stung viciously covered her skin.

It felt like there came no end to the swarm of bats, but at some point, she was only hitting air. At least thirteen animal bodies were scattered across the ground, blood bubbling from wounds she had inflicted with her sword. Some had dark scratches around their eyes; that must have been the raven's work.

Alesana scoured her surroundings until she found her feathered companion. It sat in the grass; there was a cut in its wing. Crouching beside the animal, she hoped the damage was not too severe; she didn't want to think about losing it and having to go on all alone.

"Are you all right?" With care, she lifted the bird. It squeaked softly; it was obviously in pain. She bit her lip, not knowing how she could help.

Alesana went looking for a sheltered place where they could spend the night. She didn't go far, for her injuries were stinging with every move she made. She had taken bandages when she left home, for getting injured in the Moren had seemed self-evident. Yet, the wounds weren't deep, and most had stopped bleeding, so she saved her concerns for the raven. Luckily it could still fly, but only small distances, and the bird had a limp when trying to walk. It was a brave animal. It filled her heart with warmth, but at the same time, she was confused by the fact that it risked its life for a human, a stranger in this land. It could have got itself killed. It seemed to be too good to be true, a bedtime story for little children. But today, Alesana experienced what a bond between an animal and a human could lead to, and she still couldn't fully comprehend.

She took a blanket from her bag and wrapped it around her, where after she tried to sleep under a tree with branches reaching to the ground. She expected it to be hard to fall asleep after being attacked by strange bats, but the fight had completely exhausted her, and it didn't take long before her eyes closed and her breathing became steady.