A Terror of Woodland Roads

  • They lurk out there; in the plains and the forests. Always watching, waiting. Looking for small alone child or stray livestock. We hear their howls at night, see their reflective eyes and hulking shadows. No one ever sees them. Only the corpses.

    Well, we’ve had enough of it. The women and children are scared, even the Jarl terrified to come out here and do anything for us. Our mightiest warriors have gathered, and now we march into the woods.

    It was nighttime when we did this last. We figured they'd be easier to find. Well, they were. Not a mile from the village and we had already found three, lost four, and nearly gotten lost. They were all around us, sniffing us, circling us, looking for weakness.

    It's an epidemic really. It started with one, wandered into town. Well, he tricked the girl he loved into drinking his blood. Then there were two. The girl got sick, went to a healer. The healer wanted to check her balance of the biles in her blood- only way to do that was by taste.

    It continued like that, unfortunate circumstances, until half the village and nearly all of the neighboring villages had turned.

    Anyway, they were all around us. Not a single man still felt brave or like a hero. Well, they pounced. As the other men were mauled, I barely crawled out with my life; I didn't crawl out with my knee.

    All I can say youngsters; don't go out at night. They lurk there; in the plains and forests. Always watching, waiting.

    But that won't stop you. I can see it in your eyes. You want to know. What is out there? you ask. Well don't ask. You'll find out tonight, for tonight is the Bloodmoon. All of us will have to watch the walls, keep them out. You'll see them. All of you will see them.

    The Bloodmoon rose over Riverwood, long since fortified with wooden spikes and braziers. All of them out there; they howled- incessantly. As the Alpha of their pack led them to the village, he stepped into the torchlight.

    It was one of Hircine’s Children, a Wildman of the Hunt, a Terror of Woodland Roads.

    A werewolf.

    No manner of protection could save Riverwood that night from the power of Hircine’s Gift.

    So you see my children; don't go out at night. They lurk there; in the plains and forests. Always watching, waiting.

    Don't go out at night.

Comments

7 Comments
  • Accursed
    Accursed   ·  June 21, 2016
    Hell, I guess I did better on this than I thought. I wrote this in like 10 minutes.
    And Sotek? You can't tell me that you don't sometimes just want to tear out and eat Heimskr's heart on a bad day.
  • The Wing
    The Wing   ·  June 21, 2016
    Glad to see you don't lose control. 
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  June 20, 2016
    My life choices?
    There would be more bandits on the plains with out a certain pair of werwolves I can tell you.
    We have bled on those stones that form Whiterun's protection; to keep them standing so that the people of Whiterun are safe, we don...  more
  • The Wing
    The Wing   ·  June 20, 2016
    Oh man, that's dark. I felt a pang every time the narrator said 'well' or addressed the children directly. It really struck me with the profound humanness of every man ripped to shreds by a werewolf, or murdered by an outlaw, or stabbed in the dark by an ...  more
  • The Long-Chapper
    The Long-Chapper   ·  June 20, 2016
    This is great, Accursed! A warning. Like something you'd tell a child who's just too curious. 
  • Sotek
    Sotek   ·  June 20, 2016
    Awwooo Way to go Accursed Gloom. Nicely done and much appreciated. Nice to have a bit of darkness in your particular style.
    I would just like to add this has nothing to do with me or my pack we're the good guys... werewolves..
  • Tenebrous
    Tenebrous   ·  June 20, 2016
    Spooky! I like it.