Hyroc

by Freestone, Adam;

  “I know it’s not much,” she said. “But it’s the least I could do to thank you after what you did for me.” She lowered herself into a crouch so the two of them were at the same eye level. “My name’s Elsa.

  He gave her a thoughtful look then said, “My name’s Hyroc.”

  “It’s nice to meet you, Hyroc,” she said, making sure she pronounced his name properly.

  Then to his dismay, Kit yowled and wandered out from behind the tree toward him. An instant later, Elsa’s eyes widened in alarm. “That’s a mountain lion cub!” she yelled, jumping to her feet. “If the mother –”

  “It’s all right, he doesn’t have a mother. She was killed by –” he paused, wondering if nightmarishly huge spiders were common around the mountain. He had seen only two of them and for the time being decided it probably best to avoid mentioning them. “She was killed.”

  Elsa stared at him without speaking a long moment. “You – you adopted him?” Hyroc nodded. Her eyes lit with admiration. “I knew I was right about you,” she said smiling. Avoiding a sharp-toothed smile in return, he nodded happily. “Would it be all right if I held him?”

  “I don’t see why not, just umm – be careful of his claws they’re sharp.”

  Elsa walked over to Kit and held out her hand. Kit cautiously stepped forward, sniffing the ends of her fingers. As soon as he finished taking in her scent, Elsa scooped him into her arms. Yowling in alarm, he began squirming to get free. He instantly went limp when Elsa started scratching behind his ears. He appeared to enjoy the scratching, but at the same time, he seemed to detest the fact he was being held.

  “Does he have a name?”

  “Kit.”

  “Kit?” she said, then nodded approvingly. “It’s a good name.”

  “Thank – thank you.”

  She hesitated before saying, “Are you a forest spirit?”

  Hyroc gave her a strange look. “I’m not a forest spirit.” Whatever those were supposed to be.

  “You’re not? I heard they were furry creatures that live in the forest and sometimes they help people who are in trouble.”

  Hyroc shook his head. His life would’ve been a lot easier if people saw him as something so benign.

  “If you’re not a forest spirit, then what are you? If you don’t mind my asking”

  Hyroc sighed, staring down at the pine needle littered ground. “I wish I knew.”

  A sad look came into her eyes. “You never knew your parents?” He shook his head. She put a reassuring hand on his shoulder, which gave him a start. She pulled her hand back, giving him an apologetic look. “I’m so sorry to hear that.” An awkwardly long moment of silence passed between them. “Were you adopted?” Hyroc nodded. “Did you run away?”

  “Yes, but not from him – my foster father I mean – he was one of the few people that treated me like I was worth something.”

  A sorrowful comprehending look came into her eyes. For a moment, the look in her eyes reminded him of how June looked when she was displeased with how he was being treated. “Why is it that you are here alone?”

  Hyroc took a deep breath. “He died when I was nine.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Another awkward silence descended between them. Elsa eventually broke it by asking, “Where do you live?” Hyroc gazed at her, wondering if telling her that was a good idea. “Don’t worry, I won’t tell anyone,” she said, lifting her hand in a reassuring manner, realizing the reason for his reluctance.

  After a moment’s deliberation, he eventually said. “In an abandoned cabin near the foot of the mountain.” With his hand, he indicated the general direction from where they were.”

  She gave him an alarmed look. “You must be extremely brave to live in that place.”

  “Why would I need to be brave to live there?” Hyroc said concerned. Her words didn’t sound very reassuring.

  “Because a witch once lived there.”

  He stared at her in horror. People already thought he was some type of monster, and if they found out he lived in a cabin where the previous owner was a witch, they would definitely be hostile toward him.

  “What did this witch do exactly?” Hyroc said, hoping the witch had not done anything too serious; if such a thing were even possible.

  Elsa looked thoughtful a moment. “From what I’ve heard, bodies went missing from the graveyard. Then shortly after that, bodies began getting out of their graves and started walking around and trying to kill people.” Elsa shivered with disgust. “Then the witch was found out and killed.”

  Hyroc slumped and covered his face with his hands. Necromancers were one of the most hated of witches solely because they reanimated the dead. He knew how incredibly painful burying someone was, but then having that loved one reanimated into a mindless monster, was most people’s worst nightmare. Anyone caught practicing necromancy was usually killed on the spot and their bodies burned. Anyone with half a brain would figure out he was definitely not a necromancer, but the mere association coupled with his appearance, would make people far from understanding.

  He put his hands down, turning his attention back to Elsa. “You cannot tell anyone about me or where I live.”

  “I already guessed that, you don’t have to worry about me telling anyone. My lips are sealed.”

  “Thank you,” Hyroc said, taking a deep breath.

  “But if no one can know that you’re here why did you come here in the first place?”

  “I wasn’t thinking that far ahead, I just needed a place far away and this was the best place for that.”

  “You won’t be able to stay hidden out here forever.”

  Hyroc sighed. “I know; I just – I just need time to figure out what to do.”

  “You should also stay away from our cabin. My father thought he saw someone lurking through the forest behind the shed the other day.”

  He gave her an alarmed look. Speaking hastily, he said, “I was only trying to see how they tanned animal hides; I don’t know how.”

  “Were you what got into the shed then?”

  “Yes, but I didn’t take anything, I just looked at what was in the barrels, that’s all, I promise.”

  “That explains the argument between Donovan and my father.”

  He scratched the back of his head nervously. “I umm – forgot to put the board back on the door when I left.”

  “You shouldn’t sneak around our home anymore or anyone’s home for that matter.”

  “I won’t, unless it’s a dire emergency.”

  “Thank you, I would hate for you –” she indicated Kit with her eyes “– or your friend to get hurt.”

  Hyroc paused as a thought entered his mind. “Do you know what that liquid in those barrels your family keeps in the shed is used for or how to make it?”

  “I don’t work with the hides, my father and brothers do that. But I could try and find out for you.”

  “It’s very important that I know how to do that myself.”

  “I understand. Where should I meet you when I find out?”

  He stared up at the sky thoughtfully a moment before answering. “Along the shore there is a lone tree where I have a trap set.” He pointed in the direction of the trap; Elsa followed his finger with her eyes. “I check it almost every day before noon. You can meet me there; just make sure you’re not followed.”

  She nodded. “It may be a few days before I’m able to meet you again. But I don’t know how long I can help you without someone getting suspicious and figuring out what I’m doing.”

  “I know; I’ll figure something out by then.” Elsa nodded; set Kit on the ground and picked up the now empty basket. “It was nice to meet you, Hyroc.”

  “And it was nice to meet you, Elsa.”

  “I hope you enjoy the bread and cheese.” He nodded thankfully. “I’ll see you in a few days then.”

  “I’ll be here.”

  “Good day.”

  “Good day.”

  She nodded, t
hen headed off. He watched her until she disappeared from view. He breathed a sigh of relief and gave Kit a disbelieving look. “I think I might have just made a friend,” he said.

  CHAPTER 26

  A Better Spot

  From the shore of the creek, Hyroc looked down into the calmly flowing water at his feet, spots of shimmering sunlight glowing brightly across its gently flowing surface. His distorted reflection gazed back at him, reminding him of how inescapably different he looked from a normal person. He understood why people feared him. His features didn’t exactly give him the appearance of something non-threatening. He probably reminded most people of a wolf. It made sense they wouldn’t want something that looked like that around them. For all they knew, he looked upon them as a meal. He pushed the thought aside; there wasn’t much point in dwelling on something he couldn’t change.

  Lifting his gaze to the other shore, he did his best to gauge the depth of the water. Save for catching a single deer rabbit at the back of the valley, all his traps had been empty. The trap he had set at the incline had yet to capture anything and with his reprieve from hunting the girl named Elsa had given him with her gift of food, this seemed a perfect opportunity to scout for an alternate trap site. His encounter with her the day before felt like a dream. If not for her gift, he might not still believe it had actually happened. Both the bread and cheese tasted amazing. He never remembered feeling so thankful to eat either one. It was starting to get a little tiresome eating nothing but meat and whatever berries he managed to find. But above everything else, he was actually able to speak to somebody. He hadn’t done that since his parting words with June. It seemed years had passed since then. He felt a pang of sadness at the memory of her face. He forced it from his mind.

  He stood at a shallow part of the creek he had crossed through a few times while hunting during those days he was observing Elsa’s family. He remembered seeing some promising areas on the other side and those seemed the best places to start. Carefully he walked out into the cool water. He grimaced when he reached the deepest part of the crossing as water cascaded into his boots, soaking his feet as it had during every crossing. The soggy sensation reminded him he needed to roll up the bottoms of his leggings and walk barefoot across the creek. With a long sigh, he continued to the opposite shore. Once on dry land, he removed his boots and waterlogged socks, before dumping the water out. I really need to stop doing this, he thought bitterly to himself. He shook the bottom of his damp pant legs to shed some of the soaked in water then put his bare feet in his boots. After ringing his socks out as best he could, he slung them over his shoulder to dry as he continued searching for trap spots.

  Away from the creek, where the brush began to form, he found what appeared to be the faint line of an animal trail leading off into the trees. Following the trail, it steadily became more defined and easier to see the thicker the plant growth it ran through became. After walking a short distance, he found what looked to be the nexus point where numerous tendrils split off from the main path. Most of the surrounding foliage seemed somewhat flimsy and insubstantial, which did not necessarily guarantee any animal bigger than a mouse traveling through here would use the trail. Looking farther ahead, he saw a closely grouped line of pine trees with a gap toward the middle where the trail cut through. The line of trees was no easy obstacle to pass through. Setting a trap there would vastly increase his odds of catching something. On his approach to the gap, he saw a tiny oval shaped clearing dotted with dandelions on the other side.

  He froze when he saw something brown and furry lying in the clearing. Drawing his bow, he silently crept closer. He felt a thrill of excitement when the thing resolved into the shape of a deer. If he got a deer, he would be free of the fear of going hungry for quite a while and would have more time to focus on other important things. As he walked up behind a tree on the right side of the gap to take a shot, he realized the deer was lying on its side. Focusing on the animal, he saw what looked to be an arrow wound in its side. Its chest did not move with breath; it was dead. He wondered if a hunter had wounded it, the deer had gotten away, then succumbed to its injury sometime later. If that were the case, those same hunters may still be looking for it. He listened intently to his surroundings for several minutes, but other than the knocking of a distant woodpecker and the sound of leaves being rustled by a mild breeze, all was quiet. He began to entertain the thought of dragging the carcass away or cutting the back haunches off before the hunters found it. It was risky, but the reward seemed well worth it. Smiling at his good fortune, he lowered his bow and made his way toward the deer.

  As he approached, he noticed a pile of leaves directly in the middle of his path. For some reason they felt out of place to him though he was unsure why it should, leaf litter was obviously common in the forest. He studied the pile and found nothing dangerous poking out from under it. He shook his head. Those hunters might arrive at any moment, I don’t have time for this, they’re just leaves. At the edge of the leaves, he cautiously put his foot on it.

  Other than a dry crackle under his boot, nothing happened. He smiled. Just like I thought, nothing. He had taken two more steps when he felt his foot push against what felt like a taut rope. A snap sounded nearby and the resistance suddenly disappeared. Then the dark shape of a net exploded out of the ground beneath his feet, closing in around him like a flower blooming in reverse, and he was violently yanked into the air. When the world settled only one thought entered his mind, get out! Fighting through a wave of panic threatening to consume him, he frantically unsheathed his knife and started cutting the net. He had nearly sliced all the way through the side when a sudden sense of weightlessness came over his body as he plummeted to the ground. The impact knocked the breath from his lungs and pulsing black spots appeared in his vision. A flare of terror struck when he was unable to take a breath, but after what felt like an eternity, he finally gasped.

  Just as he started getting to his feet, a disabling weight appeared at the center of his back shoving him back to the ground. Before he could try throwing the weight off, two hands grabbed both his arms, pulling them behind him at a painful angle. He struggled desperately to free himself but it only caused the weight to press down on him even harder. His hands were pulled together and he felt the roughness of a rope close around them. Once the rope was secured, his sword was removed from his belt. He was then rolled onto his back and roughly sat up on his knees with his hands resting in an uncomfortable position behind his back. He looked up at the man who had subdued him as he tossed his things aside and stepped back. The man wore a green tinged leather-hunting jerkin with its hood shadowing the main features of his face, and the feathered ends of arrows stuck up from behind his shoulder from a quiver on his back. A large hunting knife scabbard hung on a simple brown leather belt at his waist, holding up a pair of slightly darker patched leggings, and on his feet, he wore a pair of supple boots. The man studied him with hidden eyes, then turned his head away and made a waving motion at something. With that slight turn, the sunlight illuminated his face enough for Hyroc to recognize him as Elsa’s father. Hyroc strained a glance in the direction Elsa’s father waved and saw the oldest son emerge from the tree line with a bow held at the ready. The brother was dressed much the same as his father, but his clothes seemed fresher and less worn.

  “So, you’re the little sneak who’s been prowling around our home,” Elsa’s father said coolly. “Thought we would make an easy mark eh? Well, we weren’t so easy after all were we now. We don’t take too kindly to thievery around here. I found your tracks all over and then my son over there found where you dumped that wolf you pouched.” Elsa’s father paused, smiling mockingly. “It wasn’t nearly as light as you thought it was hmm.”

  “I’m not a thief,” Hyroc retorted. “I never stole anything and I didn’t poach that wolf.”

  “You didn’t steal anything yet, but to me, catching someone before they can steal anything still makes them a thief. And if you didn’t pouch that w
olf, then why did you kill it?”

  “It was going to attack your daughter, so I killed it.”

  “Now I know you’re a liar and a thief.”

  “I’m not lying!”

  Elsa’s father shook his head dismissively. “If my daughter had been attacked by that wolf, she would have told us. And I trust her a whole lot more than you.”

  “She didn’t tell you, because – because she didn’t want you to find me.”

  “I think I’ve heard enough of your nonsense. Donovan, why don’t you take his mask off so we can have a good look at his face?”

  Narrowing his eyes, Hyroc gave Elsa’s father a strange confused look. “I’m not wearing a mask,” he said. That was the first time anyone had accused him of that.

  “Think we’re being smart, are we?” Elsa’s father said, shaking his head in annoyance. “I don’t have the patience for any more games.”

  Donovan reached over and gave one of Hyroc’s ears a hard yank. Hyroc grimaced as his ear popped and the rest of his head turned. Donovan frowned, stepped behind him, pulled back the collar of his jerkin, and began running a finger across the base of his neck, searching for something.

  “Umm, I can’t find the end of it,” Donovan said in a puzzled tone.

  “It should be right there at the base of his neck.”

  “I know that’s where it should be,” Donovan said in an irritated tone. “But I’m telling you, it’s not there.”

  “Let me see,” Elsa’s father said, walking over.

  Hyroc considered running at that moment, but with his hands bound, he doubted he would get far and without his bow, escape seemed somewhat pointless. He looked up to see Shimmer circling the clearing. Besides, all he needed to do was wait for Ursa to show up and everything would be okay. He envisioned her crashing through the forest as she rushed to his aid. She hadn’t done that yesterday but he presumed that was because he wasn’t actually in any danger. Now he was.

  Elsa’s father ran his finger across the base of Hyroc’s neck as Donovan had done. “What kind of a mask is this? Is it glued on? It almost looks as if –” There was a long pause. A shiver ran up Hyroc’s back; he knew what they were realizing.