untitled fantasy novel Chapter 1

A narrow, winding, dirt country road at dusk is bad enough, thought the traveler, without the storm coming to add to it all. The lantern light casting eerie shadows over the creeping underbrush along the road. The horses hooves clomping on the stones in the road echoed loudly against the silent night. The carriage creaking with each bump in this lonesome road. The muscles tensing on the horses legs tell of a long journey, with many miles to go before rest. High in the sky is the moon yet the light from it cannot be seen, save for the very few sparse spaces between the tree branches. Lit for a few inches and the light seems to disappear as if swallowed by the forest. The forest itself is dense and black. As if no light has ever touched its floor. A cold breeze carries over the traveler and his and his horses breath billow out in thick clouds. The horses from being tired and overworked and the travelers from an unknown fear. Sitting high on his carriage he is continuously drawn to the underbrush. Was something just there? There could not have been. He stops his horses and raises his lantern toward the forest for a better look. Almost as if the forest itself did not want him to see, it grew denser. At least it seemed like it did. The light did nothing but enhance the darkness. "Lets just move on to the next town and rest." he said as much to his horses as he did to himself. A soft crackling sound echoed in the quiet night air. Spinning around with his lantern held high he searched the forest again. Nothing still. The crackling noise came louder this time. Grabbing the reigns he whipped his horses into a gallop. Tree branches were whizzing past, tearing into his face and arms like razors. Over the racket of the horses and creaking carriage came the crackling again. A stray branch smashes the travelers lantern and light is gone. The sparse moonlight is far away now it seems. The tiring horses begin to slow from exhaustion. The traveler frantically whips but nothing, they have nothing left. A long low growl comes from the underbrush. Keeping one eye on the darkness around him he pats the seat next to him, desperately trying to find his axe. His hand finds the handle.
A clap of thunder boomed overhead and the sky was set on fire with bright, jagged streaks of lightning. The rain came hard and fast, pounding on the ground and carriage. The Traveler distraught, frantically searches the forest with each flash of lightning. The growling seemingly coming from all around him now. His axe clutched tightly to his chest he searches still. Trembling hard now and soaked to the bone, the traveler calls out, "Who’s out there?" No answer comes to him but the sounds of the rain, thunder and wind that is now whipping its way through the forest around him. Again he calls out, more panic in his voice now, "Who is there? Someone? Anyone, please!" This time he is greeted by the growl again. Growing louder and closer with each pounding heartbeat, he grips the axe tighter still. Nearly blinded by the rain he sits, listening.
As the traveler listens, so does something else. It is listening to the rain thudding on the leaves in the trees like thunder to its sensitive ears. The thunder itself, almost deafening to it, explodes out beyond the treetops. Yet, the traveler is all it can see. Its sense of smell, stronger still than its hearing, is keeping it trained on the traveler. The scent hangs in the air like the perfume of a rose, delicate and sweet. Its mouth waters knowing the time is soon. The chase was invigorating. It got it ready for what lies ahead. He is saying something now. It did not understand nor did it care, screaming was futile and at best a means to delay the inevitable. Again he called out. Sit and wait it through it thought. Bide your time, soon enough you will have your fill. That sweet aroma growing stronger with every beat of the mans heart. Quicker and louder it grew in its ears. With his every panicked movement the mans heart thrummed in his chest and it could hear it perfectly. All it could feel was the hunger and worse yet that smell was all that filled its lungs. It could taste it now, sweet and warm passing over its lips. Savoring the deep shudders of pleasure in expectation. With each passing moment , it knew, the flavor would become more intense. There was a faint glint in the travelers hand and it knew the time was now. All that lay ahead was bliss.
Like lightning, it was gone. Quick and graceful over the fallen trees and tangles of underbrush. Strong and agile it scaled a tree and danced across the branches dropping weightlessly onto the carriage roof. With its lips curled in a wicked smile bearing inch long, razor sharp teeth, a slow growl escaped. From this hideous grin poured saliva, its mouth watering at the anticipation of his soon to be feast. The growl came louder now, impatient. The hunger was taking over. The Traveler turned with a jump. A deafening, ear piercing scream tore through the rain. It inhaled deep and gave a pleased shudder, like it had just had a chill. It smiled. The sight terrified the Traveler and he used that horror and swung his axe high overhead and down again. The blade split and splintered the roof of the carriage but nothing else. Like smoke it was gone. Confused and horrified the Traveler spun frantically around looking for the beast.
This was what it enjoyed the most of the hunt. Playing with its victims was cruel and immense fun and heightened the pleasure afterward. Sneaking silently along the side of the carriage it came to the front where the Traveler was nervously glancing around but not seeing anything at all. Reaching out with one clawed hand it grasped the mans leg and leapt. From carriage top to large tree branch it moved, like lightning. Holding the large man in one hand it raised its arm high over his head. Face to terrified face with its victim, the man saw his attacker for the first time. Its large body sleek and wet with the rain. Deep red eyes looked wild in the little moonlight that seeped through the umbrella of forest cover. Its nose and mouth were protruding slightly, definitely not entirely human. Hair! Hair covered its body. Not skin but a full body of pitch black hair. The hand that held him firmly was clawed, larger than his own and not trembling under his girth, being suspended upside down over the ground notwithstanding. A sudden realization flashed across the mans beat red face. Eyes wide and mouth agape attempting to sputter out the words It moved. Slowly pulling its other hand to the mans face it touched him with a soft tenderness. A clawed finger tracing the mans stubbled jaw line. The time was now. Its face moving slowly closer until the traveler could see Its nostrils flaring and contracting as it breathed. With its free hand it grasped the mans throat. It squeezed slightly, but enough to slip its razor sharp, clawed fingers easily into the now puffy throat on its victim. Blood pulsed from the mans throat in slow streams, stemmed of by its large fingers. A deep inhale rushed it as it held fast with its face pressed to the mans chest.

“Ahhhhh…. Sweet fear.” it growled lowly. As if for only the man to hear were there anyone else around. The man tried to gasp out “Your human?” which came out in choked gurgles. “Not exactly.” It answered with what looked like a smile. Gripping more tightly the mans blood came faster until its hand closed inside the mans neck and ripped. Skin and muscle in its hand, it supped. Burying its maw into the gaping hole and feasting, it was sated. Licking what it had missed it let the man go with a splash into the soaked forest underbrush. Filled it leapt down from its perch like a twisted and horribly deformed bird. It landed on the still warm corpse and slowly stood. With rain still pelting off its back it walked to the carriage, opened the door and climbed inside. With the sun rising in a few hours it curled on the floor and closed its eyes to sleep.