The Exile's Path

er stones, filling her basket with the herbs. The air felt unusual,she could no.longer hear the so

g too fast. That sudden change in towns air,the strange feeling in her body it left felt strange against her skin. I'm

's jum

k fences of the town l. Another shout followed, l

g her hunting knife firmly against her leg under her skirt, she moved up the

r. There was no church services,there was no fire outbreak but

in their leather aprons, farmers with their tools in hand, mothers holding the

e! move back,

s deep voice filling the air

w. Her heart slamming against her ribs, not from fear of the

smell of herbs

hick, fresh, an

w voice, touching the shoulder of a young t

n the ground a few steps ahead. "It's the wood miller the old Miller from the south. He went

ccident? A f

the high mountains. The warden said the bear must have gone mad with earl

be

ally aggressive if cornered, but they were predictable. They didn't hunt on the parts of h

m the center. "We need cloth to cover him

stepping forward into the open space before she could

e waved her over with a blood stained hand. "Be careful, child. It's not a pleas

y lying in the wet grass. A big sack had been thrown ove

, Kallia lifted the

ght violently

had been torn, the heavy woolen coat shredded into bloody pieces, and the chest bones cru

constable

he town people, shutting out the wind, shutting out e

rks was ent

wounds were four distinct, deep teeth bites that had severed the bodys artery with terrify

lent, twisting bite, done with terrifying accuracy. It was a kill move. A signature mane

there was

the bitter air deep into her lungs. Beneath the stench of blo

of rotting pine needles, stale blo

ue sh

hadn't been eaten; it had merely been ripped apart in an act of violent, sadistic sport.

her, his voice booming with false authority. "Set out sheep bait soaked in spices A beast that bi

ece of sweat roll dow

ar traps. If anything, the smell of domestic sheep and iron would onl

inside her said. Tell them to lock their d

older and cautious. Tell them you spent eighteen years

these peaceful humans realized they had been sheltering a creature from the same

s on a clean rag from her clothes pocket. Her fingers were trembling, not from w

s, baring fangs that gleamed like polished silver against the dark. For t

sna

through the base of Kallia's skull with raw,

lliant, terrifying clarity for a single second before settling back into normal."Kallia?" Constable Vance asked, frowning at her pale face. "You look lik

alm. "Don't go into the woods after dark. If whatever did this could ki

itying smile. "Leave the huntin

walked back toward the town square, her

lance toward the dark wall of the forest. The sun was dipping beneath the mountai

artially concealed by the shadow of a towering pine, two

looking at

taring dire