Chapter 8: Awakening the Hunger

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Jolting up Eric spluttered as though he was breathing air for the first time in days.  Perspiration trailed down his face creating disjointed patterns. Frantically spinning his head he tried to figure out where he was. Wooden walls surrounded him forming a rectangle. To his right lay a table holding mountains of books, most of which had pages torn out of them.  The torn pages were spread out on another bench placed perpendicular to its counterpart. 

Lifting the bear fur blanket off himself, Eric steeped out of the bed and stumbled to the table. Blackness swarmed around the edges of his vision treating to drag him back to the demon world. Latching on to the table with the lose pages he waited for the darkness to withdraw, before straitening his back and shifting through the pages.

 At a glance it was obvious that each page was somehow connected to the Haunt. Pictures of giant wolves causing havoc and slaughter littered several of the pages. Rummaging through them Eric let his mind wander. Occasionally some of the words on the paper would grab his attention but as he wasn’t an adapt reader he relied on the paintings to figure out a fair amount of the information that that various scribes had scratched down over the decades of what was known about the Haunt Species.

The light from the candles flickered as the door opened behind him. Twisting Eric grabbed a book and raised it in defence.

“You’re awake” Caleb said shock masking his other emotions.

Lowering his paper shield Eric mocked his words suddenly realising, by all laws he should be dead.

“Vincent said you were bad and that your magic was acting strange, he... he thought you would be... you know ... by tonight. No one thought you would wake up never mind stand” spluttered Caleb “How?”

Eric looked at himself, felt his injured side. It hurt, a lot, so he knew he was still alive at least. “I don’t know, the last thing I remember is...”

“IS what” Caleb questioned, seeing Eric’s hesitation.

“The wolf biting me” Eric lied.  My mother did this but how, he thought returning to the pages. “What are all these for?”

“That was Vincent he was determined to find a cure because he blamed his self for bringing you for one of his “stupid Hobbies””  

“Hobbies?” interjected Eric

“Ye Kenith, calls him the “monster chaser”.  Says he has an obsession with the way the Haunt and other supernatural sorts behave.” Said Caleb “Vincent just left to find some plant that he thought might help you, it was newest idea.” He continued joining Eric

“See this page” Caleb said sliding a piece of paper over. It’s a list of possible cures, but none of them worked”

Looking at the paper Eric could make out Vincent’s hand writing with angry lines scored through ever line, except the bottom.

Aconitum napellus.

“Wolfs bane.” Answered Caleb, seeing Eric’s confusion.  “The Haunt rid it from their territories before the whole of the pack moves in so Vincent decided to go looking for some.  He’ll be back in a day or too, I’ll see to it that some food is brought up but for the most you should rest.”

“Thank you” Eric replied in kind.

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The night’s cool air breezed through the trees whipping Eric’s hair back, tickling his nose as it carried the scent of his prey.  Hunched low to the ground he moved in closer to the still unwary elk. The chase was on. Running ears flat he chased after the elk closing the distance and snapping at its hind legs. The elk bucked mid-stride kicking Eric toppling him over.  As he rolled, two more Giant wolves passed him before he was able to return to his feet and continue the chase. Pausing, he tensed and leaped on top of the elks back clamping his jaw round its neck.  The two other wolfs bit at its ankles and soon it fell, died.  A meal won, Eric howled with victory, before gorging on the kill. 

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