𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐲'𝐬 𝐀𝐰𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠 | 𝐌𝐞𝐫𝐥𝐢𝐧

??????? ??. ??? ???? ?? ??? ?????

The farmhand clamored to his feet, bolting away from the creature, crying out for his father and his brothers. The wolf watched him run, not a worry running through its mind before turning its attention to the castle beyond the forest.

With a low rumble in its chest, the creature leapt forward, running into the woods towards the city of Camelot.

─•~❉᯽❉~•─
𝘋𝘦𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘺'𝘴 𝘈𝘸𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨
𝘊𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘍𝘰𝘶𝘳
𝘉𝘢𝘯𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘓𝘺𝘤𝘢𝘯
─•~❉᯽❉~•─

Unlike the night, the morning in Camelot was - well, if any other word could be used, it would be - magical. There was just this beautiful feeling that resonated through the air, brightening the spirits of anyone who wasn't trapped in a dreaded state caused by rumors.

With a basket draped on her arm, her bow and quiver on her back over her brown cloak, Rylee hummed as she strode along to the lower town. Making her own slow way down to the forest to fetch some herbs. As she passed the arches into the lower town, she stopped briefly, turning to knock upon Gwen and Tom's door. She shuffled on her heels, bouncing up and down on the balls of her feet as she looked around, until the wooden creak of Gwen's door brought her attention back. A wide bright smile played on her lips as Gwen opened the door.

"What are you doing here?" Gwen beamed.

Rylee, with a small giggle, took out a small pink flower from her basket. "I found this and I thought of you. So, I got you one."

Gwen looked down at the flower with astonishment and care. "Oh, you didn't have to."

Rylee shrugged. "I wanted to. It's not everyday I get to treat my best friend."

Gwen smiled, taking the flower gently to tie it into her hair. She tied the string of her cloak and walked out the door. "What brings you down to the lower town?"

Rylee chuckled, making room for Gwen to close the door behind her. "Just passing through. I'm headed to the woods for some herbs."

But the mention of the woods made Gwen's face drop. Her gentle face grew paler in what could only be described as worry and horror. "Are you sure you wanna go to the woods?"

Rylee tilted her head in confusion. "Why wouldn't I?"

"Well," Gwen stammered, "it's just there has been talk of..." She looked around, leaning closer to her best friend and whispered, "A creature."

Rylee let out a chuckle-like breath. "A creature? In the woods? Gwen, there are many creatures in the woods."

"Not like this one." Gwen shook her head almost violently. "They say it's like a wolf, but it stands on its hind legs and it's big."

Rylee's eyebrows furled at the description. It couldn't be a Werewolf. She had been here a year and never once heard of a Werewolf attack. Nothing remotely even close to one. There were no attacks on cattle in that mysterious sense where their hearts were ripped out. No human had their hearts ripped out. No. This couldn't be a Werewolf.

But there is something else it could be.

"Are you sure, Gwen? Who's this coming from? The drunks in the tavern?"

Gwen shifted uncomfortably. "You know Thomas?"

Rylee raised an eyebrow. "Lower market Thomas who sells bread or Thomas from the farm 2 miles outside of Camelot?"

"Farmboy."

Rylee hummed. "Yeah, I know him. He tried to court me once."

"Well," Gwen looked around again in fear, "rumors are flying that he encountered the creature last night. It stared at him and bolted off after he ran."