Darkest Hunt (The Witcher 3 Fan-fiction)

Eight

Ava slid across the ground while panting heavily, the training routine she had tired her out but she knew that they wouldn't have done so if she didn't have the ability to handle it. "Shavah, concentrate." Dethis spoke calmly as his daughter circled him. Geralt and the others watched as they practiced sword fighting. Ava was good, almost better then Dethis and Geralt combined, but she was out of practice with her conditioning. Geralt watched her swing and noted how she wielded her sword with the practiced hand of a swordsman or, in her case swordswoman, he watched as Dethis drilled and drilled Ava over and over. "Now do that signature move that makes your attack your own!" Dethis commanded as Ava attacked.

Everyone watched with batted breath as Ava swung the sword in an x shaped arch, spun in a wide circle and to finish it all off she let the sword slice the air in an angry arch which brought the brunt force of the blade down but Dethis dodged the oncoming attack and the blade sang out after hitting the stone he had been standing above. Dethis attacked her again, but thanks to her acute hearing she dodged and his neck was met with the tip of her sword. "Very good, Shavah!" He smiled as her blade was pulled away. "I think that's enough for tonight." he hugged her as she smiled, but as he walked away Ava put her sword in its sheath and walked over to the cliff to sit down, she knew that they had stopped for the night because the horses needed the rest, but Ava had that itch to run and never stop. As she looked out over the cliff part of her wanted to become the beast within and just run, while her part of her wanted to stay.

"Something on your mind?" Geralt's voice cut through her thoughts as he sat next to her.

"Everything and nothing at the same time. I want to run as a wolf but i also want to stay here with all of you."

"Hmn, must be tough to be so torn apart." Geralt commented. He knew Ava just needed someone to speak to and seeing how he wasn't her true family, that made it easier on her. They sat a few more moments speaking then Geralt went to take watch. Ava looked over the land then stood, turning to Geralt and Dethis, both of whom looked to her. But she walked away from the fire and entered into the forest, lost in thought. She did not notice Geralt begin to follow, but as she came to a stop before a meadow she called out to him. "Stay here for the moment Geralt. I won't let you harm this one just yet. I am going to speak with him." Ava spoke as she took to wolf form and walked out into the field. From the middle of the field stood a werewolf who looked her over.

"You carry the Witcher's scent." the werewolf spoke as Ava drew closer. She stood up and the werewolf watched. "Grrr..." he growled low as she spoke.

"That's because like you I am cursed. I travel with two Witchers who can help you if you allow them." The werewolf watched as Geralt came from the treeline calmly. "Please?"

The werewolf looked to Ava and something in him caused him to nod. Ava let Geralt take over and walked over to a nearby stone, returning to wolf form she lay upon the rock but her wolven sense of smell picked up on the scent of blood and with a single look to Geralt and the werewolf, she slipped off the rock and slinked away to follow the scent as her father caught up. "You smelled it too?" He asked as she sniffed the ground near the closest to the pool as Geralt and the werewolf came up. The werewolf sniffed the air and growled. 

"Watch yourself, this is a dire wolf. An Alpha male from the scent, child if I were you," he looked to Ava as her ears flicked, "I would change back to human. He's unmated and you are by wolf terms an unmated female. He will try to take you by force if needed." Ava bared her fangs and growled low as Dethis drew his sword.

"Shavah knows how to handle herself, no male could ever push her around so easily," Dethis spoke but as a safety measure they took her back to the camp where she lay close to the fire, but her back was to it. She closed her eyes and let herself slip into sleep, which led to a memory that was nothing more now than a distant dream. She dreamt of the ocean and running along the beach with the warm sun shining upon her black fur, here and only here, did she feel the freedom that came with being a wolf. Eventually, she came to a stop and looked out across the great wide blue-green sea and sat down as the waves caressed the sand, the breeze brushed her fur with salty fingers but she was not bothered by it as she watched the setting sun while gulls called. The salty scent of the sea teased her nose but the majesty of the setting sun held her gaze as for a moment it seemed as if sea and sky had become one, she stood again and turned to race off the beach and find a nearby forest where she ran happily. 

Little did she know that as she slept her paws moved and her father watched her with a slight smile, "Dethis?" Yennifer asked as he continued to watch his daughter.

"She dreams of running wild and free, and I can't blame her. Being able to be a wolf, she shares the most common thing with them that we can only dream of...." His voice trailed away with hints of sadness as he watched his beloved child sleep peacefully in wolf form. Oh my beloved daughter...