Cold Blood Beast

3

Everest

"Alright, everyone!" My father announces by the barn. He slaps his hand on my back in a proud manner.

I fly off the ground and match my father's height. He draws out the map for everyone, where and which places to hunt.

And soon as father raised his map everyone took off. Black soft feathers being the only thing left in its place.

"Rutner!" I call out when I don't see him. I sigh and fly above the trees.

He said he'd stay by me. I didn't even look at that stupid map.

I circle the trees for a while looking for prey. Our vision is impeccable. I felt the movement of an elk not too far from here.

Dropping to the muddy forest ground I rush to find it.

I spot the small thing. It looked like a baby elk and I watched as it sipped water from the creek. Dad will be so proud of me when I sink my teeth into this animal and rip it apart.

Rutner was right. This is what we are meant to do because as I lunged for the small doe-eyed elk, biting through the flesh and tasting the blood and hot meat that our kind thrived off of, I felt alive and complete. It was natural.

But a nagging feeling. Just a small part in my heart told me something wasn't quite right.

My ears ringing from the adrenaline simmer and soft cries are heard. Cries that seemed to squeeze my heart and pull at my chest.

I drop the dead elk and it crumpled into the red water with a splash, its blood still draining and darkening the once clear water.

I wipe the blood off my mouth, my shoes and pants now wet and stained. A shiver runs over my skin and I hide my wings, tucking them behind me to appear smaller.

I walked slowly but towards the sound nonetheless.

A sob echoed and I had to stop for a second. The sound ripped me apart and whoever was crying sounded broken. I've been there before.

"Hello?" I call out, but the cries only get louder.

I look around me seeing no one, nothing. I pick up my pace following the cries.

As it gets louder and I finally spot my target I freeze. The scent of her blood attacked me and I stumbled back on my feet, the smell surreal and delicious. The hair on my neck stood up.

A small girl, curled up by a tree. Her scratched-up knees tucked to her chest, and bloody fingers covering her eyes where tears slipped. She looked to be four or five years old.

I hid behind a tree licking my lips. My first thought was to eat her. She looked and smelled delicious, and besides, as beasts, we ate humans and any source of meat. Father would be so proud. Not only that I caught an elk but a human too? Those were hard to come around, I've only ever seen one in my life, and it was a few tourists who got lost. Our town had dinner for days. But what if she was one of us? Was she a beast? Regardless I'm here to hunt. I need to hunt her...

But I just couldn't do it.

I grip the side of the tree to help hold in my frustration. I felt my wings sag behind my back. I sign of defeat. This tiny girl... I couldn't eat her. The dark hair fell over her shoulders in beautiful small curls. She held a tattered blanket that surely couldn't keep her warm.

I suddenly felt angry in the midst of unknown emotions.

Why was she out here alone? Who left her? Why is she crying? Being so small she reminded me of Ruth, if I saw Ruth like this I wouldn't hesitate to ask what happened, and who Rutner and I needed to kill.