Tame the Beast (Eornostlice x WolfDog)

[WolfDog12]

In a small village on the outskirts of a great kingdom, there is a tale of a beast that attacks the town at night. It is a smart creature, fast and powerful. It hunts and kills humans mostly, sometimes livestock. For quite a few years, this creature had come out of the woods on the hill next to the village and attacked in the night. The only night everyone is safe, is the night of the new moon. At the same time, there is no safety on the day following a full moon where the creature comes out in the day light to attack. With no where else to turn, the villagers make the long journey to the capital where they speak with the king hoping to have someone come and kill the beast. YC can either be the prince that sets out to control the beast, a knight sent, or he could just be a random hunter of sorts brought in from another land to solve the problem, just let me know.

 

Anyway, what YC finds is that the beast is actually human during the day and an out of control demon at night. Wanting to help/tame the creature, MC must be removed from the village and tamed in some way whether it be locked up at night or always locked up even when human. Having no control over his transformations or his actions as a beast, he accepts his fate either way knowing there is nothing he can say that will set him free. Of course, He later doesn't want to, having developed feelings for YC.

 

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Beast form:

 

 

 

Name: Hikyuu

 

Age: 19 or so

 

Gender: Male

 

Species: Some type of cursed beast/human

 

Personality: Hikyuu is actually a very kind human that loves to help anyone where he can. He lives just outside of the village line in the woods but will constantly travel into the village every day just to help the people out. He smiles a lot and has a very gentle demeanor that hides a lot of self hate for not being able to control himself during his beast form. Hikyuu also can't remember anything that is happening while in beast form and only has a vague idea of what happened when he changes back leaving him typically confused and lost a lot of times.

 

 

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Just outside of the village, just beyond the tree line within the woods, there was a small cabin that looked abandoned. It was old and fairly well hidden but it was the home of an outsider... even though the villagers didn't know the true extent of what made him an outsider. Just as the sun rose, a boy emerged from the cabin and made his way towards the village. He had a sword strapped to his hip and a scarf around his neck. It was a strange look for this place and he certainly stood out, but everyone here knew him all too well.

 

"Hikyuu!!!" One of the villagers called, the boy turning in response. "You headed down to the market? Can you tell Choji at the market that I'll be a little late on my delivery? My daughter was sick yesterday and I couldn't get to the field before nightfall."

 

"Sure thing! Tell Hana I said to get well soon and you stay safe. Don't go out during the night!" Hikyuu called back waving goodbye to the farmed and heading down the hill around his field and into the main part of the village. Most villages would work well into the night just by having lamps set up, however, in this village, as the sun was setting, everyone was hiding. A beast came out just after sun set and always found its way into the village and tried to kill the villagers.

 

Hikyuu got to the market and relayed the message to Choji while helping him with a few of his other items. Of course, Choji understood completely and while it was a shame not to have the corn he'd been waiting for, it wasn't like he could ask that the farmers work into the night. They'd be killed and then there would be no one to tend to the farms.

 

"Oh, Hikyuu, have you heard the news?" He looked at the other curiously. "Well, we sent word a few days ago about our situation and the prince himself is said to come to take care of it."

 

"The Prince?! Wait, he's coming to try and kill the beast?! I thought it couldn't be hurt by human weapons." Hikyuu was shocked and afraid that the prince would come and just be killed.

 

"I have no idea what his method is going to be but we will finally be rid of that demon that lives in the woods... by the way, have you really never seen the beast?"

 

"Where'd you hear that from?"

 

"Come on Hikyuu, nothing stays secret in this village."

 

Hikyuu sighs, "Ya, I hide in my basement every night with all the lights out and locked up."

 

"You should come and live in the village. We work together to try and stay safe from that beast. You're in more danger actually living in the woods with that thing. What if it suddenly decides to come out during the day?"

 

"If that should ever happen then we are all doomed," Hikyuu admitted and said his goodbyes. He continued on helping people around the village as well as getting himself some food. All the while, he worried about what was going to happen when the prince showed up... would he try and face Hikyuu's night form head on or what? That beast was incredibly slick and smart.... taking him down would certainly be a challenge.

[Guest Eornostlice]

 

 

 

 

 

 

Name: Phillip Fhenne

 

Age: 22

 

Race: Human

 

Personality: Phillip can come off as arrogant at times but is fair and does not overestimate his own capabilities. He is slightly manipulative, able to conceal his intentions with ease. He is pretty soft hearted, but he managed to keep logic and emotions in balance.

 

History: He is the first prince of the kindgom, first in line for the crown. Born and raised in the royal family with excellent education. He refused having a fiance despite the customs, earning his two brothers' scorn.

 

 

 

Phillip sat on his horse, heading full speed towards the village, accompanied only by his two personal aides, both strong ex-knights with the rank of commander. "The beast has appeared." The exact piece of news caused quite a stir in the pallace a few days prior.

 

None of the two men spoke. They were well aware of the customs and what this trip meant for the first prince. His right at the throne was now to be proved. The prince himself looked calm and collected, but the two men were on the edge. They grew fond of the future king, despite his misgivings, but they were forbidden from interfering if something were to go wrong with the beast's extermination. They were to guard the prince against humans but watch him die from the side if the monster was to win.

 

Unlike the two behind him, the prince's eyes were shining in anticipation with a fierce glow. He had trained and waited for this exact moment for long, and it was about time his hard work paid off.

 

Every king of each generation up until now had fulfilled the task. Each and every one of them have managed to slaughter the creature and climb to power as heroes. Phillip had no plans of being any different.

 

The horse neighed as the prince pulled on the reins, temporarily stopping. The two followed his example.

 

"Is this the village?" he asked, glancing ahead at the houses and fields, his voice calm.

 

"Yes your majesty. The reports say so."

 

"Good. Let's continue. We will first meet the village's chief and make a few inquiries, trying to get some leads. But most likely, we will need to wait until nightfall for the beast to show up."

 

"Yes your majesty!" both replied in sync, bowing their heads.

[WolfDog12]

Hikyuu walked to a small tea shop nearby and sat down on the bench near a window. He happily chatted with the owner who brought up a point that made the young man jump to attention. "Wait, the full moon is when again?!"

 

"Oh come now, Hikyuu, you're typically the one always keeping track of the moon cycle," the owner said as he joined Hikyuu for a cup of tea.

 

"Ya, I've been working in the fields trying to help farmer Kolmar the past few days.... He hasn't been doing so well...."

 

"I heard he got bit by the beast. I'm surprised he managed to get away with his life." The owner was then called by one of his workers and said good bye as he got up from his seat. "Oh, in two days, it is the full moon so remember to get what you need and stay hidden the day that follows. The beast seems to come out during the day that follows a full moon."

 

"Thanks for reminding me. I should probably go make sure Farmer Kolmar is alright. He was up and about today and yesterday but who knows if he's pushing himself." Hikyuu still staying in his seat for a moment. Finally, Hikyuu got up and walked out of the shop worried about the time it will take for the crops as well as the full moon being on its way. Just as the male turned to head up the hill a little towards the fields, he caught sight of the prince.

 

'What is he doing here?! I didn't think the prince would show for at least another day or two...' Just as Hikyuu turned to sneak away, one of the other villagers squealed in excitement that the prince had come. Of course, that drew everyone out to see and the girl pushed the male forwards telling him to go say "Hi". With no escape now, Hikyuu stepped forwards and spoke to the prince. "Hello, your Highness. My name is Hikyuu, and it is my pleasure to welcome you to our small village. Please, if you need anything just let me know!!! They say I can't say 'no'... to anyone..." He smiled being friendly hoping this prince wasn't some arrogant ass. If he was, maybe the kingdom would be better off if the beast ate him.

 

"I suppose you're here for killing the beast that lives in the woods up there on that hill. The village elder can tell you a lot more then any of us, he is just down this road; an old round building at the other end of the village." Hikyuu didn't want to walk the prince there but if he was asked to, he would without hesitation.

[Guest Eornostlice]

The village was livelier than Phillip expected it to be, given the circumstances. With the villagers being terrorized by the beast every night, he would have expected them to be panic-stricken and paranoid, but strangely enough it was not the case. The one thing that remained within expectations were the villagers' reactions and unneeded fuss. But not all of them seemed so overlyexcited. One boy in particular.

 

The brunette wasted no time dismounting after he listened, holding the reins into his hand. His example was followed by the two behind him, and they remained quiet, their guard up. This was where their role came into play. They were to guard him while he was surroundee by people, and their duty was to eliminate any possible threat.

 

"Then I would appreciate it if you escorted us there." He spoke naturally, his tone making him sound rather arrogant even though he was sincere, his way of speaking being a little rough and demanding, habit formed in the catle where he would often have to speak with stuck-up officials that loves their positions.

[WolfDog12]

"Of course, it's right this way," Hikyuu was not thrilled by the Prince's tone of voice but it wasn't like he was going to do anything. These villagers needed this prince to save them from the beast that came at night.... to save them from him.... Hikyuu turned on his heels and lead the prince and his men in the direction of the Village elder. Along the way, everyone came to see but bowed their heads respectfully.

 

A short ways down the road and a young man of probably 14 came out carrying three large crates that blocked his view. He was trying to load them onto a carriage but was just crossing the Prince's path when he suddenly tripped. Hikyuu had amazing reflexes and grabbed the crates pressing into the boy to keep him on his feet. "You alright?" Hikyuu asked taking the crates from him.

 

"I'm alright, thank you. My dad fell ill yesterday so he couldn't make the trip... I just hope I do alright...." He glanced over and saw the prince. The boy jumped and bowed low. "I'm so sorry your Highness!!! I didn't mean to cross your path!!!"

 

"You're Sparrow's son, aren't you?" Hikyuu asked ignoring the prince for a minute as he loaded the crates onto the cart.

 

"You know my father?"

 

"Of course, he comes here all the time. I've helped him move a few crates as well." He situated the crates and walked back to the boy. "Well, you better get going if you want to be able to camp someplace safe for the night."

 

The boy took his advice and got onto the cart to head out. Hikyuu waved goodbye with a smiled before returning to lead the prince to the elder's house. "This village takes care of everyone because if we start to panic and avoid everyone, the village is doomed to be devoured by the beast..." He explained again as they made it to the end of the road. "There you go, just as I said, this round house here is the village elder's house." The boy bowed before turning away to hurry to the fields. He had to help before the sun set.

[Guest Eornostlice]

He was used to people bowing their heads to him, but that did not mean he felt like anything other than isolated whenever such scene unfolded. As someone in front of them crossed their pats but suddenly stumbled and fell, the knights were already with their guards up. It was not once that someone tried such method in order to attempt the prince's assasination.

 

They showed nothing but Phillip understood. He showed them his palm as sign that it was alright, ordering them not to act without words. The person did not seem dangerous in the least.

 

"Please do not worry about it." He resonded to the apology honestly. That was all he said, otherwise he simply listened to the two boys' conversation. Village people... really had it the worst. Truly... how could their lives be improved? Surely the first step would be getting rid of the beast, but what came after that?

 

He was a little lost in thought as they resumed walking, only coming back to the reality when the boy anounced they arrived.

 

"Thank you. I appeciate your help." His tone was the same, cold and lofty, but he smiled.

 

Finally Phillip himself turned around, knocking on the elder's door. He needed some answers and he hoped the elder would have them.

[WolfDog12]

Hikyuu said goodbye and took off up the hill towards the fields. All the while, the elder answered the door. He was mid to late forties and the third oldest in the village most of the older men had been killed by the beast in an attempt to kill it. The man seemed kind and offered the prince to come in. He gently bowed his head before returning to where he had been brewing some tea.

 

"Hello, your Majesty. I was brewing some tea, would you like a cup? How about your attendants?" He offered the prince a seat. "Thank you very much for coming to help us with this beast problem. It has been around for so many years.... Nearly 20 if I'm remembering correctly. Anything in particular you wish to know? I've been in this village a long time." The elder began to pour the cups of tea.

 

There was a scar on his right forearm. It looked like claw marks, Deep but not nearly large enough for the size of the description of the beast. Still, it was definitely created by some wild animal with great strength.

 

The elder settled into a seat himself to talk with the prince and answer the many questions he was sure to have.

[Guest Eornostlice]

"Thank you and please do not worry. We came here not to impose on you but to help." Phillip spoke in his usual manner but bowed his head a little to the man, as a sign of respect towards his honorable age. He sat down but the two aides remained still by the door, not speaking.

 

"Also please do not mind my two companions. I have tried to explain that just me for this trip would be enough but my father believe formalities are to be respected so they are simply doing their job, despite unnecessary."

 

Phillip did notice the scar on the man's arm. Surely, the old man had quite a few adventures, and dangerous one at that.

 

"Has the beast always attacked in some sort of pattern? Were there a lot of casualties? And most importantly sir, if the monster had been around for so long, how comes that we have been told only now?" The prince tried to keep his voice as gentle as possible when asking those questions, not wishing to neither humiliate nor irritate the man in anyway.

[WolfDog12]

"So far, the only patterns we have figured out are the fact that the beast only attacks at night when the moon is out, except for one day a month. It happens to come out durine the day that follows the full moon. In facy, the full moon is in two nights so be warned." The elder didn't like the talk about why the prince was only just now getting word. Clearly, they had tried to get help but something had to have come up.

 

"For years the beast never killed but would attack people that crossed its path. About 10 years ago we attempted to kill it.... what we didn't know was that it had in fact rd killed. A young couple living in a small house in the woods. Finally finding that out, when we hunted the beast it killed a good portion of the villagers and has tried to kill everyone since. We were left deviated and it took a long time for us to get back on our feet. After, we tried to go the the kingdom but four times we were turned down without an audience with the king. When we finally told him, he told us you were not ready but you would come when you were so we are glad you have come." They had spoken to the king a few years back but he kept quiet about that.

 

The elder was happy help had finally come but he did not like the idea of putting the prince in danger. There had to be another way.

[Guest Eornostlice]

All three men listened to the man's answers, taking note of his warning. What Phillip did not expect however was the other piece of information that the aman revealed. They had tried to contact the kingdom before, and were refused. The location of the beast had been known all along. Since he was perhaps a teenager. And he had not been told.

 

His brows furrowed. He could already see in between lines despite the elder not explaining in detail. His father, overly concerned with his son's safety chose to sacrifice a few villagers and give him more time to grow mature and polish his skills. A sense of guilt was building up inside of him. He could have prevented the deaths... If only he came to know.

 

Phillip grit his teeth and turned towards his two aides, his eyes gleaming with fury. "Were you two aware?" He asked in the same voice a lord would when preparing to punish an unfaithful slave, his entire aura domineering. He did not receive an answer and the silence was an answer by itself.

 

The brunette raised himself from his seat, kneeling down on the floor in front of the elder, bowing deeply.

 

"Your majesyt!" one of the guards could no longer remain composed at the unnatural sight, feeling his stomach churn.

 

"Shut up. If you are unable to speak and admit your wrongdoings, I do not want you to comment on any of my actions." Phillip remained in that position. "My apologies to you will not bring any of the lost lives back. Even so, I cannot do anything but apologize for my late coming and offer the promise that the beast will vanish from this place. I swear this oath on the name of Fhenne. Please prepare for us a place where we can stay for two days. Any place is fine, no matter the conditions. I will seek the beast out after the necessary preparations, slay it and then return to the palace."

 

It was clear that the prince was of a stubborn yet fair character. Once his mind was made up, he would not give up.

"Your majesty please! This-" The second guard tried to speak up himself.

 

"Keep your mouth shut." Even now, the prince did not raise his head from the floor.

[WolfDog12]

"Your Majesty, please raise your head. I am not the one you need to apologize to. I have merely been scratched by the creature when it was young, There are others who have suffered far more than I. Some lost sons, some fathers. There is one who lives not in the village but belongs to it none the less and lost his parents at a very young age. I have taken care of the child the best I could and hope it is enough. We do not ask for your apology, but your help in our struggle so no more may be lost."

 

The elder had such a gentle and calming aura about him. It was fatherly, warm, welcoming and he reached down and took the prince's hands raising him to his feet. "We would rather wait for your success then to rush your failings so it is for the best that you were not told until now of the creature's whereabouts." He smiled sweetly and offered an inn for the prince to stay.

 

"My wife owns an inn, it is in fact two buildings over, we have already prepared for your arrival so please, stay there for as much time as you need. I only ask that you do not underestimate the Beast. It is cunning, fast, and has more strength in it's body then ten men." He took the prince and his attendants to the inn two buildings down where his wife was at the desk working on some paperwork. She also was a kind women nearly ten years younger than the elder.

 

The woman rose at the sight of her husband but noticed the prince and bowed respectfully. "Welcome, your Majesty. We already have two rooms prepared in case you had brought a guard, though I see you brought two. That doesn't matter, we can certainly open another." She was excited to have him here. The woman handed the prince his key and lead him to the rooms just at the top of the stairs where she opened it up and presented a fairly small but luxurious, (For the town anyway) room with everything the prince could need for his stay. "Oh, I do hope you like it." She was waiting for his response clearly more thrilled about the room than he was.

[Guest Eornostlice]

It was only after the man spoke that gritting his teeth the prince got up from the floor, letting out a deep sigh. He felt that he was in debt. A debt he could not repay due to it having been made in human lives. Yet it was not like he could not understand. If he was told before, surely he would have rushed to the village in order to prevent any more casualties. And it was not like he could not understand that his life did not belong to himself only but to the entire nation's future, yet he could not help feeling guilty. They died because he had been weak.

 

"Thank you. I do not plan on underestimating it but I will keep your warning in mind." His manner of speaking was back to his usual confident one, sign that his resolve got even stronger. He could not return to the past. But surely he could do everything in his power now, in the present. Not to compensate in any way, but to prevent his debt from growing.

 

The three followed to the inn without much to add and were shown towards the rooms. Surely, they could not be compared in any way to the palace, but Phillip showed a rare smile. He was never the kind that was seeking luxury, despite his upbringing he could he called fairly humble.

 

"Thank you very much. These two rooms are wonderful and will suffice." He never wanted to make things too hard for the village so 2 rooms were already more than enough. Plus, the conditions could not even be compared to the way that the villagers were living so the prince was rather moved.

 

"The two of us will share one room as we will take turns guarding his majesty. One will rest while the other will watch other the prince's room." One of the guards, which was obviously in his 40s explained the customs roughly.

 

"It is not that we do not trust the village or any of that. We are merely doing our duty which had been given to us by the king himself. Neglecting this duty would lead to our demise, so we hope we do not inconvenience you." The second explained in such way there would be no mistunderstandings. He was younger than the other guard, but still in his late 30s, already past his prime youth.

[WolfDog12]

"I see, well please let me know if anything goes wrong. I will be down stairs if you need me!" She didn't mind their rude tones or anything. The woman was so kind and gentle. She smiled more and walked away with her husband. The two went down stairs to talk for a while, leaving the Prince and his attendants alone for a while.

 

Back in the fields Hikyuu had gone to see farmer Kolmar and worked to help him with the fields until the sun started to set. When the sky turned orange, everyone was left hiding. The villagers worked to get themselves inside and safe for now while Hikyuu made his way farther up the hill towards the forest. He walked in and returned to his house a ways in beyond the trees. There he went into what would be a living room and began taking off his clothes.

 

Hikyuu hated doing this but he hadn't yet found a way to contain himself. So, he placed his folded clothes on the couch and his sword between the cushions. After, he went outside and walked several hundred feet away from his house and sat down. It was a bit chilly out as the sun started setting but his body heat was typically higher than normal people. He waited and when the sun just fell beyond the horizon, his transformation began.

 

Hikyuu's face lengthened, his teeth turned to sharp fangs, fingers retracted, claws extending. His spine lost the human curve and stretched out flat, hips and shoulders shifting to handle being on four legs. His tail bone stretched and extended to be a long and dangerous tail, his whole body growing a layer of soft fur that was amazingly durable. The red of Hikyuu's eyes filled up the larger eyes looking like some kind of metaphor for "Blind with Rage". The beast took a couple of breathes as the human lost his consciousness within the wild creature, losing control of the body and awareness of what was to come.

 

The beast took a moment to get the feel of its body before taking off towards the village for some food. The creature could tell as soon as it entered the village that something was wrong. It roamed about the streets, listening, sniffing, searching for anything alive or moving.

[Guest Eornostlice]

Phillip still felt rather restless. He believed it was about time that the beast was to come out from all the information he had received, and if it was correct then surely by now everyone hid. "Saten. Cedric. Please prepare my sword along with the powder. I will go for a night stroll."

 

"Your majesty. Forgive my impudence but... This is only the first night of us getting here. I suggest you keep waiting inside and get a feel of the situation before acting rashly." The older guard known as Cedric did not fear to speak his thoughts out loud, not keeping his head down but looking straight at the prince.

 

"And how exactly would i "get a feel of the situation" from inside a safe room if I may ask?" Phillip was just as blunt, his eyes seeming to look right through the man.

 

"Well that is..." The man did not have an answer. He lowered his head and he was not the only one. Saten similarly had nothing to say.

 

"I appreciate your concern but I cannot cowardly hide inside this inn and hope for the beast to vanquish itself. It is not just this village but the entire kingdom's future that I need to bear. Are you telking me that you are able to do it for me? If not, then please get my sword and two portions of powder prepared."

 

His words were sharp and the guards further lowered their heads, no longer daring to say anything as they fetched the items, giving them to the prince yet still regretful. They felt like they were sending their young master to his death and they were only to watch. Phillip put away the powder, which he resolved to use just in case of emergency were he needed to escape, equipping the sword as well but not before taking a last glance at it.

 

The sword was anything but ordinary, having tasted the blood of beasts each generation and not showing any sign of decay, the blade never getting dull and the handle never losing its luster. The entire sword was black, adorned with golden patterns that swirled on the blade. The sheath seemed abnormally plain, the midnight-colored material being wrapped in braided leather.

 

"You are to watch over our belongings and feed the horses while I am away. I will return by daylight." The prince gave a last order and climbed down and exited without any sort of awareness of his surroundings, his mind now being competely focused on the monster alone.

 

"Let's play this game then. Let's see which one of us is the hunter and which one of us is the prey." He mumbled, casually going on a walk.

[WolfDog12]

The beast came between two buildings and watched the prince from a distance for a while before shifting closer. There was something about this human that was different from the others... The creature stepped out from behind the prince and walked closer with its silent steps. One sniff, and the beast was ready to leap but as soon as it caught sight of the prince's blade, the creature had jumped a good several feet back and put some serious distance between him and the prince.

 

That blade smelled of blood and the beast had the sense that it was the most dangerous thing he'd ever encountered. The creature opened its mouth showing it's row of sharp fangs. It stood for a while before taking a breath and letting out this ear piercing screech. It even hissed like a cat but then, it was also as big as a panther with all the agility like one. His tail shifted from one side to the other as the creature began to circle the prince, giving him a wide berth. There was no way the creature was getting close enough with that sword.

 

The beast walked around and around before perking up its ears, turning its head, then taking off shortly in that direction. The creature was down the street in a matter of seconds, disappearing into the darkness. It wasn't much longer before there was a blood curdling scream as someone caught outside after dark was now becoming the beast's meal of the night.

 

It was a man who had gone out to warn the prince of something. However, now he was dead from two simple bites; the one in the leg to stop his escape and the other in his neck that crushed his spine and pierced his throat. The creature went into the man's guts and began his feast. By the time the price could even get close enough to see what was going on, the man would have been unrecognizable if not for the act that the beast did nothing to his head or face.

 

Almost as if mocking the prince for not being able to stop him, the beast showed off its bloody teeth and dirtied face in what could have been described as a smile. The creature managed a sound that was exactly like a human laughing before turning and heading around to find any others potential prey.

[Guest Eornostlice]

Just as expected, the creature was smart enough to realize the blade Phillip held posed an actual threat. It probably reeked of blood, belonging to similar types of monsters all over the centuries from the time when the first cursed beast appeared and was roaming free. His hand was on the handle, prepared to withdraw it at any time as the monster circled him.

 

What he did not expect, was for the monster to actually run away. The prince could not possibly match such unnatural speed, but it did not mean that he did not pursue.

 

His eyes went red with fury at the sight.

 

He was late. The abominaion dared to kill someone in front of his very eyes, seeming so human that one would think it was mocking him. His hand was shaking due to pure anger and hatred. He did not give chase immediately. Instead, he approached the corpse, closing the old man's eyes. He gritted bis teeth. He was not fast enough. Phillip pulled off his cape and covered the body, heading back towards the inn for time being.

 

The brunette was at a boilling point. The beast was fast? So be it. He'd use his horse. Realistically speaking, due the fact that he was so slow on foot when compared to the creature, it was impossible for him to rescue anyone. Things would change however if he was riding.

 

His mind was made up. For the entire night, even if it meant exhausting his horse, he was going to give the creature a good chase, not even letting it think about trying to kill anyone else but making it focus on fleeing.

[WolfDog12]

That was better than expected. The reaction on the Prince's face as he saw the creature kill, the anger that bubbled up. It was different from other humans who looked on in horror and fled. Humans were weak creatures and few dared to actually face him; what would make this human think he was any different and could actually kill the monster. The beast was a true predator and these humans were nothing but prey.

 

The beast actually followed the prince but from the other side of some buildings, following via scent and sound so he wasn't in range to be seen. When the human disappeared inside, the creature let out a huff, scoffing at the weak being that dared to hide. Where was that anger that poured from his aura before? That anger was there but it was being controlled and suppressed by that dreadful common sense that some humans seemed to possess. That was no fun... could he even put up a good game of cat and mouse if he wasn't running around blinded by his rage?

 

If that's the case, time to end this. The beast silently climbed up onto the roof of the inn and flattened himself just over the door. One wouldn't be able to even take notice of him unless they were looking and the prince would have his eyes low. That human he killed hadn't had the chance to warn him of the beast's climbing ability so he would search for something like a wolf, not a panther.

 

As the prince finally came out again, this time he came from the stable next to the inn, riding a horse. Did he seriously not think the beast could outrun a horse? Watching in complete silence, the beast saw as the prince began his search of the creature. He had been inside the inn for so long, the sun only had so much time left before rising. The beast would kill this defiant human and return to the forest.

 

The beast kept up with the prince, following silently along the roof tops, keeping to the side where its shadow would not be cast upon the street so Phillip couldn't even find it that way. The creature did think in a very human manor. Once the prince was within a fair strike distance, the beast took a bound forward before jumping off the building and attempting to take the prince off his horse. If successful, the beast would attempt to get the prince within its fangs, however, the horse reared back in fright nearly hitting the beast in its face, causing the creature to jump back to safety.

 

With another huff of irritation, it was time to leave. The sun would be rising soon another spat against this human could very well lead into the morning and then the beast would truly be screwed.

[Guest Eornostlice]

While inside, the prince made sure to announce that there had been one more victim. That wad the exact reason why he had taken so long until going back out.

 

A horse was still slower than the abomination he encountered. True. But it was sitll faster than him going on foot.

 

Without hesistation, Phillip looked around, urging the animal to keep going. There was no sign of it. It was as if the creature completely vanished into the darkness of the night, not leaving any trace behind. In a sense, that was good. It meant that there were no more casualties. On the other hand, something made him feel uneasy and he kept his guard up.

 

The horse raised itself on the back legs, waving the front legs wildly in fear as the creature jumped ahead, only to jump back in order to prevent injury. The prince lost his balance, his eyes flashing with decissivness. He let go, willingly falling, only to raise himself up from the ground in a matter of moments and ignoring everything around, he pulled the sword out of its sheath.

 

With one swing, the sword was sent flying towards the abomination. Phillip clicked his tongue, already aware it was going to miss the target by inches, his arm having been slightly affected by the fall.

[WolfDog12]

The beast growled at the horse only to get distracted by the sword whirling at him and lodging into the ground next to him. That spooked him. To have the one weapon he knew could hurt him come inches past its head and stabbing into the ground really scared the beast. He had been distracted by the horse and was nearly killed by its mistake. With a roar unlike any other, the beast took off.

 

Having been spooked by the blade and the threat of the rising sun, it was time to go. The creature sprinted away, up the hill, through the field, taking down corn stalks, trampling cabbages, clawing up dirt, the creature made it into the woods and found the first place it had been when it transformed. He sniffed around for a moment to make sure it was safe before finally laying down and waiting for the sun to finally come above the horizon.

 

When the sun shined on the land, waking all the people and forcing them to start their work right away. The people of this land had less time in a day than most because even when there was still some light from the sun even if it has gone beyond the horizon, they were left to hide from the killer. A few, however took notice of the body and went to inspect it. They had little time to mourn before needing to focus on what was to be done.

 

All the while, Hikyuu had finally come to, his transformation, while not instant, didn't take too long for his body to form back into human shape making the human side wake as well. Hikyuu stayed on the ground for a moment before slowly rising and shifting, his body still flexible but just like the beast, he took a minute to get the feel of his body before standing up. Hikyuu looked down and found himself covered in blood. Did he really kill someone again?! Why couldn't everyone stay inside.... unless....

 

The boy sprinted off towards his house where he grabbed his clothes and sword again before running off towards the river that came down from a nearby mountain. It was some distance from his house but Hikyuu was fast even on two legs and made it, stepping in and washing his body from all the blood. Damn the water was cold. Still, he finished up, got out, dried off, and got dressed, running back towards the village as he worked to strap his sword to his hip.

 

Hikyuu said hello to the farmer as he ran but he kept going until he made it into the main streets. Instantly, the boy began searching for the prince desperate to see if he was the one killed.

[Guest Eornostlice]

Phillip could do nothing but grit his teeth as the beast fled, being left on the ground with his horse sprinting away back towards the inn, scared. He got himself up and retrieved his sword, clicking his tongue in resentment.

 

"Tsk." His left arm was forming a deep bruise, having fallen on it when the horse got scared, his fingers slightly shaking. To his misfortune, he was left handed. If not for that, now the beast's head would be taken to the palace and put on display for a few days, before actually being burried.

 

The prince was gloomy as he picked up his sword again, putting it back into its sheath. The night could be considered a failure. Someone died and was eaten in front of his eyes. It was not like he had not seen such cruelty before, but it did not make it any more bearable.

 

"I luckily did not need to use the powder however." the brunette walked himself to the body of the deceased, his face only getting gloomier as he waited for his two aides and the ones responsible with burials to make their appearance.

 

The sound of rushed footsteps however belonged to someone else and the prince could not help but turn his head.

 

"Don't get close. Someone was killed and it is not quite a sight you want to see..." His words were harsh yet his tone seemed somewhat gentler than before, lacking anything that could be mistunderstood for arrogance. Instead, it sounded like pain. Honest pain.

 

For all he knew, the brat was not prepared to be exposed to such sight.

[WolfDog12]

"Don't try to shield me, I've probably seen more death than you," Hikyuu snapped. He was typically level headed and it was clear that this anger was out of character when people stared at him in shock. The people had never known Hikyuu to be the angry type, even when he was young, he was always smiling and trying to find other ways around things. Though, even with all his smiling, Hikyuu held the deepest sadness, one that was far greater than most. His heat had a piece missing... one that got bigger with each kill.

 

The boy stepped closer despite the prince's warning and crouched down in front of the body. He moved the cape just off the man's face to see if it could be identified. Thankfully all the wounds were farther down and one look at his face and everyone knew who it was. "Morgan...." Hikyuu whispered, placing the cape over his head again and stepping out of the way for those to take the body to the grave.

 

Hikyuu's anger seemed to melt into sadness and he walked away completely ignoring the prince and running towards the elder's house. Morgan was one of his closer friends... a big brother to him when he was younger. The man was in his early to mid thirties and was about 15 years older than Hikyuu. The boy had been raised mostly by the elder but over all by the whole village and Morgan was the one person that actually played with and tried to show Hikyuu that life could be fun no matter what. Why couldn't the beast recognize a friend?

 

The elder did help talk to him and let Hikyuu tell stories about Morgan he already knew until he was feeling better. It was hard not to take ever death hard but this was one of the few that struck far harder than others. At this point, he wanted to go out and just turn himself in so the prince could take his head... Why was he keeping it a secret?

 

After a few hours, Hikyuu finally got off his ass and got back to helping everyone in the village. Because he didn't have his own job, he just helped everyone else with theirs. Farmer Kolmar was back in action and the village seemed to be running smoothly. They even got the harvest right on track for the winter months to come. The village just seemed to keep going and where there was a gap, it was always filled within the day.

[Guest Eornostlice]

Phillip did not further insist as the kid seemed set on seeing the body. He took a step back and kept his eyes fixated on the young man, concerned that such sight could badly affect him, causing him to become nauseous or faint. Luckily, the brat seemed to know his own limits, so he only took a look at the man's face, not being curious in the least about the man's wounds.

 

A smart choice given how brutal the man's death was and the state of the corpse. The prince could not even be mad in the slightest at the boy's words, feeling guilt and helplessness. If only he were faster.

 

Why? Why would someone willingly get out, even as they know the danger they expose themselves to? Should they not be aware of the danger by now?

 

He let out a deep sigh, going back to the inn. He'd need rest, as much as he hated the idea. If we were to safely pull another all nighter and actually be more than an useless body that the monster toyed with, he'd have to be at least properly rested and prepared.

 

Phillip closed his door, leaving the two bodyguards to guard it - despite it being unnecesary- and stripping down to his boxers, crawled under the covers. He closed his eyes, trying to empty his mind.

[WolfDog12]

Of course, there was only one gap at the moment and it happened to be with Morgan so Hikyuu had to go and take over his best friend's job until someone else could do it. It was really hard to do so and thankfully, one of the village kids was old enough to take the job. He learned fast and he and Hikyuu worked together until the kid felt comfortable enough. That of course, took all day. The sun was beginning to set and every had to stop what they were doing.

 

Hikyuu wanted to keep working but it was far more dangerous if he did. The boy took off up the hill running back to his house where he had little time to strip down and put his clothes away. It was the night of the full moon so he'd find out what happened only by day break of the day after. Hikyuu was leaving his house when he noticed a chain on the floor. He'd never seen that before.

 

The boy took it with him and ran off to the tree he typically transformed next to. Wrapping the chain around the tree, Hikyuu then chained around his neck with enough room for the beast's larger neck. of course, he didn't have to wait long as the night came just barely in time and the male transformed into the creature once again.

 

The beast laid on the ground for a while before getting up and getting a feel for its body. Of course, it took notice of the chain right away and gave it a few pulls to see if it would just give out. When it didn't, the beast got pissed and pulled trying to slip its head out only getting stuck and being unable to move the chain at all. The creature let out a roar and continued to struggle against the chain for a couple hours before it finally used its powerful jaws and sharp fangs to attack the chain until it broke. The chain was then shaken off and the beast turned to the village, blaming them for his bad mood.

 

Taking off at full speed, the beast made it down to the center of the village and let off a roar of anger again challenging anyone to try and take him on. This beast just wanted to tear someone apart.

[Guest Eornostlice]

After a nap, Phillip was much more clear headed. The sun was about to set so he did not have that much time to prepare. He slipped his armor back on- not that it truly had an actual way to protect him from the beast other than to give him about one more second to pull out his sword and stab at the creature were it to come to it.

 

He ignored the prepared food altogether, the image of the wounded corpse having killed his apettite for the day, and perhaps even the following ones would not be that much better. The brunette could vaguely recall it everytime he closed his eyes, despite being used to blood and gore, corpses and cruel deaths.

 

He had experienced the cruelness of battle before, it was one of the ways that the king prepared the young princes for their possible future task before ascension to the throne. They would not be permitted to look away, being punished if they were to throw up or cry. They had to accept death as it was, a natural process that no one could escape.

 

The first prince made his way outside after equipping the sword and four portions of the powder, prepared to face the beast once more. Once again, he was on foot. But this time, he knew what to expect. In the end, he sat down in the middle of the road, patiently waiting.

 

Yet strangely enough, there was no sign of the beast. Phillip slightly frowned as he kept his eyes closed, carefully listening to the sounds around for hours.

[WolfDog12]

After finally breaking free and making it to the village to challenge the prince, the creature found the man sitting in the middle of the road. The beast didn't have the same loose and light-hearted killing demeanor as the previous night but tonight it was dripping with the rage that came from confinement. It's red eyes locked on the human that dared to take him, the one carrying a sword of something inhuman.

 

The beast snarled, showing off its fangs before letting off a roar that woke most of the villagers. The remained in their houses now terrified because the creature, while it did kill anyone seen outside their homes, it had always done so quietly. Now, he took off at full speed towards the seated prince ready to tear out his throat, remove his head, and leave the body behind for the villagers. Of course, the prince would draw his sword but at the last second, the beast jumped to Phillip's left side knowing that was the one he held the sword in, and head butt him in the shoulder. This arm was danger so it needed to go.

 

With another loud snarl, the beast attempted to take the arm, trying to be aware of the sword but at this point, he was so blinded by rage, he could only hope to take the arm before that sword found its way into his heart.

 

As pain filled the beast, it jumped back. It couldn't even assess its injuries. The beast snarled and started to run around like crazy. It was jumping off things and crashing into barrels and whatever else was left outside. One powder bomb made the creature lose its mind. Though, it relaxed its muscles enough to calm his head and to be able to think rationally and figure out a way to take the prince on without getting killed.