After cleaning up and getting dressed, I finally looked presentable. The clothes were a bit big, but nothing a few small snips and bonds couldn’t fix. Laying back on some hay in the smelly barn, I closed my eyes in thought. The fact that my origins were demonic in nature was something Seth let slip. Apparently, it had something to do with the odd tattoos on my body. The swirls and tribal like markings almost looked mesmerizing. It was interesting to say the least. So, demons perhaps spoke infernal then? The draconic language hints that I may have some connection there maybe? The knowledge I had was quite vague, mostly hinting at this world’s common sense. With a shrug, I decided to play with this new limb of mine.

Lifting my tail, I stared at it with interest, gently touching the elastic skin. Fascinated that I actually had a sense of touch in these clawed hands. I accidentally cut myself. The wound on my tail bled, my eyes widening in surprise when the small cut visibly started to heal. The viscous black blood had a slight green tint and a sour smell. It slightly creeped me out. Curious at how sharp these claws were, I grabbed a stone on the floor and poked it with the tip of my finger. I stared with wide eyes as the stone was pierced like butter. It would be very inconvenient if everything I touch just gets ruined. Frowning, I try to focus on my claws. Maybe if I can control it somehow? With focus on making them dull, I poke the stone again and sigh in relief when it’s unscathed. So it depends on my intentions, good to know.

I hear Anya calling for me from outside the barn, "Are you hungry Atko? What do you eat?"

With the origins I’m guessing I have, there is a high chance I'm carnivorous, but strangely enough, I wasn’t hungry at all. I declined her offer, “Not hungry.”

“Uhm, okay then.” she seemed hesitant but left me alone. Now that she mentioned food, something felt off about this body. Shouldn’t newborns be really hungry? Trying to understand if there is something wrong, I look into my inherent knowledge. There was nothing except the small notion that whispered it was normal. Shaking my head, I sigh and look for Seth. I hope I can get some information out of him. It was easy to find him since I already knew his scent. He was feeding the large, ostrich-like birds behind the stables. They were very similar to parrots in color. I figure they're the Quallas I had heard so much about. Seth still didn't notice me so I cleared my throat in an attempt to get his attention.

When he finally turned around, the Quallas fluttered their wings and released weird high-pitched sounds. They were suddenly disturbed and scared as they started to panic. Frowning, I realize it was my fault and glare at the offensive chickens. Something about these birds rubbed me the wrong way.

"Hey! You're scaring them! Just go wait in front of the house!" he yelled in frustration as he tried to calm the birds down. I gave him the same glare before leaving without a word. When he finally came, he was out of breath and gave me an annoyed look. I roll my eyes, “Not my fault they’re chickens.” I mumble.

Seth cleared his throat and growled, “Just don’t go near them again. What do you want?”

He really hates my gust, huh. Even though he’s trying to glare, he avoids meeting my eyes as much as possible. Doesn't he realize that not making eye contact is a sign of weakness and submission? I look at him curiously for a second, maybe it’s the animal inside that feels threatened so much. Could be. If it’s anything to go by, he definitely has some sort of instincts, however, judging by the way he holds back, they aren’t as intense.

"Do you have books and a map? Where are we anyway?" I ask casually, still observing his reactions and body language.

He narrows his eyes in suspicion, “I don’t see any reason why I should let you have a book, let alone a map. If you want something from me, then you sure as hell better convince me that letting you stay wasn’t a mistake.” crossing his arms, he proceeds to scowl, “I have work to do. If you want to help, go draw water from the well and water the garden. That is, if you know how to do that.” with a smirk he leaves, heading back to the birds and completely ignoring my second question.

I really want to skewer that paranoid face of his... Ahem, whatever. I sigh and head to the well. At least, it'll keep me busy until I figure out how to get into their house and see if they have some books. Maybe when they’re asleep?

***

It was a bust. Apparently, they don’t need to just give orders for this blasted magic to work on me. Right after I was done in the garden, Anya called me over to set ‘rules’. The blasted things integrated with the magic and prevent me from going against them. For one, she immediately gets tipped off that I am breaking a rule and the pain gradually intensifies. I don’t know to what level, but I’ll find out eventually. I am not allowed in the house. I am not allowed near the birds. I can’t go out of their farm’s bounds. I am not allowed to hurt them in any way or form, and worst of all, I am not allowed to lie. Grinding my teeth, I couldn’t help but seethe at the two beastfolk. Lying in the barn, I grumble and close my eyes in thought. One thing is certain, I don’t like either of them. Then again, I don’t like anybody. Unfortunately, these feelings were so much easier to hold back when I was human and the fact that I even have to hold them back is even more infuriating. Is it because the literal collar intimidates me or is it the power they have over my life? Hissing, I toss and turn while my mind is in overdrive. Having enough, I sit up, glaring into the darkness with a frown. Letting out a deep breath, I lightly smile as I finally come to terms with the situation and come to a decision.

I’ll just kill them, all I need is patience...

***

It took me about three months to finally get that damned dog to let his guard down. With so many chores and so much free labor on my part, they slowly adjusted to my presence. It took a lot of work and acting, but I finally have them believing I warmed up to them since I stopped snarling and hissing. It was tricky getting those instincts under control. The fact that patience truly pays off became evident today. They were probably going to allow me into the house soon.

During that period, I learned a thing or two about the beastfolk. For one, I realized that Seth is a hard worker, very easily provoked and has some major alfa-male issues. Though I’m not one to talk about issues. I’ve always been a hypocrite, not going to stop now. Surprisingly, Anya really loves to cook and hunt. She's good with a bow whereas Seth knows martial arts and can handle a blade pretty well. It’s fascinating that every time I’m near her, she acts all cute, chipper and friendly, makes me gag. She’s not fooling anyone. The fact that she treats me like a damn slave makes me want to grab her neck and squeeze, “Atko do this, do that, go here, clean this, fix that.” Bossy little bitch.

Scratching my cheek, I proceed to dig out the potatoes. Hm.... did I get a rash?

***

It took surprisingly another month for them to feel comfortable enough to let me into the house. I inwardly scowled at the shitty experience of getting too near the birds the other day. Damn near choked the life out of me. Previously, the magical collar had just caused pain, but now? It began contracting like a wire around my throat, threatening to suffocate me if I took another step. I was confident that they definitely weren’t telling me the truth. In fact, they lied all the time. I recently learned how to tell if someone was lying by listening to their heartrate. They did something with the contract. I felt it two days ago, like a strange zap around my neck. My guess is, they gave it a boost of sorts or increased its consequences.

Scratching my collarbone, I looked down to see some reddish blisters all over my shoulder. The rash was getting worse. It was there one day and gone the next, appearing on a different part of my body. I’ve been able to keep it a secret for now, but it’s getting more constant. I silently walked behind Seth who had an unusually calm and relaxed attitude. He took me into a dusty study filled with books and documents. Shelves were arranged along the walls and a wooden desk was in front of a large window. The smell of stale air made me sneeze. The wood of the desk was rotten at the edges and a lot of books had mold on them. I stared at the dog in disbelief, “You must seriously hate this room, huh?”

He made a strange expression, a spark of irritation replacing his relaxed mood, “I don’t like to go in and Anya has other things to do. So, you will clean this room up and then you are allowed to pick two books to borrow.” he walked to the door to leave but stopped and frowned, “Oh, and I’m not giving you a map. Call me when you’re done here, Freak.”

I glared at the empty doorway, clenching my fists. Their polite requests have gradually been turning into full-blown orders, taking more and more liberties and using me to do all the work they didn’t want to do, the new nickname. He began calling me that two days ago as well. At the same time, Anya no longer acted all friendly and chipper but avoided me like the plague unless it was to order me around. They had an ace up their sleeve and were gradually trying to push me into a corner. The fact that I didn’t do anything threatening for a while had boosted their arrogant attitudes further. They were becoming complacent. Narrowing my eyes, I let a crazy grin spread on my face. These little charades of ours will be ending soon enough.

Focusing on the study for now, I clean up the dust, put all the moldy books in a box and fix up the few broken shelves. Once the room looks presentable, I carefully looked over my options. History, stories, diaries. I took The Great History of Humanity Vol. I and immediately skimmed over it before deciding it should do for the first book and picked out Deadly Creatures and Beasts for my second book. There is nothing better than a good book.

Glancing out the window, I saw Fido with the birds and knew the little rat was hunting. He said he won’t give me a map but didn’t specifically say I can’t look for one myself. Not to mention, they’ve been avoiding letting me know where I was for this entire time and forcing me to hide when they had visitors.

Digging through the drawers and climbing to see the top shelves, I actually ran across a map. Lucky. Observing the drawing of an unfamiliar continent, I understood it wasn’t the map of the world. Good thing the two people who sold me let me know my general location. We were in the Green Valley, very near the small town I was sold in, Fort town. Thankfully there were scribbles on the map giving some more information. According to the borders, this was actually neutral ground called Terra Silva. Perhaps a trading hub? Shrugging, I glanced at the northern part of the continent which belonged to Humans according to the name Terra Humanum. There was Terra Bestia to the west and Terra Calceum to the east. Interestingly enough, not the whole continent was on this map. Most of the south was completely missing, showing only marked forests and some lakes and rivers, and the north seemed to go further than the map contained. The south was incredibly vague. I took some time to observe the things near my current location. It’s good to have some options ready. Hearing shuffling downstairs, I quickly put the map back and continued sweeping the floor.

***

Over the next two months, I learned many things. Like how many races and species exist here, some general history and relations between the people. The previously vague knowledge got a bit more context. It was all quite interesting. I had finally finished that bestiary and was bringing the two books back to the house. As I walked there, I could barely contain my fingers from clawing at my lower back and knee. The rash wasn’t going away anymore and I couldn’t hide it. The red splotches and tiny blisters were all over my body, even appearing on my arms and tail. Although I was interrogated about it, I managed to convince them it was an annoying allergy to something but generally harmless. The fact I couldn’t lie made it slightly difficult, but since I didn’t know what the hell it was, a speculation passed. But I felt that something was coming soon, a change of sorts. Hopefully, it was going to be enough to finally get rid of the two slave drivers. A chill went down my spine, the cold making me shiver as it disappeared almost immediately. It was so annoying, the tight feeling of my skin and the ache in my joints have been steadily increasing, making me twitchy. Not to mention, my emotional restraint has been at an all-time low.

I sigh with gloom and scratch my chest. Fido was standing on the porch, looking out with a worried gaze at the forest. Looking around, I noticed Anya’s bow was gone and she was nowhere to be seen. I look at him with a raised brow, "So broody. Here are the books." I shove them into his hands, waking him from his stupor.

He looks at me and opens his mouth to say something before his expression falls into shock. He unceremoniously drops the books in the dirt and dashes towards to forest. I glance after him in surprise and grin curiously when I spot a limping Anya coming out of the thick foliage. The wind brought the smell of blood to my nose while I walked to the edge of the wooden fence and leaned on it. Seth was helping Anya to the house, sending me a glare for some reason. I shrugged, and saw her wounds were superficial. Just some cuts and bruises, it’s likely she ran into a tree or tripped while running. I didn’t care enough to go and see what happened. Once they disappeared into the house, I turned my attention back to the beast prowling just at the border of the woods. It was well hidden, but I could still sense it, staring at me. After a minute or two the thing withdrew into the forest.

In a good mood, I scratch my ankle and head to the house. The door slams open violently as a raging Seth dashes to the shed and comes out with a sword, dressed in light armor. I whistle, “Where’s the fire, Fido?” the words slipped out before I could think. Damn, what is wrong with me recently! The itch flared.

Seth growled at me before furiously stomping in my direction, “I’m not in the mood for your bullshit, Freak. Anya was attacked during her hunt, she said it was a Chimera, and a big one at that. She barely got away. We need to kill that thing before it comes to the conclusion that this farm is worth it coming out of the forest.”

“We?” I ask with a tinge of sarcasm.

“Yes. We. You are taking the vanguard and acting as bait. I know about your sense of smell, I want you to track it. That is an order. That thing dies today.” he said mockingly before heading to the forest.

I clenched my teeth in anger, the itch suddenly increasing. I grin. This is it, Seth will die in that forest today. Standing at the edge, he glared at me, “What the hell are you grinning for?! Hurry up!” I shrug and take the lead. I immediately find the Chimeras scent. Something primal awoke inside me.

I could feel a heated gaze on my back as we walked pass the trees, but his annoyance only grew the more I ignored him. The silence continued as we carefully navigated the forest until Seth spoke, "Where the hell is it? We've been walking for hours. Are you even tracking it or are you just wandering around randomly? We need to kill that beast before nightfall. There’s no way we can hunt at it night. My sense of smell is good, but I can’t make anything out in the forest anymore. Too long has passed." he said with anger.

Annoyed at being talked to like that, I snapped at him, "Shut your fucking mouth Fido." A ringing suddenly started in my ears, urging a sharp pain to appear behind my eyes. Clawing at my forearm, blood slowly dripped down my elbow, making the grass sizzle slightly, turning it blackish. I was far too busy with the damn itch to care about Seth’s reaction. My patience was running thin and the filter between my brain and mouth was out of commission.

"What in the-" Seth hissed sharply and stared, “You- “He began speaking, but a screech suddenly spread through the forest, waking me up from my painful stupor as I crouch down and start moving in its general direction. My instincts were screaming at me to hunt and kill. Seth gawked at me in shock before tripping on a root and almost falling on top of me. I hiss, "Get a hold of yourself, you reek of fear." By the look on his face, I knew he was going to start yapping again. I put a finger over my lips.

Sneaking through the bushes, I felt exhilarated as my tail swayed from side to side. It was the first time I felt such excitement. Something ahead was radiating pure power and vitality. Recognizing the monster that was prowling at the edge of the forest before, I licked my lips unconsciously and put a hand on my chest. My heart was beating like a drum. The knowledge that the thing I was hunting was stronger than me made me almost shake from the stimulation.

My skin tightened, wriggling like a hundred worms while pain spread across my body, the blisters popping with a disgusting squelch. I swallowed the hiss that built up, unwilling to reveal my location. The excitement made me ignore the intense discomfort as I began moving again. Only the prey mattered.

Why am I like this? Ah, I want to fight. I want to kill. I want to ea-

My stomach rumbled.

I was suddenly yanked back by the tail and snapped out of it. In rage, turning faster than I thought I could, I swung my claws at the dog. The magic collar tightened so suddenly and violently, I stopped in my tracks, gasping for breath. Seth’s eyes were full of fear once he saw my hand inches from his face. My hand moved to my throat as I stumbled back a bit. The magic finally stopped and I took deep breaths before whispering menacingly, “Don’t. You. Ever. Touch. My. Tail.”

Fido panicked and winced as if burned before making some distance between us. He was giving off a stench that could get us detected. His eyes were wide, "You, you attacked me." he said while staring in disbelief, not daring to look away, "What the hell is wrong with you? We need to go back, you’re fucking unstable.”

I click my tongue in annoyance. Turning away, I change the subject, "I'm getting a whiff of several mixed scents, the Chimera most likely. Just stay back and be quiet, that thing is almost on us. Those beasts have an amazingly sensitive sense of smell. You are like a fucking lighthouse. It already knows we're here."

He frowned accusingly, "You've been really daring lately and I don’t like what just happened. We need to go back and I’m calling the damn Association. You are seriously not worth our trouble.” he murmured something else, but I ignored him. Advancing slowly, I left the bushes with caution, keeping my posture low. It was really close now.

My excitement rose as an odd sensation settled deep within my gut. I knew what it meant. I craved to completely dominate this creature and rip it to shreds. My instincts were screaming slaughter. All the pent-up stress I had gathered thanks to restraining myself for so long broke free. The sheer intensity of it made my blood boil, the hunger was almost crippling.

The trees occasionally shook and low growls seemed to come from the south west. I could feel it moving, circling within the bushes and trees like a true predator. Its teeth were maliciously grinding together while its paws silently dragged across the ground. The beast's lungs contracted with shallow breaths as its heart hammered with the same excitement as mine.

Stalking. Observing. I had its full and undivided attention.

Right now, nothing mattered because the second it leaped at me, everything faded away. It aimed for my neck as I dodged by a hair, tossing myself to the side and quickly regaining my balance. I felt everything rational dissolve into the background. The two of us were nothing but bloodthirsty beasts, running on pure instinct. It was either him or me.

The Chimera quickly turned around and attacked again. I kept running and dodging while receiving some deep gashes. I returned the favor. With a hiss, I clawed at its neck. My fingers slipped into its flesh without resistance as I countered with glee and connected my knee with its chin. It wasn't difficult thanks to my small frame.

Its head snapped back as it stumbled backward. Not wasting the opportunity, I gave it another deep wound across the face, gouging out an eye. I felt something heavy connecting with my waist. I was sent flying to the side, slamming into a tree. Roaring furiously, the beast glared at me with its muscular tail swaying proudly. That accusing yellow eye was glowing with the promise of death. A string of curses spilled from my mouth as I broke the sizzling branch that impaled me. The Chimera let out a small squeal before charging me.

Blood rose up and flowed out of my mouth as my face split with a wide grin, infuriating the beast further. Focusing, I moved a second before the collision. It uprooted the tree with force and swiped its claws at my torso. However, I had already switched sides and entered its blind spot. Gathering my strength, I jumped and dug my claws into its thick hide. I straddled it and circled my tail around its neck for balance, digging the tip into the previous wound with delight. It went wild trying to throw me off, but every movement of its neck was agonizing. Malicious laughter bubbled up from my chest as I drilled deeper into its neck, punishing it, torturing it. The roars soon turned into pained whimpers, but it never stopped trying to kick me off.

Growling, I pried open the exposed flesh and dug my sharp fangs into it. The metallic taste of blood was like sweet honey, it was delicious. I grabbed on tighter, continuously ripping the back of its neck apart with my teeth. The beast shrieked in misery, knowing it was being eaten alive while my slightly corrosive blood soaked its lacerated flesh.

A sharp pain suddenly seared my ribcage and it wasn't only because of the impact of its powerful tail. My hunger was getting worse by the second, affecting every part of my being, and my vision slowly turned red. Baring my bloodied fangs, I let out an inhuman sound and butchered its back even more, ignoring the broken ribs. I pulled one arm back and slammed it deep into its body.

It was bleeding and wheezing from the torture I had inflicted, but never stopped fighting. The predator’s arrogance was replaced by terror and despair. No matter what it did, it wasn't going to get rid of me. Grinning savagely, I disregarded my injuries and found its spine, wrapping my fingers around it. Applying pressure, there was a small crack and, with a tug, the bone came loose. It was really hard but broke quickly under the force.

The howling beast shook and stopped as I yanked out a vertebra of its spine. The creature fell to the ground and didn't move again. Tossing the bone to the side, I finally jumped off, tripping and falling into the dirt. My wounds slowly started to heal while I stared at the defenseless beast which was still alive. My stomach fiercely growled. I stood up and glanced down at my bloodstained hands, making me gulp in desire. Bringing my shaking hand closer, I licked the blood. I wanted to savor the taste now that my opponent was down.

A flurry of flavors flooded my mouth, making my mind go blank. Not tasting anything in months made my appetite spike dangerously. I finally knew what I had to do to make the pain go away. My breath became heavy as I boiled from the overwhelming feelings assaulting my mind and body. The Chimera was bleeding severely while looking at me with pathetic, begging eyes. I swayed and licked my lips, relishing in its weakness. Striking through its last eye with a swift motion of my tail, it died almost instantly.

Thick, sticky blood sprayed as I laughed from the sense of perverted euphoria. This was the first time that I laughed honestly. Covered in blood, I finally looked at my prey with a pleased smile, not caring about the gravity of my cruelty. The big, muscular feline was lifeless on the ground. The back legs had hoofs and its tail was thick and hairless. It had a black mane around its head, while the belly was covered with rough, callused skin. However, my curiosity was soon overthrown by hunger. I heard an echo behind me, but I didn't register anything beyond the delicious feast.

Without hesitation, I dug my claws and teeth into the raw flesh, sweet power filling my being. Pulling out its innards, I quickly stuffed my face with the liver. The muscles were chewy but fun to eat. Some bits weren't very tasty so I threw them away. The bones were hard, but smaller ones crunched with disturbing sounds whenever I ate them, making it quite amusing. I sucked out the marrow and slurped the warm blood directly out of the heart before eating it last.

I have no idea how something five times my size fit inside my stomach, but after I ate everything I could, I was still not satisfied. On the contrary, I felt hungrier. I let out an annoyed hiss as my bloodlust spiked, "It hurts... I'm... hungry... “, I mumbled and screamed in madness as I gripped my head. The grinding cogs in my head making me almost topple over.

I heard a sound behind me. I turned around, squinting in pain. There was a trembling dog. I really hated that dog. With a swift movement, I rushed at it on all fours and pinned it against a tree. My tail tightly slithered around its slim neck. This prey was also bigger than me, but it was weaker. I could smell its fear. I couldn’t breathe, a searing pain cut into my neck. It’s okay, I can hold my breath. I crept closer, licking my lips as I lifted Seth off the ground. It was entertaining to watch the dog squirm. My tongue flicked out while I grinned and showed off my sharp, bloody fangs. I wanted to intimidate it more. If its blood pumped faster, it will be tastier to eat. The noose tightened around my neck, “Hey Seeeth, let’s see whose neck will snap first~” I growled playfully.

With my vision clouded red and instincts in a painful turmoil, everything was warped. Seth’s mouth moved as sounds I didn’t care for came out. I knew he was trying to escape with an expression full of terror. I loved the smell of dread but grimaced when a sword was suddenly lodged in my guts. Before I could react, he pulled it out and sliced through my tail. My body fell back as I hissed in pain and the tip of my tail fell to the ground. The happy euphoria was replaced by rage.

Feeling like I was about to faint from the lack of air, I took advantage of my smaller frame and grabbed the arm that held the sword before violently slamming the mutt down. He called out in pain as something snapped. Feeling too enraged to care about my blurry vision, I twisted the limb, making the offensive creature scream. The sounds of breaking bones filled the forest. I really hated this thing. I pulled on the arm that had white bones sticking out and ferociously bit into his shoulder while vindictively staring straight into his eyes. The shockingly amazing taste, made me groan in delight. I quickened my bites and greedily devoured the delicious meat. Unlike the beast, this one's bones snapped easily. I was at my last breath, but I was taking him with me.

I pressed my jaw tighter and felt the bone crunch in my mouth. Just as I swallowed a big chunk I jumped away with a growl, ripping the entire arm off at the shoulder. As I was gasping for breath, clawing at my throat, I saw Seth crying and gripping the shoulder that was gushing out blood. My sanity had returned for a moment, but I could feel it slipping through my fingers as both the pain and the hunger got stronger, not to mention the fact that I could feel my life slipping through my fingers.

Seth used his other hand to take a small flask from his pocket and drank the contents. His face twisted in pain and panic, but the blood flow stopped and he looked at me in terror. Taking the sword off the ground, he shouted and pierced my chest weakly before running as fast as humanly possible and disappearing from my sight.

The deliria immediately started taking over and my instincts were screaming to chase and kill. I felt my mind and body finally become synced. The further Seth ran from the scene, the looser the collar felt, allowing me to breathe yet tugging me in that very same direction. Wincing at the sword lodged in my bone, I groaned and pulled it out. The fool was too terrified to aim properly and the sword never even pierced my ribcage. Falling to my knees in a moment of weakness, I crawled to the tree to lean on it. The hunger and pain were bad. My breath short. Was this it? Closing my eyes, I smiled bitterly, “No.” I mumble, “That cunt will die.”

Coldly staring into the distance for a few minutes, I was able to move again. My regeneration was stronger than before, all the wounds were already scabbed. Touching my neck, I felt a small, thin line, it was still there. The fucking noose.

I won't deny it, I wanted to chase him so badly right now. But it was a bad idea, for now I focused on my surroundings. Looking for something else to eat was the better option. Spotting the severed arm, I picked it up and ate as I walked through the forest, killing anything that had the bad luck of running into me.

Soon, I found myself at a cliff, recognized the landmark from the map, right near the edge of the valley. At the bottom was a large deer with silver horns drinking water from a pond. It was slightly smaller than the Chimera. Those horns looked very hard and sharp. Deadly. Licking my lips in anticipation, I knew I was out of my league but the thrill was too much to resist. Eating things stronger than myself was much more invigorating than bunnies and crows. The prospect of a wondrous fight and a promising meal made me lose all hesitation. I wasn't noticed yet so I stepped off the cliff and drove my claws into the stone, slowing my fall. Once I felt the height was safe, I kicked off and aimed for its back, loving how flexible this body was.

Unfortunately, it didn't work out as I hoped. The air was knocked out of me when the deer promptly spun and kicked me in the chest. I was sent flying into the cliff wall with enough force to turn me into a blood stain. And that it did. With a painful crash, my back burst open and covered the wall with blood while my bones snapped. Puking out blood, I slid down into the pond. I would have fainted if it wasn't for the overwhelming hunger. Sadly, I couldn't even move and just sat there in the shallow water, dead fish floating to the surface as I bled. My ribcage was caved in and my lungs ruptured. It was difficult to breathe.

The deer lifted its proud head and snorted in disdain. It started to leave. Did it think I was dead? It made me angry. I'm not that weak. I can kill you. I will kill you. The dangerous arrogance and pride were further pushed by the humiliation. The furious thoughts seemed to amplify my recovery. I forced my bones back into their place. The agonizing restoration made me weakly scream out and hiss as I convulsed.

After ten minutes of that, I was able to move again. Suppressing the painful sensations, I hatefully glared in the direction the deer casually left, "Fucking bastard... I'll... rip out your intestines and then hang them... on your antlers... like Christmas decorations..." I mumbled and hissed.

My body blurred as I went after the dirty animal that had disappeared behind the cover of the foliage. I moved through the shadows and stalked its trail, the sun was setting. Instinctively hiding, I climbed up a tree and stealthily approached it. I knew it sensed my presence, it was visibly disturbed and glared around with its hooves striking the ground as a threat. Grinning, I controlled my breathing and positioned myself above it. Even though it knew I was here somewhere, my true location was unknown to it.

Using that to my advantage, I tossed an acorn at the opposite bush. As soon as it lowered its antlers at it, I jumped down. The powerful muscles of my tail tightly wrapped around its front legs, making it lose balance when I pulled. A sound escaped the animal as it fell on its face and my claws finally found their mark. Ripping into its jugular, I glared at its dazed eyes which immediately lost their light. The deer toppled to the ground immediately. I finally noticed two bleeding holes, one on my shoulder and the other on my cheek. Those stupid antlers had an annoying reach, I had managed to impale myself.

I ripped into the corpse and gorged myself. After finally eating the last of it, I felt better and the pain was mostly gone. I don't know what happened next, everything passed like a blur, night had fallen and a thin fog had settled. I just wandered around in a daze, killing whatever I came across and allowing my frenzied instincts to guide me. The next thing I knew, I had somehow reached a secluded lake with a wide waterfall. Glancing down at my reflection in the clear water, the moonlight showed my current appearance.

Covered in blood from head to toe, the eerie face of a young boy was staring back at me. I was dyed red with the caked substance. Only my eyes shined with wild vitality. I wasn't bothered by it, just fascinated by everything that had happened today. There was no guilt, no regrets. Only satisfaction that almost made me hum a tune. Did I change this much? Or was I always like this? I don't know anymore, I was pretending for so long... for months... just a fucking slave.

I currently resembled something straight out of a horror movie. I hopped into the shallow lake and washed. Afterward, I found a cave near the waterfall, then settled in a comfortable looking corner. Now that my thoughts were clear, I couldn't help but wonder what to do about the contract and how to kill the two pests. I want to just leave and never look back, but this stupid noose was screaming otherwise. It felt tight and uncomfortable to the point that I wanted to claw my own neck. It keeps tugging on my mind, telling me to go back to my owner. The more I ignore it, the more it starts to hurt. It becomes louder and louder until it's practically screeching in my brain.

Clutching my head, I groan in discomfort. What the hell is this fucking magic?! I laid in a fetal position as exhaustion caught up with me. I have no idea how much time passed... I was about to drift off into slumber when everything transformed into a nightmare.

My body started burning up. As if bathed in flames, I screamed and twisted in agony, my skin tightening to the point it ripped. It started to peel off my muscles while every bone in my body broke into fragments. I gasped for air but couldn't muster the strength to take a breath, the collar making things much worse. I felt heavy as I suffocated, my boiling blood making large blisters on the surface of my flesh. They wiggled and burst, spraying blood everywhere. My spine moved as it slowly ground against the muscles from the inside.

The screaming pain in my head just wouldn't stop. Shut up... SHUT UP!! The horrible agony continued for what seemed like hours. At some point, I must have fainted because everything turned black.