The Goddess and the Animal
Chapter 8
“Merde, where dis storm come from?” Remy asked looking out one of the small windows in Logan’s cabin, right before another roar of thunder shook the wooden walls and rattled the glass. The flash of lightning was accompanied by waves of rain that threatened to drown anyone daring to step foot outside. The wind howled, ripping through the trees and caused branches to scrape across the roof.
“Dunno,” Logan replied, glancing up at the ceiling as thunder shook the walls once more. The storm had come out of nowhere and he had barely caught the change in the air before it started. He figured it would pass soon enough. Logan shook his head at Remy who was staring off in the direction of the village and went back to his search for supplies. After their short hike after escaping from the prison, Logan knew Remy would need something to help him get through the more difficult journey he knew was ahead of them.
“So, I guess dat wasn’t good news you ‘eard back dere.” Logan grunted, his eyes catching the spots of dried blood on his hands. “Did ya kill dem?”
Logan’s eyes narrowed as he glanced over his shoulder at Remy whose eyes were still gazing out into the storm. “I ain’t a murderer, kid.”
“Thought dat was why you were in dere, mon ami?” Remy asked turning to face Logan as another flash of lightning lit up the dark room. In the brief flash, Logan’s shadowy figure lit up; the unusual tufts of hair sticking up behind his ears created a unique animalistic outline while the lightning was reflected back in his dark eyes in a way that almost made Logan look inhuman. In a blink of an eye the light was gone and Logan’s profile returned to darkness.
“Yeah it was.” Logan felt Remy’s eyes starring into the back of his head as he turned back to his bag. He knew the kid was waiting for an explanation but he really didn’t feel like getting into it right now. He had enough on his mind. “I didn’t do it.” Logan said simply, making it clear in his tone that he wasn’t saying anymore on the matter.
Ororo hovered in the midst of the dark storm clouds, letting the lightning tickle her fingertips before streaking across the sky and feeling the thunder rumble through her bones. Her long white hair was pulled free from her scarf, swirling around her in the howling wind as her cloak snapped and fluttered behind her, only partially held down by the strap of her bag.
Ororo’s glowing white eyes flashed as she looked down at what was her home far below her. She wondered if her father would tell her sisters what happened. She doubted it though. If the poor girl had a funeral then perhaps her father would let them know or at least he would tell Betsy.
Should she have told them herself? Would they have wanted to come with her? Or would they have tried to talk her out of this quest to track down those responsible? Ororo knew she had to do something to stop what was happening. She could not sit around while her father and Henry did their tests hoping to stumble across the right lead. Others could be killed.
With a small sigh Ororo turned her gaze toward the castle. She could not see it through her storm but she knew where it was. Something dark was affecting the kingdom. The men in the woods were speaking of plans, plans that involved murder. Ororo knew that couldn’t have been good. She flew through the clouds towards the next town, allowing the storm to work itself out.
“Come on, kid, we gotta get outta here,” Logan said, slinging the strap of the bag over his shoulder. He had changed out of the horrible clothes the prison had issued him into a loose fitting brown coarse linen shirt and a dark pair of trousers, trading in the uncomfortable prison shoes for his sturdy boots.
Remy simply nodded, checking his trench pocket for his bo-staff and playing cards before following Logan to the door. He wondered if they were headed towards the village where he had stumbled upon that young woman. He wouldn’t mind running into her again and having the chance to at least speak to her, but he doubted that she’d be out in the muddy conditions left behind by the sudden storm if they even headed that way.
He tried not to look too disappointed when Logan didn’t start off towards the village, but Logan caught the change anyway.
“What’s yer problem?”
“Nothin’, mon ami,” Remy replied, straightening the collar of his trench coat.
“Yer lyin’, kid, I can smell it on ya. Did ya want ta stick around and give Scooter a chance to catch up?”
“Non, Remy was jus’ thinkin’ ‘bout dis jolie fille ‘e saw back at de village.” Logan rolled his eyes and kept walking through the trees. “Did ya live out ‘ere alone?”
“Yeah.”
“No femme?”
“No.”
“Never?”
“Never.”
“But it’s not like you’re gettin’ any younger, mon ami.”
“I ain’t gettin’ any older either, kid. Not yet.” Logan glanced back at Remy, “Ain’t you a bit too young ta be thinkin’ about gettin’ married anyway?”
“Ain’t you a bit old to not be?”
Logan paused, “Are ya callin’ me an old maid?”
Remy snickered, “Your words, not mine, mon ami.”
“At least I’ve grown outta diapers, kid.”
“Remy ‘appen to be in ‘is twenties.”
“Good fer you.”
“An’ you ‘appen to be an ‘old maid’.”
“Kid, I ain’t talkin’ about my love life with ya and I ain’t that much older than you.”
He spotted a slow moving figure near the edge of the woods. Cutting through the woods allowed him to get to the next village in less than half of the time it would’ve taken going along the path or taking the road.
Slowing down, he headed towards the figure, staying out of the moonlight to avoid being seen. With a small grin he watched the young woman walk past. His eyes ran over the black curls flowing over her shoulders and the dark skin of her bare arms. Her hands were holding up her skirts, keeping them away from the mud kicked up from the dark boots on her feet. From his position he couldn’t see her face, but it didn’t matter, he’d see it soon enough.
Watching her closely, he left the shadows, his thick soled boots almost silent as he walked, straightening the collar of his deep red shirt and running a hand through his naturally disheveled hair. He stood just out of the thin shadow of a tree just at the edge of the woods, placing another cigarette in the corner of his mouth as he leaned against the tree.
“Didn’t anybody ever tell you it’s dangerous in the woods?” He asked, pulling out a match as the young woman turned, dark eyes wide in surprise. With a grin, he struck the match, lighting his cigarette, keeping his eyes on her, tracing her features. She hadn’t responded and was slowly inching away from him. He was glad she seemed suspicious. He could have more fun that way.
“Hey now, a pretty girl like you shouldn’t be walking home alone,” He paused, blowing out a small cloud of smoke. “Like I said, it’s dangerous.” His grin widened into a friendly smile as she hesitated. “I’ll walk with you if you like.” He smirked around his cigarette when she slowly nodded, turning to glance into the woods. He quickly jogged over to her, winking as she smiled shyly up at him.
Taking another puff from his cigarette, he looped his thumb through his belt near his dagger sheath.
“You know,” the young woman started after they had walked a few feet in somewhat comfortable silence her voice quiet but rich in his ears, “those things will kill you.”
He wrapped his hand around the dagger, grinning around the burning paper and tobacco “I’m not worried.” He struck another match, watching her eyes dart to the flickering flame, “But maybe you should be.”
A/N: Continue? Anybody figure out who the killer is yet?
