The piercing frost had nearly sunk its teeth into the lone witch, but the eternal blaze which sustained her life kept her warm as its hunger roared quietly from within. She pulled the fur hood of her cloak down to cover her face, carefully searching the snow covered forest.
The Chancellor is offering quite the sum of coin for this…And it was no wonder. The Frostmaw had ravaged the kingdom for many a month now, with each hunter sent only to never return. The Chancellor was a proud man, who in feeling personally slighted by these past failures, resorted to a witch’s services, only offering her a cold, dismissive scoff. No matter, I will do the job all the same.
A rustling sound disturbed her reflections as a white wolf came out of a bush, regarding her suspiciously with its sharp, yellow eyes. She returned the favor, watching it approach.
“These woods are no place for a lady,” a gruff voice from behind her said.
She made no reply.
“There are savage beasts lurking here,” his voice trembled slightly. “You must leave. Please, allow me to escort you,” he stood before her, quite determined.
The man was the very picture of gallantry with his strong frame and golden locks. Another hunter, she thought, merely gazing back at him.
The reverberating cries of the Frostmaw broke the silence between them. He drew his large sword as the witch rose, her eternal blaze erupting from her palms and ready to devour. The auburn haired man fixed his sights on her with revulsion. My father once looked at me the very same way.
“A…witch?” he glared with the same suspicion as his wolf.
The flames rising from her hands flickered as anger rose. She drew a breath to quell its rage, “That’s right, a great lord has placed his faith in that of a witch. For your sake, I advise you to stay out of my way, lest you discover why I was hired.” So, the Chancellor has a rival.
“I mean to claim this bounty, witch,” the gallant man hissed.
“As do I,” she responded in kind.
A vicious chill ran through her veins as the Frostmaw’s predatory eyes were aglow. His savage stature loomed taller than the ancient pine trees. Only one of us will survive.
The witch scowled, determined to slay the beast and feed her wretched curse.
