Emilia wanders attempting to pick up a foul stench similar to hers, but the wind blows hard and her nose is not the best. Teddy climbs up her leg then sits on her back for the ride.
I don’t think we should look for other beasts. Teddy states, Let’s find a place to rest.
Emilia nods as she scopes the area for a place to sleep. Thick grape sized rain drops fall from the sky. Teddy quickly springs from Emilia’s back taking shelter beneath her.
I’ll get moldy. Can we please find a dry place for the night?
Emilia finds a tree with an opening in the trunk. Roots extend to the dirt, but the space underneath the tree is big enough to fit Emilia and Teddy. Teddy sits near the entrance twisting its leg like a washcloth wringing out the rain water. Emilia moves loose roots to block those on the outside from seeing inside. Emilia curls into a ball ready for sleep with Teddy resting its head on her shoulder using her paw as a blanket.
Victor stands before his father’s throne with his hands behind his back and head down.
“You let a girl who was infected by a beast get away?” The king reprimands his son in front of the army and many members of the court. “Is the safety of your kingdom not important to you?”
“I thought she was cured, your majesty,” Victor mumbles defeated.
“Cured? There is no cure. Has the thought not occurred to you that the beasts are trying to do more than terrorize us? They can be galvanizing, preparing to massacre us all. This is the first attack we’ve had in weeks. Does that not mean anything to you?”
“It does sir, but I would like to point out that you’re miscalculating.”
“Excuse me?”
“Emilia was attacked within the walls; on top of that, she changed within the walls. Her attack was not a planned attack.” Victor closes his eyes with his head down awaiting to be yelled at, but his father pauses. When Victor peeks up at his father, the king’s glare pierces Victor, “S-s-sir?”
“Tell me, do you feel better now that you let a beast change within our walls? Do you feel better knowing that you caused harm that could’ve been avoided?” The king whispers condescendingly making Victor flinch, “Since you know everything, what is your solution to the beasts?”
“May I have permission to take soldiers into the forest to scout and find where the beasts are hiding?”
“If you find their nest, what will you do?”
“Obliterate them.”
“Including the one you thought you saved?”
“Yes. I will kill every beast I find.”
When the king nods, Victor spins around on his heel and walks out with two guards on his sides.
Emilia lifts rocks finding no worms, ants, ladybugs, or bugs of any sort. She’d given up on catching a rabbit or any kind of meat hours ago. She didn’t know if the berries she’d found were poisonous or not, so she left them. Emilia drops the rock and plops her butt on the ground. Teddy rests against her brusher her fur coat with its paw.
I’m going to die of starvation. Emilia growls as her paw rubs her tummy.
Perhaps we can find other beasts. Maybe they can help. Teddy responds, and Emilia nods. She allows Teddy to climb onto her back then she sniffs around searching for any scent close to hers.