The Beast and The Brain.

I felt like a thief. To be practical. I realized that I didn’t have time to go knock on every door to see if J had been there. People didn’t trust me and half of them probably wouldn’t let me in or even talk to me. So instead, I snuck around. Again, I felt like a thief. I had to admit though I was really good at it.

I managed to sneak around to most of the homes in about an hour. I was panicking. There was no sign of J. Was I wrong? Had Kegan been right about J going to the city? I cursed under my breath, by now Kegan must have known that I left. If I went back, things would go downhill for sure.

Just as I was peeking through a window to get another sniff, a woman caught me. “What do you think you are doing?”

I whirled around, my eyes wide. “Uh, I was. Umm—I thought….” I stumbled over my words like an idiot.

She rolled her eyes, “If you’re looking for the woman she isn’t here anymore.”

I stopped shuddering and found my voice, “Woman?” I asked.

She nodded, “You know her right?” She asked, “You wear the same clothes as she does.” I looked down at my dark clothes and black leather. I nodded, “I thought so.” She said, “She left, about four days ago I think it was.”

My heart pounded, four days. J was only four days ahead of me. “Did she say anything about where she was headed?” I asked her.

She shook her head, “She was pretty quiet, had an air of mystery around her as well. She stayed at my home. She said she didn’t like the Inn and that she would pay me just as much.”

“Please, I must find her, anything you know is helpful.”

She smiled, “She headed west if that helps. I’m sorry I can’t be of any help.”

I smiled, “Thank you so much.”

I ran to my horse and swung myself into the saddle, “Next time don’t sneak around ok?” She called and I waved as I rode out of the village.

~ ~ ~ ~

Four days. Four days. Four days. I couldn’t help but smile and laugh. J was only four days ahead of me. I wanted to sing. It might have been my imagination, but my horse even seemed to have a lighter step. I didn’t stop until late that night, and mostly because the horse needed rest. It took my some time to find dry wood, but soon I had a small fire going and I curled into a ball against the tree. The horse stood close by. It was cold enough that the fire didn’t bother him.

I slept lightly for a few hours. The cold nipped at my bones and I was unable to remain asleep for very long. When we started traveling again I gave the horse a break. That and I wanted to use some energy so I walked for a few miles. The snow was deeper than I imagined it would be, though it seemed that a wagon had passed down this road not too long ago. At least there was some sort of trail, but it wasn’t much.

Luckily, for me there wasn’t any snow storms. A cold breeze would pick up some snow and throw it around, but nothing more. It was early dawn when I finally came to a large town. There was a large wooden fence all around it and I could see guards walking on the wall.

Luckily, for me it wasn’t a military fort. There was a bit of an early morning traffic coming in and out of the town, and as luck would have it. They weren’t stopping people. The guards remained inside their guardhouse wrapped tightly in their cloaks.

I nodded to one as I passed into the large town. To my surprise, the whole place seemed to be awake. The streets that would normally be muddy and wet were frozen solid from the cold and it seemed that they were preparing for a winter festival. Several times, I was forced to stand off to one side as large wagons carrying food or decorations passed. The men driving waved cheerily despite the early hour and cold wind.

To my great dismay, most of the Inns were full. I tried several places, but each of them were unwilling to give me a room. Many only had a large room left open, and I was unwilling to pay the high price they demanded. After all, I wasn’t here for the festivities.

I found a stable to board my horse until I returned. The streets were getting more crowded with each passing minute and being horseback would prove useless. I made sure my knife was secure in my boot, and left my sword with my tack in the stable. There was no use for it at the moment.

I started my search. I worked from the center of the large town out. Unlike the other small villages I had passed by on the roads, this place was more of a small city. They had all the commodities and they even had their own private men at arms, which I avoided, just to be safe. I went into every single public building, took a large whiff of the air and then left.

When lunch rolled around, I stepped into a tavern and had a very large lunch. Even though I wasn’t shifting into my Beast form I was still using my power. Sifting through scents wasn’t a very easy thing to do when there were so many of them. However, I wasn’t trying to detect a faint scent anymore, if J really had been through here only a day or two prior, then her scent would stick out. I just needed to find it.

If my luck held out then she would still be in this large town. If she wasn’t then I would follow her scent to the next town and at the pace I was moving, I knew it would be a very short time until I did find her. A shiver ran down my spine and I found that I was suddenly very impatient. I paid for my meal and left in a hurry.

Already half the streets were full of venders. The entire place was alive, but the real festival would start tonight. Colorful decorations were hung overhead across the streets. They zigzagged above my head like rainbows on a rainy day. It didn’t feel like winter at all, despite the cold and light dusting of snow. People were happy.

I walked slowly among the vendors. “We don’t want your type here!” A man’s voice yelled higher than the rest. I ignored it. There was so much yelling and bartering going on that I didn’t pay attention to them anymore. I used to walk among vendors with my father, at the horse fair. Those men were louder than any others I had ever heard.

“You there, I’m talking to you!” The same voice, somehow it was even louder. I looked up but didn’t see where it was coming from. I turned back around. “Idiot boy, I said I’m talking to you!” This time the whole street quieted down.

Everyone moved aside leaving the middle of the street open. No one knew what exactly was happening. I saw a fit man, around the age of thirty on top of a turned crate. It was obvious now that he was the one that had been yelling before. He stepped down, people shuffled out of his way quickly. They were obviously too afraid to get in his way. I looked around, wonder what the commotion was all about. Someone had clearly made this man angry.

He started towards me. Oh no. I chimed to myself. I looked around, people noticed that he was headed this way. I stood still as they cleared away from me. He was definitely staring at me. A few of his friends also joined him. They followed silently. I let out a sigh. Would my adventures never end? I wasn’t optimistic.

The small gang stopped a few feet from me with their arms folded. They were trying to look more intimidating then they really were. “I said we don’t want your type here.” The man in front spoke. A few venders went back to their business, along with some citizens. Though there were still a few who lingered and watched the action unfold.

“I’m afraid I don’t understand.” I said truthfully. There was no way these people could know I was a Beast. They might have felt aggressive or fearful, but they could not sense my power in any other way, or know if it unless they had seen me turn. Which they hadn’t.

The leader of the little group stepped forward. I wasn’t a very short person, but this man towered over me. Not in bulk, but he was lanky. “Don’t play innocent with me.” He said in a low voice. He reached out. His fingers grasped my black clothes and his eyes trailed down to my knife. “You expect me to believe that you dress exactly the same as that wrench without consequence?” People had now lost interest and went back to their business.

My heart pounded in my chest. My eyes trailed down to the man’s fingers that were on my clothes, I looked back into his eyes. My hands were shaking, “What wench?” I asked my tone deadly. Surely this wasn’t happening.

He looked at me closely, “The bitch that took all my money, the one that’s been giving people all over town trouble. That wench.”

I looked around to make sure no one was listening, “Where?” I asked. He raised an eyebrow, “Where.” I demanded, “If this woman is truly the one I am looking for, then you will be glad to know that I have been searching for her. Let me also tell you friend, that if I find her thins will not turn out well for her.”

The man raised an eyebrow, “Not well?” He asked.

I shook my head, “Not well at all.” I assured him, “Tell me where she is.” I demanded.
He looked at his friends and they all nodded their heads. He turned back to me, “Very well friend. Luckily for you, I know just where she is.” I almost passed out. J was here. She was close. She didn’t know I was coming for her. J was going to die, and I was going to kill her. I was going to do it today.