Takoda

We quietly hid under the table as fear began to prey on us, I was so scared that I was breathing a little loudly. While I was breathing loudly, Mom gently placed her hand on mine, I looked at her, and she signaled to me to keep quiet by putting her finger to her lips.

As we were hiding, the four-legged beast made its way to the table where we were hiding, that's when I experienced the full terror of my fear. I tightly closed my eyes in the hopes that the beat wouldn't see us because I was so terrified. I could hear the beast snarling and smell it since it smelled terrible. I put my hands over my lips while still breathing rather loudly.

The growling ceased a few seconds later, and the odour vanished. When I opened my eyes after feeling a little calm, I saw the beast standing there silently looking at me. As it grabbed me by the leg and dragged me away from the table, I let out a terrified cry.

Mom became frightened, scampered out from beneath the table, and ran to battle the beast. She threw punches and slaps at it, but it was an apex predator, and the beast slayers in Solary town only used a special sword to kill it, even normal soldiers couldn't kill it so her efforts were in vain. It moaned and retreated as an arrow flew through the door and wounded its eyes while it was attempting to devour me. Mom and I were staring at the entrance when a white-haired boy wearing white armour entered with a bow and a quiver at his back which had some arrows in it. He fired another arrow on its shoulder and another on its neck, but the beast was not killed; instead, it became enraged and charged at him. As it approached, he drew a sword and stabbed it in the chest. Blood poured from the wound and the beast slumped to the ground.

We both remained quiet staring at the boy, who gave us a blank stare before brandishing his sword and chopping off its head.

He glanced at us,

"Get rid of the body." After saying that, he took the beast's head and left.

"Are you okay, are you hurt?" My mother asked me as she held my face after he departed.

"I'm fine mother."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, mother." She gave me a hard hug as I answered.

After the hug, with a sigh, Mother took a seat on the chair near the table that we concealed beneath.

The beast's blood was thicker and blacker than human blood, and the smell was so terrible that I went up to the beast and covered my nose with my palm. I scared myself by moving a little and giving the beast a gentle kick.

It was quite heavy, but I managed to push it to the backyard and burn it after carefully grabbing it by its legs and dragging it out of the house. The soldiers of Solary Town always say that after a beast is decapitated, the body must be burned to ensure the beast is gone.

After burning the beast, I drew water from a well in the backyard and washed my hands, When I returned inside, I discovered that my mother was still seated in the same chair, obviously contemplating something. I walked gently over to her.

"Mother, are you okay?" I inquired.

She answered without turning to face me.

"Sit."

I moved to a different chair near the table and sat down with her. Based on her appearance, I could tell she had something really important to say, and I hoped it wasn't what I was trying to avoid.

"Takoda,"

"Yes, mother?"

Mom let out a sigh.

"You know your father was slayed by that same beast."

Just by hearing this, I could tell where she was heading, so I sighed deeply.

"Mother," I cut her off.

"Hear me out, Takoda. That beast killed your father, your little brother Kaya, and your uncle Chaska."

"Why are you telling me this mother?"

Mother stayed quiet for a short while.

"Are you really going to let that beast put an end to our family?"

"Mother you make it sound like there is something I can do to stop these beasts."

"Takoda, that beast almost killed you."

"And thanks be to the gods it didn't. Mom, what are you trying to say?"

"I'm saying how long would the gods protect us? How long would it take before I lose you to that beast?"

"Mother the gods would always protect us."

"Only if we protect ourselves first, which is why You're going to Misting School."

"Mother, no," I said already feeling angry.

"Only people who schooled there have the power to slay the beast, even the soldiers of Solary Town can't kill the beast."

"But I don't want to go there, mother. It costs a lot of money, how can you even send me there?

"I'll find a way to raise the money."

Being an introvert who values solitude and has few acquaintances, I was heartbroken to learn that my mother was planning to send me to a public setting.

"Mother you can't send me to Misting school, please."

"I know how you feel Takoda, but this is for your own good," Mom said, rose, and left to her room.

Sitting in silence, I considered how I would handle the situation. Mother is considering sending me to a school where students fight creatures, which is a bit too much for me, so I was disappointed. I hardly ever talk to people and do better on my own. I got up and went to the backyard, where I burned the headless beast until it was destroyed by the flames. As I watched it burn, I saw something odd: the arrow fragment that had been embedded in the beast's eye and on its shoulder was not being eaten by the fire.