The Untold Forest by Elisa Menz (web ebook reader txt) 📗

“No, my family died long ago. They... the Callums, they took care of—” She stopped before finishing the sentence and rubbed her nose with a sleeve of her coat. “They were not my family. My family would never have killed the wolves, nor would they have caged you! They would never have done something so horrible!”

The girl was sobbing now, and Hakken let her cry for a few minutes. A human girl who had been living a cozy and safe life would be beyond herself with fear. What she said sounded intriguing. Living with that family didn’t seem to be of her liking, and he couldn’t help to rejoice at the thought she abhorred the Kieran boy as much as he did.

Up to the next important question. “Is there anywhere for you to go? People who would take you in?”

After considering his words for a moment, she shook her head. “If you leave me here or if I come back, I will not survive. So... please... if you must kill me, do it fast.”

The bold statement took him by surprise. This kind of determination, coming from a child, was the last thing he expected. Hakken no longer trusted his first assessment.

She was not stupid or a coward. Her delicate face, wet with tears, her fragile trembling body, and her timid voice contrasted with the desperate courage in her eyes. Someone who looked at death without cowering was worthy of respect.

Respect? HA! He couldn’t believe the crazy things crossing his mind.  However, he couldn’t ignore the fact he didn’t find the will to kill her, no matter how easy.

Take her with him? Ridiculous. A human had never entered the depths of the Forest, much less set foot in his village. Convincing the matriarch to accept her could prove difficult, not considering how the rest of his tribe might react. Besides, even if they accepted her, she would never adapt. She would likely die in a few weeks from cold, hunger, or injury.

She probably didn’t know how to hunt. How was she going to feed herself? If he hoped to keep her alive, he would have no choice but to take care of her. Like one of those annoying puppies, humans kept as pets.

Hakken weighed this new solution. She would become his pet, a scrawny and cute little girl he would feed and shelter. It might prove to be a lot of work, but as the seconds went by, he liked the idea more and more. Troublesome details should wait for later.

First things first. Hakken needed to convince his tribe.

They were getting close, so he got up and allowed the girl to stand on her own. He placed a protective hand on her shoulder, holding her by his side. She glanced at him with a million questions, but her attention soon shifted to the shadows that, one by one, emerged from the trees.

The smiles on their faces changed to expressions that ranged from bewilderment to displeasure every time someone discovered Maeve. She clung to his side. Under his hand, the girl was tense, but her tears stopped.

They approached, causing the girl to breathe faster and hide from their scrutiny. An unfamiliar emotion filled Hakken when he realized her inexplicable trust in him.

Fondness? A ridiculous reaction, he thought. Hakken stroked her back, trying to calm her down.

“Hakken!” His voice was unmistakable. From the darkness under the trees emerged the figure of a burly man—black braided hair mixed with the braids adorning his beard. Silver strands now covered much of his head, giving him a venerable appearance. His deep brown eyes held a childish glint as they landed on him.

Kniv was many years older than him, but he was—ever since the war—the only person in the village with whom he felt at ease. His only friend. The man who raised him after his mother died.

Even though he was always ignoring most of his advice, Hakken still held Kniv’s opinion high. If he convinced Kniv to keep Maeve, only the voice of the matriarch could wreck his plans.

The old man strode towards him, smiling in relief, but as soon as his eyes landed on Maeve, he stopped, and his expression turned grave. Not saying a word, he tilted his head and pointed a finger at the little girl.

Hakken chuckled and pushed Maeve until she found herself between them. He placed both hands on her shoulders and raised his voice to ensure his words reached everyone.

“She is mine.”

CHAPTER XI

PLEASE EXPLAIN

Kniv

A moment of tense silence held the scene before the voices of the tribe rose in unison. Too loud and too early, the ruckus startled the birds into a frantic flight, sending them to welcome the dawn. A few youngsters laughed as if they just heard the best joke in history. Most hunters seemed upset, and the discussion became hectic.

Those who were further away murmured their disapproval. The ones who approached Hakken did it while shouting their opinions. Strong opinions. Around the village, they considered Hakken to be an oddball. Harmless but unreliable. To bring a human girl into the Forest could be nothing but an idiotic whim.

The girl remained silent, trembling under Hakken’s hands. Fearful eyes darting around until they landed on him.

All the important questions were being asked, so Kniv stood quiet and thoughtful. With an experienced eye, he analyzed the girl Hakken declared to be ‘his property’.

She looked no different from other human women he had seen in his life. Young and cute. Perhaps a little more courageous, since he never saw a human not succumb to panic while being in front of one of them. Much less surrounded by a shouting hunting party.

But what piqued his interest was seeing Hakken so protective of her. Despite being busy trading shouts with his companions, he never loosened his hold on the girl. He growled and bared his fangs at anyone who dared to get too close.

Hakken needed to give some explanations, so Kniv raised an arm to silence the group.

Kniv’s call