The Avengers.

The killings had begun again.  1

Peace  had spread over the land and the local villages had prospered under its protective blanket.  Vigilance had evolved into complacency because the countryside had been purged of all predators many generations ago.  The terrifying beasts which once roamed the surrounding woods had been reduced to myths and fuel for frightening, late night stories: but the killings had begun again.2

No one paid much attention when Piotr failed to return from Skylga, the nearest village to the north.  After all, with a wife like his, the surprise wasn't that he disappeared, but that it took so long to happen.  There was never any doubt that his wife, Meetra, wielded the ax in that family.  Physically, she was more than a match for most men and once trothed to Piotr, she became very possessive and kept him on a short tether.  He couldn't spend a fenik in the pub without her permission and he learned not to do things behind her back.  On more than one occasion, he had tried to explain away the dark bruises which he couldn't hide.  Everyone felt sorry for Piotr.  After he disappeared, many wished him well; under their breath, of course, they didn't want Meetra to hear.  He was never heard from again.3

When Ansyl, the messenger, failed to return as scheduled, people began to wonder.  Ansyl was reliable and took his job very seriously.  He was never late and very proud of the reputation he had established.  As wonder gave way to worry, a search party was sent out to retrace his usual route.  By nightfall, they found him, or more accurately, they found what was left of him.  He had been savagely attacked.  There was just enough left to identify the remains as being Ansyl.4

News of Ansyl's demise spread like a pox from village to village.  Old stories were rekindled and rumors burned ears on every street corner.  All travel was done in groups with armed escorts.  None dared travel at night.  Armed with swords and spears, a handful of the bravest men went into the forest to warn those who lived outside the villages.  For many, they were too late; mangled and half eaten bodies were found in several homes.  Scores of people were brought back to safety within the villages.  Those who lived too far away were on their own.  Even the bravest of men refused to travel deep into the woods for fear that nightfall would catch them in the forest.5

Solgar was one of those who had chosen to live in the forest.  He was a third generation hunter and like his father, and his father's father, he lived off the land.  Once a month he would make the long journey into the nearest village to barter furs and hides for the few commodities which the forest could not provide.  His wife, Aasha, loved the solitude and found the peaceful country life to be the perfect environment for raising their little girl, Vanya.6

Vanya was finally old enough to go outside unsupervised.  She loved to explore.  Her mother never worried because the woods were safe and she knew Vanya would always stay within earshot of her voice at all times.  Vanya's favorite place to visit was a small clearing not too far from home.  She would spread freshly cut pieces of apple on the ground, then hide in the bushes and watch as deer came to eat them.7

It was a cool, crisp autumn morning.  The forest's dress of foliage was just starting to change colors.  Solgar had risen with the sun to check his traps and snares.  Vanya's plans to feed the deer were crushed under the weight of multiple chores from her mother.  By the time she was free to pursue her plans, it was late afternoon.  Aasha reminded her that darkness would creep through the woods in a short while and warned her to be back before it got too dark.8

As Vanya arrived at her clearing, the shadows were already stretched to their limits.  She saw a deer laying on the ground.  She had never seen a deer sleeping before, so, not wanting to wake it, she approached it quietly.  After a few more cautious steps, she realized it wasn't sleeping and screamed at the sight of all the blood.  Her scream shot through the forest like an invisible arrow and pierced her mother's heart.9

As she screamed, Vanya never heard nor saw the creature stalking her from behind.  It leapt upon her with outstretched claws, silencing her forever.  The beast was quite thorough.  The two legged animals were slow easy prey; and the small ones were tender and tasty. Sated, it turned its back on the dead deer and faded into the forest. 10

Returning home, Solgar heard the scream.  He also heard something which had failed to reach Aasha's ears; a low, horrifying growl which iced his veins.  He dropped his pelts and started running.  He intercepted his hysterical wife as she ran blindly into the darkening woods.  She kicked and shrieked as he dragged her back to the safety of their house.  Completely oblivious to the danger which lurked outside, she fought Solgar like a wild beast.  He finally had to tie her to their bed to subdue her and stop her from running off into the night.  She thrashed and cried out Vanya's name until she finally succumbed to exhaustion.11

Solgar paced the room like a caged animal.  Her chilling scream ended so abruptly that he feared the worst for Vanya.  Something evil was afoot in the forest.  It would be fool-hearty to charge out into the jaws of darkness and he knew it, so he paced the floor waiting.  Waiting for daylight and what it would reveal.12

Dawn found Solgar searching for his daughter with his wife at his side. Although he feared what they would find, he had no choice.  Aasha refused to stay behind.  Being an experienced hunter, it was easy to pick up Vanya's trail where she left the main path.  After a while, the ground softened and her footprints became clearly visible.  Aasha looked ahead as they walked, straining for a glimpse of her only child.  She never noticed her little girl's footprints nor the second set of prints which came out from the underbrush and followed Vanya's.  They were made by huge clawed feet.  Solgar silently drew his sword as he cast glances all around them.13

Aasha quickened her pace as she spotted a small clearing and started to run toward something she saw lying on the ground.  It was a dead deer.  She screamed.  Not because of the deer; the objects near it had caused her scream.  Scattered across the ground were bits of sliced apples.  Among them were a blood stained piece of Vanya's blouse, a clump of her golden hair and a torn shoe that  had something in it which was covered with flies.  She dropped to her knees, then fell prone and pounded her fists into the blood soaked ground as she muttered 'Why?' again and again.14

Solgar chased the flies, then put the tattered shoe and the other remains of their daughter in a buckskin pouch. He picked up his sobbing wife and carried her back to their house.  All the way, she stared into space, as if under a spell, and kept repeating Vanya's name.  When they were home, she slumped to the floor crying.  He lifted her to her feet and she stood motionless as he removed her soiled clothes and washed the dirt and blood from her skin.  He put clean clothes on her and helped her into their bed.  Overwhelmed by the magnitude of his wife's suffering, he tried to comfort her, but she refused to talk or even look at him.  She was slowly being sucked into a quagmire of despair and he could not reach her.  He sat and watched as she cried herself to sleep, then went about the grim task of burying his daughter's remains. He dug a small grave in the flower garden which Vanya had loved. He gently placed the pouch in it and mouthed a few words as he stared skyward.  Tears streaked Solgar's weathered face as he bade a final farewell to his little girl.  He carved a 'V' into a piece of wood and drove it into the ground above her.15

For days, Aasha would do nothing but wander listlessly about the house.  In the morning, she would lay in the flower garden near Vanya's marker.  In the afternoon, she sat, with her knees tucked under her chin, leaning against the gnarled oak tree which held Vanya's swing.  In the evening, she laid on the floor in front of the fireplace, curled in a ball.  Night time was the worst.  She would lay in bed, clutching her knees, facing away from her husband, chanting Vanya's name until she fell asleep.  She rejected all of his attempts to offer comfort.  Solgar learned not to touch her for fear of her violent reactions.  He feared for her sanity.  With each passing day, she seemed to slip farther away from him.  Something had to be done.16

The full moon slowly climbed up the back side of the distant mountains, then leapt into the sky.  Its orange face gradually turned whiter and brighter as it ventured up and overhead.  Small clouds raced across its visage like gazelle fleeing from an unseen predator.  They strobed its stare as they scurried; sending nervous shadows skittering across the ground.17

A silent breeze stirred and kicked leaves off the trees.  They fluttered down, then rose up again in a valiant attempt to defy gravity; as though they were trying to avoid the darkness below.  A faint sound drifted up and rode on the breeze.  It was a voice, a faint, quavering, pleading voice.  From somewhere deep within the black bowels of the forest, acute ears perked.  Soon padded feet were moving quickly toward the sound.18

In a clearing, under a curious moon's gaze, Aasha laid on the ground near some withered apple bits.  She hugged her knees in a fetal ball.  As she gently rocked herself upon the ground, her soft crying echoed into the night like a sad lullaby.  The fanged fury was drawn from the shadows by the pitiful voice.  It studied the hapless victim for a few moments, then sinew springs catapulted the beast into action.  19

A piercing scream shred the chill air.20

The mangy menace fell at Aasha's feet; a sturdy shaft protruding from its chest.  Solgar dropped from his hidden perch in a nearby tree as his wife calmly stood up and kicked the motionless animal.  As he put his arm around her, the beast began to twitch.  In a blur of motion, Aasha pulled the knife from her husband's belt, leapt upon the creature and plunged the blade into its ear, burying the steel deep within its brain.  As the green glow slowly drained from its eyes, she spat on its lifeless face.21

As Solgar pulled his arrow from the cooling carcass, he admired the thick, black fur and decided to return in the morning to retrieve the pelt.  It would make a magnificent winter coat for Aasha. He draped his cloak over his shivering wife's shoulders and said, "Now Vanya can rest in peace."  They embraced as the walked along the moonlit path toward home and the warm fireplace which awaited their return.22