Deer Hunt

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 7691

If the sight of Andrea had brought her back in control now, Astra asked herself, then why oh why hadn't it done so when she must have passed on the curse to the girl earlier in the evening? And why had Andrea come after her before it was safe? Had Frederigo been with her? She could recall nothing of the earlier meeting with Andrea. All she could recall since she had changed back to wolf form was a moment of great fear, but she had no knowledge of just what had caused it. She hoped to God that she hadn't killed Frederigo. The only small crumb of comfort was that at least she hadn't killed Andrea.

Then Andrea looked up at the moon and howled again. Astra could not control the impulse to howl in response, and with that howl her rational mind was submerged again.

Catching the scent of a deer brought to them on the breeze, they loped off to hunt it down. Instinctively they knew what to do. One would circle around behind it, upwind. The deer would catch her scent and flee - straight into the other, lurking downwind. And so it was. They fed well that night, and then when dawn approached found a suitable spot in which to sleep.


An hour or so after sunrise, Astra and Andrea awoke almost simultaneously. Each woman saw the other's face liberally smeared with the blood of their prey. Each hoped that that prey had been animal rather than human. "Oh, Andrea, I'm so sorry!" Astra said. "Don't be. You couldn't help it. It's my fault really, for getting here early. And anyway, for all that I have no clear memories after the moment when I took off by boots because my feet were growing out of them, I do know that it was an incredibly exhilarating experience. I can hardly wait for the next full moon." And Andrea gave what might be described, rather appropriately, as a wolfish grin.

"You mustn't think like that," Astra told her, as they bathed themselves in a nearby pool of icy-cold water. "It might be all very well if we could guarantee only to kill dumb animals, but what if you were to kill a man? Believe me, this is truly a curse."

Andrea sighed. "I know you're right, really. It's just... Being a Lord's daughter, I haven't had much true freedom in my life. That's why I ran away from home, hoping to find some freedom and have some adventures. But even then, I found that because of my inexperience I was dependant on you and Frederigo to survive, and couldn't go my own way. Do you recall how the only time I tried, Frederigo brought me back?" [1744] Even in her current sombre mood, Astra couldn't suppress a slight smile at the memory of the unceremonious way in which Frederigo had dumped Andrea back on her "door-step".

"But you're gaining in experience all the time," Astra pointed out. "You've already learnt an awful lot since leaving home. You don't need to be a werewolf to gain your freedom, since you'll find yourself becoming more and more your own woman over time anyway. don't forget that I started out much like you. It's true that girls usually have far more freedom in Aqualaria than they do in Allaria, but that was largely counterbalanced in my case by being a princess rather than 'merely' a Lady.

"I didn't run away like you, but as soon as I was allowed to leave I did so. That was at about the same age that you are now, for girls are reckoned adults at eighteen in my land. I had no more idea then of how to look after myself than you did when you first left home, but - like you - I was lucky. Now I'm twentyfour and, though I still need some luck, I don't need anything like as much as I did. (In fact my luck has been pretty appalling in recent months, but I've survived - barely. No pun intended.)

"Now, what have you been doing since I saw you last? How did you come to reach the valley ahead of schedule?"

So the women swapped stories of what had happened to them since Astra had left Andrea and Frederigo. Astra was interested to hear of Andrea's encounter with Simon D'Chrétien, and of his apparent power over herself in werewolf form. "So," she said, "my Simon the Anchorite was none other than Simon D'Chrétien. Even in Aqualaria, we have heard tales about him. Now that the last night of the full moon has passed, this would be a good time to seek him out. If anyone can help us, it is probably he. Luckily I know where his hut is. And we will probably find Frederigo there too.

"Talking of Frederigo, what you have told me of his strange behaviour is worrying, but I am sure there must be a good explanation. One couldn't wish to meet a nobler or braver man than he. But this hidden magical power that you have discovered in yourself is interesting. If you can only find the way to control and develop it, then you may never need to worry again about your freedom being restricted."

  1. So the two naked women set out on the walk to Simon's hut.

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JH

2/25/2000 12:37:28 PM

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