Her Fierce Protector

Chapter 2

"A-HUH! That's why you don't want to eat her for lunch because you wanted to eat her differently," Xerxes said mischievously.

His friend finally understood his point after a few hours of explaining why he was watching the girl they had seen earlier.

He frowned at what his friend had said, he was confused when he realized what his friend has said.

"What way? Is there any other way of eating mortals?" the Gamma innocently asked the foolish pact warrior.

"Yes," Xerxes replied confidently, "The way that can make someone scream and beg over and over again." He laughed mischievously again.

"Huh? Is there something like that?!"

"Of course, Dude. I heard from the woodcutters the other day when I was looking for you. I was surprised too. They also eat people, the cruel thing is that it is their mate!"

"Mate? You mean their wives?" Amaru innocently and confusedly asked. "How is that?"

"I don't know." Xerxes shrugged. "I just know that they do it with their wives, that's why I concluded that you wanted to eat that mortal differently. Ouch! You hit me a lot of times already! You, abusive evil!"

"You're pure nonsense!" Amaru glared at his friend after he hit his head again. "I'm not tempted to make Ashera as my meal, alright?"

"Ashera?! Who is that?" his friend asked out of curiosity.

"The mortal!" he snorted, he's already losing his patience with his friend.

"Ah, it's her. Her name is Ashera. That's why you always refused Sumeria because you already liked Ashera.

"So you mean you will not eat mortal's meat anymore?" his friend asked trying to clarify.

He just nodded and continued walking.

"But how will you do that? You'll just eat animals, maybe only fruits and vegetables? Isn't human flesh what makes us strong?"

"If I will eat a mortal, it's like I'm eating Ashera too. That's why I will never hunt humans anymore," he reasoned.

"But their meat gives us strength, it's probably much tastier than any other food, Dude."

He glared at his friend again. "Just let me do what I want, alright?!" he snorted. "Just help me protect Ashera whenever she's in the woods."

"In return of what?" Xerxes asked, grinning.

"I'll help you with Sumeria," he offered uninterestedly.

"You're the one she likes, not me," Xerxes pouted like a kid.

Amaru sighed. Sometimes, Xerxes could be this dumb and he is losing his patience, "That's why I will help you! Can you please use your head up there? You, dumb!"

"Alright, alright. I'm ready." Xerxes chuckled when he finally got the point. "You'll get Ashera and I'll get Sumeria. Cool! I like it! I like it!"

He just ignored his friend's foolishness. He worries about what he is feeling towards the mortal. That is strictly forbidden to their beliefs and his feelings might endanger not just the life of that mortal but also his and his mother's life. He tried to keep everything a secret but he knew he couldn't hide it from his best friend.

WHEREAS in the community of people. Gido, the leader of the tribe is angry again while conducting their meeting.

"Those werewolves always cause us persecution, they must be burned and killed!" he said sternly to his tribesmen.

"Yes, I agree with you, Gido. They are plagues in our lives. If we are not their victims, they take our pets that we had worked hard to raise. If this continues, we will have nothing to eat!" said one of their tribesmen.

"We should do our best to find those werewolves and burn them so we can teach them a lesson!" another man suggested.

"I agree!"

"I agree too."

"I agree! We must protect women."

After their meeting, the tribesmen left and returned to their respective homes. Gido saw his wife preaching to their youngest child again.

"How many more times do I have to repeat to you, Ashera, that Alawin forest is the place you shouldn't go to!"

"But, Mother! I saw Ria went there, why don't you scold her?!" his youngest daughter reasoned out trying to control her voice.

"I didn't go there, Mother. Ashera was just making excuses for that. Didn't we already tell you, Ashera, that there are wild animals and werewolves in that forest?" preached of his second daughter, Ria, who had just arrived from somewhere.

"If you weren't from there, where did you go then?" Ashera challenged her sister to answer.

"I just took a walk and visited the creek to see if my friends were there."

"Liar!" insisted the youngest.

"That's enough. Just get my spear and torch ready for tonight!" Gido commanded his children who were about to fight again.

Ria and Ashera used to quarrel over small things. He hated to hear their rants. Only his oldest child, Zelda, has the long patience for everyone. Zelda is quite nicer than his two other kids.

"Are you going to hunt werewolves again, Father?" His eldest daughter, Zelda, asked using her most polite voice.

"Yes, Zelda. We need to eliminate all of the werewolves because they are threats to our livelihood!"

"Gosh! You've been hunting werewolves for so long, you haven't caught any single one. Maybe werewolves are not true!" Ria mocked his father.

"Ria! Don't answer our father like that. The people in our village are just doing what's best for us!" rebuked the eldest.

"It's time to leave, the obsequious child spoke again," Ria said sarcastically before she turned to Ashera, "Hey, stupid! You should cook so you can contribute something good in our home, useless."

Gido sighed at the behavior of his second child. If their youngest is naughty and stubborn, there is nothing more stubborn than Ria. There are even days and nights when she doesn't come home. Even if they want to discipline her, they cannot do something about it anymore because she only becomes more stubborn.

The next day, Ashera is back in the Alawin forest. She enjoys roaming around the heartwarming forest, aside from picking delectable fruit and pretty flowers, the atmosphere of the forest is very relaxing too that's why she loves staying there. The scenery in the forest was beautiful, apart from the greenery, there are beautiful butterflies too that makes her enjoy staying in the forest. It's a quiet and peaceful place.

Even if she sometimes felt as if someone was looking at her, that didn't stop her from wanting to go for a walk in the forbidden forest.

How can such a beautiful place be inhabited by ferocious and evil werewolves? Whoever sees the beautiful scenery will be meek and lose their temper.

In the middle of eating the fruits she had picked, she heard a rustle around.

"Who's that?" she nervously asked herself while looking around, "Is anyone there? Please come out and let me see you!"

Gradually, a man came out wearing old pants and a Camisa de Chino. The man looked like a farmer but he is not familiar with her.

"Who are you?!" she forced herself to raise her voice even though she can feel that nervousness is already consuming her. He's a stranger, he might be a robber, an illegal logger, or someone who has a bad intention for her.

The man did not answer, instead, he turned around and forcefully pulled someone out.

"What?! Let me go! I said I don't want to!" said the man using his angry voice. His voice is deep, sounds authoritative.

The man who appeared first smiled at her. He looks friendly and has a very meek face, very opposite to his companion who looks rude and always seems to be angry with the world.

"Good day! I'm Xerxes. This is my friend, Amaru!" the friendly-looking guy introduced. He is grinning from ear to ear making Ashera felt at ease.

She looked at the two men in surprise. In their way of talking, they looked like normal people.

Maybe they're from another village, she said in her mind trying to convince herself.

"Good morning, what are you doing here?" she curiously asked.

"Watching yo---mmm!" The man who introduced himself as Xerxes did not finish his sentence when Amaru covered his mouth to stop him from speaking.

"I'm sorry. He's just talking nonsense. We just got lost, we're catching a frog---ahm---that's what we're catching, yes, a frog!" The man scratched his head awkwardly. Even though he smiled, his aura is still strict making him awkward to look at.

Maybe he's not used to socializing with others? she silently asked herself.

Ashera frowned when she realized something then asked, "Catching a frog? In the morning?"

"Yes! The frog jumped here so we got lost!" The strict-looking guy named, Amaru, explained. "I'm Amaru, what's your name?"

Ashera smiled even though she was hesitant to believe but the two look nice that's why she decided to continue their conversation instead of running away.

"I'm Ashera. I live there, the nearest village to this forest," she said while pointing in the direction of their village.

Amaru finally released his companion. "What are you eating?"

"Ah, this? Unripe mango, do you want some?" she offered.

"Is it tastier than raw mea---mmm!" Amaru covered Xerxes mouth again.

They're weird, Ashera said to her mind.

"I-I'm sorry, he's talkative. I'll take it, thank you!" Amaru said and immediately grabbed the small basket of fruits she was holding and quickly walked away.

She just scratched her head while looking at the men who hurriedly moved away. Looks like they're heading to the center of the forest.

"They're weird." she frowned and pouted her lips before she realized that her basket of fruit was gone, "And so stingy! They took all of my fruits, even my basket! Tightwad! Abusive!" she snarled and glared but it was all too late because she can no longer see the two men who took her basket away.