The full moon was visible between the crooked branches and gnarled spruce trees. It was like a round hole in the sky, through which a pale, ghostly light seeped, barely dispelling the darkness that covered the earth with a dark, ominous veil. A path (which in this wilderness with quite a bit of flattery was called a "road") wound its way hesitantly through the dense thickets along the tree roots, in places completely overgrown. Fresh tracks from a wagon train could be seen on it, which had turned into this pitch darkness, apparently to spend the night.
It seemed that on such a night one should sleep, or at least pretend to, shivering on the cold ground until dawn, so that with the first rays of the sun one could roll on. But someone clearly could not fall asleep. There were shouts and even screeching echoing through the forest between the tall trees, the neighing of horses, and a terrible creaking, as if claws were digging into the wood and tearing sawdust from it. But there was no one to hear them: there was not a soul to be found for many miles around in this wilderness.
However... On that very moonlit night, a lone rider did appear on the trail. He stopped far from the scene, bowing his bare head with shiny dark hair.
At first, his horse did not even twitcher an ear, but then snorted when the rider nimbly turned in the saddle and flew to the ground like a light bird. A scarlet shirt and high leather boots revealed her to be a rare dandy, and the pair of mounds on her chest, which cast a curious shadow on the road, would allow anyone to unmistakably recognize the stranger as a woman. She seemed to hear everything that was happening in the distance — something, of course, hardly possible for the human ear — and for some reason smiled like a cat that had caught a mouse. Together with her strangely dilated pupils, her gaze was somewhat maniacal.
[Buff: Cat Elixir]
[Time left: 3 hours]
She was now staring at this text, visible only to her, outwardly seeming to stare into the void.
The girl crouched slightly, assuming a sprinter's stance, and the earth sprayed from under her heel as she rushed into the eerie darkness of the night forest. For anyone else, this would have been a sure way to break a leg, but her strange pupils could see everything in the darkness: blades of grass, pebbles, a badger. The mysterious rider was in excellent physical shape: without even breaking a sweat, she leaped over fallen trees and dodged owls swooping overhead. Huge trunks of centuries-old pines flashed by on either side.
As soon as the heart-rending cries in the distance became clearly audible, the ground suddenly disappeared from under the girl's feet. The cape on her shoulders suddenly flew up into the air... No, it was she herself who fell down, losing her footing due to the sudden lowering of the ground.
[Passive Skill: Fleet Footed]
[Balance point consumption reduced during rapid movement.]
Her legs sprang forward confidently, and the girl slid down the slope. Slowing down, she ran around the bushes that had grown in her path and then, despite the steepness of the slope, picked up even more speed.
Bright lights were now visible ahead: there were definitely people there. Several of them stood in a row in front of the abandoned cart, holding lanterns in their hands, while others frantically waved polearms somewhere in the darkness. The tips of spears broken in the middle glinted on the ground. They were fighting something hidden in the darkness, which became even deeper around the hopelessly dim light of the lanterns. Only two large eyes reflected their light, and shaggy paws occasionally emerged from the void like a nightmarish apparition, leaving deep wounds on somebody.
Above the clearing, the site of the desperate confrontation, hung a sandy ridge from which tree roots protruded like crooked hooks, holding in place its steep, almost sheer slope. It was along this ridge that the girl, who had appeared out of nowhere, ran at full speed; however, her momentum only lasted until she reached the middle. Then she spread her arms and plopped down, her cape fluttering dramatically in the air. A pitiful, frightened bark sounded, and when the people raised their lanterns higher, they were met with a strange sight.
A terrifying creature lay sprawled on the ground. Shaggy and tailed, it bared its wolf-like teeth. Right on its neck rested a butt covered in leather pants. Just above this impressive upside-down "heart" glinted the hilt of a sword. And even higher...
There was no chance to see, because the werewolf—a human-like monster—easily threw the human aside with its strength. The girl with a cascade of black curls fell to the ground and lay there, her red cape covering her head like the finishing touch to the image of a completely clumsy creature in a shirt with black laces.
"What the hell is this? Did she fall from the sky or something?" someone standing behind the men, dressed in a traveler's cloak, asked.
The werewolf standing over her growled. He even raised his paw, probably to strike and end one life. But the girl suddenly tore off her cape and turned her face back, pouting her lips.
"Hey, monster. You want me?" she asked an extremely inappropriate question and even provocatively slapped one of her "buns" bursting out of her leather pants. "I know you do. So what are you waiting for? I'm all yours."
Everyone froze in unison at such audacity (or absurdity). No one knew how to react to this ridiculous situation. Most surprisingly, the monster also froze with its clawed paw raised, as if considering the offer. No, it even reached for the seductive hemisphere! It almost put its paw on it... But something suddenly caught the wolf's attention. The girl had a second sheath on her back. A sword glinted silver in the moonlight inside it. Instinctive fear overwhelmed the monster, but it was too late.
The girl leapt up from the ground like a whirlwind and deftly wrapped her arms around the monster's furry belly.
[Active skill: Trip]
[The enemy loses its balance. If its balance is already low, it will fall to the ground.]
[Success!]
Her foot, clad in a high boot, hooked the wolf's paw and pulled it out from under the monster like a lasso. Together, they fell to the ground.
[Active skill: Ordinary Chokehold]
[The enemy's neck is squeezed by your elbow. Stops blood flow in the carotid artery.]
The girl wrapped her arm around the werewolf's neck and clasped her hands together. At the same time, she pressed her chest against his shaggy cheek, as if clenching it in a lion's jaws. She had him caught between a rock and a hard place. So the last thing the bulging animal eyes saw at that moment were her impressive breasts. While staring at this miracle of miracles, the wolf missed his chance to fight back. He swung his claws a couple of times, but after a few seconds, everything was already blurring before his eyes.
"A rope, guys. Bring me some rope. A strong one," the girl brought the people with lanterns out of their trance, looking straight at them with her golden eyes.
They ran around, fussed about, brought some rope, even tried to do something themselves, but the girl snatched it all out of their hands and wrapped the werewolf's wrists herself so that the knots couldn't be cut even with a knife. Then she jumped up, blew away the strands of unruly black hair, and bowed gallantly.
"Good afternoon, honorable merchants. Or rather, good evening. The creature has been neutralized, and no one has been harmed. You may relax and check your trousers for freshness."
With these words, one of the men actually threw down the broken spear and shyly disappeared into the darkness, apparently intending to change his clothes.
"And who are you?" came a familiar voice from behind, belonging to a man with thick cheeks and cloudy eyes. "I apologize for my rudeness. It's not every day that a woman falls from the sky. I apologize for my rudeness. But to wiggle her ass like that..."
"Now that's really rude," the girl interrupted him, giving him a comical glare with her angry, despite her pretty face, eyes. "I saved your life, fatso, and you're just looking at my ass and tits. The witcher did an excellent job, and would ask you not to discuss too much her methods".
At these words, the men exchanged glances. The speaker stepped into the circle of light from the lanterns and gave instructions, causing people to rush around and begin bandaging the wounded. He was short, bearded, and clearly well-fed. One could recognize a rich merchant at a glance.
"A witcherer, you say? And I thought only men were good with swords. Guess I was wrong. Where did you come from? How did you find us? If it's not too many questions to ask."
"It's not," the witcher nodded graciously, crossing her arms under her breasts and imperceptibly lifting them, so that the fabric of her shirt, barely held together by lacing, stretched taut. "The local kmets, that is, the peasants, hired me a long time ago. A wolf began to kill people here, but just the merchants, only merchants. So I set up a hunt for him right on the road. Like on clock, the werewolf jumped out on the full moon to shake up another convoy. But he attacked the wrong one!
"I see," the merchant glanced at the hairy werewolf lying there like a pile of wool. "You caught him cleverly, in one fell swoop".
"If it was so quick, then throw in some money for the job, sir," the girl smiled.
"Uhm... But I thought the peasants should?" the potbellied man frowned discontentedly.
"Those are far away," the witcher parried readily. "But we're right here with you. So if the wolf accidentally is set free... You'll be in trouble."
"You..."
"Now, now," the girl put her finger to his lips, and the merchant recoiled, clutching his cloak over his stomach. "You're talking too much today. I'll set a higher price at this rate."
"How much?" the merchant grumbled.
The witcher held up her splayed fingers in her gloves.
"Ten? No way!"
"You can haggle at the market," the witcher shook her head and demonstratively sat down, beginning to feel for the knot on the paws of the heavily breathing wolf.
"Fine! Damn you! You'll get your money. But for goodness' sake, kill that beast. It's bitten so many people, we'll have a wolf's lair here before long."
In response, the witcher burst into ringing laughter. Even the bandaged people by the wagons looked at her.
"What are you laughing at?" the merchant flushed.
He was clearly not used to talking to women in such a manner. As a rule, the female creatures he encountered were either his beloved wife or, slightly less beloved, a brothel girl. At worst, cooks. This one wore pants, carried a sword, and behaved like a port hooligan: she swore and mocked him.
The witcher wiped away her tears with a theatrical gesture.
"Firstly, your people should wash their wounds with alcohol, as if they were ordinary dog bites. Because now they have as little of a chance of becoming werewolves, or lycanthropes. And second, I won't kill anyone. Because I don't touch the humans for any amount of money."
***
At dawn, they all set off together. The village was not far away, so they did not drive the horses too hard. The coachman, who had been attacked first the night before and left nearly passed out, rode with a sour expression on his face, while the witcher was very pleased with the jingle of coins and ate a small apple while sitting on her own horse.
"What's your name, witcher?" asked the coachman.
"Ari."
"And what's your father's name?"
"I'm a daughter of the caravan."
"Then your mother's?"
"I would tell you, but such words are not spoken in polite company."
"Was she that bad?"
"Huh. It depends on who you ask."
The coachman spat, apparently realizing that the girl was deliberately provoking him, and asked the main question:
"So what did they do with the wolf bastard? Did they decide to execute him in public?"
"Let the court decide that. Every person has that right."
"What kind of person is it?!"
"You know," said the witcher Ari, straightening up, "I don't earn my bread for nothing. I did a whole lot of detective work, oh yes. I gathered stories about this monster from everywhere and realized that he's very cunning. He attacks merchants, doesn't touch animals, and always stays close to the village. So I realized that we are dealing with a rare case: a descendant of a werewolf.
"What kind of descendant?
"The cursed one had a son. And he can change his appearance at will. His desire was the simplest, most selfish one. So he did it all on purpose.
"You're pulling the wool over my eyes."
"Go look in the wagon. He's not hairy anymore."
The coachman didn't look. He believed her.
"So, you're a witcher. Apparently, things have gotten really bad for people if a girl doesn't give birth to children at home, but instead goes around killing werewolves."
"And who would knock me up? I might not want to sleep with men like your bunch myself. You all are not that attractive to me. Even a leshen would be more handsome."
The coachman glanced at Ari, but said nothing. Soon the carts entered the village, and the witcher took her prey away on her horse's back. The man who had been bound by her at night now seemed pitiful, having returned to his former form: as befits any criminal who wants more of public sympathy. When they approached the village elder's house, the man awkwardly slid to the ground and crouched there. The elder came out into the street, and Ari easily forced the criminal to his feet with one hand.
"What's this?" the grumpy old man frowned, looking at the man in his shirt. "Who is he?"
"Your client, it seems," explained the witcher, kicking the former werewolf in the rear for added emphasis.
"I put a bounty on his head. His head. I'm waiting for a wolf's head, and what is this?"
Ari explained everything and nodded toward the witnesses to the events, who had already disappeared in the direction of the inn.
The mayor narrowed his eyes.
"Witchers, as rumour has it, hunt monsters. So rumours are all lies. Because I don't see any hunting here. The monster is alive and could transform again at any moment."
Ari's eyes flashed with fire. She grabbed one of her two swords. It was immediately clear that spilling blood was something instinctive for her. For a moment, a shadow of fear fell over the elder's face. But the girl changed her mind. She moved her hand away. The old man's haughty arrogance returned to his manner as quickly as it had disappeared.
"If you need a killer, hire one yourself. It'll cost you, though. And give me my money," the girl almost growled.
"Half."
"All of it!"
"Half."
"Two-thirds..."
"Half. Or am I not making myself clear?"
Ari clicked her teeth. Then she waited for the coins to be brought to her. Without saying another word, she turned and walked away, past the houses and people, leading her horse by the bridle and noticing no one.
The witcher potion, which gave her night vision, was already making the girl feel quite dizzy, and she had no desire to argue. In addition, the sleepless night took its toll. An eternity later, as soon as she stumbled into the hayloft in the yard that had taken her in for a small fee, the girl collapsed backward, without taking off her clothes, and instantly fell asleep, dreaming of fat werewolves and witchers giving birth.