Bella

After the simple meal I stand and look around the room, "What chores can I help out with?"

"None," Troy says sharply, "We don't need outsiders meddling in our business."

I frown; something feels off. I open my mouth but Marcus cuts me off, "Ignore him. He's just paranoid." He gives the younger man a dark look.

I nod sympathetically, "I can understand that." I look outside again and frown, "What made those?" I ask, pointing at a set of tracks in the snow.

They all turn as well. Troy blanches, and Marcus curses. Sarah whispers a prayer and then disappears down the hall.

"What is it?" I ask looking back to Marcus.

He stares at me for a moment, hesitating, then sighs. "These lands are plagued by a monster. It's a massive beast that prowls the night." He wrings his hands over the head of his cane.

"Bout yea big," I hold my hand up almost to my chest, "Dark fur, reddish eyes, canine looking?"

Both men gape at me. "You saw it?" Troy whispers.

I nod, "I think so. I thought it was just shapes in the snow last night." I look back at the tracks, "What do you know about it?"

"What do you mean what do we know?" Troy shouts, "It's a monster! A beast that rampages through these lands eating anything it can get it's jaws on!" he waves his hands about, "It'll eat anything, it'll destroy anything, it's a monster!"

"You said that already." I reply blandly, not allowing his panic to affect me.

He scowls at me, "Are you making fun of me?"

"No, but in my experience the only real monsters are people." I shrug, "It's probably some animal that's starving because of the coming winter."

Marcus shakes his head, "This isn't a seasonal occurrence."

I frown, "What do you mean?"

Troy is the one who answers, "This beast has been plaguing us for almost a decade." He leans against the window, then sighs, "You mentioned last night that you noticed we weren't afraid of the storm."

I nod, "What's that got to do with anything?"

He looks back at me, a wariness in his eyes that is far beyond his years, "That's because the Beast has a harder time hunting in the snow. It takes fewer lives."

I turn to the window and we all stare in silence for a long while. I take a deep breath, "The snow isn't as bad as I thought it'd be. Can you point me toward town?" I look over at Marcus.

He blinks, "Yes, b-but I thought you wished to stay?"

"I do. However, I want to know more about your monster and I presume there are records in town?"

“What could you possibly do?” Troy demands.

“I want to help, nobody deserves to live in this kind of fear." I look back at the snow.

"It's not that easy!" Troy shouts, "Do you think we haven't tried? Nobody can find it's den, nobody can track it, and if you encounter it at night you die!"

"How much harm could it do for me to look into it? If I can help, then you'll be free from this. If I can't," I shrug, "What does it matter?"

Troy hesitates, a frown creasing his features.

Marcus watches me, "You know what this fear is like, don't you?"

I meet the old man's gaze, "Fear is my constant companion. Nobody deserves that."

Presently Sarah returns with Sally sleeping in her arms.

I look at the little girl and say softly, "Maybe if I can deal with the Monster, Sally can grow up knowing her father was avenged."

“It was digging around back and the barn,” Sarah says, “You two can’t protect us here, we should go into town.”

"But the farm," Troy begins.

“The beast is out in the snow,” she shudders, “and it’s shown a clear interest in the farm, we’re not safe.”

“So we’re just going to abandon our home?” Troy demands.

Marcus shakes his head, "Sarah is right." He takes a deep breath, "We're going into town." He looks at me, "Get packed."

"I'll get myself taken care of, then we'll get everything you'll need." I turn to my pack as the three of them go to do the same.