Night Howls

In the crisp, cool fall night, a group of bandits were scattered among the trees lining the trail in the dense forest. They were sitting upon branches, watching and waiting for their perfect opportunity. Sitting absolutely still so as not to rustle any of the leaves in an unnatural way.

Insects and birds covered up any noise that might come from their breathing, though they kept that steady also so as not to make any noise. A key element to their plan was surprise. No one could know that they were there until they were ready to make their presence known.

Up ahead, they had laid a tree across the road, setting their trap. They just had to wait for a carriage or horseback to come along. Sometimes they waited hours for a mark to come by. They had mastered the art of staying still. They just watched and listened.

No one dared move a muscle as they heard the telltale signs of a carriage coming down the road; the thundering of hooves, the creaking of wheels, the whinnying of horses, and the snap of the reigns. They watched as a good-sized white carriage passed under them and a whistle sounded for the four matching white horses to halt as the stagecoach noticed the obstruction. The guards riding atop beige horses behind the carriage also came to a stop, searching around the surrounding area.

The muscular man got out of his seat, walking towards the tree to inspect what had happened. The door of the carriage opened, out stepping a plain looking woman in elegant clothing, going to join her stagecoach.

The group gazed below them, split between what they were focusing on. Some were transfixed by the carriage; gold trimming matching the four wheels the closed carriage sat upon. Ivory stepping boards lined the both sides and there was a black leather bench in the front for the stagecoach to sit comfortably for the long journeys this carriage sometimes had to make. The inside was just as extravagant as the outside. Eggshell walls with landscapes painted on them above the tan smooth cowhide benches.

Those not focused on the transportation were studying the woman. She was average height, wearing a long flowing lavender dress, train trailing on the ground behind her as she walked. She was wearing a white ermine shawl across her shoulders. Her blonde hair was kept in an up do, held together with a diamond encrusted broach.

The bandits were excited. They knew that these things meant that their victims were probably of noble descent and definitely rich; this was going to be a good haul.

"Can we move it out of our way?" Came the soft voice from the royal woman.

Before her stagecoach could answer her, the bandits dropped. Two of them had made off with a trunk and a satchel from inside the carriage before the guards had anytime to react to the ambush. As they made to dismount from their horses, two more bandits dropped from the trees on top of the armored men, effectively knocking them out without much hassle.

The royal gasped as she spun around to face the group, her stagecoach stepping in front of her and unsheathing his weapon with a zing to protect her. Blue eyes scanned the six standing in front of her; two women and four men.

A tall, lean man with sand-colored dirty hair that stopped just above his shoulders stepped in front of the group, speaking in a commanding voice, "Hand us your jewels and gold and we won't bring you any harm."

"You should leave now with what you have already taken before you are harmed," The noble spoke with a confident, unwavering voice even though her and her men were outmatched.

The band of thieves looked amongst themselves and started to laugh. The thought that the two of them could take on their group was preposterous. The bandits stepped forward and when the stagecoach went to strike, the leader gave a few good swipes and knocked him over, grabbing the noble by her arm and pulling her close, "I won't ask for the jewels again."

She defiantly raised her chin at the man, seeming unfazed, "Take them if you dare, but heed my warning. A fate most unbecoming shall befall all of you should you carry out this vile act."

"I think we will take our chances sweetheart," The man gave her a wicked grin as he snatched the coin purse from her waist, tossing it behind him to his companions. He then tore the jewelry from her neck, shoving them in his pockets. Once he had taken everything over value from her, including her broach, he shoved her away taking no care in her.

The noble fell before lifting herself to a sit, "Just remember this when it happens. I hope you will think of me on every lonely night, when you are just as beast on the outside as the inside."

The bandit rolled his eyes, "What are you speaking of?"

"You will see," she smiled at him with what seemed like satisfaction.

He raised his weapon to strike her when a short raven-haired, slightly pale woman dressed in a tan stitched-up long dress stepped forward, "Baelfor, we got what we came here for, lets just leave."

Baelfor paused before lowering his weapon and called for the rest of the bandits to leave. As they all disappeared into the forest, Baelfor cast another glance behind him at the finely dressed woman. She was staring after them with a look of disdain.

They made their way quickly back to their hideout, a little more than a mile northeast from where they had staged their ambush on the royal carriage. It was just a small run-down old cottage, shutters covering the windows hanging on limply, nailed on boards blocking out wind and animals. The door squeaked as they opened it, floorboards creaking as they walked into the center of the room, joining the man and woman who had taken off earlier.

"Did you get her jewelry?" The red-headed woman from the pair asked. Her yellow, rotting teeth were spaced out like the freckles covering her face. She had dirty dark rags hanging from her body, years of mending holes giving the dress a stitch and patch pattern.

"Of course, it was no problem for us," came the jolly voice of a dark-haired man from the group just joining. He tossed the coin purse on the table with the satchel and the trunk. He was a tall lumbering man with thick facial hair and a voice to match. He had a scar running from the right side of his forehead, across the bridge of his nose, and ending at left side of his back jaw.

"What was in the chest Celeste?" Baelfor asked with a scowl on his face. That was his signature look, hard and unreadable. This group of bandits had been together for over a decade and they had scarcely ever saw his mouth turn upwards. He was always the steady, level-headed leader that brought them together.

Before they had been started to run together, each of the group had been down on their luck and forgotten, left to scavenge and survive in harsh conditions. Baelfor had come to them, offering them a safe haven and in exchange, they had to work with him to keep their little hovel. They all respected him and admired him, he gave them better than what they had and they would always be grateful.

The redhead, Celeste, stepped towards the chest, lifting up the lid, "It looks to me to be a dowry. There is gold coins, diamond hairpins, pearl necklaces, and so much more." The excitement in her voice was evident. They had never had a haul this big. Usually it was a few jewels and a small bag of a couple gold coins and other items of lesser value.

Baelfor stepped forward to inspect the treasures they had taken. The corner of his lips twitch, but he was otherwise stoic as he looked into the chest. He closed the lid and turned to address his comrades, "We can take this, get a boat, and sail to the new land. We can sell the good there where they can not be traced back to that noble. We will live like kings."

The bandits cheered, clapping each other on the back and laughing. When they heard a thud at the door, the noise died down. Baelfor's scowl deepened as he stared at the door before making his way toward it, scabbard in hand. He paused as he reached the door, looking behind him to see his loyal friends and followers standing behind him, all with weapons drawn. He flung the door open, ready to strike, however, there was no one standing at the other side of the door,

"Look Bael," came a voice from behind Baelfor. An arrow had been shot into the door, a note being pinned beneath it. Baelfor pulled out the arrow, throwing it aside as he examined the note.

Warnings were not heeded, now punishment is needed. Because you were so malicious, you will truly be something vicious. When the moon crests, you may no longer rest. Until you can be generous, you will be villainous.

"What does it say?" Came the voice a young man with auburn hair and a big nose. His dirty clothes were much too big for him and they hung from his body loosely.

"Someone just sent us a poem," Baelfor grunted out. "Genevieve, come outside with me."

The raven-haired woman that had stopped him from striking the royal earlier followed him as he walked out of the cottage and towards the river a couple hundred feet away.

When they reached the river bank, the domineering man came to a stop and turned toward Genevieve, "I think its a threat, from that noble, but I am not sure what it means."

"Well, what does it say?" Genevieve asked her leader. When she was handed the note, she read it over. She then looked back up, holding the paper out to him, "I think we have been cursed. Though what kind of curse, I am unsure."

"You know that I don't believe in curses," Baelfor grabbed the paper back from the woman. "Magic and witches are not real."

"You haven't seen what I have seen," Genevieve shook her head, walking closer to the waters edge. She stared out at the calm waters. She thought of her encounters with the mystical and the magical. It is the reason that she ended up on the streets where Baelfor found her.

"I know what happened to your family," Baelfor came to stand next to her. "But that man was no magician and monster, he was just a bad man. We should keep watch tonight for her to come at us with more men. We will leave for the new land in the morning."

Genevieve was silent for a moment, then she bowed, "As you wish." She then started back to the cottage so she gather her belongings before their journey tomorrow. He, however, decided to stand by the waters edge for awhile longer.

Baelfor was not an open-minded man. He only believed in what he could see, feel, hear, and smell and he had yet to observe any evidence of magic. He was sure that the note was an attempt to scare them. Though he did not fear her knights, they could take them on or just disappear into the darkness.

He then heard screams of agony and shouts coming from the cottage. He took off at a sprint back to the cabin fearing that those knights had already came and attacked them. There were no horses outside the cottage nor any carriages. It didn't seem to be the noble and her men.

When he stepped inside, he couldn't believe what he was seeing. Celeste and the man she was with to take the chest, were flailing on the floor, the screams of agony coming from them. Limbs were outstretching into long black paws, bodies morphing into that of a beast. Their screams soon turned into horrific growls and snarls.

"Everyone outside," Baelfor shouted to the rest not changing into whatever those two beasts were. They all rushed to follow him out of the cottage, but soon they were all collapsing onto the ground in pain. All of them shifting into the beast.

The curse that Genevieve believed had been placed on them, was taking them over. They now understood what that woman was talking about. They were now the beasts that they had acted like that night.