Ravenna let out a yawn as she tried her best to force her eyes to stay open. On the chilled evening she was working hard. She had too many concoctions to finish and this perfect night only came once a year. She had been working since dawn to prepare for the cool glow under the witching hour moonlight. These ingredients needed to last her for the next year so this was the most important night for her.
The moon hung low in the night sky as as time marched forward into the night. Ravenna let out another yawn as her eyes drifted to the tree tops. She wondered if her white owl was near by watching her work. Or was he off gathering the few recourses she could not. Ravenna fluffed her feathers in excitement over the thoughts of the gifts he would bring her. That shifter treated her so well after all.
Ravenna wasn't too sure when she drifted off to sleep. Her head bounced upward as she tried to fight the call of slumber. It was a snap of a near by twig that made her open her eyes. She blinked a few times and looked around at her surroundings. The trees loomed over her head like a comforting blanket despite their boney bare appearance, at least her her. The moon was unnaturally large and tinted a beautiful crimson colour. A yawn escaped her lips as she stretched her tight muscles out and finally stood up. The cool breeze tickled her feathers. She had more work to do.
In an instant the forest seemed to change. The area she was working in because unnaturally silent. Ravenna caught onto the change of weather in bemusement. Did she pick such a perfect spot to work that it had it's own minor weather? Fascinating. Her musing were interrupted by a sudden gust of wind from behind her, almost knocking her prized skull off of her face. Only a gust? No. A howl. Not even a howl. A scream? A scream followed by the cold? The area just felt...Wrong. Wrong enough to make her heart race. She was so used to being in control of her being that her heart racing off? Exhilarating... "What is going on?"
She asked an a wail answered. Ravenna knew she wasn't alone. Far from it. Every shadow hid one of them. She knew. She just knew they were here. They were here for her. They wanted her. For what she could not know. Were they waiting for her to turn tail and run? Possibly. There was a heavy dreaded feeling in the air. They were waiting. For what? The wind was still. They were waiting. For her.
For her choice.
She understood and a smile flashed upon her beaked face. They had chosen her. "Yes of course. I am honored." She just knew. Everything was crystal clear to her. She was to join them. For this one night she was to ride with the Hunt. The spirits had chosen her. She knew this was her destiny. Her beautiful owl would be proud.
She could feel the shadows starting to move with the hard sound of snorts and hooves to the hard dirt, the wind began to howl once again. Ravenna wasted no time and ran after the group. As she ran she could almost feel her features melt away. Her beautiful wings and feathers disappeared into the wind. Her claws molded into misty hooves. She felt herself become nothing but mist and shadows. She was one of them. She was one of them and it was time. The hunt was to start.
The wind howled in what was her ears though it felt more like it was the groups ears. She was herself but at the same time she was part of the group as a whole. She had choice and yet the urge of the group pushed her forward. The pounding of their hooves was like their heart beats, all beating as one moving the group forward. They were looking. Looking for the right one.
Their prey.
They would hunt them down forever if they had to. Ravenna never felt so alive. This was so...Wonderful. She could run forever into the night with only the bright moon to guide their hooves.
Suddenly she could hear them. They could all hear them. The hooves of someone not of them. Prey. They would get them. They would hunt them down. The group as one shifted. Following the strange hooves. They were chasing. There was no escape. They would get them. Like wolves. They were one.
The Hunters closed in and drove their prey off course. Ravenna needed to get closer. She had to. She could smell their fear. Taste their tears. She needed to feed off of them. She needed to. She got closer and closer. She could see them. The panic reflecting her ghostly image back at her. This one. This was hers. She reached her neck out. Closer and closer. She opened maw as wide as she could. She could feel her teeth elongated into fangs. Closer closer. She went for the jugular. And then...And then!
Ravenna snorted awake as the first rays of dawn hit her sleeping face. She was annoyed and groggy. She felt like she had run a marathon. She looked around at her surroundings and herself. Beside the change in time everything was back to 'normal', whatever normal was. Ravenna let out a whine in frustration. It was just a dream. It was always just a dream. Every time it got to the good part it was just a dream. The black witch sighed and got up, looking around at her supplies. Seems she got most of the work done. She'd have to stretch a few ingredients but she's make it work. Until next year at least.
Hopefully she had another wonderful dream next year.
(Word count: 984)