The Truce Has Ended (pt. 2)

The next morning, Lucius went to work as usual, even though he wasn't sure he had anything he actually had to work on. He passed in front of the woods again, and heard a sharp moan from within the woods. He looked warily into the forest and gave a start when he saw a red-hooded figure walking close to the border. It paused and looked at him, emitting another moan. He turned around and walked away slowly as the creature shuffled past, and was surprised to find he was shaking slightly. When he got to the blacksmith shop, he was rather disturbed, though not terribly displeased, to find Ivy Walker there.
"Lucius Hunt," she said, a sharp tone in her voice "where HAVE you been? I was worried." He paused for a moment, not quite sure how to let her know what he had seen. "I was.." Ivy cut him off quickly. "Oh, never mind Lucius Hunt, I simply wanted to tell you that the Elders requested your presence at the meeting. He looked at her with an expression of confusion on his face. "There is to be another meeting?" She nodded slowly. "Yes, Lucius Hunt, another one." She lowered her voice, even though no one was around. "Those-We-Don't-Speak-Of have been acting up, which I realize you understand, and Papa is extremely worried. The last time we had an attack, he said all the livestock was killed and someone was seriously injured. Papa doesn't want that to happen again." He took a deep breath and looked down at the ground before he spoke. "Ivy Walker, I have seen one of them. I...have been near the border twice now, and one of them was lurking around the edge. It saw me. They're getting ready for an attack, Ivy, I can feel it. Be cautious, do not linger in places when you walk, and stay away from the Resting Rock, at least for now."
He exhaled and looked up at her, suppressing a smile as he watched her struggling with the urge to say something to him. She finally gave a small nod and walked away, her red hair swaying in the wind, and he got the feeling she was rather offended. He sighed and decided he would go to Resting Rock himself, though he had just warned Ivy to stay away. When he got there, he saw Finton laying on the grass, looking rather dazed. Lucius walked up to him, a slight bit concerned, and shook his right shoulder. "Finton?" he asked quietly. Finton's head lolled to one side and Lucius could see claw marks on his neck and left shoulder. Lucius could feel the blood draining from his face. This could have been Ivy. He hoped beyond hope that she would listen to his instructions and stay away. He struggled for a moment, trying to decided whether to leave Finton while he went to get help. Finally he decided that yes, he should leave him, and he quickly ran to get help.

As he ran, he noticed various livestock had been killed. He was nervous now, and he quickly ran over to the guard tower. There was no one there. Finton must've been leaving his post, he thought, and he stopped over at Resting Rock and was attacked. That was why the warning bell hadn't been rung. There was no one there. He repeated that terrible thought in his head as he ran back toward the village. He ran into Christop on the way to the Walker house.

"Christop," he gasped, out of breath, "go as quickly as you can to the guard tower. Finton was attacked and the post was left open. Please, go!"
Christop, rather shocked at the combination of hearing Lucius Hunt say that many words to him and the idea that the creatures had attacked a friend, could only nod at Lucius and walk quickly, though cautiously, in the direction of the border. When he reached the Walker home he knocked frantically on the door, only to find, after a moment, that there was no one home. Of course, he thought, Mr. Walker is teaching and it's washing day. He ran towards the schoolhouse and tried to calm his breathing before opening the door and walking in.
"Ah, Lucius Hunt, what a surprise to see you." Mr. Walker said, both amused and a bit concerned to see him. Lucius flushed as he noticed all the children staring wide-eyed at his now blood-stained shirt. "Mr. Walker" he said, stuttering a bit in his embarrassment and with the realization that he would have to speak with no paper to guide him, "I need to speak with you. It's quite urgent." Mr. Walker nodded and gave the children several pages to work on in his absence. "Mr. Walker, it's...it's Finton. He's in terrible danger, he's out at Resting Rock with severe wounds to his neck, shoulder, and most likely, his chest. The creatures attacked him when he was waiting for someone to relieve his post at the guard tower." Mr. Walker's eyes widened at this extremely unwelcome news, but he nodded. "I shall go get Victor and Robert to help me carry him back, and I will have Victor bandage his wounds. Thank you, Lucius Hunt, for telling me this. Conceal everything you can from the children and the people of this village until Finton is brought back." Mr. Walker looked down at Lucius's blood-stained shirt with a strangely amused look on his face. "I suggest you cover your shirt with your coat for starters." Lucius flushed again and buttoned his coat before nodding to the children and leaving. Oh dear, he thought, whatever am I going to tell Mother about my shirt? Oh well, I suppose by the time she sees it the news will be out.

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