I have a suggestion, would you do a cadet batch fic! Whatever you like, I just love cadet batch 😅
Thank you so much, friend! 🥰 I love Cadet Batch too, so this was such a fun prompt to fill! I hope you enjoy your 333 word story ☺️
Shadows
Read here on Ao3!
Rated: G | Words: 333
Their new barrack is quieter than the lab. Darker too. Strange and unfamiliar shadows lurk ominously, stretched and disfigured. Hunter’s imagination gives them monstrous faces, fangs and claws. They are the creatures out of their flash training courses about predators throughout the galaxy. Creatures that stalk, watching their prey’s vulnerabilities, then lashing out, tearing through flesh and bone.
Hunter swallows, reminding himself another time that while those creatures are real somewhere, they are not in this room. But another flash of lightning makes the shadows lurch, and Hunter yanks his blanket over his head. He shouldn’t be so afraid. He is nearly four standard years, far too old to be afraid of silly things like shadows. But then the thunder growls, its guttural voice making the room shudder. And something latches onto Hunter’s arm.
He is too afraid to make a noise, too afraid to move.
But then a loud, trembling voice says, “I’m scared. Can I sleep in your bunk with ya? Please, Hunter?”
Hunter takes a deep breath and peeks out from his sanctuary. Wrecker is there, fingers still curled around Hunter’s arm like his life might depend on it.
“Okay,” Hunter says. He hopes that he does not sound as relieved as he feels.
Wrecker wastes no time clambering into Hunter’s bunk, pressing himself as close to Hunter as he can. Wrecker is already taller than all of them, even if he was the second to last decanted. Nonetheless, he is still Hunter’s little brother, so Hunter threads his arms around him, and hugs him tight.
“I wanna go back to our old room,” Wrecker tells him.
“I know. But it’ll be better this way. You’ll see.”
Wrecker nods. “Okay.”
Hunter wonders if Crosshair will tease them when their morning cycle comes, or if Tech will say their fears were illogical.
But when Hunter wakes again, Crosshair and Tech are in his bunk too, sleeping soundly. Hunter smiles, sleep coming to reclaim him.
Maybe it’s alright to be braver together.
END
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Thunder rumbled on the distant cloud. A storm was about to take place tonight—I hurried my pace to the village of Esthal—a village further than most civilization right next to a large body of river, it was a perfect place for those vile scums to hide.
A passing gale pressed coldly against the exposed skin of my face "I pray that I make it in time" White breath left my lips, was it usually this cold or perhaps it was due to the brewing storm?
I discarded the thought, draping my hood over my head as I moved further down the dark, soil threaded path—gravel crunching against my boots with every step I took, the woods were far from silent.
Crickets sang their hearts out followed by a rhythmic hooting, and in the distance a lone wolf cried out. The woods tonight were lively. Good, that's usually a sign that no threats are around.
The village came into view and just as I took a step forward, the brewing storm suddenly poured down. Great, just my luck—I should be fine as long as I follow the trail.
A wooden gate loomed over the village and the trail, separating it from the outside world. Men stood guard on both sides, holding a well-crafted spear with one hand—the torches behind them flickered against the harsh rain and wind.
"Halt! Who goes there?" One of them shouted, I held my pace temporarily.
"I'm a Witch Hunter" I tucked one of my hands into my cloak and pulled out the sigils of Witch Hunters.
"Frederick Thorne, and I've been told that there's a Witch hiding in your village" I pocketed the sigil back into my cloak.
Both guards look at each other unison "Yes, we've been looking for her, but that Witch is hiding too well with us common folk."
"We have everyone inside their homes the moment the sun sets down. With a few exception of us men to patrol"
They explained the situation to me. The hardest part of the witch hunt wasn't battling the Witch, but to identify them. Civilians are quick to accuse one to ease their fear—however it is also how innocent blood is spilled.
Hence why the Witch Hunters were formed, to avoid unnecessary bloodshed out of fear.
A shout inside the village broke my thoughts "Witch!" The guards hurried towards the direction of the scream and I followed from behind.
Rain poured hard and made it difficult to see what's in front of me, but I could see men begin to pour out of their houses. Holding torches in one hand with a weapon on the other.
An old man quickly scrambled to his feet, possibly the one who shouted. The guards and I approach with caution.
"Are you alright? Where did she go? What did she look like?" One of the guards was quick to interrogate him, at least let the man recover first.
"I- she- I-I" He spurted out words that barely held any sense, I stepped forward and placed my hand on his shoulder
"Breathe. Tell us what happened" He exhaled deeply and collected himself. The villagers surrounded us now, ready to drive out the witch and burn her to a stake.
"I-I couldn't see her clearly, she ran away and I-" The old man furrowed his brow as he tried to recall the brief encounter.
The gathered men marched towards the direction of where the witch ran to. I stepped between them before they could take another step.
I presented the sigil to these men "Do not let your emotions cloud your judgment. You may have numbers, but a Witch is still a Witch"
There were still some men who wanted to argue, I can tell from their disgruntled expressions through the rain "I've lost countless men to these Witches, experienced hunters as well. You are Fathers, brothers, and sons. You have a family waiting for you at home"
I raised my voice louder, the howling wind suppressing my voice "With this weather it will be very difficult to traverse and accidents may occur. I beg of you to please leave it to me"
Murmurs spread between the crowd—some reluctant, others see my reason. In the end they went back to their homes, leaving me to do my work.
I marched forward towards the direction of where the Witch ran. I was drenched from this continuous downpour, my soaked garments and the muddy road made everything felt heavy.
This was suicidal, I know that. But the thought of those villagers becoming a victim to this Witch gave me the strength to move forward.
There were patches of disturbed leaves and mud. Someone had come through here, I bent my knee and inspected—it was still fresh, someone had passed by here, and judging from the footprints they were in a hurry.
I followed the path in caution, I couldn't tell if this was the work of an amateur witch or they had left this trail on purpose to lure possible pursuers.
Deceit is in their nature, and there is no such thing as being too careful when you're a hunter.
The footprints came to a halt, the trees here grew unnaturally close together, she must've used a spell to close off her trail.
Still this is nothing new, I forced myself between the gaps, the bark squeezing my chest and back as I moved forward.
I came out the other side unharmed, there were no signs of her footprints anymore.
"She figured it out" I muttered, as I continued my hunt.
I could hear rushing water in the distance, and now there were new marks on the mud.
It looks like she slipped and was stumbling. I approached the riverbank, a faint mark in the soil as if someone slipped and fell into the river.
Crouching down I inspected them, there were no traces of magical signature in them so this was not a spell that was cast.
Lightning cracked in the distance followed by the roar of thunder. Glancing at the river it had turned into a violent stream, anyone who fell in them would be swept away without a doubt.
Two possibilities can occur.
Either she fell in and drowned in the currents.
Or a small but possible chance.
"I lost her"
Hunter watched Lestrade sleeping so peacefully. He put her to bed hours ago, but she wasn't sleepy yet. So, she feigned it until he went to bed himself and made her way downstairs stealthily. She knelt beside his bed and slowly reached out to caress his bare chest.
The bruise had darkened and grown a bit more tender. Lestrade was overly careful doing things when he wasn't preoccupied with something else, so Hunter made sure he was always busy. After all, her daddy deserved to be happy and pain-free as much as possible and she knew that it wasn't just a bruise.
She touched it just with just a bit too much force, making the man grimace, wince, and shift away from the unwelcome touch. Hunter froze, ducking down beside the bed and prepared to scurry under the frame of the bed if he awoke. Moments passed and she dared to peek at him; he was still fast asleep.
"I'm glad we're together..." She whispered. "Finally, Daddy. You and me and Mommy can't keep us apart any longer." The girl paused, looking down at the soft sheets on the mattress. "But Mommy's a bad, bad woman. She'll try to take me away because she never wants anyone else to be happy. I know you'll protect me, though, Daddy. And I'm Daddy's little girl. Nothing will come between us, I promise."
