Chapter 6 : Same but not quite
After distributing her stat points and marveling at the subtle strength she now felt coursing through her limbs, Selene began exploring the cottage more thoroughly. Nyx, now in his small perched form, silently followed her from beam to shadow.
The place was... cozy. Too cozy.
She pulled open the cabinets, half-expecting them to be empty. But there was food. Not much—some dried meat, slightly stale bread, and even a few herbs tied and hung to dry.
A pot in the corner had embers that were still warm.
She crouched near a bucket of water that had clearly been fetched recently. A cup sat beside it. Dust hadn't yet begun to settle.
Selene frowned. "Someone's been living here…"
Just then, the door creaked open.
Nyx growled—a low, deep snarl that rumbled like distant thunder before expanding into a monstrous roar as he grew in size, towering above Selene in his guardian form.
A man stood at the entrance, frozen mid-step, eyes wide. His hair was a matted, unkempt mess of greying brown, and a scraggly beard framed his weatherworn face. He wore a patched cloak slung over one shoulder and carried a worn satchel that smelled faintly of smoke and meat.
"Easy, easy there, beast," the man said quickly, raising his hands. Then he saw a young girl standing behind the mighty beast. "Ain't meanin' no harm. This's my home, miss. Been for years now."
Selene remained on edge. "Your home?"
"Aye," he said, stepping in carefully, eyes darting toward the now-smoldering fire and the newly placed sheets she had put on the bed. "Looks like ye've done quite a number on ol' Berny's crusty little shack."
Selene glanced back at Nyx, who held his position but didn't move.
The man—Berny, apparently—looked around, scratching his head. "Damn near thought I'd entered a dream. Been gone for a few days to trade some rabbit hides in the village. I come back and my hovel looks like someone cast a spell of spring on it."
He looked at her finally, more curious than hostile. "Who're you, miss?"
Selene hesitated. She needed to play this carefully.
"I… got separated from my friends.... We were traveling through the forest and ... and something happened." she said ,flustered "I've been trying to survive for days now."she continued with a pityful smile.
Berny's expression softened. "Ah. One of those wanderin' types, eh? Ain't easy in these woods. Beasties don't take kindly to lost lambs."
She gave a small, weary nod. "I found this place and thought it was abandoned. I didn't mean to take it from you."
Berny waved it off. "Nah, s'alright. Don't mind the cleanup, really. I'd rather sleep on clean straw than the moldy mess I left behind. And... reckon you don't look like you'd kill me in my sleep. Least not yet."
Nyx let out a soft, guttural huff.
"Alright, alright, don't look at me like that, beastie," Berny muttered.
Selene tilted her head. "You mentioned a village. Can you take me there?"
Berny raised a brow. "Hold yer horses, missy. Don't even know who you are yet, and you wanna tag along like some stray cat?"
"I told you—"
"Yeah, yeah, 'got lost', I heard ya." He looked her up and down. "Alright, here's the deal. You wanna stay here? Fine. You cook, clean, keep things tidy. I'm gettin' old and my back's not what it used to be anyway."
She narrowed her eyes. "So basically u want me to work like a maid for you, and in return you will allow me to stay here."
"Nah," he grinned, showing a few yellowing teeth, "more like a roommate with chores."
The man continued "You pull yer weight, I show you the village. Deal?"
" Wandering in the woods without any place to stay.... hmm or a place to stay but u gotta do minor chores. Honestly the choice is quite simple." She thought to herself.
Selene sighed, pretending to be reluctant. "Fine."
Berny clapped once. "Great! Let's eat. You cookin', right?"
After cooking a rabbit stew, they both sat down and ate their fill.
She slept of the floor with Nyx cuddling with her. While Berny slept on the straw bed.
---
The next morning, Selene followed Berny down a winding path through the woods. The trees thinned the farther they walked, and the air grew crisper. Her heart beat faster with every step, partly from nerves... and partly from a feeling of eerie recognition.
And then she saw it.
Rosehill.
A village she had created in her novel.
The stone bridge at the entrance. The crooked chimney stack. The sleepy hill that overlooked a well. It was all there. But wrong.
The streets, once lively in her imagination, were nearly silent. The village felt... drained. People moved with hunched shoulders and suspicious eyes. A little girl darted past her with bruises on her arm and terror in her face.
Selene froze.
This wasn't the peaceful village she wrote about.
Something was terribly wrong.
And then she saw it.
On the village's message board, nailed crudely between old posters and decrees—
A wanted poster—
With.....
To be continued.....