"A Virus, Chapter 1 (Fantasy)" by L. ´Dave´ Mitchell

The moon had been out for a few hours. As usual, the woods were starting to fog and the ground grew cold. Andrew, while still very close to the main path, had cameoflagued himself from any passers-by. There was only one that night: Tucker. Of course, Tucker was supposed to be in the woods as it was the fastest way to get to the cemetary. The squeaking wheels of the body-filled cart he pulled still echoed in Andrew's mind.

"Where is that thing?" Andrew sighed, bored out of his mind and starting to shiver a little. He picked up a stick and poked at the ground, hoping that his own body wouldn't be in Tucker's cart sometime soon. That was what he was waiting for: change. The creature Arthur the Sage promised him.

A noise. Footsteps? Something falling? Andrew sat straight up and peered through the bushes, scanning the road. He was more curious than scared as his cover provided him a secure hiding place. Nothing appeared, the sound continued. A horse, Andrew decided. A few snorts and whinnies gave it away, and he started to wonder who would be riding through the woods at such a time. Andrew turned away from the bushes and back to poking the dirt. A horse and rider, or just a horse, walking in the woods at night was unusual but not abnormal. Perhaps he was going to visit the cemetery, maybe the high moon reminded the rider of the lost loved one.

The footsteps continued and Andrew started to wonder if there was another path in the woods he was unaware of. They had continued for a few minutes, but nothing had come into view. Andrew considered leaving, just facing what terrible things awaited him back at the village. Arthur the Sage was a kind man, but a bit lacking in the mental department; Andrew should have known better than to have wasted hours waiting for some imaginary thing the elder promised to send. He started to think about his options. They would all be angry with him, it was obvious, but angry enough to kill him? Quite possibly. Money did strange things to men.

*cough* *cough*

Andrew sat up again, figuring that the horse and rider must be passing by. "Guess there isn't an alternate route," he thought as he tried to get a good look at the travelers. He discouraged the idea of it being one of the men who hunted him. It was very possible, but too unpleasant a thought to sift through.

The rider coughed again. Andrew could not see his face, or even make out how tall the rider was. Was there a rider? There were no legs draped over the horse, no sack, no saddle.

No horse.

Andrew sucked in his breath, a silent gasp. What WAS that thing? Could it be what Arthur the Sage had promised to send?

"Remember, there are many things in the woods." Arthur the Sage had said. "You will know what I've sent for it will respond when you say 'You were sent by Arthur the Sage, Great Elder of Landenfale.' You may say it as quietly as you wish."

Andrew decided that he should speak the words very quietly. Whatever it was, if it heard him, there could be a great fight, and he was ill-equipped to take down a creature of that size. "You were sent by Arthur the Sage, Great Elder of Landenfale," he whispered into his shirt.

The monster turned around and looked right at Andrew, its eyes as big as a man's mouth. It approached him, the cat-like head poking through the bushes. This was the promised creature, not a horse as he had first thought. An experienced woodsman would have known the difference, but Andrew knew nothing of that sort.

"Come with me," Andrew ordered, standing up and walking away from the road, towards a group of towering trees.

The creature followed him, making the coughing noise repeatedly. Andrew decided the creature was either sick or that the sound it made was merely the only sound it could make, like how a cat can only make certain noises. While it resembled a cat, the creature was much larger, standing even taller than Andrew himself.

"What has Arthur the Sage told you of the situation?" Andrew asked once they had reached the covering of the old trees.

The creature coughed some more. Andrew waited for a response, assuming that it was merely clearing its throat to speak, as humans do.

More coughing.

"Can you not speak?" Andrew implored, starting to wonder how a creature that could not understand him would be of any use.

*cough* *cough* The creature sat down with a small thump, and continued to look at him.

"Can you even understand me?" He asked, a bit worried and agitated.

Coughing once, the creature seemed to nod. Andrew was uncertain whether or not it was a coincidence for the thing to nod.

Andrew thought for a bit, shifting the belt that held his robe closed. "If you understand me, tell me by turning in a circle."

The creature turned awkwardly, its long frong legs made any movement seem difficult.

"Excellent. There is only one thing I need to tell you, and Arthur the Sage told me that whatever I instruct you to do, you will." Andrew paused for a moment and considered all the possibilities of having a large creature in his total command. Perhaps he could attack that man who always looked at him oddly. Perhaps he could make it steal food or money. "All I need for you to do is to take this flask," he undid a vial from his belt and held it in front of the creature. "There is nothing allowed to stop you from delivering this to the monestary two villages away. There, a monk will say 'You were sent by Arthur the Sage, Great Elder of Landenfale.' You will follow him and allow him the flask. He will return it to you, and you must bring it to Arthur the Sage as soon as you have received it from the monk. From Arthur the Sage, you must bring me whatever he tells you to. This should be accomplished in less than three days. Every moment is needed, go now."

With that, Andrew tied the flask to the creature's neck with a piece of leather and sent it off.