Kali bumped her head against his calf and rubbed her tail against him. Then she trotted ahead in the direction of Anorra. She stopped and turned back towards him. She gave a short, sharp bark. Her ears twitched.
“I know. We should head back.” The sky had started to darken. He needed to go home.
But what if he stayed out just a couple more minutes and found what he’d been searching for for months?
Kali barked again. Jasper sighed. She was right. He should head back. Because even though he had more energy in the forest, he was still so fucking weak.
“I’m coming.” Jasper followed her. But he glanced around furtively, desperate for a glimpse of…something. Or someone.
He let out a bitter laugh. Sometimes he felt like he was going mad.
It felt like the accident had opened up a void inside him. A gaping, urgent need. Jasper just couldn’t work out how to fill it. But he was certain it was someone and he’d find that someone here in the forest.
He glanced back. He froze, eyes narrowing.
What was that?
For half a second, he swore he’d seen a large shadow moving amongst the bare tree trunks. He held his breath. Jasper strode in the direction he’d seen movement, heart thumping against his ribcage.
He reached the spot.
Nothing.
Had it been a trick of the light? He glanced at the ground. Hoof-prints marked the otherwise pristine snow.
Probably just a reindeer.
He looked around. But he saw no sign of the creature. Still, something niggled in the back of his mind, telling him it was no reindeer. But what, then?
Sometimes he felt like his mind played tricks. Like he saw shadows and movement in his peripheral vision. But when he came closer, nothing was ever there.
Kali came up beside him.
“I don’t even know what I’m looking for.” Jasper glanced at Kali, who stared ahead. Her ears flicked back. “Come on. Let’s go home.”
They turned and walked towards Anorra. And as they left the forest, he once again felt like he was leaving a part of himself behind.
Chapter
Four
That was too close.
The krampus crouched. He peered between branches. He watched the human walk onwards through the forest in the direction of the city.
I got too close. He almost saw me. I shouldn’t have allowed that to occur!
After several minutes, Kraghol slinked forward and continued to follow the human, this time ensuring he kept back.
I need to keep my distance.
But keeping his distance was so hard when every fibre of his being demanded he stay close to Jasper. He crept forward, careful to remain silent and hidden. As the human and fox approached the city, the shadows of the trees grew longer. Which was good. It made it easier to keep out of sight.
Perhaps he should not follow Jasper like this. Perhaps he should just leave him be.
But the need inside Kraghol rose into his throat and choked him until he couldn’t breathe. He could always sense when Jasper approached the forest. The human’s presence called to Kraghol’s very core.
He had tried to resist it. Tried to stay away, knowing that would be what was best for the both of them. But how could he? How could he not go to Jasper? At least this way he could see him.
