Page 94 of Infernium

Soreth nodded toward the darkness beyond them. “Go have a look, while I gather the flowers.”

“Why me? And why bother? Let’s just gather the flowers and go.”

“Are you not curious to know what made that sound?”

“No.”

“Well, I am.” He turned back to the flowers and waved the baron off. “And as the eldest, I am ordering you to look. Now, go.”

“I do not take orders from you.”

Soreth didn’t bother to look back as he plucked up one of the flowers, holding it up to the light. “Do it, and I will tell you how to land properly.”

“What good is landing properly, if I am mauled by a vicious beast?”

“You are like a terrified girl. No, in fact, I know girls who are far braver than you.”

The baron’s mother had taught him that a number of women had a power worthy of respect, so the boy’s comment was not received as intended. “And?”

“Just. Go. Look.”

“Fine. But if I am attacked and killed, I will haunt you for an eternity.” Teeth grinding in his skull, the baron turned toward the back end of the cave.

The sound, which reminded him of squealing, arrived again, louder that time. After sending an angry scowl back at Soreth, he strode toward it, his body taut and wired and ready to swing out at whatever came at him. The light faded behind him, the deeper he ventured, and his eyes adjusted, as they always had since he was a child. A trait he’d once feared amongst other children, thinking something had been wrong with him. As was the case, therehadbeen something wrong with him, after all.

In the darkness of the cave, his eyes could make out a soft glow around shapes, which essentially allowed him to see. With cautious steps, he scanned the interior of the cave, his hand set to the dagger at his hip.

The squeal echoed a third time, much louder than before, and the baron frowned. It almost sounded like … “Puppies?” he muttered, as the tension in his muscles eased. Only a little though, considering a mother wolf--or worse, a bear--could’ve been nearby. Devil’s teeth! If a mother bear caught sight of him, he’d have surely been mauled. And if that were the case, no matter his condition, he would’ve been sure to lead the beast back to Soreth.

He rounded a wall of rock, and the squealing heightened to yelps. Multiple yelps.

Tucked beneath an overhanging rock, he found a tiny black puppy. Its tail wagged as he approached, and cracking a reluctant smile, he reached out toward the small beast.

It snarled and barked back at him, its eyes turning a glowing orange, like flames. What mongrel had eyes that turned such an unusual shade? The sight of its pathetic attempt to look vicious only made the baron chuckle, though, and he reached for it anyway, scooping the rolly ball of fur up into his arms. Wriggling in his grasp, the puppy snapped its teeth and snarled, but the moment the baron rubbed its belly, the wicked little creature calmed.

A putrid scent carried on the air, and the baron crinkled his nose. Gods, what was that stench? More yelps and barks drew him farther into the little nook, and there, he found more of the tiny black mongrels running and hopping around.

Still holding the one in his arms, he counted five more. Six in total. They whined and yelped and made their little squealing noises, which failed to let him know what was wrong. The scent grew stronger until it was thick in his throat, and he gagged, nearly dropping the first puppy.

A black mass sat in his periphery, and on a startled breath, he turned to see an exceptionally larger version of the puppies lying on its side. A pool of purple-colored fluids lay just outside of her mouth.Wolfsbane. Their mother, no doubt.Why on earth she had consumed it didn’t make any sense, considering most of the animals knew to stay away from the notoriously poisonous flower.

The puppies gathered at his feet, their tails wagging frantically. As he reached to pet another, it bit his finger.

“Hey!” The baron drew back his hand, squeezing out the small bit of blood the puppy had drawn. The pup hopped in a circle and leaned back on its haunches, letting out a playful bark. The spry little mongrel then lurched toward a spilled drop of blood, licking it clean off the rocky floor.

All five of them gathered beneath him, lapping at the specks of blood on the rocky floor. The beast tucked in his arm sprang forward and licked the blood off his finger.

Frowning he sat the puppy on the ground with its siblings and held out his hand, squeezing out more of his blood. All six puppies gathered at his hand.

They must have been starving, waiting by their dead mother for who knew how long.

Another bit his hand, but that time, he only flinched, allowing them to feed off his blood.

“What are you doing?” Soreth’s voice carried an air of repulsion as he stood over him.

“I found the dangerous beasts making all the noise.”

“Do you not know what those are, you fool?”

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