Nathan calls his company to warn them and to take the rest of the day of. Allan assures him he will take his shift and handle things on his hand, and to “take it easy but not drink and drive”.

Nathan does not intend to drink.

The city gives way to the countryside which gives way to the forest. During the drive, Nathan does his best keep both his composure and his car below the speed limit. The only piece of good news is that Isaac, Sarah’s kid, is with Sarah’s mom somewhere in Philadelphia. Safe for now.

After what feels like an eternity, Nathan walks the path to Gwahin’s clearing. The flow around him hints at her presence with an absolute surety that was not present the first time he had looked for her. Perhaps he is getting better at it, but Nathan suspects that Gwahin’s aura has simply grown exponentially more powerful.

Even with the awareness of her growing power, nothing could have prepared Nathan for what now stands before him. The clearing’s underbrush is completely gone, replaced with grass and curious flowers that definitely do not belong here, especially in this season. The riot of colors contrasts with the surrounding trees’ dying leaves and the glassy surface of the pond, all surrounding and leading to the center piece: the ex bonsai. The cherry tree, in full pink bloom, rises to twice its previous height and pulses with power and life, seemingly bending the light and making it both blurry and more intense. Nathan is so mesmerized that he only notices Gwahin’s presence when she stands right in front of him.

"Hello Nathan Mordred Turner."

“Hello Gwahin of the leaves, you seem to have settled pretty well.”

And indeed she has, she is herself taller by at least a foot and not quite so ugly anymore. She almost reaches his… She is half a person high. Her voice is still the same, smooth and rich like dark chocolate.

“So before I start, do you need food? Do you watch TV?”

“Good manners Nathan? I must commend you, though I can see that there is something on your mind you are dying to ask and so I will save my requests until later.”

“Ok. So. I have a few questions. “

“I can imagine. I could answer, provided a small incentive?”

Nathan hesitates, wary.

“What small incentive are we talking about exactly?”

“Not your first born you nitwit, I want fertilizer.”

“Fertilizer?”

“Fertilizer.”

“As in cow sh…”

“The high grade kind from the shop you found me in. I have been eyeing “the good stuff” for some time. You will provide it to me.”

“How much are we talking about?”

“That will depend on your questions.”

“Deal. Alright let’s start. First, it might be rude but, what are you?”

Gwahin laughs softly.

“A bit direct but not unexpected. A handful of fertilizer.”

“Deal”

“There are no word in your language to qualify us but you can call us “Yol”. It just means “people” really.”

“So you are a Yol…”

“A pinch. “

Nathan raises an eyebrow.

“Yes Nathan, I am a person.” She laughs softly again.

“How come I could see you but others could not?”

“A fair question. This one is for free. Someone turnt me into this… Bonsai, and did something to me. Only sensitive initiates or other magical beings could have perceived me, and then, not all of them. This cage was the first thing I broke yesterday. I still wonder who put me there. Perhaps you can help me find out sometimes?”

“So other people can see you now?”

“A handful.”

He nods.

“Only if I want them to see me Nathan. We are in a Yol forest now and I can move around and hide. I will not reveal myself needlessly. I am still fairly weak.”

Nathan reminds himself that Gwahin’s brown skin and dark bark-like attire would act as a perfect natural camouflage in this forest, of course, and that would be without using her other resources.

“So there are other species of magical creatures?”

“A pinch.”

He nods.

“Yes, countless, but only a small fraction should be on this plane of existence right now.”

“There are other planes of existence?! Seriously?!”

“A pinch?” She laughs again. “Yes, but that is a discussion for another time, for now focus.”

“Ok, ok. “

“Is there a species that feels like death and rot, taller than a man but somewhat hunched, really fast, really strong, big claws and teeth that look like they came out of a dentist’s nightmare?”

As Nathan description goes on, Gwahin grows worried.

“A shovelful.”

He nods.

“Yes, I thought I had smelled them one on you but with humans you can never be sure. Your kind gets stinky so easily. Those are called Varogs, or “eaters”. That is a short version of their names but the real version has too many syllables and humans have no memory. They prey on your kind, I understand that they prefer women and children for the taste.”

Nathan swallows a lump in his throat.

“Yes because they are more tender. Also, human males stink. Did I not mention that before?”

“Alright I got it. What can you tell me about Varogs?”

"Sixty shovelful."

“Wow wow wait, I don’t need the Wikipedia entry just give me the short version.”

“Sigh. You will have to tell me which part of my colossal knowledge you are interested in.”

“I want to know what are their strengths, and how to kill them.”

“A bag and a half.”

“Wow ok. Alright let’s hear it.”

“Varogs are swamp ambushers. They are particularly adept at hiding their presence through magical means. In essence, you will notice anything but them until you get close enough for it not to matter and that is particularly true for creatures that do not feel the flow. They are also much stronger and a bit faster than normal humans although their stamina is inferior. Last and that is relevant for other humans, they are beings of two world and wounds inflicted through normal weapon will be smaller, or sometimes simply disappear.”

“Wait so they have natural resistance to weapon? How do you kill them then?”

“Hold on Nathan you obviously crossed path with a Varog, what happened?”

“Wait should I not ask payment for answering those questions?”

Gwahin lifts a brow and shows as much disdain as her smallish frame allows.

“I was striking bargains with all manners of being when your grandfather was mewling and soiling himself, Nathan Mordred Turner, and I am currently providing you vital answers for shovelfuls of fertilizer that cost eight dollars a bag are you sure you want me to treat this seriously?”

“I was just joking. Haha.”

Nathan relates his first encounter. Gwahin stays silent for a short while then looks in wonder.

“How in the name of Winter are you still alive. Do you realize the full extent of you luck? Nevermind, you could not have known. In order to kill them you need an infused weapon, preferably with aspects like life or fire or anything of the flow really. As I mentioned, they are ambushers and their strength lies in their ability to surprise their prey. After they capture one, they will usually keep it alive for as long as they can, eating one limb at a time so as to keep the meat fresh and… Are you quite alright?"

Oh shit.

Nathan feels like retching.

Oh shit oh shit oh shit.

No time.

“I will have the truth now Mordred Nathan Turner.”

“I told you the truth, only, the story does not end here. The person I was talking about, Sarah, she was taken.This morning.”

“Then there is still a chance to rescue her, but…”

Nathan sees in Gwahin’s face the same look he had seen on police officers years ago: pity with a hint of powerlessness.

“Can you help me?”

“I am sorry Nathan Mordred Turner, I cannot give you this as a boon. It will take months before I can even leave this forest! I fear that there is nothing that can be done.”

“Wait, wait… You spoke about infused weapon right? Do you… Have any?”

As he says that, Nathan winces. Gwahin has spent decades stuck as a bonsai, how could she possibly have any weapon lying around. He curses himself for his stupidity when Gwahin’s voice rings like hope in the middle of the clearing.

“As a matter of fact I do.”

“You do? YOU DO?! Wonderful!”

“But even if, and that is a big if, I trade you weapons, what do you intend to do about it?”

Nathan stops for a moment. He licks his lips.

“Actually I can sort of… Feel it. Like I felt you.”

Gwahin stares in silence for what feels like a long time and blinks once.

“How far can you feel the Varog Nathan Mordred Turner?”

“Not very far, maybe thirty feet? But I could feel it had been to Sarah’s house and by that point it had been gone for an hour apparently.”

More silence. She sighs.

“I fear you do not have that much time Mordred Nathan Turner. “

"How… How much time do I have?"

“Perhaps a day, but you have to remember… It is a great pain to be eaten alive limb by limb.”

“Alright, alright stop. Then, how long is she going to remain… Whole.”

Gwahin stares again but this time her eyes hold sadness and… Empathy. Nathan refuses to accept that.

“I am sorry Nathan Mordred Turner.”

“NO! Do not say it. “

Nathan breathes in and out, forcing, pushing the pain and horror back. There is no need to think about it now. He has to focus.

Breathe in, breathe out. The horror recedes to the back of his mind, to be dealt with at a later time. He has to focus on the now, on what he can do.

“Do you perhaps, have a way to locate the… The Varog?”

“I could track him if he were to pass through but…”

“Him? It’s a him?”

“Yes, all Varogs are male. “

“How do they? Nevermind I don’t want to know.”

“You really do not. “

“So you can’t track him. Would there be a way to locate his… Huh… Aura? »

« Aura. Yes. An apt term. There would be but I would need to feel him, or something that belongs to him.”

Wait I thought you had smelled him on me. Could it be enough?

“No Nathan, that would be impossible. “

She searches his face with sorry eyes, trying to make him understand.

“It would be like smelling alcohol on someone’s breath and deduce the bar he had been to.”

“I see. I see.”

Nathan is out of ideas. Gwahin is looking at him with the same level of empathy that a parent at a child whose dog died as if Sarah’s horrible fate is just an inevitability he has to accept.

But no he could not give in so easily. There had to be away to locate the Stalker. Had to be.

Nathan hit his head with the palm of his heand. The “smack” sound makes Gwahin lift a brow.

It never was about finding the Stalker right? He is such an idiot.

Nathan rushes back to his car, leaving splintered branches and trampled leaves in his path. He opens the passenger doors and looks at the seat, frantic.

A neighbor could have heard him scream “YES, I KNEW IT!”

Nathan races back, leaving behind him trampled branches and falling leaves. His feet are flying above the muddy path.

He runs back to the clearing, a single black, long and wavy hair clutched in a sweaty fist.

“And… And this? Could you track a human with this?”

“Yes Mordred Nathan Turner, I believe I can.”

Now let us talk about payment.

“Alrightwhaddayawant?”

“A pint of your blood.”

The wind blows, leaves rustle.

“Come again?”

“The price for a tracking device and the weapon to carry out your task. A pint of your blood.”

The wind blows more and the leaves rustle more. The trees look bored, somehow.

“Wait. Why? How? “

“I will use it as a source of power. Blood of the host, blood of an initiate. Belayed autumn equinox sacrifice. That sort of things.”

“And… And how?”

“I do not have a proper recipient yet so I will just drink it. I can use the energy immediately in any case.”

Nathan shakes himself, what was he expecting anyway? A PayPal transfer? This is a world of blood and things that eat people. Sarah is being eaten alive right now. What is he waiting for? Why is he wasting time?

Shame creeps up Nathan’s mind. He has made this his responsibility. This is his choice, and he will not back down at the first sign of weirdness and, well, blood shedding.

“Alright. “

“Excellent! Blood of the initiate is so delicious!”

“Wait how do you know how initiate blood tastes? “

“A shovelful.”

“You know what never mind. Last thing though. How do you intend to, hmmm, extract the blood, so to speak.”

Gwahin of the Leaves walks up to Nathan and slowly, slowly smiles. Up until now Nathan had mainly focused on her eyes, or perhaps it is just that she spoke without showing her teeth. He had never really noticed them until now.

Needles. Every single one of them. Reddish needles, slightly curved inward, in single file. They looked sharp enough to puncture steel.

“Your wrist please.”

Nathan tries to swallow the fear lodged deep in his belly. This is it isn’t it? You can make big claims and say you will do something but the true test always comes when you actually face the pain, the danger, or the humiliation.

This is the beginning, the first easy step forward. Sarah is suffering and he can help her. Actually as far as he knows, only he can help her. Sarah. Isaac. Those people deserve better than to die or to grow without parents.

Deliberately, Nathan gives Gwahin his wrist. She gives him a toothless smile and this time it holds something… Different than amusement or sarcasm. She sighs.

“Ah Nathan, you are so… Pure. I only wish you could remain just so.” Then she opens wide her jaw and… A black talon erupt from her thumb and pierces his wrist. Taken by surprise, Nathan jump but Gwahin is already fastened on the wound and the pain turns to a dull throb before it evens starts.

“WHY YOU LITTLE!!!”