Warning: light blood
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The juice of berries driped from the mouth of a creature Lucy had never seen before.
It was a skinny thing with red sores all over its body that bled when it scratched at them. It's fur, fine and white, was stained from the berries of the bush it was currently hiding in. It's little nose quivered while it stared up at her through large, black eyes.
Lucy reached towards it, but stopped and turned from it when she heard the front door of thier home slam shut.
Her father was finally home! She had to go tell him all about what she had found!
Lucy returned to the creature with a smile, only to find it wasn't there anymore.
"Little thing?" she called out and looked around "where did you go?"
She peeled back the leaves and stood up to check as far behind the bush as she could without being tangled in the thicket herself.
"Lucinda!"
She had been busted. Lucy cringed at the tone of her father's voice and turned towards him with a small smile.
"What on earth are you doing?" he called from the back door.
Lucy pointed, then decided it'd be best he didn't know about her little friend.
"Picking berries?"
"They could be poisonous" he scolded while stomping down from the house "you havent eaten any, have you?"
"No" she shook her head "I was only looking..."
"Well, look from inside" he grumbled to her and tutted when Lucy tried to brush off her lovely dress "look at the mess you've made. Your hair is tangled, your socks are uneven, and your beautiful skin is scratched! You aren't a little bush piglet, Lucinda."
"Sorry."
"Inside. You need a bath and change of clothes."
Lucy felt her father's hand guide her to the door that was firmly closed behind her to block out the approaching night.
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Lucy watched from her window the creatures of the night.
There were all sorts out there that came to life when everyone was asleep.
Some were adorable while others were scary. Then there were more that were a mixture of both.
She saw her new friend scurrying around down there too; picking berries and rolling on the ground. It scratched and snuffled around before dashing across the ground at such a speed that made Lucy laugh at the little legs powering it on.
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Lucy slept well, knowing that she would be able to spend more time with her friend in the morning.
When she was washed and dressed by the maid, she quickly rushed downstairs to try and see a glimpse of her father before he left.
He was wearing his hunting suit when Lucy arrived in the room where two other men in equally impressive suits gathered.
"This must be the little trouble-maker!" one chortled when they eyed Lucy "she's quite the beauty, Terry."
Her father grinned and gestured for the men to gather outside instead.
He wasn't going to be having breakfast with her again?
"Daddy" Lucy plucked at his suit to get his attention "will you be gone long?"
He bent to her level, making a grin spread on her face.
"I've got to be prepared for those beasts, my darling girl" he chuckled back and shook a finger at her "stay out of those bushes, or I'll have to find someone else to make you."
Lucy already had a maid to look after her. She didn't need another. She wouldn't get time to herself.
"Yes, Daddy" she pouted back and watched her father leave so he could join his friends on thier horses waiting out the front.
Lucy watched them trot from sight, waving the whole time, before making her dash for the bushes.
She heard the maid call out but ignored her, parting the leaves to see her little friend under there.
It looked terrible from last time.
One eye was much larger than the other and bright red. It looked like a swollen berry itself just sitting on its face.
Its mouth had bubbling foam around the edges that had Lucy grinning at how absurd it was.
It was trying to blow bubbles.
"No, silly" she giggled to it "like this!"
Lucy stuck out her tongue and blew a raspberry that had her friend instantly lunging from the bush to strike her hand.
Lucy felt the teeth pierce into her soft skin and wailed for her maid.
She shook her friend off and got to her feet, sobbing while looking to it for an answer as to why it had been so violent with her.
She was only having fun.
"You poor darling!" the maid rushed over and tenderly held Lucy's bleeding hand atop her own "you were very lucky, my child. It's not that deep. We'll have you cleaned up in no time."
"W-why would i-it do that?" Lucy sobbed and let the maid lead her back to the house "I-I was only b-being nice."
"Not all things are as kind as you, my sweet child" the maid gently smiled to Lucy "but I'll look after you. Let's get you a wonderful hot chocolate made up. I've got some of that chilli you like too."
Lucy perked up at the temptation of the sweet heat. She sat down at the table and rested her hand on it, sobbing when she saw how torn her skin was.
"You are very brave" the maid praised while swabbing cotton with some brown solution "why, I could never be as good as you."
She daubed the torn skin, making it boil and burn.
"It hurts!" Lucy whimpered.
"Only for a little" the maid reassured her "do you know what caused this?"
Lucy shook her head. She didn't have a name for her friend yet. After what it did to her, she wasn't going to give it one.
"Was it small or big?"
"Very small."
"And it had scales or fur?" the maid frowned.
"It was kind of both" Lucy recalled "it's fur was white, but it had these red dots on it that were itchy."
The maid's face dropped and her hand hovered over Lucy's stained skin.
"Did it have anything unusual about it?" she whispered.
"It's eye was way too big for its head" Lucy held a hand over her own to mimic it "and it was blowing bubbles."
The maid dropped the cloth and sniffled, pulling Lucy into a firm hug.
"My poor child" she breathed "you sweet thing. You don't deserve this; not you, not them."
"What is it?" Lucy smiled to her, not knowing what to do at the sudden sadness from her maid who was now frantically wrapping Lucy's hand in clean cloth.
"You mustn't show your father this" she urged Lucy "you have to keep it wrapped and clean. Your father... he hunts creatures that are most familiar to him...."
Lucy knew this. Her father boasted of being a great marksman, but she had never seen any of his trophies. One day, Lucy wanted to see her father in action.
The maid got to her feet and disposed of the used medical equipment.
"Your hand may also become wet and bubbly" she called "you mustn't touch it when it does. It'll spread..."
"S-spread?" Lucy looked to the bandage in fright "how far?"
"All the way" the maid replied quickly "we haven't got time for this. You need to be prepared and he needs time to make it fair. It's all happening so suddenly. They weren't ready; you aren't ready."
Ready?
"For what?" Lucy turned in her seat to watch her maid scurry around, gathering a coat she put a little canteen of water into.
"When he arrives, you put your hands behind your back and smile, ok? Don't say anything but 'hello'. You'll go outside and start running far away from here. You run and you don't look back, ok?"
Lucy didn't like the panic in her maid's face and shaking voice that diverted from her questions. Her eyes blinded with tears that the maid tried to wipe away.
"I'm scared."
"Just do as you are told and everything will be fine" the maid nodded with a weak smile.
Lucy gulped and nodded back, sliding from the seat to stand next to the maid who turned to face the door at the sound of laughter and clicking of hooves.
For the first time, Lucy was afraid of her father.
The door opened to he father's bright face who washed over them. Lucy forced her smile, maybe a little too much, and kept her hands twisted behind her back.
Her voice caught, just for a second, before piping up nervously.
"Hello."
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