I pushed my long braid of deep-red hair back over my shoulder and left it to fall down the back of my forest-green linen-shirt. It nestled gently on my spine sitting comfortably between my shoulders. It's weight reassured me, it's constant companionship reminded me of my purpose in life, it was one of the few simple things I could truly trust to never change. The spring leaves of the forest that surrounded me changed. They crumpled and died from a beautiful golden colour to a withered brown. The animals changed too. The rabbit that bounded into the distance would change direction and I would lose sight of it before it completed it's lone journey amongst the towering oaks. But my hair was always there for me. I swept back. And it settled on my spine, simple but reassuring.
I paused as a soft grunting echoed in the distance my cherry lips curled gently into a smile as I reached back with one slender hand and pulled my hood forward, covering my angled features and bright green eyes. Turning I clambered up one of the oaks with inhuman swiftness my fingers grasping onto cracks that we're invisible to the human eye and propelling myself upwards in silent leaps. As I sat amongst the highest branches I paused and waited for the beast to give it's position to me again. Several minutes passed and I began to worry that the beast may have moved on. But no. In the distance a noise so faint that even I almost missed it. I leapt from my branch my slender figure cutting through the air and landed on one foot in the next tree already putting the next foot forward. I traversed three more trees in eerie silence and then paused again. Sure enough the beast was grunting loudly now. I frowned, it must have found some prey to be making so much noise. Well that would make the kill all the easier for me.
I moved silently between the next trees moving slowly, aware that my quarry had hearing just as acute as mine. At last the sound was below me, I didn't look yet knowing that as soon as I did, my presence would be revealed. Gently I began to descend from my tree, my bare feet slid noiselessly along the rough bark my hands moving over each other methodically. I stopped halfway down, I was so close now that I could hear it's prey gently squealing in pain. Good he was still not done with his catch. I reached behind me and slid my already strung bow over my shoulder, it's smooth wooden shape comforting in the palm of my hand. The grunting noise increased and I reached back for an arrow drawing it quietly from my deer-skin quiver. I prepared to pull back and waited for the oncoming roar of ecstasy as he finished with his prey. His grunting formed into a loud howling snarl, it's intensity washed over my sensitive ears and I looked down to the ground at the same time as I drew back on my bowstring pointing towards my victim.
Below me a huge Werewolf was depositing his load into his female victims womb. She squirmed as he held her in the palm of his hand, his form towered above her at nearly nine feet tall. His black fur bristled, his lips pulled back baring his gleaming white teeth in a soundless howl, his long muscled forearms tapered into sharp curved claws and his thick legs were capable of launching towards victims at incredible speed. I loosed an arrow at his head and it penetrated through the top of his skull lodging itself in the top of his brain. He dropped like a sack of potatoes falling backwards his limbs spread out like a starfish, the woman he had been preying on was skewered on top of him stuck in place. I descended from my tree as the woman began to cry out for help. I landed neatly in front of her and she cried out for my assistance. I ignored her as I went to the beasts head and drew my elegant dagger, it's leather wrapped handle fit snugly into my palm as I sliced the beast ears off with my curved blade and strung them through a loop in my belt. I turned back to the woman who was still struggling. She had been knotted and was unable to remove herself from the beast. Her tattered clothes were ruined but she wore a plain gold ring on her finger and a small coin purse was looped over an intact leather belt.
I jumped up onto the Werewolf's chest feeling hard bulging muscles under my feet. The woman's pleas were beginning to annoy me but I remained calm as I slipped her ring off her finger peeling back her clenched fingers with ease. Then I reached down to her waist and retrieved her money pouch and belt by uncoupling the buckle. Done looting, I leapt back down and began running north-east, toward the local town and my own home. The forest was full of life as I sprinted through the low undergrowth. Insects buzzed between trees focused on their own survival in the world, birds chirped and sung songs as they went about building their nests and searching for mates, while ground animals stalked the growth for meals, intent on filling there bellies and hideaways for the coming winter. I myself was preparing as well, I had been hunting the fell creatures of the world for a little over two months now and I had amassed a collection of ears to sell at the human towns where I could buy valuable resources. I cared little for humans and there collections of buildings. However they did provide me with an easy way of obtaining food.
I slowed to a halt as I reached my hiding tree. It was a behemoth of a pine, it's gnarled trunk journeyed upwards above the rest of the trees, fuelled as it was by magic. The top remained concealed by leafy branches. If I paced around the tree I knew it would take me two-hundred and thirty-six steps to get all the way around. I clambered up the trunk around ten metres and crawled in through a gap in the wood. Inside a carved out hollow of around five metres in all directions was waiting for my return. I stood and stalked over to my carved shelf, swaying my hips as I walked like all elves do when there happy. I placed the belt on my shelf and retrieved all the ears counting them out. I had a total of six werewolf ears, A pair of demon ears, eight troll ears and a dozen pairs of orc ears. I also pulled out all the jewellery and coin pouches I had obtained and placed them all in a small cloth sack. I was determined to get rid of all my treasures at once. Clambering back out of my hollow I dropped from the tree and landed lightly on my feet. With my prizes tied to my belt I resumed sprinting towards the local human township. I couldn't even remember its name but I knew where it was. Within half an hour the town was in view it's squat wooden wall was so short that even a human could have climbed over it. As it was I wanted to preserve my reputation with the town even if that didn't extend to saving there females, so instead I entered through the gate slowing down to a walk and allowing my hips to sway with pleasure.