User blog:Gnomehunter/White Horn Rescue Patrol

The cold wind bit into the man’s face as he trudged down the winding mountain slope. Even with every inch of his body covered in heavy clothes he could feel his strength flagging as he tried in vain to look past the blinding snow. He had severely overestimated the time he had to hunt, and now was fearing for the worst. Passing individual trees stripped of every sign of life, he began to fear the worst when he noticed a particular cluster of trees. “I’ve seen those trees before”, he said hoarsely, barely able to hear his own voice. He tried to continue, but he had already slowed his pace, and the thought of having traveled in circles robbed him of his remaining hope. It was long past time to make any sort of shelter. He knew he wouldn’t survive the night. Mustering his last remaining strength, he took a deep breath and screamed as loud as he could. “HEEEEEEEELP!” The wind snatched his call away, and he collapsed in resignation. As he lay down and closed his eyes, he never even heard the soft sound of footsteps. But he gave a start at the sound of a human voice.

“Thank goodness I found you! I thought I heard someone when I was on my patrol. Please climb on my back. You need to get out of the cold right away”. The man looked up to see a human woman dressed in a heavy fur coat and hat. But he could not miss the antlers poking out of her head, or the furry legs and hooves that she stood on, connecting to her large centaur body. He jumped up and away from her, despite his exhaustion..

“Monster!” He started to reach in his coat pocket. But she stepped forward and clasped his hands together in her own.

“Sir, please, I am not here to hurt you. But you need to come with me right away. It’s not safe to be out in the open right now”. The man couldn’t help but chuckle.

“How noble of a beast like you to care for my safety. But maybe it’s best to leave me here. I was just trying to get back to the camp with my fellow Order soldiers”. The woman flinched when she heard the name of the group the man was affiliated with. But after staring at him for a moment, she leaned forward and wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him into a tight hug. He shivered, but her embrace was the warmer than he’d ever felt from hugging another human.

“Where is your camp?, her hot breath tickling his ear.

“Just past the base of the mountain”.

“Then there is no way for you to get there by yourself. And I cannot leave you here to die. You will come with me to my village”, she replied matter of factly.

“Monster, your village is just the kind of place I’d been looking for. That was the whole reason for our division to camp here, and why I was out on the mountain tonight. Surely it wouldn’t be wise to lead me right to your home?”

“I’m sorry sir, but I will not be taking your input at this time. My kind was given the job of locating humans in the cold and rescuing them. I could not in good conscience leave someone out to die. No matter who they might be”. She knelt down on her front legs, offering him her back. He hesitated. Too long, it seemed. She stood back up and grappled him around the waist, lifting him up over her head despite his cry of surprise and somehow dropped him right on her back. “And please hold on tightly to my waist”, she shouted, and started to walk back up the walk. The man sat, dumbfounded, wondering if the monster was either too kind or too stupid, but he found himself reaching from behind to hold on. One hand felt for the knife in his pocket, but it was almost too cold to imagine trying to withdraw it. And the thought was too horrid, taking someone’s life as they were right in the middle of saving his life. He put his head to avoid the wind.

With no sense of time or direction, it seemed far too long before the wind died down, and he realized they were stepping up a path and into a village of wooden houses. As he looked up, he saw that the street was almost deserted, except for a huge dog-like woman who was running up to them. He tried to hide but she stopped in front of the two.

“Hebra! You’re the last of the patrols to arrive. It looks like you found someone?” She gave him a little smile before she glanced at the cross emblazoned on his coat. She shrieked, and jumped forward, knocking him off his perch and tackling him to the ground.

“Chloe! What is wrong with you? This man was barely clinging to life when I found him, he needs treatment right away!”

“This man belongs to the Order! You can see the cross symbol right here!”

“I know his affiliation. He told me”, Hebra answered.

“Then why on earth did you bring him here?”

“Because he was about to die! Finding people like him is exactly what I was born to do!” Chloe opened her mouth to say something, closed it, then stared at both of them.

“Does that really include people who would think nothing of slaughtering everyone in the village?”

“I could never have lived with myself if I left him to die”, she replied after some thought,

“Well, now that his life isn’t in such immediate danger, I’d say your job is done. I’m taking him back to the station and locking him up. We need to check him for weapons at least.

“What! He needs food and rest!”

“We’ll give him the first. He’ll have to take care of the other as best he can. We’ll also have to check his belongings”.

“You’re not going to hurt him?” Hebra asked, looking directly at her friend.

“What? No, of course not. There’s no need”.

“Or starve him? Or strand him outside the village?” Chloe looked shocked at the accusation.

“Goodness, we’re not going to do anything more than necessary to make sure he isn’t a threat. In the meantime, why don’t you go and cool your head off?”. He looked at the woman to see her face was flushing with such a bright red that he expected steam to come out her ears.

“Fine. But I’ll be there first thing in the morning to make sure he’s ok”. She departed, leaving the two alone. The dog woman turned toward him with a glare.

“Now listen here. That girl has a heart of gold for saving your life. And she’s perfectly equipped to find people like you. If anyone else had been looking, it's possible they might never have found you, even if they wanted to. Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

“I don’t think so, dog. I told her myself that she was better off leaving me to die”. The woman scowled and hoisted him over her shoulder. He lay there, content with whatever the less kind villagers had in store for him. In the heated station, he was dropped inside a single person holding cell. He sat on the bench and waited silently. Eventually they returned, giving him a bowl of soup with bread on the side. He ate hungrily while the same woman looked at him through the bars.

“Name?”

“Pierre Aleckson”.

“What were you doing on the mountain?”

“Our division was sent here to find monster settlements like this one, in order to exterminate them”.

“So you’re not only cruel and violent, but also foolish. Coming out here in the middle of winter?” Pierre neglected to mention that there had been a suspicion that the monsters in the region had means to control the snowfall and other winter conditions, and thus there was no good time to venture into the mountains. “And what will your companions do when you fail to return?”

“I will be presumed dead, like any other men who did not make it back to camp”.

“Here is your coat back. We will be keeping the knife we found, but it appeared to be the only weapon on your person. You should find all the rest of your possessions in order. We will return with some spare bedding”. She dropped the garment on the floor, and he picked it up as the woman left. Inside he found his old wallet, holding a few coins, and his identification card. He found himself drifting off to sleep, content to lay on the meager cot in his cell, when he was prodded awake. She silently presented him with a blanket and pillow.

“My my, this is awfully generous for a prisoner”.

“This is purely for Hebra’s sake. She demanded you were taken care of and I don’t think I want to see how she would react if she found you were given subpar treatment”.

---

The next morning Pierre had barely woken up when he looked outside his cell to see the very same woman who’d saved his life the previous night. She had shed her bright orange parka, but was still dressed in multiple layers of clothing, watching him through the bars. The dog woman came into view and unlocked the cell door. “There he is, just like I said he’d be. You got here before we were able to make breakfast but you can look him over and ask him how he was treated”. The woman approached him and clasped his shoulders, staring directly into his eyes. He averted his gaze.

“ I can already see you were given bedding and food. Were you treated well last night?”

“About as well as I could expect. Better even”.

“That’s good”. She pulled him into another tight embrace. “Hey, I think it’s about time I got your name”.

“I don’t see what a monster like you would need it for”.

“The same reason I asked you last night. To identify you, to know what to call you with”. The dog woman replied.

“That’s right. It’s very important that I know what to call you. My name, as you may have already heard, is Hebra. I was named after this very mountain range”. He tried to move away as she began to caress his face, her own already turning a shade of red. His back was pressed against the wall.

“Pierre”, he uttered quickly, and she withdrew slightly.

“Pierre...how nice. I’m looking forward to spending more time with you, as soon as we can get your...living arrangements sorted out”.

“Jeez, Hebra, are you really falling for him? You don’t have to like him just because you saved his life. There will surely be others”.

“No. Other members of the patrol have been here even longer than I have, and they never encountered travelers. I’ve made up my mind”.

“Well you’ll have to wait until we can talk to him some more”. After a bit of nudging, Hebra separated herself from Pierre and left the cell. Later in the day, a man appeared before him.

“Was starting to wonder if there were any men in this place”, Pierre muttered, almost to himself”.

“Name’s Drake. I hear you’re Pierre. In lieu of my wife, I’m here to speak to you more specifically about your role in the Order, and what you plan to do going forward. We’ve got a table we can set up a bit more comfortably. And spare me your distaste for our relationship. This village is nothing but mamono-human couples and I don’t need to hear another rant condemning us to misery in the afterlife”. Drake led the man, his wrists chained together, out of the cell and into the only other room in the station. They sat down on either side of the table. One of Pierre’s wrists was freed. He couldn’t help but glance at the door. “Locked”, Drake said. “Now then, I’d like to be as frank as I can with you. This is a relatively remote human-mamono settlement. We live here year round, never even thinking to bother anyone much further than the range of our patrols. You are here today because one of them was able to locate you, and determined that you were worth saving despite the potential risk that you posed. Meanwhile, you came with a group of people set on locating settlements like ours and slaughtering them. I must ask, do you really believe your people are in the right?”

“I suppose this makes me sound pretty awful when you put it like that”.

“You also seem to be taking quite well to the situation. I have seen other men far more reluctant to accept their fate. What makes you so calm?” Pierre drew a breath and exhaled, pointlessly wiping away his short black hair.

“When that...woman found me, I was at her complete mercy. She insisted on saving me even after hearing who I was. She demonstrated concern for me, far more than my fellow soldiers or superiors would have. I have been treated well here, and there’s no place for me to escape. Why fight?”

“Haven’t your superiors warned you of the dangers posed by mamono?”

“Monsters, yes...vicious beasts who seek to lure men away, tempt them to lay with them. Or try to eat them. I’ve heard both explanations from various church men. But the warnings of such creatures’ licentious nature is no different than the warnings they give about human women plying their trade in back alleys. No different from the warnings they give to children about controlling their urges unless and until they’re prepared for procreation. I figured it couldn’t be all that different. And no one seems to be trying to eat me”. Drake looked puzzled by the man’s straightforward reasoning, but nodded.

“Well, it’s refreshing to hear someone with such an...open?...perspective. Now, do you have any questions for me about your situation?”

“I guess I’d like to know how long you plan to keep me here”.

“The short answer is indefinitely. We’re not just going to drop you back at your camp, and everyone in the village is here for life. With the exception of trips in the spring. Of course, I don’t know if we can justify keeping you here for so long, especially when everyone learns who we’re keeping in the cell. And it’s really just as much about what Hebra thinks.

“What, the deer? Why does it matter what she thinks?”

“Because she’s in love with you, and would like very much to be at your side”. The conversation ground to a halt, as Pierre couldn’t find a way to follow up what he’d just heard.

“Sooooo...Monsters, er, mamono, like humans?”

“They do. Finding someone is their most important objective. And she hasn’t had any other opportunities to meet many men outside the village until now. We’ve already tried to reason with her, but I’m afraid she’s made up her mind. Of course, she’s not going to act on it without your assent. She’s very considerate. And of course we have to figure out how to proceed. Which brings me back to asking what you plan to do”.

“Well, sounds like I don’t have much of a choice. Repent for my service in the Order? Beg for mercy, despite how little I’ve given to others? Accept this woman’s advances, even if I have misgivings about such a relationship?”

“Well, I don’t know if your choices are that limited. I’m sure she would accept your rejection if you truly wanted nothing to do with her. We might even try setting you free on the opposite side of the mountain. Of course, you’d have to try to make it back to your own territory. And any number of mamono might try to pick you up before you get to safety”.

“That’s the kindest ultimatum I’ve ever received”.

“It’s not to say that you don’t have any choices. Just that there is one choice that’s safer. Any man claimed by a mamono is safe from others”.

“Then there is still the matter of my judgment”.

“There is another party near our village who will be better suited to that task. We have been talking to them to try to secure an appointment”. Pierre tried to press for more information, but Drake would not elaborate.

---

The following days passed by quickly. Somehow, word got out about Pierre. He heard the shouts of a small, angry crowd outside the station, but he still continued to receive regular visits from Hebra and Drake. One morning, Hebra managed to coax him into laying down beside her as she sat on the floor. He sat propped against her large body, against her front as she let her arms fall around his shoulders.

“So I’ve been told that you’ve, maybe developed feelings for me?” He asked tentatively.

“That’s correct. From the moment I saw you in the snow, I thought that might have been my chance, to bring you back safely and let you warm up to me from there. Your confession surprised me, and for a moment I almost considered leaving you”. Her grip tightened. “But I knew I couldn’t do that. And you were so docile in the snow”.

“They found my knife. What might I have done if you had been alone with me?”

“I don’t know. But the point is that you didn’t use it, and you’ve been cooperative with us ever since. Drake told me everything you told him, about your indifference to your Order service”.

“I don’t know about indifference. But certainly I have no love for my fellow men in service, or regrets about leaving them behind. I’m just concerned about how I’m going to be judged. It seems like your people aren’t as glad of my presence as you are”.

“They are right to be concerned. But I have heard that soon, we will be able to discuss their concerns, together”.

---

Another week passed, but finally, Pierre was led out of the station, one wrist chained, before a small group of adult men, mamono, and a few human women. They spared him no kindness, but Drake was there at the front.

“Alright people, as you’ve heard, this is Pierre. Hebra brought him in on a patrol, despite knowing full well he was a member of the Order. We have had plenty of time to speak with him about his past, and he has proven himself to be polite at the very least. But I understand your concern for keeping an Order member in the village”. He turned to Pierre. “We are taking you to the queen’s palace. She is an ice queen who oversees the region, and is responsible for the snowfall. She will hear your accounts, and the concerns of the villagers, and hand you a verdict”. The group set off, further up into the mountains, until they reached a sheer cliff face. Before them were two women that appeared to be made completely of ice, and next to them was Hebra. She nodded to the group, some of whom waved or smiled at her. Drake stepped forward. “Good day, I and my party are here to speak to her majesty about the recently captured Order soldier. We have established an appointment”. The glacies beckoned and a doorway appeared between them. The group filed in, and they were led by another servant through the still chilly halls. Pierre marveled as much as he could about the architecture of the ice palace. Drake sidled back beside him. “Like I said, we are speaking to a queen. Can you be respectful?”

“As much as is deserved”. The group entered a large hall, and there was another woman, taller and more regal than the ice guards. She wore a crown on her head, and wore a beautiful dress, accentuating her attractive and far more revealing figure. She sat up from her throne.

“Mr. Bell. I welcome you and your companions”. Drake bowed, and the others followed. Pierre hesitantly bowed with them. “Mr. Pierre Aleckson. Please rise to face me. He lifted his head. She returned his gaze before continuing. “All please rise. We are gathered to discuss Mr. Aleckson’s place in your community. While he has not taken any specific actions to harm you, he is known to be a member of the Order just before being rescued. Mr. Aleckson, is this charge accurate?”

“It is”.

“Then, in light of your recent compliance, I have been called to arbitrate a discussion about your potential settlement in this community. Please speak one at a time”. She nodded to the people, and sat down. One man stepped forward.

“Mr. Aleckson, you may have been compliant, but none of us are excited to welcome in a member of the Order, not with the group’s hatred of mamono”. A woman stepped up.

“I am concerned for Hebra. How will she feel if she learns her love has done harm against others like her?” A different woman voiced her concern.

“I fear that even if you do accept her love, you will not be welcome in our community. We will most certainly ask you to leave in the spring. That could leave us short a member of the patrol”. Many of the group were content to nod and listen to the speakers. When they were finished, the queen stood up.

“Mr. Aleckson, how would you like to respond?”

“Well, for what it’s worth, I’m impressed by your control. I wouldn’t have been surprised to be treated much more harshly. But I want to start by saying...I’ll leave the village if that’s what you wish. Soon, if need be. If only for the food I take. Your companion has shown me much compassion, though I’m not sure whether I can return it”. There was one more thing he wanted to reply to, but he was afraid of how it might be taken. He needed an opportunity.

“Mr. Aleckson, it seems chief among the peoples’ concerns is the harm you may have caused to other mamono in the past. They are worried about whether you are so ready to be a partner to a mamono”. There it was. He let the question hang for a moment, then carefully revealed his hand.

“I was sent before on...trips. To do the same kind of work that I was sent to in the mountains. I’ve never taken the life of a mamono, or a human who lived with them”. Several people perked up. One of the women stood up.

“And how can we believe that?”

“I have no way to prove it. But I hope that my candid nature has given, ah, Mr. Bell a reason to consider my claim”.

“It’s true. He has been entirely straightforward”.

“But how?” One of the men asked, the same question many others had on their mind. “Weren’t you taught one thing?”

“Yes, ever since my education. But in such a large city it’s easy to catch rumors. I heard stories about men leaving to consort with mamono. When I was younger I believed them all insane. But then I was sent on a mission. I...saw plenty of death. But the more zealous members got to them first. I did nothing”.

“It can be said that inaction in the face of wrongdoing may be just as bad as the wrongdoing”, the queen mused. “Perhaps you have an account of assisting someone in escape?”

“I’m afraid I’ve never been so altruistic. I just noticed that what we were told was different from what I was hearing in the streets and from other soldiers. For all the praise given to the more zealous members, they never seemed to be treated more favorably. Just got sent on more missions. Soon I was put onto scouting duty. That’s what brought me here”. The group murmured to themselves. The queen seemed to be thinking it over, when she stood again.

“So, a man who has acted entirely out of simple cost-benefit analysis. But if all is as he claimed, he has not personally had a hand in the violence. Hebra, what do you think? Would you like to voice your thoughts?” Hebra nodded and stepped forward.

“Thank you your majesty. And everyone, for listening and giving Pierre a chance to speak. I understand that you may still have no love for him. But I believe he is being truthful. The fact is, I think I might have already accepted him even if he had taken someone’s life. I want to be by Pierre’s side, and if that means we have to leave the mountains, then so be it”.

“Mr. Aleckson, how long were your former companions planning to stay in the area?”

“Until March”. Drake looked up in surprise, wondering why he hadn’t thought to ask.

“What would you say to assisting us in locating your former companions? That they may be taken as partners like you were”.

“Your majesty, many of them have certainly spilled more blood than I have. Are more devout than I was. Will fight more fiercely than I was ever capable of”.

“You may be surprised at the lengths mamono are able to go to in securing a mate. Besides, this will mean fewer men available to your armies”.

“We have kids trained at an early age. There are legions of soldiers and other positions across entire continents. How much good would it do to take a handful of them out of commission?”

“It would mean that many fewer mamono who are left alone and wishing for a mate. It could mean just a little longer before a peaceful settlement is assaulted by soldiers”.

“I suppose it’s the least I could do”.

“Then I will send out a message to denizens of Hebra”.

---

As night fell, Pierre led a small group to the base of the camp, riding on Hebra’s back. The queen whipped up a storm to cloak their arrival, and it wasn’t long before the mamono descended upon the unsuspecting soldiers. Glacies from the palace, snow ladies and yetis and selkies from a nearby settlement. A chilling wail swept through the camp after the peak of the invasion and Pierre was informed it was a wendigo, whatever that was. When the powder settled, not a single man remained. The camp’s supplies were divided between the two settlements and everyone left for home feeling like a winner. The soldiers would, as well. Eventually.

Back in Hebra’s own village, Pierre was finally allowed to leave the station behind, and follow her home. Inside her house, she gestured for him to sit beside her, with a large couch-like mess of furs and cushions that she used for rest. He resumed his position, resting against her flank, her arms around his shoulders, but this time it was far more comfortable than the floor of a cell. Hebra stared down at him, beaming with happiness. And her face had turned red.

“Pierre? I think you said you weren’t so sure about whether you could return my feelings? Do you still feel that way?”

“Well, it’s nicer now that I’m a free man. But...I suppose I could get used to your company. Wherever we go. Especially if there are more aggressive mamono”.

“Ah, are you worried about my advances? I hope you’ll come to realize that I want nothing more than for us to be happy together. And I don’t want to push you into anything  you’re not ready for. To be honest...the scent of your mana has told me of your lack of experience. But I can wait”. She reached down and stroked his head.

“Yeah, just not had many opportunities. Or, I have. I didn’t take them. Too nervous I guess”

“Well, if I may be forward, would you like a taste of the pleasure I can give you?” Pierre looked into Hebra’s gentle eyes, then sat up.

“Now I think I might like to know what you have in mind”. She smiled, then shifted slightly so she could pull him into her arms. Running her hands up his side, her breathing began to increase in pace but she continued to smile, before putting a hand on his cheek. He could almost hear her heartbeat. Or maybe it was his own. She closed the distance and kissed him. Pierre mmphd slightly at his first kiss, but more importantly at the warmth from her mouth. It was so much hotter than he’d thought, and he remembered how warm she felt just being close to her. She moaned softly, playing at his tongue, and he somehow swallowed something from her mouth. It warmed his insides, driving him to crave even more. He pushed back into the kiss, and slowly started to grope at her sides and chest. They parted breathlessly, and she grinned. She held his hand over her chest, still covered by layers of cloth.

“Perhaps you’d like to go further?”

“Yes. That was better than I ever could have expected”.

“Then I’d be happy to. But could you do one thing for me?” He nodded hastily.

“Could you call me by my name?” Pierre looked confused, then realized he wasn’t sure if he had ever referred to her directly.

“Hebra? Would you kiss me again? Would you lead me through my first time?” Her breath caught in her throat but she could feel her heart melting from his request. She smooched him again, trying to pull her clothes off at the same time.

“Oh husband, nothing would make me happier”.