Eric Guindon Writes

After years of working on this damn book, its first draft is complete at last. In the end the draft weighs in at slightly almost 107k words, making it the longest single book I’ve written so far. To celebrate, here is the epilogue (in first draft form, *spoilers*)

Eora had done her best to follow her husband’s instructions when the strangers arrived at their cottage farm, but so far, it had not worked as he had claimed it would.
“I told your scout this afternoon that we are loyal to Ustra and that you are welcome to our crops and animals if you have need,” she told the officer who had brought his squad to her home. The company was filthy, having seen combat and hard travel for weeks, and they had poor manners, but Eora was not about to lose her life to one of their spears by letting her disgust show.
“Oh, we thank you for that, missus, but we’ll be taking more than that.” There was a lascivious look to the man’s gaze at her as he said this, which she did not like in the least.
“The cottage is yours then. My children and I will depart at once to stay with relations,” she said, hoping this might be enough, but the man shook his head, and his squad laughed.
“You’ll be staying too, I’m afraid,” he said, moving to come closer to her.
“Sir! I have children and a husband,” she objected, to the amusement of the soldiers. “And he might return at any moment.”
“I think he’d be here already if he were real or nearby, little miss,” he said, reaching out to grab her by the arm.
But as the officer did this a shape blurred from the nearby trees to land between him and his prey. As it landed, the shape had lashed out at the man’s arm, and now blood flowed freely from deep gashes where its claws had cut into it.
The blur did not stand still; instead, she took advantage of the surprise of everyone present to strike out at those she had come to slay.
Eora could not easily track the moving figure as it struck her aggressors, slashing a face here and an arm there before moving on to disembowelling a third soldier. The shape was mostly human, though far too long-limbed. Its hands, in particular, had long, dextrous fingers, each of which ended in sharp claws that easily parted the leather armour worn by the soldiers. As the first few soldiers the new arrival had attacked tried to recover from their wounds, the creature stood still long enough to be seen clearly. It seemed a naked girl, though, with elongated limbs which were slim and sinewy. Her entire body was covered in short, tawny fur, like an animal’s. When they turned to lock gazes with Eora’s for a moment, her eyes were a bright emerald green and slitted like a cat’s.
She gave Eora a wink and continued the slaughter.
The soldiers tried to resist, but the girl lithely dodged the clumsy attacks they attempted with their shaking spears. It was not long before those remaining upright decided to flee, and Eora was left alone with the strange woman—or was she a girl? She did not look much older than sixteen if Eora could gauge such a thing on a creature like this.
The girl turned toward Eora, and fear crawled up her spine as she saw the savage look on her face, but then the girl’s mouth split into a grin, and she said, “Allo Eora! That will show them who is really prey and who is predator, eh?”
Eora could not manage words, only babbling as she attempted to speak as her adrenaline crash left her shaking. “Who—?”
“I’m sorry,” said the girl as she came closer. One of her claws reached out to shake hands with Eora. I know we’ve not met, but I’ve been watching you for so long that it feels like we already know each other. We’re family, after all. I’m Talon.”
“Who?”
“Can I meet my sister and brother now?” asked Talon to Eora’s bewilderment.