The hunter remained on his knees for lords know how long. There was naught a sound except his breath, which clouded the air in front of him this cold winter's night. The cold bothered him not. He didn't feel it through the heavy wolf furs wrapped around his body and the psychedelic induced trance he was under.
Finally, after what could have been hours or minutes of not moving, he lifted his head slowly. The Chetwood as he knew it dissipated and he now knelt within the world of spirits and visions.
Egfor looked dead in the eyes of a massive wolf that stalked towards him. The beasts hackles were raised, teeth bared and low snarls crept forth from it.
The man bared his teeth, "I do not fear you anymore." The wolf slowly stalked around him. The man shifted into a crouch, not leaving his back to the prowling beast.
The wolf spoke in a voice dripping in cruelty and malice, painfully familiar to him, "Don't lie to yourself, boy. I broke you and still control you even in death. Look at you. Pathetic."
Another wolf appeared, this time it spoke with Dalsael's voice, "You only have yourself to blame. I don't care."
Egfor gritted his teeth, hating that he had to face those he called friends, "I know. I KNOW!"
Another wolf appeared, this time with Silver's voice, a cruel laugh came from the she-wolf, "And I'll enjoy it…"
Egfor remained silent, his fingers digging into the earth beneath him.
A wolf spoke behind him, making Egfor rip around. He grimaced as he heard that familiar Bree-land brogue, "This is all your mess, fellow. A life for a life." The wolf snarled at him, starting to stalk circles around him as well.
Egfor remained crouched, turning on the spot, trying to keep the wolves in front of him.
A wolf appeared and snapped at the man's face, pulling back and snarling, "Know your place, boy." His father joined the others, leering at him.
A woman's voice came from another, "Oh, I didn't know…." Egfor snarls at her, "You knew. I told you."
He heard Elias's voice from another wolf, a calm wolf, "I am not a caring man." Egfor stares at this wolf for a moment, "Why are you here…" He grunts, dismissing his questions.
He felt hot breath on his neck, a snarl came from behind him, the man he was once betrothed to, "Aye, I lied. So what?"
The wolves all started walking around him, more joined them, whispering various things from the man's past, taunting him.
Egfor remained crouched, staring at them as they circled him. The man felt a wild, feral rage and energy build within him. Like nothing he had ever felt before. He pulled the wolf head hood up over his head, invoking the spirit of the wolf within himself.
The wolves of his past and present all stopped, staring at him, creeping towards him.
Egfor leapt onto his feet with a ferocious cry. The wolves leapt as well. The man got buried under the beasts. He tried fighting them off, scratching and biting, crying out and snarling, trying to throw them off. They tore him apart with claw and tooth, tearing fur and flesh from his being. They tore him down till the man lay naked and covered in blood, dying on the forest floor of this ethereal world. He lay gasping for breath, staring at a sky above him with only one flickering star, cold and distant.
He heard a young girl's voice. His daughter, his beloved Em. The girl who won his heart and quickly became his pride and joy. He heard her say, "Pa? Thank you…." He looked to his side and lifted a hand, reaching towards a small, white young doe creeping towards him.
Egfor murmurs softly, "A life for a life. They do not control me." The young doe gently touched his hand. Egfor closed his eyes, his breath stopping as his body fell still.
The man jerked up with a gasp. He looked around, rubbing his face with cold hands, bringing himself back to reality, grounding himself. Morning had come and he was still kneeling on the forest floor. He stiffly rose to his feet, stumbling and lurching as he remembered how to human once more after his journey. He goes towards where he left his horse to go back to town.
