Chapter Text
The boots hauled along the wet dirt, it still smelled of rain from that morning. He was almost outside the forest limit headed to the village but his strengths were slipping away. Ralph gripped on a branch letting his body leaned against the tree, then he took a deep breath. While his left hand raked over the thorny bark bruising the skin, his other hand pulled up at the branch to force his legs to a last sprint. The boy gathered all his willpower, and pressed tighter to the wound on his abdomen. Ralph groaned, he had to keep going even if it was the last thing he would do.
He tripped on his own legs but kept running and yelling incomprehensible words as soon as he reached the fences where the sheep were held.
''Basilisk! There was a basilisk!''
The last warning came out in a howl, and the moment Ralph had said it he felt to the ground. A group of people gathered around the pained boy that just went on whispering the creature's name and crying. No one dared touch him as the boy seemed crazed, as if his body ignited when someone wrapped their fingertips around him. Ralph only seemed to calm down when his mother crouched down at his side and stroke his hair. Katarina murmured encouraging words and frantically called out for someone to help her get her boy inside.
Ralph's face was unrecognizable, gashing claws drawn across his left cheek. His stomach was pierced through and the flesh on the left arm was turned apart to the bone. Danek, the boy's father, laid him on the kitchen table, and Ralph didn't recall being picked up but was glad. Gripping the man's arm so he wouldn't leave, Ralph apologized to his father again and again. Danek wasn't having it and barked out for the boy to shut up, he could buy a new flock even if it took him over a year.
At some point, his father left the room. The boy felt slim fingers caress his blond hair, a bit pasty from all the blood but that didn't stop Katarina from grinning with fondness as Ralph opened his eyes. It was comforting to know that if he died it would be as his mother cleaned his wounds. So Ralph smiled back.
* * *
Nines dug his nails on the bridle, they had been riding since dawn without pausing. It took him three days and a sip of disgusting ale to be absolutely done with Connor's bullshit.
''...there was also Sasha. She was nice but eventually got bored.''
''I can't understand why,'' Nines let the comment slip. It startled the other since the last time Nines had spoken was two nights ago.
''What do you mean by that?''
''If you don't shut your mouth, I'll do it for you.''
Connor giggled which only made his brother angrier. Just how far could they be really? One of the reasons he had agreed on that job was because Connor guaranteed the town was just outside of Temeria. So far there was just thick forest and abandoned barns.
''Come on Rick, admit it. You kinda missed me.''
''Sure, but I did not sign up for your never-ending stories.''
One could hope Connor would get the not-so-subtle hint but not him. They hadn't seen each other in twenty years, but did really that much happen in that course of time? It was interesting though, Connor spared no details about his adventures and whereabouts since they last met; however, he failed to mention the time he found himself in Blaviken. It didn't strike Nines as odd as it was well known what went down that morning. Still the Witcher wondered what Connor's side of the story would be like.
''We're almost there.''
With that Nines snapped back to reality to glance at his brother. They were riding still in the middle of nowhere yet they started to see a few flocks here and there and their respectives shepherds. Connor's eyes widen at the vibrant colors of the grass, the flowers, the stream of the river,... The white and yellow were the most prevailing in the garden and the Witcher had never seen such a remarkable landscape.
''How did you know about the job?''
''How does it usually go? Folk talk, if you're patient enough to hear it out... Sometimes you come across good opportunities.''
Nines hummed half in agreement, half in annoyance - sometimes his brother could be a little shit. Instead of fighting back, he just continued the conversation.
"How much?"
"It's always about the money with you."
"Hm. What did you expect?"
"Eight thousand orens."
With widened eyes, Nines almost stopped on his tracks thinking that had to be a trap. Eight thousand orens to kill a basilisk? It had to be a fucking beast.
"Yeah, yeah, I know what you're thinking... but this has been going on for years. Many people died, and flocks keep disappearing."
"They're desperate," Nines concluded.
"And desperate people pay a whole lot."
Nines nodded in agreement and patted on his horse neck to appease his sudden agitation. It was because of the people, the ones who stopped and stared at the pair of strangers. And the children that ran and giggled and followed astonished. If he was being honest Nines didn't like the prying eyes either, he shushed the animal again with reassuring affections. Unlike his brother who could act unbothered, his displeasure acted clear upon Nines's features harden by the years of mistreatment. Humans didn't like their kind, and anywhere Nines ventured they weren't shy to show Witchers weren't welcomed. But that was alright, the feeling was mutual.
At least for Nines. Sometimes he struggled to understand what Connor found so endearing or intriguing about humans. It was even more confusing how his brother kept trying to accommodate them after everything. Connor just carried on smiling and pretending he was one of them, it pissed Nines off. They were not human, they would never be.
His golden eyes wandered a little higher to track a child racing up a hill. The small being dissolved into a fit of laughter when his father's arms roped around his waist. A woman nearby smiled too, captived of how the glee of the scene overflowed. Nines averted his gaze back to the rode, a familiar tightness lingers on his chest. Fine , maybe there was something appealing about their way of life. Maybe the Witcher was bitter but little matters, it is what it is.
Connor jumped off his horse and pulled him to a section of fresh grass. He inhaled sharply, throwing a glance at Nines that said ' well, what are you waiting for? '
''You're just gonna leave it there?''
''She's not going anywhere without me,'' Connor laughed.
Redundantly the other leaped off the horse too. Nines petted his muzzle then pulled the reins to force the animal to face him. What made it even more hilarious to Connor was how dead serious he appeared to be.
''I'll be right back, be good,'' Nines said.
The pair walked the rest of the path to an old tavern. They exchanged looks before entering, and it was as humid and dark as it appeared from the outside. A booth at the back called for Nines yet his brother moved to the wide counter. Nines sighed deeply, the two Witchers took their place and it took less than a second for a man to change seats. He was really starting to despise that shit town.
''Here for the basilisk?'' A low voice came from the corner, right next to Connor. It was a buffer with three empty glasses of ale in front of him, and he smiled. That simple act made Nines narrow his eyes, it was crooked and several teeth missing - but still a smile.
''For the reward as well,''Nines answered.
''Ah, a man of business, I see,'' the man seemed amused. Perhaps he was just happy someone's talking to him, or he hadn't realized who they were. A blend of the two by his next words Nines deemed, he got closer as if sharing a secret. ''A little word of advice, find another contract. Every poor soul foolish enough to go after the monster didn't return.''
''We'll give it a go, to be sure,'' Connor winked.
''Feeling lucky, hm?''
''There's no such thing when hunting monsters,'' the Witcher couldn't help but murmur behind his brother. Connor glanced over his shoulder, brown eyes piercing in a warning.
People usually were not charmed by Nines's brooding and sullen attitude, which was why Connor did the talking. Even though the Witchers possessed an uncanny similarity, Connor was without doubt more approachable and friendly looking. So he bickered a little with the old man, first about the seriousness of the attacks then some town gossip. That was why Nines didn't like to speak to strangers, why the fuck would he care about the butcher's boy being entangled with the baker's daughter?
Eventually they got back on track but by now Nines had consumed two mugs of ale.
''Do you know where we can find Danek, the man who set up the contract?''
''Danek isn't the only one wanting to get his hands on the treacherous beast. Undeniably his home is the best place to begin.''
''Why's that?'' Connor drinked what was left from his brother's mug. That earned him a kick on the ankle, and he just smirked never averting his attention from the man.
''His boy was the first victim,'' he paused bending over again to get as close as possible to the Witchers. ''And he lived.''