The Beast From Another Time is a short story in The Royal Ranger series. It was first published in the back of The Caldera, but is available for independent download.
Blurb[]
Princess-turned-apprentice Maddie is fast learning all the skills she'll need to become a Ranger, under the guidance of her mentor, the legendary Will Treaty.
When Will has to leave the cabin in the woods for a few weeks, he leaves the fief in Maddie's hands, confident that she can keep an eye on things in Redmont.
Then a farming husband and wife come knocking for help, complaining about a mysterious beast that is stealing their farm animals. They don't think Maddie is up to the task, but she's determined to prove them wrong.
Maddie starts to investigate - and comes up with a plan that involves putting her own life on the line.
Plot Overview[]
Will Treaty departs for Castle Araluen, leaving Madelyn Altman alone. The following morning, Hector Farrows and Gert Farrows, a couple living in the Spiny Mountains, arrive looking for the ranger. Although initially unwilling to discuss the matter with her, they relucantly tell her about a big cat taking their sheep.
Madelyn decides to do some research, helped by George Carter. He tells her that there used to be cougars in the Spiny Mountains, hundreds of years ago. Madelyn theorizes that the predator must be an injured cougar, and this is why it was hunting domestic animals. To confirm this, she spends the night at the Farrows' Farm. She ties a joint a venison to a sapling, then ties a bell to the sapling, hoping to catch the cougar in the act of stealing it.
Her plan works, and when she spots the cougar, she notices that it's favoring its right forepaw. A glint of metal could be seen on the paw, as if it were wearing a bracelet. The cougar is scared off by Hector, displaying a limp as it runs away. Reasoning that it could be the last of its kind, Madelyn decides not to kill it. As such, she visits an apothecary in Wensley Village to purchase a sedative.
When the cougar returns for the venison, she shoots it with a sedative-tipped arrow. It flees into the forest, and Madelyn follows, finding it unconscious. A small trap had snapped shut on the cougar's paw. Madelyn removes it and dresses the wound. Just as she finishes, the cougar wakes up. Much to her relief, it seems to make the connection between her and the lack of pain, and flees. The next few days, Madelyn leaves meat in the forest for the cougar, hoping to keep it busy while its paw heals. She returns home to the cabin.
A week later, Will and Madelyn are woken up by noise in the middle of the night. At the end of the verandah, there were two fat, freshly killed hares. Madelyn looks out into the darkness and sees two glowing eyes watching them.
Gallery[]
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