Louisa's POV
After the rain stopped, we quickly got back to the cottage.
Darren set up a fire to dry my clothes.
Colt just couldn't wait to start working on the shed.
Darren stopped him and said, "We just need a simple shed. Four walls. A roof. That's it. No watch tower. No observatory. No fancy underground maze or hanging garden. Are we clear?"
Colt rolled his eyes and said, "You're so boring, Darren. You go on working on your ordinary shed, I'll help Lisa to fix the watermill."
Then, he spread his tools on the ground and started to wipe them carefully, one after another.
"Do you need my help?" I asked Darren.
Darren wiped the water from my face and said, "Please go into the room and take a nap, Lisa. I'll brew you some tea, so you don't get cold."
I stood in front of him and didn't want to go away.
He looked at me and asked, "What's wrong?"
"Can you... give me a twirl?" I was a bit embarrassed.
Darren smiled and lifted me up in the air.
Then, he gave me a twirl.
I felt so happy and giggled.
Then, I heard Mr. Salamander's bubbled voice from the stream, "I want to have a twirl."
"I'll give you a twirl!" Ms. Salamander said and rolled her brother on the bank.
I ran towards them and said, "Guys, please don't fight."
"She started it," Mr. Salamander said.
"You asked for it!" Ms. Salamander shouted.
"OK, OK. It doesn't matter. Let's just say, what if I ask Colt to build you a Ferris Wheel?" I said.
"A real Ferris Wheel?" Mr. Salamander rolled his eyes.
I nodded and said, "Yes, a supper big one. Both you and your sister can get on it."
"Yippee!" Mr. Salamander looked very happy.
Colt looked at me and said, "Lisa, are you asking me to build a Ferris Wheel?"
"I'm asking you to build a watermill in the form of a Ferris Wheel. Do you think it's possible?" I asked.
Colt's eyes were beaming with excitement. He said, "Come on, girl. You know me. I never say no to a customer's request! Let's do it!"
Then, he took up a saw and ran out of the yard.
"Where are you going?" I asked.
"I need wood! Like, a lot of them!" His voice came from a distance.
The Salamanders approached me.
"We want to help," Ms. Salamander said.
"We can carry stuff for him," Mr. Salamander said.
"OK, but you have to promise that you won't lick him or eat him," I said.
"I promise." Ms. Salamander stuck out her tongue and licked her eyes.
Everything went smoothly that morning.
I helped around in the yard, running between Darren and Colt, passing water, or handing tools to them.
The Salamanders were well behaved, dragging and lifting heavy tree trunks effortlessly.
Prior to lunchtime, Darren wanted to go hunting in the forest.
I begged him to take me with him because I wanted to learn how to hunt.
I had never hunted anything in my life before.
I knew hunting was an important life skill for werewolves, but I was just too weak and slow to get anything.
"Please..." I bit my lips and said, "I'm stronger and faster than I used to be."
Darren looked concerned and said, "You can't run around in the forest on bare feet."
I lowered my head and looked at my feet.
Then, I looked at Darren and whispered in disappointment, "OK... So, maybe next time."
Darren sighed and quickly walked into the room.
When he got out, he was holding some hog's skin in his hands.
Then, he kneeled down in front of me and wrapped them carefully on my feet.
"Take a few steps and see if your feet get squeezed," he said.
I walked and jumped in the yard. Then, I ran towards Darren like a little lark.
"Now I have shoes. Can you take me with you?" I asked.
Darren nodded and said, "OK. But you have to walk behind me and follow my lead. Please don't jump around like a little bunny. Hogs get angry when they hear your steps."
"I promise!" I smiled and said.
"Colt, we're going out hunting. Could you please don't get yourself killed?" Darren raised his voice.
"Don't talk to me while I'm working! Your voice is very distracting!" Colt sounded very grumpy.
"Don't worry, we'll keep an eye on him," Mr. Salamander said.
"No! The rungs are supposed to be arranged in this order. Not the other way around! Bad salamander! Bad!" Colt shouted at Ms. Salamander.
"He looked so cute when he shouted at me," Ms. Salamander said. She was fascinated by Colt.
Mr. Salamander rolled his eyes and said, "You'd better come back sooner because I might swallow Mr. Hot-headed. Nobody's supposed to shout at my sister except me."
"You're just joking, right?" I frowned.
"Only warm-blooded animals tell cold jokes. We don't. But don't worry, I might just swallow him and spit him out," Mr. Salamander said.
"Please don't do that," I patted his head and said.
"OK," Mr. Salamander said.
"Thank you, I'll bring you some frogs and worms," I said.
Darren took a bow and a few arrows from the room.
I took up the basket and put it on my back. Then, I took up a dagger and put it on my belt.
Darren looked worried.
"Just in case," I said and winked at him.
Darren walked with me in the woods for about twenty minutes before he found the footprints of a hog.
"It's a big one," he whispered, "Follow my steps. Be very careful, don't step on the fallen twigs."
I nodded and followed him.
We traced the footprints of the hog and eventually stopped.
Darren signaled me to crouch down, so I lowered my body and hid behind the rock.
Then, I saw it. A giant hog, which was almost twice the size of me, striding in a clearing, which was not far away from us.
Darren pulled my sleeves to make me lower my body.
I held my breath and didn't dare to make a sound.
Darren took out the bow and arrows.
I pulled Darren's sleeves and whispered, "Let me have a go."
Darren frowned.
Then, he passed the bow and an arrow to me.
Darren said quietly, "Aim at its ears."
I used all my effort to pull the string of the bowstring to its maximum.
Suddenly, the hog stopped striding as if he noticed something.
Its ears were flickering and it abruptly turned its head towards me.
The savageness and ruthlessness in the wild beast's eyes reminded me of a person, which made me shudder.
As the bow and arrow dropped to the ground from my hands, the giant hog charged with all its force at me.
I was completely petrified.
"Lisa! Run!" I heard Darren's voice, but it was too late.
The razor-sharp teeth of the hog had already penetrated my chest.