The Cinders of Dezu

13th: Upping the Bounty (3)

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As the sun continued to abandon the valley, Firas found himself turning over the piece of wood he'd broken off in the light of the sunset. He'd carved the shape right but it was going to be tricky detailing all the little digging appendages in a spiral shape. He brought his dagger to it again and scoffed. He spoke into the air.

"I've been able to smell you for a while. The wind wasn't in your favor."

Orion appeared from the trees behind him.

"You gave my men quite the scare. You don't usually reach out unless..."

The king looked around.

"Where are they? I won't be satisfied if you killed them yourself. You know that."

Firas stood up and turned to him with his hand still at his craft.

"I don't have them."

Orion's eyebrows raised.

"And why?"

"She got to them first. She's getting better."

Orion's eyelids lowered.

"She beat you? In a fight?"

Firas sneered.

"No. Come on, Ori"

He stopped carving and looked at him.

"She... used my zeal against me. Wasn't as observant as I usually am."

Orion shook his head and rolled his eyes.

"You were cocky and she outsmarted you. This isn't the time to lose your edge, Firas. Not with what I'm about to put on the line."

The hunter looked at him and turned his head with skepticism across his face.

"Freedom," Orion said, "A clean ledger and a spot in the world. You can hunt, not as an outlaw, but bonafide. You can do what you do but with my kingdom behind you."

Firas' eyes widened.

"This is the job? You're swapping Harper for this?"

Orion pressed his lips together slightly and slowly nodded. The hunter looked at him under lowered eyebrows.

"I don't know why this one means so much to you, but you know with me its as good as done. What's the twist?"

Orion cracked his knuckles with a smile.

"You know me. I'll keep it interesting for you. You'll have a little competition coming your way. I'm sure The General and his men wouldn't mind a fair shake at some perks."

Firas gave a slight shrug.

"Alright, let ol lunkhead and his boys give it a try. You just keep the offer you promised me open."

"I'm a man of my word," said the king.

"No you're not, Ori," he said.

Orion chuckled.

"I am when I need to be."

Firas slipped the knife and carving into his pockets and threw the bag over his shoulder. He began to make his way into the ever settling night.

A wandering mind made him take his forged trail back to his boulder hiding spot where he slipped his bow and quiver back. He closed it up the small stone compartment and found himself tightly gripping the boulder cover in frustration. The rest of that conversation he'd had all those years ago was playing over in his mind.

"Well, you'll have to get better at hide and seek, Miss Warrior," he had told her, "and I'm not training you tonight so you'll need to get home before the things in the dark eat you up."

She scoffed and started to back into the bushes.

"I won't need your help. I'll be the best Night Dweller the world has ever seen. And I'll be better at hide and seek than you too."

"You've got a long way to go, Sprite," he said.

"You watch," she said as she turned around, "Firus the Great will be no match for Talia the Night Huntress."

"We'll see little one," he said, "We'll see."