The Forge Of Kings

Chapter 10: The Hunt

     I watched from a distance as Rostov's men led a barely conscious Drake into a concrete cell with an iron gate, in the other cells were people and miscellaneous animals, tigers, jaguars, and even penguins. I scoffed in disgust, I had been tracking his men for a day, and I was just now making some progress, I turned and jumped to a closer branch, I slipped and pulled myself up. Rostov approached the cells, he rattled his sword against each bar of them and stopped at the tigers cell. He let out a laugh that echoed through the night, his men opened the gate and the tiger pounced on the nearest one. His screams pierced my ears wasting his final breath on pointless screams, reaching out for help but before he could get anywhere the tiger snapped his neck, and growled to Rostov and his men and backed into the forest. Rostov just laughed, "I'll give it a headstart." He turned and saddled a horse and disappeared into a tent towards the south.

     The guard presence lighted around Drake's cage a bit, I climbed down from my tree and attempted to get his attention. "HEY!" I whispered, "WAKE UP!" my whispers weren't waking him, some guards approached and I had to hide but when they wandered off again I resumed, I tried to pick the lock but it required a key. I looked towards the guards, they must have one, but I can't approach Rostov's tent or I'll end up right with Drake. Then I thought a minute, the guard that the tiger took opened the gate, maybe he has a key I could use? I began to follow the blood trail towards where the tiger had retreated. I followed it for a while until I reached a clearing near the lake by Sarnawen. The blood trail became a pool, and there were bones scattered on the ground.

     I could hear the tigers low growl, I knew for a fact it had sensed me, but I had no fear for the ferocious feline. I was more frightened of being taken by Rostov, I'll admit I can handle threats better than most but I won't go up against a psychopath and his goons. The tigers growling grew louder as I approached the center of the clearing. It jumped from my left and went straight for my head, I ducked and rolled ahead and landed next to the guards half chewed face. I cringed and readied my sword. The tiger turned towards me and roared and charged, I rolled to the right and watched it ram itself into a tree, and I noticed a glint in it's teeth, a faint black speckle. The Key, "God damn it..." I muttered to myself. I turned and ran and kept my sword in hand, I turned back and stood, out of breath, but ready. The tiger shook off it's daze and faced me, it roared and charged I dug my feet into the ground and stood there ready to take on my enemy. The tiger readied it's jaws, I swung my sword and rolled to increase my swing and I took off a quarter of it's lower jaw, the key was out. The tiger yipped and ran, I pocketed the key, and ran after it, I found it lying down near the corpse, I dropped my sword, and knelt beside it, I held out my hand, and it lowered it's head.

     I slowly touched it's head, it whined, I ran over and grabbed some of the guards clothes, and held it to the wound. "I'm... Sorry." I whispered, the tiger made eye contact with me, it's eyes widened, I wiped tears from my eyes. It's clearly in pain, I heard rustling in the brush nearby, I turned to a sword to the neck. "Well if it isn't pretty little the samurai, and it seems she caught my prey." Rostov said in a cheerful and irritated tone. I glared at him, and continued to reach for my sword. "Stop." He commanded, he slashed his sword and killed the tiger in one swing, "It's only fair you replace the kill." He gestured to his goon who walked over and placed shackles on my wrists. "Take her to the cells." Rostov said, "Make sure she rests, cause she'll need it for tomorrow night."

     Rostov's men walked me to the cells of their camp, and locked me in the tigers cell near Drake. I put my back against the wall and slid to the floor and sighed. I tried to hold back my feelings and hold myself together it's up to me to get Drake and I out of here. I looked to the cell across from mine and watched Drake slowly begin to wake, but before I could call over to him there was a low growling behind me, I looked to the back of my cell and found a tiger cub, not much older than six months, surrounded by smaller animal bones. I covered my mouth and gasped, I killed a mother. I couldn't stop myself from letting out a sob I crawled over and reached for the cub, he let out a low cry, he looked young but he looks old enough to eat its own food. I began to pet the little one, it continued to cry out. "Don't worry little one, I'm going to do my best to right my wrong, I'll take care of you." I whispered in a low voice. "Akira...?"  I turned and found Drake, sitting up in his cell.

     I approached the bars and looked in each direction as far as I could, I could hear talking in the distance but couldn't see anyone. Rostov took my gear so I can't go far without my sword, but I can get Drake and the cub to safety and and come back for it. I reached for my pocket and attempted to pull out the key to the cell, but with the shackles I couldn't quite reach, I moved in odd positions and it finally fell to the floor, I removed the shackles and moved to the door. I opened the door with a light push, it creaked a bit but opened quietly the rest of the way, I ran back and grabbed the cub and held him under my chainmail. He stopped crying for a minute as he got comfortable, I headed to Drake's cell next, I used the key and pulled on the cell door, it let out a much louder creak. "What the hell was that?" I heard in the distance. I yanked the gate open the rest of the way and grabbed Drake by the hand and pulled him into the woods.

     We ran north, we tried to stick to the forest and slowly got pushed northeast by the forest boundary. We approached a small group of abandoned houses, I braced myself and broke in the door and led Drake in, I closed the door and gave him the Cub. "What?? Where did you get a tiger cub?!" He whispered, I scoffed and searched the house for something to use as a weapon, I found an old  candelabra, I broke off the top and the bottom, "This'll work." I said as I spun it around between my fingers and put it in my belt loop, it can work as a decent battle-staff in the meantime. I approached Drake, "Don't move, stay here, and stay quiet. I'll be back." Drake sat in the corner holding the cub to his chest, it purred softly as it slept in his arms. It was a tight spot but the cub seemed more comfortable than Drake, he gave a nervous shakey breath.

     I stepped out into the cool early morning air, The sun hadn't risen yet but it won't be long until the shadows I use for cover disappear almost completely. I headed back southwest the way we had came, I could see the torches of Rostov's camp, as I got closer I began to get more cautious, I got to a tall tree that would act like a decent vantage point. I climbed up and saw Rostov returning from the tigers clearing. His remaining men that had failed to stop Drake and I from escaping rushed to their leader, and apologised with a bow, Rostov yelled and killed them both with one swing of his sword. The rest backed up, he began to speak to quietly for me to hear, one of the goons emptied the horses saddlebag and pulled out my pack and my sword. He carried it to a big tent on the far side of the camp.

    The Camp is far to populated for me to sneak to the tent, maybe I can distract them, I looked around for a way I could get the whole camp away from the tent. An explosion coming from the northwest distracted me, Sylhalin was on fire on the horizon, and the sun was beginning to rise. "Damn it" I whispered in awe, I wonder what's happening there. Rostov yelled at his goons to saddle up. The bandits headed off on the path towards Sylhalin, it's a days trip, but they'll pass right by Drake's hiding spot. I growled to myself and jumped down onto the cells below me, I landed with a roll and headed for the tent, I looked everywhere and didn't see my gear, men ran passed rushing to keep up with the group. I found a chest under a desk and began to pick the lock. "HEY!" A man yelled, I turned and grabbed my makeshift staff and whacked him twice over the head and once to the throat, he grabbed his throat and fell to the ground. I continued on the lock and grabbed my sword and pack. Put it on and cautiously approached the tent flap, I peeked and saw no one.

     I ran out of the tent and cautiously headed for the remaining horse. I hopped on and headed for Drake, cutting through the forest, I have to get there before Rostov. The horse dashed through the maze of trees, I could see the lanterns of Rostov's Caravan. I continued on through the forest and hopped off my horse. I cautiously dashed through the woods towards the house. The caravan was moving slower than I expected, I distanced myself and continued. I finally got to the cluster of houses and ran inside and slid my back down the door. Drake smiled but before he could speak I raised my finger and silently shushed him. The caravan approached I could hear the hoofbeats, Drake's eyes opened wide and he continued to pet the cub. The cub remained asleep as long as he did that, I peeked out the window and then lead Drake to the bedroom on the far side of the house, we both headed for the room and closed the door.

    Drake sat on the bed and I stayed by the door. I figured if the cub began to cry it would be harder for the men to hear as they passed by. Drake smiled and poked his head and pointed to me. I smiled behind my scarf, even though he talked alot in the past few days I've known him, He did have a great attitude that seemed to be contagious, even in the hardest of times. I had to admit, he had earned my respect. After a while the hoofbeats grew quieter and eventually non-existent, I opened the door and headed back to the front door they were gone. I took the cub back from Drake and held the little one in my arms and I swore to myself I would make up for killing his mother, I didn't do the final swing but I definitely made it worse for her in her last few moments.