Foes to Friends

Chapter 21 Kayla

I continued through the woods beside the river. As I went along, the river's rapids seemed to calm down and the water became more shallow.

Honestly when I imagined my first real adventure I did not think it would be this boring. I still have the same determination but I thought there would be more action.

I looked down and put my hand on the hilt of my sword, then pushed those thoughts away.

I shouldn't be thinking like this. I need to focus. I pushed myself to walk faster. There will be more action later. After a little while later, I had to slow to a stop. There was a cliff that parted the water right before going into a Waterfall. I cross the shallow water to the rock ground in between. I look over the view. It was breathtaking. Beautiful.

The waterfall ended at the bottom and continued into a river, winding through the forest of trees. Above the line of trees there was a clear view of the sky. A few detailed clouds here and there.

"Look what we have here?" A voice said from behind me. I spun around.

And staring back at me was Lukas.

But he wasn't the one who spoke. He wasn't alone. To the right was a man that I've never seen before. He was wearing khaki pants and a white shirt. His hair was longish and swooped back. The man had a smirk on his face and his arms crossed. Four other men stood by their sides, two on each, surrounding me. They had shorter hair, khaki pants and camo jackets. They all held tranquilizer guns aimed at me. I'm guessing these are the hunters. I looked back at Lukas.

"The little princess, all alone, with no one to protect her," The one beside Lukas said. The same voice that spoke the first time. He seemed to be the leader. But I didn't care about that. I didn't even look at him. I couldn't tear my eyes away from Lukas'. It was him, but it wasn't. Something was different.

I studied him. He was in his human form. But he wasn't wearing the same clothes as he was the day he went missing. He was now wearing Khaki pants with a black long sleeve shirt tucked in. He had boots like the rest of them and he had leather gray fingerless gloves on. Lukas' hair was taken care of, and he didn't seem harmed. There wasn't much evidence that he had been captured at all.

His eyes were darker and he stared back at me, emotionless.

"Lukas?" I asked, almost at a whisper.

"Your friend is gone, he's on our side now." The leader replied. I finally tore my glaze away and glared at him.

"What did you do to him?" I demanded.

"Nothing, he just decided to switch sides and wanted to betray you and hand you over to us," The man told me.

"That's a lie," I yelled at him.

"Okay fine," he replied, "we brainwashed him and made him our servant. Any other questions?"

"Who are you?"

"Well we're hunters obviously." The hunter rolled his eyes.

"Hey Cal, when do we shoot her?" A bigger one, on the other side of Lukas asked.

"Not yet, Alonzo," Cal replied with a hint of a harsh tone.

"Okay," Alonzo agreed solemnly.

"Okay so any other questions before we take you down and kidnap you?" Cal asked, turning back to me.

Before I could answer, the hunter on Cal's left raised his hand.

Cal rolled his eyes, "Yes Medish?"

"Why are we answering her questions? Or asking her what her questions are? Why not just shoot her and take her down?" The one called Medish asked.

"Ugh, so that she isn't as talkative later and won't stop asking questions. Also we're not monsters, we have to have some sense of civilization," he groaned.

"But isn't she just going to have more questions later anyway," Medish continued, "I mean why stall now when-"

"Will you stop questioning me and let's get this part over with?" Cal interrupted.

"Yes boss," Medish and Alonzo replied in unison, before finally being quiet.

"Now where were we, ah yes any more questions?" He held up a tranquilizer gun and stared evilly at me, "before you go night-night?"

I put my hand on the hilt of Kamaria. A sword won't be able to do much against a tranquilizer gun. My best bet is to stall until something unexpected happens or I find another plan. "What do you want with me?" I growled.

"Money, power. A trade. You for your father." Cal's finger was on the trigger.

I can't let them take my father. I take a step back and feel the edge of the cliff beneath my now wet boots. Suddenly recalling the waterfall behind me, I hear the rushing water at the end, as the water crashes down at the bottom.

A plan forms in my mind. Even if it doesn't end well for me, the hunters won't be able to blackmail my father.

I make eye contact with Lukas. I hear a low growl from his throat. The hatred and rage in his eyes flash under the hunters control.

"Princess," he seethed quietly.

I will save you, I promised, somehow. I take another quick look behind me. Involuntarily, another thought pops into my head. If I survive. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Opening them again, I stare at the hunters with a fierce look of determination. Well here's the action I wanted.

I stomped one foot then the other. The hunter's smug grins shift to confusion. I cast my hands down by my side and throw my head back and howl.

Then I let myself fall backward off the waterfall.