Villainess From the Stars

20. The Hunters

Over the next couple of days that Vienna tracked them, she found herself eyeing the one shivering with the map in his hands. He almost blended into the forest with his dark linen clothes if it weren't for the spectacles that fell upon the tip of his tanned nose. There was something about him that felt off.

He would fumble around as the others pushed him around as if he was the lowest on the totem pole in the troupe. Yet she would catch an intelligent glint in his eye when the others turned their backs on him.

She had begun to wonder if she should have never left her pack behind. She had to sleep in the cover of the trees in her thin tunic, leggings, and boots. She picked berries and mushrooms as she followed when at last she saw them arrive at their 'destination'.

"This is it."

The three buff males looked at the mapmaker, who stood in shadow with anger flitting across their faces. The wall before them was covered in thick vines and from a first glance, didn't seem to be anything special.

"This is a dead end. Are you an imbecile?"

"No brother, he thinks we are imbeciles."

"We are not blind."

An ominous glint upon the Mapmaker's glasses showed dark eyes beneath.

"The way can only be opened up by an Elemširdis."

As the mapmaker made a move toward the only occupied cage, one of the emerald-haired brothers caught him by the arm, "What do you think you are doing?"

Vienna eyed the scene and wished she hadn't left her pack behind, where she had a small sling and some small round rocks of perfect long-range protection. She shook her head. There was nothing to do with it now; instead, she focused on the first target.

The closest malachite brother had considerable brawn. His closest vulnerable spot would be his lower stomach. She would need to maintain her camouflage even after taking him but then get out of the way in time in case the hit did not fell him. The second brother could be taken down the same, except she wouldn't have the same lunge capability on him.

Vienna watched until the closest brother neared the branch she was under. He had to be the right distance so that the impact wouldn't injure him more than she intended. She stepped back, keeping her staff against that foot before he was in range, then kicked the staff up and lunged off the branch, hitting him square in the abdomen. He let out a grunt as he keeled over to the side and she spun the staff away with her dominant hand before looking for the second brother.

He was right behind when she lunged with the staff. He grabbed for the thing that he could not see that was poking him in the stomach. Vienna grit her teeth as she saw his biceps flex, but she did not give up. Instead, she stepped back, shifting her hands, and positioning on the staff.

She spun back. She yanked him back along with her, smiling to herself as she achieved a move her Pop taught her, but she secretly named the 'taffy puller'.

Vienna glances back to find she's right where she wanted to be, by the cage with the small winged Elemširdis.

As quick as she could she unfettered the cage, her invisible brows crinkled in confusion at the way the little ones weren't able to escape themselves. The cage seemed to only be locked with a leather clasp, which she undid.

The cage door swung open and Vienna winced at the scraping sound as it did. She bit her lips realizing the little ones weren't going to get out in time.

"How...?"

She didn't have enough time either when she was grabbed behind and she let out a squeal. Her image flickered back and forth. Her camouflage struggled to hold in her fear.

"What do we have here?"

As Vienna struggled to get out of the arms that held her up so that she was almost level with the back of the horse where the cage still sat, barely open, but the little Elemširdis seemed too frightened to escape. Her eyes happened to roam in front of her, meeting the glinting pair of the Mapmaker's, who glanced down at the cage at the same time as she did. He gave her the slightest nod that would have been unnoticeable by most if she hadn't been looking for it.

"I'm sorry!" Vienna winced before she kicked the cage so it fell from the horse's back. The door fell completely off. "Go!"

She let out a sigh of relief as the little ones took off.

"You little wench!" They shook her until her camouflage wore off and tears fell down her cheeks.

The grim face of her captor shifted from anger into greed as his eyes narrowed. "Well, at least we got ourselves a prize."

The one who had grabbed her was the bulkiest of the three brothers. She had been foolish not to have kept him in her sights when she was incapacitating the other two. Vienna looked around to where the others stood. Vienna refused to give up. She felt his large muscles contract. He was about to throw her over the side of the nearby horse. She kicked behind with all her might at the universal place all beings his gender were sensitive.

As he let out a grunt and bent over, she knew she'd be able to reach the pressure point her father taught her could knock out a full-grown Terran. Digging her thumb into that point in the back of his neck, he let out a grunt before he slid down to knees and finally, she was let go.

Then Vienna did what she knew best. She blended into the scenery. She ran away into the forest, not even looking behind her to see if the others were chasing her.