The Protectors

Chapter 16 - Hunter Becomes Hunted

Two days had passed since the incident involving Lola and Jacob, yet Emile still hadn't spoken to her. Instead, he focused on his ashenclaw hunts, determined to make progress. The group kept track of their kills, with Emile leading at 12, having taken down 6 in his last two outings. Max followed with 7, Luna with 5, and Alex still at 0. Their current mission took them near Hertfordshire, a couple of hours away from Luna's previous captivity. They found themselves in the countryside, surrounded by fields and darkness. Equipped with flashlights, they relied on Alex's expertise to locate the ashen claws. Ever since the incident with Jacob, Emile had become quiet, barely speaking during their missions. He transformed into a silent killer, honing his skills and improving significantly over the past week. His understanding of ashenclaw movements, speed, and swordsmanship had all seen remarkable progress. "Are we getting closer?" Luna inquired, and Alex nodded, leading them off the road and into the grass. They followed a downward pathway until Alex halted. "Down here," he pointed out a hole in the ground that seemed to lead somewhere. They could hear noises coming from the tunnel. Max volunteered to scout ahead, knowing it could potentially lead to another camp, especially considering its proximity to his previous capture. He sought Emile's approval, who simply replied, "Yeah, go." With a smile, Max jumped down into the tunnel and disappeared. Alex remained silent, utilizing his powers to listen to their surroundings. Luna observed Emile, noticing his withdrawal and anger. His demeanor didn't differ much from when he was consumed by rage. Although she didn't voice her concerns, she couldn't help but watch him closely.

They both scanned their surroundings, shivering in the cold wind and struggling to see through the darkness. "We're being watched," Alex whispered, pointing towards an ashenclaw lurking in the distance at 2 o'clock. "It seems to be observing us." He informed the group. "Let's wait for Max and then we'll take care of it," Emile suggested. Just as he finished speaking, Max returned. "There's a small base over there, not much inside. I could handle a couple of ashenclaws on my own," Max confidently stated. "I'll do it, Max. You guys go deal with the one watching us. I won't be long," Emile volunteered, jumping into the tunnel. In an instant, Max and the others teleported to the ashenclaw. It startled upon their arrival, but Max had his gun ready, Alex held a throwing knife, and Luna gripped her shotgun tightly. Surprisingly, the ashenclaw showed no signs of aggression. Its blades were sheathed, and it seemed more inclined to run away. However, when it looked at Luna, she couldn't believe her eyes. She recognized it as the ashenclaw that had visited her while she was imprisoned. Overwhelmed with emotion, Luna rushed towards it and embraced the ashenclaw, leaving Max and Alex bewildered. "You can talk now!" Luna exclaimed, and the ashenclaw nodded. "Human... must... leave," it said with a worried expression. Luna, taken aback, stepped back from the ashenclaw. "Why?" she asked, her curiosity piqued. It was evident that the ashenclaw had a limited vocabulary. Max, still cautious, shouted at Luna, "What the fuck is going on?" His gun remained pointed at the ashenclaw. Luna turned to Max and explained, "This one is different. It used to visit me when I was trapped in that cage."

"Leave... Rageeth return," they all stared at the ashenclaw in confusion. "Rageeth? What's that?" Luna questioned. The ashenclaw looked down, a sense of sadness in its eyes. "Bad. Very bad. Rageeth will kill all of you humans," it warned. Luna could see the worry in its eyes and suggested, "I think we should listen and go back, Max." Curious, Luna asked the ashenclaw its name. It seemed confused by her question. "You mentioned Rageeth is coming, that's its name. But who are you?" she inquired. The ashenclaw replied, "No name, human." Luna then suggested, "What about Unique?" The ashenclaw seemed puzzled, responding with "Un niq?" Luna chuckled, "Yes, Un Niq." She smiled at the ashenclaw, trying to lighten the tense situation.

Max, growing frustrated, urged them to hurry. "Luna, come on! Now is not the time for that. If Mr. Boss Rageeth is coming, let's get Emile and go." However, it seemed too late. Alex alerted them to the presence of multiple ashenclaws entering the tunnel. Max was ready to leave, but the ashenclaw grabbed his arm, warning him, "Human, you will... die." Luna intervened, telling Max to wait and insisting that they all needed to go. The ashenclaw shook its head, clearly concerned. Max proposed a plan to quickly retrieve Emile and return, promising to be back in less than three seconds. Before anyone could object, he vanished. However, it didn't take three seconds. Silence filled the air.