The Wild Hunt (Part One)

Runaway

"No... urgh, no, dammit! I'm coming Sae."

I struggled to pull my bound wrist up under my lower backside, pressing my knees as close to my chest as I could. I felt the ridge of the knot graze against my tailbone and rocked onto my back, pushing my arms out as straight as I could. I shimmed my clasped hands down my butt before they finally slide free behind my thighs. I opened wide my arms to allow enough space for me to bring my leg over and through them. Once I got both legs through I jolted up and took off in the direction Sae and Towak ran.

I hoped she booked it fast enough to get some distance between her and him. Towak was pure muscle. It took nearly three men to bring him down and when he caught whiff of his prey, he hunted it down with passion.

I felt the empty sheath at my waist and cursed. Towak had my knife. I looked around at the ground as I ran past Loae. Blood poured from out her chest and it pooled beneath her side, running off into the River. It's red tint colored the streams cloudy pink.

Good riddance. She was always so full of herself and enjoyed beating up other woman too much. They were all just a bunch of animals

I ran stealthily through the forest, gracefully hopping over snaking roots and fallen tree trunks, darting between rocks and under low-lying vines. I stepped to avoid intrusion, following the disturbed footsteps of Sae. She left her whereabouts known and I coasted around a cluster of trees. Fallen leaves and a snapped branch hung out and I ducked beneath it scanning the forest for any other disturbances. I had to be close to them by now.

"Agh!"

I quickened my pace and followed the sounds of Sae's voice. Was I really about to confront Towak? He was thrice my size. His hand alone was the size of my face. I knew if he got ahold of my face with it, he'd crush my skull in a matter of a few seconds. I didn't want to think what he would do if he got ahold of Sae.

"Your quick, but not fast enough- ARGH! Y-you little..."

I leapt between two trees that bowed towards one another and rolled into the clearing, swiftly getting to my feet. Towak held his hand against his eye. Blood streamed between his fingers and he scrabbled to pull himself up a gnarled tree trunk. I looked up towards the canopy and saw Sae climbing the tangled branches. She still held the knife in her hand as she swung her leg up over a branch and pulled herself up. She had to have been twelve feet in the air and Towak struggled below to latch onto the lowest hanging branch. How the hell did she get all the way up there!

"You can't stay up there forever! Urgh! You owe me an eye. I'll enjoy plucking yours out." He grunted, finally managing to pull himself onto the branch. It snapped under his weight and he crashed to the ground, rolling to a stop before pushing himself up again. He staggered, still clutching his eye as he pulled his bow from across his shoulder, snatching an arrow from his holder and knocked the arrow through it.

I quietly stalked around the clearing, making my way  behind him and out of his sight. Sae grunted as she continued to climb. Leaves fell and her foot slipped. "Ugh!" She dropped, letting go of the knife and reached out to grasp the branch below. Her two hands clutched at the sturdy wood and her arms trembled as she held herself up in midair. Her chin rested on top of the branch and her legs dangled, swaying as she tried to find the branch below with her foot. The skin on the underside of her feet were red and marked with scratches. Blood was smeared across their heels.

Hold on Sae. Just a little longer. I looked around me for anything to weaponize as I crouched eight feet away from behind Towak.

He pulled back the arrow, aiming it towards Saes backside. I saw him stagger again as he focused on finding his target. He let loose the arrow and it grazed Sae's calf before embedding into the trees smooth bark.