The Assassin | KITTYZ

Chapter 7: Hunted

HAERIN'S POV

Every step I took sent a sharp, stabbing pain through my leg. I could feel the blood seeping through the makeshift bandage, warm and sticky against my skin. But I couldn't let myself slow down. Not when the sound of pursuit still echoed in my ears, a constant reminder that we were far from safe.

Danielle moved ahead of us, scouting the way through the dense forest. Her silhouette was barely visible in the dim light, but her movements were sure and confident. Hyein walked beside me, her face pale with worry as she cast frequent glances in my direction. I knew she was scared, not just for me, but for all of us. We were being hunted, and the odds were not in our favor.

"Are you okay?" Hyein asked quietly, her voice barely audible over the rustle of leaves.

"I'm fine," I replied, forcing a tight smile. It was a lie, and we both knew it. But there was no point in admitting how much pain I was in. We needed to keep moving.

The forest was thick and overgrown, with gnarled roots and low-hanging branches that seemed determined to trip us up at every turn. The night was dark, the moon hidden behind a blanket of clouds, casting the world in shadows. The air was thick with the scent of damp earth and decaying leaves, and the only sounds were our labored breaths and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot.

After what felt like an eternity, Danielle signaled for us to stop. We gathered beneath the shelter of a large tree, its twisted roots forming a hollow that provided some cover from the open air. I sank to the ground with a groan, finally allowing myself to rest. My leg throbbed in time with my heartbeat, each pulse sending a wave of pain through my body.

Hyein knelt beside me, her brow furrowed in concern. "Let me take another look at your leg."

I nodded, too exhausted to argue. She gently unwrapped the bandage, her hands steady despite the fear in her eyes. The wound was bad—deeper than I had realized, and still bleeding sluggishly.

"We need to clean this properly," Hyein murmured, more to herself than to me. "But we don't have anything here."

Danielle crouched next to us, her expression grim. "We can't risk going into town to get supplies. The king's men will have the area locked down."

Hyein bit her lip, her gaze flicking between the wound and my face. "Then what do we do?"

"We keep moving," I said, my voice firm despite the pain. "We'll find somewhere safe, then we'll deal with it."

Danielle frowned, clearly unhappy with the plan, but she didn't argue. She knew as well as I did that staying in one place for too long would only make us easier targets.

"We should head north," Danielle suggested after a moment. "There's a cave system a few miles from here. We can take shelter there, and it'll be harder for them to track us."

"Good idea," I agreed, though the thought of walking several more miles was daunting. But we didn't have much choice. It was either keep moving or get caught, and I wasn't ready to give up just yet.

Hyein helped me to my feet, and we set off again, pushing through the dense underbrush. The forest grew darker as we moved deeper into it, the trees closing in around us like a living cage. Every sound seemed amplified, every shadow a potential threat. I kept my hand on my dagger, ready to strike at any moment.

Time lost all meaning as we trekked through the night. My leg was on fire, and every step felt like I was walking on broken glass, but I pushed the pain aside, focusing on putting one foot in front of the other. We had been trained for situations like this—to endure, to survive no matter what. But this felt different. This wasn't just a mission; it was a fight for our lives.

Finally, as the first light of dawn began to creep through the trees, we reached the caves. They were hidden deep within the forest, nearly invisible until you were right on top of them. Danielle led the way inside, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger.

The cave was cool and dark, the air damp and heavy with the scent of earth and stone. It was a small space, just large enough for the three of us, but it would serve its purpose. We could rest here, at least for a little while.

As soon as we were inside, I collapsed against the wall, too exhausted to care about the cold stone beneath me. Hyein immediately began tending to my wound, using what little supplies we had to clean and rebandage it. The pain was intense, but I gritted my teeth and endured it. We didn't have the luxury of proper medical care, and I couldn't afford to be weak.

Danielle stood guard at the entrance, her eyes scanning the forest beyond for any signs of pursuit. The tension in her posture was clear, and I knew she was just as worried as I was. We were running out of options, and the noose was tightening around us.

"Hyein," I said quietly as she finished bandaging my leg. "Thank you."

She gave me a small, tired smile. "Just doing my job. We all need to stick together."

Danielle turned to us, her expression serious. "We can't stay here for long. They'll be on our trail soon enough."

"I know," I replied, my mind already racing with possible plans. "We'll rest for a bit, then we'll move on. We need to stay ahead of them."

The hours passed in a tense silence, each of us lost in our own thoughts. The pain in my leg had dulled to a constant throb, and exhaustion weighed heavily on my eyelids. But I couldn't allow myself to sleep, not yet.

As we prepared to leave the cave, a sudden noise from outside made us all freeze. It was faint, barely audible, but unmistakable—the sound of footsteps crunching on leaves.

Danielle motioned for silence, her hand going to her weapon. Hyein and I followed suit, our hearts pounding in our chests. We were cornered, with no way out but through whoever—or whatever—was outside.

The footsteps grew louder, closer. My grip tightened on my dagger, every muscle in my body coiled like a spring. We were ready to fight, ready to defend ourselves against whoever had found us.

As the footsteps reached the entrance, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was Eunchae, a look of urgency on her face as she entered the cave.

"We need to go," she whispered, her voice tinged with fear. "They're close—closer than you think."

Danielle didn't hesitate, moving to gather our things. Hyein helped me to my feet, her hand steady against my arm. The brief respite we had was over, and the chase had begun again.

As we slipped out of the cave and back into the shadows of the forest, I couldn't help but wonder how much longer we could keep this up. But there was no time for doubt. The only option was to keep running, keep fighting, and pray that we could stay one step ahead of the people hunting us down.

☆

A/N
two chaps to make up for the wait
happy reading!!