The Hunt

Chapter 2- The Lion

Zypher shuffled down the halls, dragging his finger across the tablet.

"Rape," he mumbled, "why do they always include rape? Can't one prisoner in this giant hulking prison thing just be, I don't know, minor thievery, survived four years. I'd even take a murderer over all these rapists."

He slid to the next contender on his list, a girl with Autumn hair and black eyes. Normally, he quickly went over then women, knowing most of them were probably scared shitless during their time in the prison. It wasn't her ferocity that caught his attention, it was her looks. She was...beautiful in a wild way.

He scrunched his nose in discontent before sliding her profile away. He was too busy to deal with women. Especially murderers.

"Zephyr!" A voice called, making the young black haired man look up.

Jogging towards him was a man dressed in the titanium steels of the guards uniform. To add to it, a long jagged lance was strapped to his back.

Zephyr smirked. "You know you're not supposed to use my real name in public, Reiko."

The guard rolled his eyes before giving a mock bow. "Oh, please forgive my rudeness you benevolent princeliness."

The prince gave him a smack over the head before continuing his walk. Reiko, who was often referred to as Rei, walked by his side.

"So, what're you doing, your benevolent princeliness?"

Zephyr rolled his eyes before showing his the screen of his white tablet.

"You're candidates? You're choosing from criminals instead of the guard?"

"Father said that I needed to hunt them down and kill them. A criminal might be a good merciless killer, right?" Zephyr caught Rei's look. "I'm allowed four people, Rei. Don't even think I wouldn't bring you along."

The steel plated guard gave the prince a smile. "So, picked any of the prisoners yet?"

"None. They're all...not what I'm looking for. You take shifts at the prison, right? Any suggestions?"

The brown haired man with tan skin tipped his head back in thought. "Well, there is one but it's a little vicious. More than a little. But if you're hunting, this one'd be perfect."

Prince Zephyr passed his tablet over to Reiko. Tan fingers touched the search box at the top of the screen and entered the code 'CE-1'. He tapped the same autumn haired girl he'd passed over.

"Her?" Zephyr asked. "You think she would be good? She looks kind of...scrawny."

"Don't let her looks fool you, your highness. I've watched her in the monitors. She's been in the prison for four years and never once sustained an injury other than a scratch."

The prince let out a low whistle. "She hasn't been, uh, touched?"

Reiko shook his head. "Her first day, they tried to but-" he shuddered. "You don't want to know. She made a name for herself in the prison. The Hunter."

"The Hunter?"

"She's a crazy killer but, if you're desperate and offer the right price, she'll get the job done. I saw her cut out a man's arm just this morning. The prison definitely didn't kill her spark."

Not being one for bloodshed, Zephyr shuddered. "You'd think, for a maniac like that, the simple hunt might be enough?"

The guard shook his head. "Not sure. No one really talks to her. She likes weapons though, from what we can tell. Hordes them in a little bunker in the prison."