Lions Hunt

Chapter 1 - Sét

Sét

I turn my head. The sun shining bright as it set, I curse in my head, I lived the dark and stormy days, so much easier to hide, to run. I hold back a cry as I trip over a log, thorns raking my legs as I fall. The thorn vine was wrapped around my ankle. I took my dagger and cut the vine, trying to ignore the sight of my own blood. I shiver and sit silent for a minute. A bird chirps as I try and steady my breathing. I manage to stand after a minute, and almost passed out, my leg was almost to weak to support me, but it would do, just until I got back to Soria, the only place safe for me, the only place they could not attack me, not openly anyway. I catch my breath and tense as a bush rustles behind me. I whirl around, dagger out, and a mouse scrambles out of it. I breath a sigh of relief.

"Really?" Smirked a voice behind me and grabbed me from behind, I tried to fight but he was way bigger then me. His friend came up and the slammed me against the tree started beating me, I tried it fight still but it was worthless so I have up and went limp. Finally the turned me around and stared into my dazed eyes. He smirked and punched me in the nose, I felt it snap. I gasp in pain as blood rolls down me face.

"Drag him Lucas" he ordered and he grabbed me and started to drag me, I was in to much of a daze to fight.

"Cameron where to?" Asks Rick. He had an evil grin on his face and I pale wondering what he is thinking.

"What's the plan Rick" smirks Luke

"Right Luke, come on Rick, you should know this" he smirks as I tremble in Lucas's arms, I did not want to know but I figured I would find out soon.

"So Sét what do you think of this? Is Lucas hurting you?"Cameron asks like I was a baby. I was eleven not five but I did not give him the satisfaction of my answer. He smirked and waved his hand for his gang to follow, they forced me to walk and as I limped I tried to think if a plan. The fight would not be even, they have had years if combat training and I have had none, also they had decent weapons, I did not. Lost in thought I did not pay attention to where we were going. Rick stopped in front of me and I crashed into him and gasped. We were by the lake, and they had cruel expressions on their faces.

"Y-you wouldn't" I say voice shaking, water was my biggest fear and they had figured that out some how.

"Hope you learned how to swim" smirked Luke and Rick cracked his knuckles. I look between the four of them, they could not be serious,

"A-Artis will be very anger" I attempt to change their mind, but they were like a pack of wolves honing in on a kill. Their laughter was worse then the wolves howls on a full moon, I knew they did not care what happened to me once they had their fun. Lucas still held my arms behind my back. They looked at the water, it was high tide for the moon had come out, storm clouds gather in the distance slowly coming in. I stare around trying to find a way to escape.

"You really think we care about that old fool?" Smirked Lucas. "We will deal with cleaning the stable for a week for what it's worth" he snarled and reached a hand into his pocket. He drew his sword and gave a quick thrust that should have taken my gut out, but I pulled out own dagger and blocked it. A stunned look filled their eyes and I knew I was dead. Rick pulled out his sword and started to attack me, it was all I could to to defend myself. But After a minute I began anticipating his moves, I knew what was coming, his eyes flashed as I parried strike after strike. He gave one final thrust and I hooked it with my dagger sending it flying. I Stared stunned at the sword skittering to a stop in the sand. I gulped and slowly turned to face the older boys. Then looked stunned, but not impressed, just anger.

"You little" snarled Rick leaving the words unsaid.

"I-I'm sorry" I say, then wonder if I am truly sorry. I'm not, I reliaze, sorry in the least. Except for the fact that they were standing there looking ready to stab me through.

"Drop it" he ordered, his voice low and dangerous. I knew I could never fight all three of the remaining boys. I drop it, and feel the first drop of rain. I now avoid there eyes thinking fast. Before I can do anything they have my arms pinned behind my back. The wind was howling louder now, I knew it was bad, they forced me into step into the water. I jump as it touched my skin, it was freezing. The force me deeper, Rick pulled out rope, my eyes widen terrified. He leans down and bounds my legs. There was a certain part in the lake where a drop off happened. That is where we stopped, well, where they stopped, that was where they shoved me and watched me struggle, nearly drown, like before, but the water was calm those days, not today. When they shove me in, there is no chance, I try and stay above water but I can't, the water gets colder the farther you go down, I knew they would drag me out just before I drowned, to save there own skin.

I normally could see there smug faces but the water was rough, waves crashing throwing me this way and that. Under me I suddenly feel heat, I then and eyes widen, fire, underwater? It was a swirling vortex, glowing with heat, warming the freezing water. The storm calms out of nowhere and the bounds holding my legs snap.

I swim to the surface, breaking, gasping a spitting up water, the boys are sitting on shore laughing, rage filled me, then my eyes widen. I am pulled under and the boys watched stunned, so thing was holding my ankle, pull my down, I struggled to breath, finally I managed to take my dagger out of its case,finally turning to attack what was dragging me, there was nothing there. I slash at the open water, nothing happens obviously. I continue to be dragged down. Now the boys who shoved me in were watching my eyes wide, I feel sudden rush of heat and see the fire beneath me, I let out a yell, then choke on the water. The last thing I remember was the boys turning and running from the water side, leaving me to slip through the portal to face what was on the other side alone.

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I lay still, my body heavy like molten lead. I couldn't breath, the air was so intoxicated, no I could not breath at all. My eyes flew open and I roll over throwing up water, gasping for breath. Where was I? I threw up again, how much water did I swallow? After a minute I lay there, letting my chest steady. The dizziness was fading and I had a chance to take in my surroundings.The air first off, was really dirty and filthy, I was having trouble breathing, adapting to the air. After another minute I started to be able to breath. Now the thought came back to me again

"Where am I?" I murmur aloud looking around. I was on the edge of a lake surround by a forest. But it was not the same forest I had come from, these trees were deciduous, the ones back home were not. The lake here was also darker, it saw less sun I realized, for the trees were more wild, as though there was no magic in them like back home. Back home, how far was I? I had never been farther then that lake back home, but something told me that i was not in that part of the universe any more. I heard a rustle in the brush. I jump and turn but it was only a deer. I smile, put my dagger away and take a step closer to the deer.

"Hello I'm" I start but the deer turns and bounds away "Sét" I finish softly watching it run, why did it run, animals never ran in my people in our world. It was part of our culture that the animals were all at peace. To harm another animal is the same punishment as harming a fellow of your village for all alliances are considered friends. And almost all villages were in alliance. Except for the Rouges. The Rouges were animals, like the snakes, spiders, bats, platypus, and falcons. Not all of the animals are evil, just more of them are good then bad. There is also the fact that the animals are not just animals, they are people.

People are truly the most dangerous of all the animals, in our world at least. The animal/people called themselves the Knights, but everyone else called them the Rouges.

"Are the Rouges behind this?" I murmur looking around eyes flashing in the dim light, it was growing night. I needed to find a place to stay. I somehow doubted they were involved. It must have been one of those rare naturally occurring portals.

Faintly through the tree I see a break, and open stretch, what was it? I slowly walk towards it, not disturbing the brush. I come to the clearing and there is a thin stretch of what looked like black rock. It had yellow doted lines down the center. I knelt down beside the strange rock and touched it. I yelped and jerked my hand away.

It was burning cold, it nipped my skin like flames. I was always sensitive to temperature. I hesitate wondering what this was for, when a bright light filled the clearing. It pierced the dark night like an arrow and I stood stock still as it revealed a large metal beast. I let out a yelp but can't move from shook. I hear a loud squealing sound like an animal in pain, and the creature screams to a halt inches in front of me.