Growing Pains

Chapter 6

Twisting and turning, Araile wound around the trees and bushes, trying to lose her pursuer. She couldn't let him find the cottage or Kane. She wouldn't let him find them. She swerved on to another path, hoping to lead the man away from Kane and the cottage.

Spotting a large tree, she sped behind it and crouched down. Her heart pounded furiously in her ears as her chest heaved. Peeking from behind the tree trunk, she noticed the man lumbering through the foliage, cursing in a loud voice. Creeping from around the tree, Araile crept towards the man as he turned his back towards her. Letting out a feral snarl, she launched herself at his back and latched on, her arms locked around the man's thick neck.

Roaring, the man reared back as his hands scrabbled at her arms, trying to find purchase.

Growling, she sank her teeth into his shoulder and fabric and mud coating the inside of her mouth. Putting more pressure on her jaw, her sharp canines finally pierced skin. Yelling and cursing, the man struggled to get her arms off his neck. Hot blood rolled into Araile's mouth, and she held on with her teeth.

A small 'shink' caught her attention, and she released his shoulder and looked to see that the man had managed to get a hold of a sharp knife he had attached to his belt.

Araile then began kicking the middle of his back in a way Kakashi dubbed 'bunny kicking'. She had developed these powerful little kicks by accident when she was younger. She focused all her strength in her heels as she continuously kicked the man's spine. Grunting, the man twisted his arm around with surprising flexibility and sunk the knife into her side. Yelping loudly, Araile released her hold on his neck as pain raced up her side as the knife fell out. Keeping a hand pressed against the wound, she struggled back a couple steps. It felt like fire was racing through her side and burning everything up.

Chuckling, the man turned around and picked up the knife.

"Beauty, ain't it? This knife is me fav'rite. Laced wit pois'n, she is," he said, grinning and putting it back on his belt.

Hissing, Araile felt her blood begin to drip down from her hand and onto the ground. The man suddenly launched himself and swung a meaty fist; the sound of flesh meeting flesh echoing in her ears as she was launched back into a nearby tree. A dull 'crunch' sounded in her ears as she smashed against the tree trunk, and she slid down to the ground. Struggling to stand, she spat out a mouthful of blood. The knife wound throbbed and burned with each breath she took. A shadow loomed over her as the man stood in front of the 14 year old, grinning evilly. A kick to the side ripped a scream out of her throat, and she squeezed her eyes shut as her body landed on the ground.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Did t'at hurt?" the man sneered, and grounded his heel into her ribs.

Yelping, she brought her hands up as she tried to pry his foot away. Laughing loudly, the man grabbed a chunk of her hair and lifted her up from the ground.

"I'm gonna enjoy this. Slicing me knife th'ough tha' pretty hair o' yours," he said.

"I'll enjoy this more," a dark voice said suddenly behind the man.

"Who-?" the man managed to say before a blade was thrust through the man's heart.

Dropping heavily to the ground, the man's eyes stared blankly towards Araile as his hand released her hair. Letting out little pants, she struggled to her hands and knees and looked up into the eyes of her rescuer.

Golden eyes from her brother stared back at her, before everything went dark.

"Araile!" Kane exclaimed as she limply fell to her side, small spasms running through her body.

Cursing, he rushed over to her side. Noticing the blood staining and spreading on her shirt, he lifted the bottom enough to confirm his suspicions. The skin surrounding her knife wound had turned an ugly green and grey colour; blood trickling out in a steady stream. Just as he thought: the knife the attacker used was laced with poison. It was common for a coward like the one dead on the ground to have poisoned weapons. 

Glancing at her face, Kane quickly picked Araile up and rushed to the cottage. He wasn't going to let his baby sister die.