CAGED

Chapter 14. The Whistling Woods, Part 1.

Odamous rushes headlong into the woods, breaking down trees in his path, not giving a second to remember the tails of terror linked to them.

For years the Malcrave Empire had been host to many people considered less than reparable. The woods that Odamous now dashed through were known as the whistling woods, mostly because of the last thing any person would hear before they died, the whistling of the arrow as it flies through the air. In the past, many bandits had made these woods their home. Any that dared to enter their territory were almost always met with a quick death. Four such bandits remained, after the fall of the Malcrave Empire, knowing it was only a matter of time before they could kill again.

As Odamous continues to recklessly make his presence known, with every crash of the trees he knocks down, a whistle comes from the far right. Before Odamous realizes what is coming, an arrow flies by his face. Odamous slides to a stop and looks out in the direction of the arrow's origin. As he tries to discover the archer's position, another arrow emerges quickly from the darkness. 

Odamous catches it and snaps it in half, mere inches from his face. "I HAVEN'T TIME FOR THIS, YOU BLAGARD!" Odamous shouts angrily.

The sound of gruff laughter echos through the woods in response. 

Odamous steps in the direction of the arrow but is stopped by a strong hand on his shoulder. Odamous turns to see Lion. 

"Running off without me, that wasn't very nice." Lion chuckles, stepping forward.

"I have no time for this archer.. would you be so kind..."

Lion cracks his neck to the side. "You must be going blind, in your old age, Odamous. I can see him as clear as day."

Before Lion, about five hundred yards, crouches a well built young man, on a tree limb. He points his bow at Lion, rearing back a silver arrow. 

Lion glances at Odamous. "Go. I have this well in hand."

Odamous nods and takes off again.

Just as Odamous moves, the arrow is released, traveling at a speed that defies the human eye. 

Lion grins, showing his fangs. "Gotta do better than..." Lion leaps into the air, dodging the arrow. "that!"

The man readies another arrow, but when he brings it back down, both Odamous and Lion have vanished from his sight. He looks around calmly. "Here kitty kitty."

Suddenly the tree, he is in, shakes wildly. The young man looks down to see Lion grabbing hold of the tree. 

"Be careful what you ask for, boy!" Lion roars as he lifts the tree, pulling the roots from the ground. Lion tips the tree, letting it fall to the ground.

The young man laughs, perched in a different tree. "Oh! Good show!" He claps mockingly. "Surely you are the king of the jungle AND the destroyer of forests."

Lion glares angrily. "Come down here and say that to my face, welp!"

The young man shrugs, with a content smile on his face. "You are land, I am air. Why don't you come up here?"

Lion punches the next tree, cracking it in half. As it falls, the young man nibbly jumps to the next. Lion clinches his fist tight. "How long are you going to play this game?"

"As long as your friend draws breath." The young man replies, pulling back an arrow and releasing it at Lion.

Lion catches it but drops it as it burns his hand. "What manner of sorcery is this?!"

The young man looks, with his chin rested against his palm, at Lion. "I call them void arrows. Any blessing you may be endowed with will not save you from death. Once these arrows hit their target's vitals they die."