The Hunt

The Light

The green light filtered through the leaves splattering my face in its vibrant lime colours.
Crack. Crack. Crack.

My bare feet crushed the small leaves, the sound echoing through the twisted forest. Birds sang, their sweet song lifting my voice up to fly along with them, carrying it through the trees. I smiled closing my eyes at our sweet melody, contrasting against the mangled nature that hung among us. A sheet of mist rose at my feet as I opened my eyes. I walked closer, confused. A small thatched roof parted the mist and I felt my mouth curve into a smile. Memories washed over me.
Nijarhs ran around the garden, bounding through the thicketts of bush. The overwhelming smell of warm pastries arose from the house and the thin crackle of fire playing steadily in the background.

I quickened my pace my noisy brown hair whipping behind me. The wind suddenly increased and I felt locks of hair slapping at me. The warmth of the cottage fell away as I peered up at the suddenly cold and crisp atmostphere.

The Dark Forest stood behind our humble cottage, it's looming trees reaching into the sky. The branches reached out beckoning, the sharp twigs raking through your hair, drawing spots of blood to your arms and legs. The forest enclosed you in its twilight clutches, the air suffocating and thick with the smell of blood. My head reeled as I tried desperately to focus on the sight of my simple, comforting home I was overcame, by the Dark Forest that stood above me dripping with evil. Inside the Hunters prowled the grounds, looking for any sight of life, and destroying, before it could draw a breath. Shaking my head, I stumbled towards the rough wooden door and then swallowing the lump that had lodged in my throat, pulled it open. The heat poured out from the hallway, I was warmed and my limbs stopped trembling.
Click. Click. Click.

The tap of nails on wood grew rapidly louder and before I could comprehend the sound, two firm paws pressed against my chest and I fell, my head striking the floor. My head throbbed but my mouth curved into a familiar smiled as I laughed.

"Oh, get off, get off!" I cried pushing him off, Nijarh barked his deep, howl sounding out through the house and I pulled him into a warm embrace. His warm fur tingling.

Nijarh had dark, black fur with patches of brown and one of his eyes was clouded in white after being blinded by a Hunter. I stood up and then slowly wandered into the kitchen, Nijarh skippering about my ankles. and I set my woven bag down on the lopsided table. Apples tumbled down off the table and bumped along the chipped wood floor. I bent down to grab the apples but they slid away from my hand, they hit the support of a stool and the flimsy wooden leg gave way and collapsed. The vase that had been sitting on top also fell to the floor and shattered. My mothers jar. The shards pierced into my leg and sent droplets of blood flying but I felt no pain.

A flash of white then a distant memory.

My mother, her long brown hair pulled into a braid and me skipping around. The woods surrounded us, all light, no darkness. A shining smile plastered across my Ma's thin, delicate face and me, arms stretched, spinning around her in circles.

The scene changed

A disease, a disease that spread through the forest, polluting the brightness and bringing agony upon the woods. It spread from King Slaraths kingdom, he had returned and the Hunt began.

Another flash and my head pounded

My ma, laying in bed. Her face deathly white and her hair hung limply in front her face. Her eyes closed and me, tears leading paths down my face, desperately clutching her hand, trying to pull her from this sickly state.

My breath was jagged and my hair stuck to my forehead with sweat but I couldn't pull away from the images.

He came. The Hunter. Clothed in black, knifes hanging from his waist, a stick and whip held in his hand. He grabbed my Ma and then pulled her out the door, his tight grip leaving red marks on her limp arm.
"Stop it, shes ill stop it!" I had screamed, running after her.
"She's a spawn of the devil, powers that belong to the King" the Hunter growled at me and then lifted his barbed stick and brought it across my face. I doubled over and fell to the ground, the pain numbing my mind and senses so that the only audible sound was my Ma's voice, cracking and weak. "Safina, not Safina please!" Then the Hunters deep, throaty voice "Silence, your daughter will have the same ending, you can't protect her!" Then he grabbed the whip and beat her, angry red lashes appeared on her back where the fabric had been tore away and blood pooled on the ground beneath her. I heard unfamiliar screams and realised they were my own. My beautiful Ma, hit the ground and her body stopped trembling, her lips turned blue and her eyes stilled. She was dead. Lying on the floor in front of me, dead. The Hunter tensed and then began talking rapidly
"Oh King Slarath, no I didnt, her sickness it was already killing her, It wasn't my fault, no please dont" His breath was heavy and he was twitching. I lay next to my mother, blood soaking my thin dress. Nijarh appeared and then ripped at the Hunters arm, the Hunter gritted his teeth and then threw a knife at him. Nijarhs eye was pierced and he fell to the ground, his small, vulnerable body bent around the dagger. Agony passed over the Hunters face, King Slarath was punishing for killing the power,the precious power, and then he climbed onto the front of the carriage and flicked the reins. The horses whipped around and disappeared into the decaying, black forest. My last look of the Hunter was the metal bars of a cage.

I collapsed against the window sill, my body was shaking and my breath was stuck in my throat. I struggled to pull in oxygen and then I heard a high pitched yelp and my thoughts were broken. I pulled in a deep breath and then turned towards Nijarh, he had padded into the kitchen and stepped on the scattered pieces of porcelain. I kneeled down and then pulled him towards me, slowly I pulled out the hazardous shards and Nijarh winced as each one slid out of his large, furry paws. Then as I straightened, my eye caught a small, metallic glint and immediately my mind switched to the menacing glint of a cage but I shook my head and cleared the thoughts then stretched out my hand and grabbed the metallic object. It was a key. A tiny, silver key. It was encrusted with gleaming,red rubies and I remembered my Mothers necklace that had always hung over her skinny collarbone, that had a large, ruby hanging from the chain. My hands moved independently and I slipped it into the hidden pocket inside the collar of my dress. I lifted my head and my misty, grey eyes searched outside of the dusty window and I saw the spindly branches of the Dark Forest and wondered what was hidden behind them, what was hidden in the fog. I blinked slowly and then stepped backwards, backwards, backwards, towards the door leading outside. Nijarh barked and followed me out, we stepped out onto the grass, which was heavy with dew, and I moved dazed towards the woods. The wind whispered threats in my ear and my breath appeared in clouds in front of me. I could feel Nijarh brushing against me but it felt so distant. All I could see, think, hear, feel was the woods, Slaraths woods and I stepped forward. The Darkness descended and I was swallowed into the Hunters Land.

A/N
hey everyone! This is our new series the Hunt! We have worked really hard on this series and hope that you all like it. Thanks(as always) for reading and please let us know what you think in the comments! We really appreciate all you support and let the hunt begin! :*
//ISH + CACKI\\