The Hunt

The Darkness

The twilight engulfed me and I could feel my skin prickling against the heavy air. I could taste the sharp, metallic taste of blood, the pale, sallow outline of the moon was the only light that reached my eye and I stumbled forward in the darkness. The branches raked over my skin, droplets of blood speckling my arm and then I tripped, falling forward over a disquised tree root. My face hit the ground and a shuddered as the cold, lifeless floor of the forest made contact with my head, a sharp, acute pain shot through my ankle and placing my hands against the dirt, I lifted my head amd stared down at my foot. It hung at a awkward angle and I could feel a numbness seeping into my leg, my breath was shallow and I was drained of energy. My body felt heavy, and small, blue diamonds floated in front of my vision, my head was swimming and felt like it was being weighed down. I collapsed against the ground, too weak to support my body and my eyes rolled backwards, the ground melted away from beneath me and tiny insects crawled up my legs, pulling me deeper into the descending black hole of the disintegrating forest floor, these images were being played through my head by the power. The Dark Forest. Its power was draining me, making me believe things that would make me weak. Then my eyes focused and I saw Nijarh, he was trembling and helpless against the Darkness. Nijarh. I needed to reach him. He was my only support left and I needed to reach him. I groaned and tried to pull myself forward but the ground concaved beneath me, the hallucinations that took over your body. Then my eye caught the dulled light of the moon, although sunken and shadowed, the moon still shone. I focused in on the light, blocking out the whimpering of Nijarh, the agony that was swallowing me and the Darkness. The light was all I saw. A wave of energy passed through me and behind my eyelids there was a flash of vibrant, green light. The pain faded away and my body was revived, I forced myself off the ground and ran desperately towards Nijarhs shuddering body. Collapsing onto my knees, I pulled Nijarh against my heaving chest, his body instantly stopped shaking and his eyelids fluttered open. I breathed a sigh of releaf and then looked down at myself. My simple, cotton, blue dress was ripped and crusted with red blood, my hair was tangled with twigs and matted with dirt. Then I noticed my hands, holding Nijarh, they were glowing ever so slightly with a hue of green. Placing Nijarh in my lap, I lifted my hands towards my face to inspect them, the light was woven around my fingers and palm and flickered when I moved my hands around. My lower lip quavered and I fell heavily against a tree, tears swelled up and then dripped down my face.
"Stop!" I screamed, overwhelmed.
The green light hanging over my hands, began shaking and then it disappeared leaving me feeling empty and lifeless. The coldness seeped into me once more and the fire in my ankle burned again but the light had given me energy and I stood up, Nijarh still cradled in my arms.

My ankle screamed for mercy as I placed pressure on to my sprained foot to support my body, gritting my teeth I pushed my self forward to lean against a tall, spindly tree. I pushed through outreaching growth, wincing as the branched whipped back and sharp lashes of pain spread through my body. Everything in the Dark forest seemed sharper and more cruel, the stench of blood hanging over the dead canopy, I tore through the trees, in a vain and desperate attempt to find the sight of my home. Its unstable thatched roof that always led me through the Light Forest. The dancing flames that lit the room in its blazing amber light. Home. But King Slaraths forest was a labyrinth of dark, decaying nature that drew you away from any familiarity, anything that made you comforted and safe, and then replaced it with agony. Tears cascaded down my slight face and then curling my hands into fists I slammed them against a rough tree trunk screaming "Please, please, stop, i cant take it!" I repetively beat my small, delicate hands against the rugged bark of the looming tree and then lowered myself to the floor, pulling my legs into my chest and hugging my body tight, almost holding together the remaining peices of my crumbling identity. I felt Nijarhs wet nose nuzzle against my limp hand but I ignored the sign of affection as I was finished. Finished with the pain. Finished with the heartbreak. Finished.I slowly lifted my head, grey eyes clouded with tears and then he appeared. His eyes were ablaze, fiery orbs drained of emotion. Veins pulsed from his arms, sweat and anticipation present. A string of sharpened knife hung from his waist, sloping precauriously as he walked slowly over. Then i saw it. The rope whip stained red with the blood of many others. The same whip that had inked bloody lashes all over my beautiful Ma. Fear shuddered through my body followed by a shot of anger, clenching my fists into tight balls. A twig cracked under his leather boots, causing me to awaken from the numbing trance. I stood, my ankle causing me to flinch and a malicious smile spread over his scarred face as he saw the agony pass over my shadowed face. He lept forward with surprising speed and then grabbed me by the neck lifting me up into the air. I could feel my breath being obstructed and immediately felt faint, my face flushed purple and I struggled weakly against his iron grip. He then threw me away from him and I skidded across the ground, scratches tearing across my pale skin, then sat up breathing deeply in an attempt to slow my breathing. The Hunter stood above me and I narrowed my eyes overcome with a fiery anger at his hatred and cruetry towards all that stood against him. I jumped up and placed my hands aginst his chest pushed him backwards with all my might. He barely stumbled and laughed uproariously.

"The power was wasted on you" He growled at me and then pulled a knife and plunged it through the the flesh of my upper arm. I screamed, pain ripping through my arm, my thick crimson blood dripping feircrely down my arm. I groaned and placed my hand against the deep wound to stem the flow of blood, but my hand only came away soaked in the ruby, red substamce. The Hunter grabbed me by the shoulders and then pushed me backwards falling down against the burning cold bars of a cage. My body contracted as the air was thrust from my lungs. Nijarh. My head whipped around and then I caught sight of him, jumping helplessly against the cage. THe Hunter followed my eyes and then raising the whip brought it across Nijarhs lithe back. Red marks appeared through his dark brown fur and he howled, the pain to much for his small figure, he then fell on the ground his body limp and lifeless. I cried out, my voice soaring through the trees in a howl of pain and then reached my slim arm through the bars of the cage, trying to pull his body against mine once more but he was gone. Gone. THe cart rumbled and then bounded through the Dark forest. I crumbled down onto my knees my arms pressed against the freezing cage. The Hunt had began.

A/N
Wo hey! We hope you liked this chapter and thanks for reading. If you see any typos please let us know as we are still editing and ILYSM EVERYONE

//ISH AND CACKI\\