Chapter 17 • The Hunt -2
1177 Words
"Huff! Huff!!"
Athalia and Owen panted heavily, racing through the bushes with the littlest strength they had.
Owen began to slow down, gasping for air. Athalia lessened her pace, looking behind at her panting brother.
Owen held his knees, taking in deep breaths. "At– Ath– Athalia I can– I can not go–"
Before he finished his sentence, Athalia grabbed his arm, raising him off his feet and carrying him on her back.
She charged forward. They could hear the sounds of cracking and snapping branches behind them. The hunters were catching up fast. Fast.
Athalia gasped, pushing herself forward as fast as possible, balancing Owen's weight on her back.
~
Lucien pulled the bridle of his spotless night colored horse, halting at the edge of a cleft. The sky was already dark, having the moon almost fully out.
He unmounted the mammal, stepping to it's side as he gently brushed it's long wavey mane. "Good girl, Mortem".
The animal bowed to it's master's stroke, letting out a neigh. Lucien tore his midnight eyes away from the horse and to the greenland below.
Covered with tall trees and shrubs, Lucien noticed some disturbance beneath the trees. His eyes slitted.
Instantly his sight inhumanly narrowed through the tall branches of the trees, sighting the running beings in the forest. He knitted his brows at the sight of the preys being chased.
"Hm?" He crooked his head, watching the petit looking young girl running with a boy on her back. "Quite strong for a little girl", he nodded.
He moved his gaze backwards, sighting the two furious fools called hunters, that ran senselessly after the children; breaking and crashing everything on their paths with their weapons.
"Stupidity compliments those mindless savages", he took a few step forward, squatting down at the edge..
He squirted his eyes to get a clearer view of the cat and mouse game. He chuckled, "Let us make this interesting, shall we?" His lips twitched into a wicked grin.
He snapped his fingers in the air. The horse neighed, lowering it's head as his body began to fog—the horse dissolved into black mist then materialized into a larger black four legged beast with razor shape canines and claws.
It was a beast dog the size of a tiger, raising it's hackles as it growled. "Go", Lucien commanded.
Without hesitation, the dog ran off the hill top, throwing itself unto a tree branch—and plummeting unto the ground unharmed.
It growled louder, narrowing it's blood shot eyes. It took in a long sniff of the air around, capturing the scent of every creature in the whole forest. It charged forward.
Lucien stood up straight, staring down as his favourite beast pet raced through the forest, charging at the hunters.
~
Meanwhile, down in the forest, Athalia and Owen continued to glance over their shoulders as she raced forward, panting.
Owen's weight was making it harder for her to go any faster. Her legs began to fail her, seeing the hunters getting closer—she stomped her foot against a rock, twisting her ankle and landing flat on the ground.
Owen fell off her back and unto his side, grunting.
A sharp pain shot through Athalia's face as her chin hit hard against on a rock. "Ahhh!" She clutched unto her chin, feeling her skin burn. The hunters' pace lessens, slowly striding up to them on the ground.
Athalia and Owen shrieked back in fear. Owen dragged himself backwards, letting Athalia wrap her arms around him and hug him tightly.
They shivered, staring in terror at the grinning pair before them. Athalia gulped.
"Finally", Don chuckled.
"You have caused more than enough trouble for us, you brats", El pulled out two blades in each hand, pointing it at them.
"I will make sure you bleed extremely slowly, watching me slice your brother into bits and pieces! Grab him, Don". Don smiled, seizing Owen roughly by the hand, tossing him into El's arms.
"NOO!!" Athalia reached for her brother—Don grabbed her neck, pushing her down. He stomped a foot hard on her belly to hold her down. She grunted.
"Stay down, you slut!"
"Let me go! Let him go!" She struggled to push off his foot, groaning.
El laughed, "I am sure you have a good angle of this", she pulled Owen upward, exposing his neck to her blade.
"NO!!" Athalia cried.
"Athalia! Help!" Owen whimpered, attempting to scratch off El's hand.
El smiled, "Bye bye, boy", she placed the blade on his skin, apply enough pressure to injure his flesh. Owen hissed.
She tightened her fingers on the handle of the blade, ready to slit his throat—Her body was suddenly pushed to the side by a larger being.
Owen fell free unto the ground, dragging himself back immediately. His eyes widened at the creature before him.
A tiger sized black dog mounted upon El, pinning her to the ground with his paws. Growling, it opened it's monster sized mouth.
In one snap, it beheaded El, crushing her bloody skull in its jaws as it stained the soil with her brains and blood.
Athalia and Owen widened there eyes in terror. Don on the other stepped back, blinking his eyes in disbelief.
Taking a few more rips off of El's neck and upper chest, the beast licked it's lips, taking a sniff of the air.
It's red eyes instantly gazed at Don's trembling figure. It snarled loudly. Don didn't blink twice before turning around to go on his heels.
The canine narrowed it's eyes, springing off El and plummeting it's weight unto Don from the back. It clutched it's claws into his skin, taking a snap of his head.
Athalia and Owen bodies numbed.
The creature gorefully consumed the body of Don, loudly cracking the bones of his limbs like stick, licking the blood splattered on the carcass. The siblings trembled, shifting backwards while calculating their possible sealed fate.
Their back suddenly bumped into something—someone.
They froze, gulping softly. Another beast? They thought, clutching their fingers.
They slowly craned their heads over their shoulders, sighting a pair of posh leather boots. They slowly looked up, locking eyes with the grey eyed stranger that gaze down upon them with a stoic expression.
Athalia's breath hitched.
Her eyes dilated as she slowly analysing his appearance. With the surrounding being slightly dark, the strangers appearance looked more haunting and frightening. His long dark sliver hair fell below his shoulder, having a few stands over his face and eyes.
His dark midnight grey eyes prieced into hers. She forgot to blink.
Suddenly, the stranger pulled out his a large sword— bearing curvy sharp edges—pointing at her skull. She scotched back immediately, having Owen clutch unto her arm.
Athalia's heart began to race when the beast behind finally stopped feeding, turning to face her and Owen. It slowly step forward, trapping the siblings between the armed stranger and it.
The two flickered their eyes between their fates.
- Writer
