The hunt begins

The heat of the sun that hung low in the sky warmed the breeze that flitted about in the valley. It was nearly a perfect day, even the dark rain clouds that were beginning to roll in from the west couldn't hinder the elated mood of the village. They had finally successfully relocated, somewhere far from the city, far from where their kind were hunted and sold for profit. Juejen raised her hand and shielded her eyes from the bright rays of the sun as she looked down at the valley for her brother. Rico was frolicking with his childhood friend and some kids from the village. Each of them eagerly awaiting their turn to be thrust up into the sky by his strong arms. She was only a few meters away, just on the very outskirts of the forest which was rather unruly but did a good job of blocking out any unwanted poachers. Elves were resourceful and had found multiple ways to use the forest for their benefit. Juejen was doing it right now, the bag that hung across her chest and rested at her hip was beginning to droop with the weight of fresh berries and herbs. Her brother had asked her, well more like begged and pleaded for her to make him a pie. She had begrudgingly agreed, he was supposed to be helping her pick but he seemed to eat more berries than he gathered so she had sent him on her way. The thought made her chuckle and she popped one of the ripe black berries into her mouth. She had more than a decent amount now, she could probably make two pies if she was smart about it. She started off back down towards the valley, while she was sure they'd get home well before the rain started pouring, it was not a risk she was willing to take.

Kai sat at the base of a tall oak and stared down at the array he had laid between his legs. His fingers traced the silver tip of a six inch hand blade. The hilt was wrapped in black leather, smooth to the touch as he picked it up and slid it into the top of his left boot. Next his fingers slid down to another knife. This one twice as long and freshly sharpened on both sides. This he place in a holder that was fitted onto his belt, dropping his jacket side to cover it. The last thing that was lying before his was a thick piece of rope. He didn’t plan to have to use the weapon he brought his physical strength was usually enough to subdue an elf but he could never be too careful. He’d seen a full grown elf take down more than thirty men with a bow before and he didn’t plan to be such an easy target if there was one in this village. The rope that had now found its way into his pocket would be to help deliver the goods.
With everything packed he stood and dusted his pants of the leaves that had stuck to him from the forest floor. The silver chain around his neck jangled down across his dark red t-shirt and he quickly reached up to tuck the pendent beneath his collar. He noticed the sun was starting to fall and he stretched his legs after standing, they had become stiff from his wait on the ground. Once it was dark he would begin his hunt. His original hope was to get at least three of them but judging by the width of the moon he wouldn’t have time to transport so many before the full moon. “Better get this over with quick then.” He said to himself, his voice was rough and deep with the hint of a small growl behind his words.
He headed slowing towards the edges of the woods, keeping himself hidden within the bushes and shades of the trees. Scanning the homes he decided on one that stuck a little closer to the forest edge then the rest. That way he could make a quick escape. Even he doubted he could take down a whole village of them easily and anyways, he wouldn’t get paid for dead bodies.

Juejen made it back down to the base of the hill but quickly scampered back up as her brother charged toward her. She screamed but it quickly turned into a laugh as he pulled her up over his shoulder. "Rico!! Stop! put me down!" She shouted as she pounded against his back.

He hung the bag of fresh berries he had managed to snatch from her around his neck and grabbed a large handful of them to shove into his mouth. "No good!" He chuckled as he bit into the soft flesh of the berries, his mouth filling with their sweet flavor. "Man, these berries are perfect."

Juejen tensed at the realization of what he was doing. "Hey knuckle head!!" Her voice was sharp and had lost it's humor as she twisted around to rub her knuckles hard against his scalp; a noogie he would be hard pressed to forget.

"Ow Ow!" he whined as he set her back down on the ground gently. "Juejennn" He whimpered as he held his now raw scalp.

"Hmph!" She said coldly and she pushed him back down the hill towards the house. "gather your little friends and lets go home. We need to get back before the storm comes."

Rico trudged off towards the group that had stopped to laugh and point at him. Every few steps he would stop to shoot Juejen his signature sad puppy look.

She rolled her eyes every time he did and she marched down the hill towards him, grabbing his arm and pulling him to the group. "You're fine, you big baby."

The walk back to the village was a short one and after dropping off all the kids to their respective homes they were finally able to go home themselves. Juejen fumbled with the stingy door a moment before Rico pushed her aside a little too roughly to shove the door open with it's usual thudding noise. The house was warm and small, as only the two of them lived in the space. Juejen immediately went to preparing the pie for her brother just so his whining would stop, and naturally Rico found his way to the couch to eat the small berry allowance Juejen had allowed him.

Kai watched from the edge of the forest as the group gathered before making their way homes. He could smell the moisture in the air and he knew it would start pouring soon. It would make it harder to get through this forest if it stormed but it would also make it harder to be tracked down. His eyes locked on to a slim frame with blue hair. A girl would be easy, he would be able to carry her with no trouble.

Kai crouched down further and watched as they entered their house. There were only two of them and this information had the hunter smiling at how easy it seemed this job was going to be. Once the rest of the village cleared out, hiding in their homes as it started to lightly drizzle, he swiftly made his way towards the small house. Stopping and hiding once he made it to the side. He could smell the oven inside and the sweet smell of berries. He could hear the boy talking inside even through the rain. He would have to wait till the boy wasn’t near the girl.

Inching along the building he came upon a window and peaked inside to watch and wait for the perfect time to attack.

After the pies were placed in the oven, Juejen had curled up on the comfortable recliner that she had claimed as hers. Her knees were pulled up and between them a book was nestled. Her index finger was strumming the corner of the page in anticipation of turning it. A crash of thunder jolted her out of her concentration and she jumped at the sound. Her hand clutched her heart and she turned to look at her brother to see if he had been just as startled as she. Her mouth tilted into a frown. "Lazy oaf" She chuckled as she tossed the blanket that was over the back of her seat over his sleeping form.

It hadn't take long at all for Rico to pass out, a full day of doing nothing would wear anyone out. He swatted at the blanket groggily and turned onto his side to bury his face into the back of the cushy couch.

Juejen turned back to her book, hoping to get to the peak of the character's romance before the pies finished.

Kai waited a little while after the boy had gone to sleep to make sure he was passed out for the night. He placed his hands against the glass of the window and waited for another roll of thunder to sound before pushing against it. He was pleased to find it was unlocked and swiftly climbed in as another boom hit the house. Before moving to hid in the shadows of the dark room he shut the window quietly and pressed against the wall, making his way over to the opening that showed the living room.

He scowled at the sleeping man on the couch, the woman would scream and struggle as soon as he had grabbed her and there was no avoiding the brother if that happened. Thinking for a moment he turned and quietly made his way into the bedroom. He noticed a candle sat on a table as he entered the room and slipped it off the surface. The candle hit the ground with a thunk and he moved to hide behind the door. Keeping his breath quiet.

Juejen was practically curled into a ball with her nose almost literally in the book. Ah finally the lovers had reunited, the male protagonist was gingerly rubbing his lost love's cheek and he was leaning down to kiss her when a soft thud interrupted. Juejen paused and looked up her head rotating as she tried to distinguish where the noise had come from. She looked to her brother who had a trail of drool pooling at the corner of his mouth. Well it obviously didn't come from him. She frowned slightly. Maybe he had tried to sneak in another pet under her radar. She thumbed the corner edge of her book marking her place. She stood and cautiously walked towards the back bedroom. Hesitant to see what kind of creature Rico might have brought into their home.

Kai’s ears twitched to the sounds of the elf’s footsteps as she unknowingly made her way towards him. She would enter the bedroom and he would wait for her to be far enough past him so his sudden movement wouldn’t alarm her until he had his hand around her mouth and his knife to her throat. As he saw the shadow of her nearing in the light that shot out from the door way he reached back and put his hand on the knife. It happened just as he expected, her slim frame past through the door way and stopped, her eyes searching low for whatever she thought had made the noise. Kai was bent forward slightly, posture alert and ready to attack when he was suddenly shocked by her arm moving out only a few feet in front of him and fumbling against the dark wall. His brows creased and he pushed back against the wall silently, putting more distance between him and her arm and hiding himself further behind the door.

It quickly dawned on him that she was looking for the light switch, something he had stupidly not thought of. He cursed himself for being such a moron and lurched forward as he saw her fingers find the edge of the switch and move to flick it up. She was facing towards the wall and he saw the moment she noticed him when he had moved, her eyes growing wide as she registered what was happening. In a flash of inhuman speed his hand was firmly on her face and across her mouth, his thumb touching her right earlobe and the tip of his middle finger her left. He pushed his body against hers, free arm wrapped around her as he lifted her only slightly to push her the few feet across the room and onto the bed, him following after to lie above her. If he had thrown her to the floor it would have no doubt woke her brother but the thick cushions swallowed any sounds from the two bodies.

Kai was above her, one knee on the bed to right and the other leg still stretched down to the floor, his hand still firm across her face and his yellow eyes flashing a mincing warning down to her. It was still dark and he thought she wouldn’t be able to see his expression so he leaned down, putting his weight across her body with the movement. The tips of his shaggy hair brushed her cheek and his thumb as he whispered, his voice deep and threatening, into her ear. “Scream and I will slice yours and your brother’s throats.” To prove his threat was true he reach back for his knife. This caused him to put his weight onto the elbow of the arm that still held her face, causing him to pull her head to the side so she was looking toward the wall and not him. He pressed the long blade of his knife to her cheek, leaving her head turned. “Nod if you understand this.” His eyes could see her perfectly in the lack of light, allowing him to watch the emotions that flashed through her blue eyes.

The plush bed under her that was normally soft and warm felt cold as the sudden realization of what was happening hit her. Almost instantly the fear made Jujen's stomach drop and her heart rattle against her ribcage. She closed her eyes tightly when she felt the cold steel of his blade against the smooth white flesh of her cheek. She closed her eyes and nodded slightly, but she couldn't stop herself from letting out a soft strangled whimper against his palm. She felt so naive to believe that it would be safe enough to settle down. Apparently elves would never be safe in this country, she feared what kind of business this man would sell her to. Elves where pushed into all types of slavery, from being a child's nanny, doing grunt labor and then there was always the much darker side of the trade with things like experimentation. She opened her eyes and strained in the dark to see the man who's body was too large and heavy to resist. She could barely make out his features in the dim light but she caught the soft curve of his cheek which dipped down into an angular jaw. There was a bright flash of lightning in the distance which lit up the room for just a few seconds, her eyes zoned in on the harshness of his yellow eyes and the sudden crashing roll of thunder that followed caused her to jump and quickly avert her gaze.

The thunder was loud as it trailed into the distance but it finally faded until there was nothing left but the steady pour of rain. There was a soft groan in the living room as Rico began to stir. Assuming Juejen was still in the kitchen Rico yawned as he called out for his sister. “Juejen?” He asked sleepily, his lips still too slack to form the proper syllables of the name. There was a smacking noise as he licked his lips, moistening them before he pushed the covers off of him into a soft puddle on the floor. “Smells good.”

Somehow Juejen's pulse quickened even more as she tried to twist to face the doorway. If Rico decided to investigate this man would surely kill him wouldn't he? It would be a dumb move, an impractical one though. Like most hunters she assumed he had been stalking them for weeks and despite his threats she doubted anyone would put in that much effort just to mar their merchandise. There was the unmistakeable sound of someone rising from the couch. Juejen closed her eyes tightly and unable to escape the hand that was firmly clasped over more than half of her face she, decided to bite hard into the tender flesh.

Kai sat up and faced the door way when he heard the elf’s brother talking from the living room. His hand that covered the woman’s mouth slipped down to her neck, still keeping a firm pressure so she wouldn’t get any ideas. The hunter had only planned to capture one elf, the timing wouldn’t allow for an extra package, but he would prefer not to have to kill the brother in the process. Killing wasn’t something he enjoyed but if it had to be done he knew how to do it quick and clean.

Yellow eyes, glowing in the dark room, lowered back to the soft form that lay under his body. He kept his voice low emphasizing each word, “His life is in your hands right now woman. I’m taking you and I will kill him if he gets in my way.” His grip tightened around the hilt of his dagger as he released his grip on her throat and pulled slowly back away from her and off the bed. Giving her the space to choose the boys fate.

Juejen didn't want to concede so easily and especially so soon, but she didn't want Rico to get killed either. Her eyes fixated on the man who lingered above her, the pressure on her neck faded to the back of her mind as she began to weigh her options. Although, she knew there was only one. Her gaze stayed on him as he slid off of her and the bed and she sat up within the space given. There was a loud clatter in the kitchen, the rustling of the knife drawer and the clatter of plates and she knew he was fixing himself some pie. Her older brother would be alright without her wouldn't he? Her bottom lip began to tremble at the thought, she didn't think she would be okay without him. No matter how annoying he was. "Rico!" She hissed, sounding irritated as normal but now only to keep her voice from trembling. There was another sound in the kitchen as the sound of the glasses clinked together.

"What?!" He called out as he poured himself a big mug of milk and wandered over to plop down on the small round table. Everything in the house accommodated two. It was always the two of them and now it would just be reduced to one.

Juejen's fingers dug into the sheets "Do you have to be so loud? I'm trying to sleep."

Rico bowed his head and spoke through a mouthful of pie. "Sorry" He groaned out. It was always better to apologize to her than to invoke a fight. Especially if she was tired. That he had learned early on. "I'll be quiet" He quipped. "Night."

"Night." She replied before standing and shutting her bedroom door.

Kai pushed back the flap of his jacket to slide his knife into its shealth on his belt. "Good decision.” He stated, than held his hand for her to take. Kai found it more satisfying to make it her decision to go with him, not that she really had a choice in the matter but she would take his hand willingly to save her brother. The power he felt over her at the moment pleased his alpha and he could feel a rumble in his chest from the beast. This feeling made his mouth tilt down in a frown and he jerked his hand from the air and turned to quietly open the window so they could climb out of it. He turned back once it was open and snapped at her, “Hurry.”

Juejen felt disgusted. She was disgusted with how quickly she had given in and how she was sure her captor was relishing in the fact. She wouldn't let him get the best of her again, not after this. Before she could do anything she would have to get far away from Rico, at least a days worth. In a day he would know she was gone and he was quick enough to figure it out, right? A day might not be long enough to get the villagers to move, or to send help, but it was a chance to plan and it was longer than she had now. She ignored the demand of her captor and walked to her closet, she grabbed a thick jacket the one she usually took with her during hunting. One that she knew she still had her hunting knife in the breast pocket. She pulled it on and began to crawl out of the window, her boot squished in the mud and she was thankful for the rain. If it kept on they'd have very clear tracks to follow.

Kai followed her out the window and slide the pane closed behind him, turning to face the girl that stood before him. He reached back and fished the thick rope he had pack from his back pocket, keeping his behind him so the elf couldn’t see. She had agreed to go with him but he knew that would change as soon as they were a good distance from her brother. He had learned it was best to keep his prey fully captured until he turned them in. The moon was bright, unblocked by clouds and he wanted to do this fast before someone looked out a window and saw them. With a bruising grip her grabbed her arm and covered her mouth again to mute her cries of protest. He twisted her and pushed her against the wall of the house and pulled her arms behind her back with one hand wrapping the rough rope around her thin wrists. Keeping her pressed he searched around his pockets for some kind of cloth to cover her mouth and frowned when he didn’t find any. With an annoyed sigh and growled at the elf, “My ears are sensitive so yelling in my ear will only get yourself hurt.” He told her as he let go of her mouth and grabbed her around her waist, hoisting her onto his shoulder and running for the woods. Even if she screamed and woke the whole town he would be able to get a good distance away before they realized what was happening. Even carrying her small extra weight would not slow him down.

Juejen clenched her eyes tightly shut, the bouncing on his shoulder and the speed at which the trees were whizzing past was beginning to make her feel sick. She bowed her head low and groaned. "If we don't stop" She shouted against the wind "I think I'm going to throw up!"

Kai came to a sudden stop and tossed the girl down on her feet, knitting his brows at her in annoyance. He didn’t have time to mess around with the girl but he also didn’t want her to throw up on his jacket. After making a decision he turned and bent down, “Lift your arms over my head and you can ride on my back, otherwise I’ll throw you back on my shoulder.” His voice was cold and he kept his gaze away from her.

Juejen stumbled back and fell to the ground with a yelp. She lowered her head between her legs to steady her rolling stomach and when she looked up again she was surprised to see the man knelt down before her with his back turned. She struggled to stand with her hands bound. When she had imagined being captured it never went this nicely. She moved behind him and looked down at him "Where are you planning on taking me?"

Kai turned his head to send her a dangerous glare and snap back at her, “You’re not in a position to ask questions and I don’t have time for this shit. Now shut up and do as I said.” He turned his head away again, ending the conversation and waiting for her. Once the sun came up it would be only three days before the full moon and it would take just that amount of time to get to the offices to turn the elf in. If he was lucky he would be able to trade for a horse in the next town.

Juejen flinched at his glare but narrowed her steely eyes right back. "You're getting what you wanted." she snapped "I came with you." Her hands clenched into tiny fists against the tight rope. "You could at least try not to be an asshole, you know" As soon as the words left her mouth she almost wanted to take them back. He was already doing a lot more than she expected a man in his business would and she was sure she had just fucked herself over.

Kai stood slowly and turned his body to face the elf, moving a few inches in front of her. He reached out and grabbed her hair pulling her head back painfully and looked down at her coldly. His mouth twisted into a snarl showing off his sharp canines. “You say it like you had a choice in the matter. You would have come with me even if I had to drag you out of that house covered in your brothers blood. Now unless you what me to really start acting like an asshole,” He tightened his grip on her hair, causing more pain before continuing, “I suggest you keep that pretty mouth of yours shut and obey my every word. Because if you get to be too much of a fucking pain in the ass I will drop you dead and go back and take your brother instead.” His eyes flashed angrily in the darkness as he let go and stepped away from her, “Back or shoulder. This is the last time I'm giving you a choice.”

Juejen's eyes were filled with nothing but disdain as she regarded the man who was forcing her head back by her silvery locks. She swallowed hard and the forced tension on her neck made the simple act a struggle. "O-okay." she muttered and her teeth gritted against the second sharp tug and she gasped, her eyes clenching shut as the pain raced through her spine. Once he untangled his hand from her hair she straightened up, her eyes opening slowly but taking a minute to blink away the tears that had formed. "..your back." she decided solemnly.

Silently the hunter turned once again and bent before her so she could easily climb onto him. Once she was on he locked his arms around her legs and took off once more.

They didn't reach the nearest town till the sun began to rise, shinning blindingly through the trees. Kai was tired from the long hours of running and with the extra weight from the girl his pace had slowed considerably once his eyes caught sight of the buildings. Now doing no more than a power walk he made his way past a few buildings until his dark shadowed eyes spotted a sign above one of the doors and he came to a stop before it. Bending down slightly he pulled the girls arms over his head and let her fall the few feet to the ground. He nudged her towards the door indicating that she go first. "Get in." He followed her form through the door, passing under the inn sign.

Juejen's feet felt like jelly underneath her weight as she stumbled in through the door to the inn. The inside was warm and inviting and the heat from the fireplace felt good on her chilled skin. Once inside she stepped aside to allow the green haired man to take care of any business.

Since it was so early there weren't many people awake yet. A few travelers here and there were having their morning coffee and a hearty breakfast before hitting the road. A red headed woman was moving about through the tables refilling coffee and chatting. She was lost in an intense conversation with an older woman towards the back before the elderly woman pointed at the pair that had just walked in. She looked up at them, her crystalline blue eye flitted over the pair and she set down the fresh pot of coffee and moved over to them. "How can I help you?" she asked as she dried her hands off on the towel that hung in the strap of her apron. She was tall for a woman and her hair fell in shaggy ruby layers that barely passed her shoulders. She looked ordinary enough except for the thick white bandage which covered her left eye.

Kai pulled his jacket off it was still damp from the rain last night and was heavy on his shoulders. His hair was blown back from all the running and even his attempts to fix it by ruffling ti with his hand did little to change it. He barely gave notice to the woman as he said in a commanding tone, “A room for this elf, and bring me a bottle of sake.” He turned to Juegen and grabbed her wrist then pulled the knife from his belt and sliced the ropes around her hands. Before letting go he gave them a painful squeeze and looked at her threatening. “Go to the room and stay there.” Slipping the knife back onto his belt he made his way over to the bar, tossing his jacket carelessly into an empty chair and took the seat next to it leaving the elf in the woman’s hands.

Juejen winced, her wrists were already rubbed raw and numb from the rope but the digging of his nails in her flesh brought back the painful sensation.

Kashi watched the aggressive display with an easy smile, it was too soon to judge the situation but with the way it was going, she wasn't impressed. "I'm sorry sir." She called out to him as he seated himself at the bar "But, we don't serve alcohol so early in the morning. You'll have to try around lunchtime." She walked away from the man at the bar to a small desk where all the room keys were located. Her finger bounced from each peg to the next, her long nails tapping at the wood. She picked one of the nicer rooms, a more expensive one before giving it to the wary elf who had followed her. She pressed the key into the palm of her hand. "It's room 5. Upstairs on the left."

Juejen took the key, glanced back to Kai once more and retreated to the bedroom.