Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

"The Hunters...." Susanne trailed off, her eyes glazing over, and a deeply painful expression crossing her face. "I don't even know much about. I never even saw them as they chased me. They were always moving shadows. But the man who raised me told me they were ruthless men, who kill those they see as threats." She swallowed, trying to remember things from her childhood she rarely thought of anymore. "They seem more like demons to me, then humans." she muttered under her breath, before continuing out loud "I don't know why they want me dead"

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Shyanne frowned, but said nothing.

Finally, she placed her hands flat on the ground and said, "We won't let them hurt you." Shyanne looked at others, hoping they would back her up. She didn't quite know where the statement had come from, but she was just as afraid of being found.

~~~

Madam Sephora joined her fellow thieves at the fire and poured herself a cup of tea from the kettle that was steeping in the coals. "How are our little captives, hmm?" She hugged the copper mug in her hand and took a slow sip.

~~~

An exasperated cry escaped Evewen as she looked at the ground. Where is it?

The horse was trotting now and Evewen knew they were nearing the camp where they had found the others. Pulling on the reins a few moments later, she slid from the horse's back and quickly walked toward the camp.

She looked left and right, searching with careful eyes. Finally, her dark eyes lit up and a relieved smile spread across her lips. The ring was there on the ground, by the rock where she had tied the young man up.

Evewen walked toward the ring and picked it up. She began to tie it around her neck, tighter this time, but still keeping it long enough to hid under her shirt.

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Edmund said, "Micah and I have been trying to protect her. Did we succeed? No!"
He tried rattling the bars and yelled to any guard who would hear, "I demand you get us out of here! Or else I will break the bars myself!"

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

A sudden noise from the woods outside peaked Micah's curiosity. He could immediately tell from her glance that Telwyn had heard it too; the sound of a horse, relatively nearby. Micah motioned toward the entrance of the cave, and slowly slid his sword out once again as he crept out.

Standing about a dozen yards away was a woman with dark hair, her back turned to them. She had a horse with her: meaning she could easily dart off long before he could find out who she was. As he tried to get a better view through the trees, she suddenly turned her body and face enough for him to catch a startling glimpse of her very familiar face.

"Isla?" He called suspiciously, recognizing her quite clearly as the woman he had met in town only an hour or so before. What is she doing here?

-------

Tristan heard one of the prisoners making quite a racket. He chuckled to Sephora, "They seem to be making themselves very comfortable, wouldn't you say?"

(delete this post, please)

Vayond: The Shadowed hunters

Susanne smiled over at Shyanne, grateful for what she had said. She was thankful for having friends who had helped her when she needed it, but the danger was hardly past and they were far from safe. Now, imprisoned in a dark pit that was damp and cold, and guarded by bandits who weren't inclined to be kind or feeling, she felt afraid. The bandits who had taken them captive didn't know what the Hunters were. They didn't know that the ruthless men who were hunting Susanne and her friends, could slaughter them all if they chose. Susanne felt tears brimming her eyes and she looked over at Shyanne "I'm so sorry for getting you all into this"

Edmund then jumped up and began rattling and yelling loudly.

"Please don't do that Edmund, it will only make it worse for us all" Susanne said.

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Edmund turned around, feeling sweat drooping form his hair. He pouted then walked over to his friends. "Then what can we do?"

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Isla? Evewen froze, as shock registered on her face. She spun around slowly, lifting her hands to show that she didn't have a weapon. She narrowed her eyes at he man, but didn't recognize him.

It was obvious that the man knew her sister, but how? "Tell me where Isla is." Her voice was forceful, showing that she wanted a quick and honest answer.

~~~

"Oh, I do hope they stop their noise soon. I never can sleep when people are shouting to be released. Such a racket." Sephora said, taking another sip of the steaming tea.

"Have they had some dinner? That will keep them quiet for a good amount of time, I'm sure."

~~~

Shyanne looked at Susanne. "It's not your fault. If I hadn't ran away from my father, I wouldn't be here. You didn't make me do it; I made a choice. As we all did."

"We wait," Shyanne said to Edmund, her face looking tired.

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Edmund asked, "Why did you run from your dad? Is he bad?"

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

The answer he recieved from the woman he had thought was Isla stunned Micah into silence for several moments, as he re-examined her face. He moved closer; she still looked amazingly like Isla, only he now saw she was wearing completely different apparel. "I saw her in town, not more than an hour ago," he answered.

Wait, why am I answering her questions, and not the other way around? He wondered, since he felt she was the one who owed him an explanation. "Who are you, and what are you doing here?"

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Shyanne let out a slight chuckle, though it lacked true mirth. "No, my father is wonderful, when you're bending to his will, that is."

"He's a very wealthy, doting, busy, well-liked man and he treats me like a princess, but he is more interested in furthering his wealth and position than he is in making the wishes of his daughter's heart become reality." Shyanne said, her voice sounding slightly bitter.

~~~

Evewen watched as the man observed her. A slight smile spread across her lips. She knew that her sister, Isla, and her had looked identical when they were younger, but she wasn't sure if the similarities had continued as they grew older. As teens, they had played tricks on people too many times to count. With a twin, robbing and thieving was easy and almost like a game.

Finally, the man voiced two questions.

Evewen thought for a few moments about what to say. "I'm delivering a letter to Lord Henrik." She motioned toward the horse. "It's a very important letter and I was told not to stop, but I smelled the smoke and wondered if anyone was here."

She crossed her arms, trying to hide the ring from his view.

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Edmund asked, "And what might those wishes be?"

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Shyanne cleared her throat, looking at Edmund. "There are few who know them and I wish to keep it that way. If everybody knows one's wishes, they'll never come true and I don't know what I'd do if they didn't..."

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

Edmund swallowed, glad to see Shyanne's more vulnerable and kinder side. "Well, I wish I could be of assitance. Instead I'm stuck...in this cell." He found a rock and scraped at the brick wall.

Vayond: The Shadowed Hunters

"All hope isn't lost." Shyanne said, re-situating herself on the dirt floor. "Micah is still out there and he won't stop until he finds me--us." She corrected with a slightly embarrassed smile.