The Greatest Hunt.

Red skies lounged under the prevailing light, songs of birds diminishing over the forest as animals alike moved to their beds in the want for sleep and rest. The clearing at hand now held two small shelters, simple wooden structures that creaked under the wind. Two figures sitting in the middle, collapsing after a long day of difficult work, the small fire that held within the center rippling under the soaring winds.

"I think everything will be okay now. We have our little shelters, should sleep well tonight."

The words of the girl were tired, exhaustion playing over her slight form as she leaned back over her hands, splayed over the hard ground below.

"I think you're forgetting something, Jade. I'm not likely to just fall asleep tonight, or any night. We've sat and done all this for what? Me to break them down in a fit of rage and anger, attack you, hurt you even?"

Serious features had slipped over the mans brow as he gazed unto his sister, her own calm, yet gently panting form looking back to him, a curt smile holding on her lips.

"I'm quite prepared for that Cain, you don't think I'd be stupid enough to come all the way out here, see you and not come unprepared?"

Leaving no room for an answer, the young woman dragged her slight form over from where she sat, finding the bag she had brought with her, the gentle rummaging brought someone of a quirk to the eye of Cain.

"I have something that I'm afraid is a must, dear brother."

Her voice seemingly sad, disappointed as she pulled out large grouping of tied rope. Allowing the thick bushes of fiber to ball to the ground, another grasp brought a gentle clink as a single, cold steel chain came out, a latch upon it, clearly to hold something in place.

"I gathered these from the stables before I came, I'm afraid you will have to have some restraints while night has come, the rope will hopefully be enough but we have a chain for your ankle, just in case."

Slight shock had fallen over Cains features, the confusion, the surprise at his sisters will to imprison him within such shackles. A few moments passed as he looked to both his sister and then to his own wrists. The idea of such things being around him almost brought both fear and hostility over mind, yet clear in truth, he followed his gaze back to the woman, allowing a gentle nod to pass over his form.

"Very well, it's getting dark, perhaps we should get this underway."

Jade in turn nodding as she carried the few things over to one of the small shelters. The man crawled under the wooden posts, finding a position below the low beams, allowing himself to become more comfortable. Jade in turn, taking the rope, his wrists extending as she tied a tight noose around them. Pulling the length towards opposing trees, reducing his freedom considerably. The final chain was brought around his right ankle, a clink of steel sounding the seel as they looked to one another once more, a passing sigh lifting off both their lips with the woman's movements over to a solid tree. Wrapping the chain around its great birth, the lock was sealed as the key was slipped within her own pocket.

"I'll bring you some water, some more bread, just in case you get hungry during the night."

Shifting away towards the small camp they had built, she left his form in an uneasy position, comfortable enough, as long as little movement was brought forward.
Returning with the objects, she smiled graciously, the pair wishing one another a good night and parting good luck, the woman finally made her way to the opposite side of their small camp, finding her own bed for the night in hope not to be greatly disturbed.

Restless in slumber, the gentle turning of the woman brought eyes to an open, the blurred vision causing irritation as she allowed herself to brush over those optics, gently removing the vigors of sleep. Moments passed before the girl came to realise what she was hearing, groans, grunts, small screams as scratching noises were drifting over to her half-sleeping state. Nerves wrenched over her body, silent fear echoing through her soul, the girl peering around the wooden blocks, looking out to where her brother was left. Her knowledge full that it was he, who made these sounds.

A small frown crept over her features, the man was slouched over, curled into a tight ball, sitting upon his feet. Shoulders shifting rapidly under his movement as he seemed to be clawing at something. Confusion slipping to mind, worry filling her thoughts as she questioned what her brother was doing to himself, pulling her form up, she slipped over to where she had left the small gun that carried with it, silver bullets. Taking the piece in hand, her movements slow, as to not startle the figure of her maddened brother, she moved gracefully over to where he remained.

Allowing her pacing to come just out of reach from where the shackles she had adorned upon him the day before, her words came clear.

"What are you doing? Cain?"

The questioning tone was brought forth, the figure ahead of her freezing upon her words. A low growl like sound rippled from the slouched figure, slow turning head came to face her, hidden below hunched shoulders. Eyes wide, fury writhing through them as he snapped suddenly, his entire frame spinning to face her, curled up into a half crouch, gazing towards her own form, the growl still running from parted lips.

Her own eyes shifting to witness what he had been attacking, a great stain of blood inched its way from the clutching steel around his leg. Great claw marks ripped through his skin, pulling lashes of flesh from the placement. The steel battered in its own right, marks and abrasions lining the exterior. It was only to which point that the girl shifted her gaze, looking to the wrists of the man, the rope that bound his form had frayed, torn, chewed perhaps as its nearly broken bonds disappeared. Eyes averted the previous scene as she came to gaze back at the figure, the gun in hand finding its place again, clutching gently as she looked at him.
His own breathing heavy, sweat dripping down the angered face, muscles heaving under his strain. White in features, she began to realise how sickly he appeared, eyes seeming to be dilated, movements slightly erratic.

The sudden burst of life caused a scream to rip from her lungs, the figure of the man bolted forward, lunging towards her. The chains snapping in place, taking his leg back as his upper body continued to stretch after her own form, arms being pulled backwards by the ropes, he snapped at her, jaws crashing over themselves as an animal might have done before her. Coiling snaps of strands from the ropes could be heard, slowly being pulled apart by his great heaving pull, eyes furious, locking into her own as she held back, the startled pace of her movements holding her clear of the mans attempts.

"I will be free then...I will kill you."

The words slipped from lips, a moment was passed before she came to the conclusion she had actually heard the man, his voice was lower, gauntly, un-human, almost demonic in tone as that evil glare held locked within place, a tongue rolling from his lips, reaching out to her, licking at the air as if to taste her own sweet flesh.

Fear once more struck over her, the life of the beast, the fowl creature had always been considered nothing more than an animal, yet it spoke clearly to her, spoke of death, of killing her, wanting freedom. Panic began to take the girl, her hand clutched at the gun, now raising it as she pointed to the man before her.His own form never moving, never flinching, simple there, pulling at his binds, waving that gruesome tongue towards her own form.

Hands shaking, shivering in fear, in uncertainty, she knew she should kill him but with that, the sight of her brother was still there, still his features, still his face. His eyes, though different, it was still him, the trigger seeming further away with each passing second, the want to finish it there, the fear to take his life was there but the inclination, the factor of killing her own brother was too much. The arm lowered, the gun coming to her side as she slumped in defeat, gaze falling to the ground as felt almost ashamed for her own weakness.

"I thought so..."

That same voice vibrated through her ears, optics firing up to meet the man once more, his own form had fallen back to stand upright, seemingly calm under his wild fury. Yet those eyes that held her, still showed the madness, the anger as a horrible smile of victory held his lips.

Moments passed as they gazes to one another, the time passing in eternal torment before the sudden awakening. The bursting life of the man caused her to stumble back, once more her tore himself forward, the bonds around his arms however breaking, snapping to fly outwards to the sides, clasping arms, reached for her form, claws scraping the ground as he fell to the floor, the sudden coil of anger brought a great howling scream over his lungs as he threw his body to the chain around his leg, digging at its place, scratching himself free. Her own self falling to the ground, pulling her body back as she gaped in horror at the man who seemed seconds from freeing himself.

Instincts taking over, her thoughts blurred as she got to her feet and ran, she ran as fast as she could, back the way she came, back to the house, the safety. Fear, horror, anger at herself running through her body. She ran for freedom of that fear, the howls of loss, the painful want for her own blood was coming from behind her. Free from his shackles, free from his constraints, free to chase her, to catch her, to kill her....Was all that played on the woman's mind. Nothing stopping her, nothing holding her back as she continued to run for the clearing that would bring her to her house, the warmth of a fire, the safety of her father.

The struggle through the dense forest seemed to pass within seconds, the screams at hand had stopped yet the reverberated through her mind, nothing else could hear them perhaps but they still languished over her own thoughts. The house was in sight, the hope was there, she could see the smoke that held over the chimney. A smile finally finding its way to her lips, hope finally returning. Home and to safety she'd find herself...

"You're mine!"

Eyes flew open as the girl turned her upper body, looking behind her only to see the form of a man, his own body had leapt into the air, diving over hers, dragging her to the ground in a great heave of his might. The fury within that voice, the hatred, the want for blood shown as he lashed his hands to her body, fighting back, throwing her hands at his own face as he clawed at her figure. Screaming yells, cried of fear drowned out by the mad growls of the attack. Again time seemed to freeze, just as the night before, she was lost in a world between life and death and felt nothing was capable of saving her.

The great explosive sound was that which pulled her free from this state of mind, the firing of a gun, the firing of hope once more as the figure that weighted her down was thrown clear of her body. The painful yelp sounded like a hurt dog as she pulled her gaze upwards, finding a faint sensation coming over her, vision once again blurred slightly, the scene of a man, scurrying away, moving more like an ape, using hands as well as feet fled from her placement. Great hands wrapped themselves around her shoulders, slipping under her knees to lift her form clear into the air, shouts were heard, a large man carrying her form was all she could make out. The fear, of the night, the trauma that was so unexpected too much for the young woman, slipping into the darkness of sleep, her mind freeing itself of the troubles of the day before, the weary body falling into the arms of the unknown man, unafraid of where he would take her, drifting off into bliss for the time to forget about the horrors that had happened before.