forum Hunter and The Hunted (closed but stalkers are welcome)

Started January 23, 2020 by @Hybrid-Is-tired

tune

“Thanks,” Dare said quietly. I’ve got to get my hands on some of that. “I’m really sorry I left the group, it’s my fault that you got hurt. You told me how dangerous it was out here, but I didn’t listen.”

"You're okay now that's all I care about okay?" Tempest pulled Dare into a quick hug, releasing her as he didn't want to get the sweatshirt she was wearing any more bloody

“But you’re clearly not ok,” Dare said, quickly hugging him back. She ripped the hem of her sweatshirt off and began to dab at his wounds. “You shouldn’t have just rushed in there like that. I had the situation under control.”

Tempest winced when she touched the raw lacerations "I-I'll be fine. I've dealt with worse." he tried to assure her, but as the initial adrenaline started to fade he was starting to feel he looked, in pretty rough shape. "But he…he was going to kill you Dare…you understand that right?"

“Well, you shouldn’t have gotten hurt anyway. And besides, I’ve gotten out of worse scrapes than this!” Dare replied with a false cheerfulness, continuing to clean Tempest’s wounds. That was a lie. The worst thing she’d ever dealt with was that teenager with a gun who’d shot her favorite mystery writer, and he barely knew how to use the thing. “That leaking bastard wasn’t going to kill me. I had it handled.”

He gave a little smile after a little yelp from her digging a little too deep in a wound "Well the leaking bastard isn't gonna stay down forever unless we destroy his whole body and…I don't think any of us can do that right now so we should keep moving. Here I'll make this easier." And he shifted back to his human form. THe wounds were easier to see, the worst one around his right shoulder that had a steady flow of crimson running down his whole body, bubbling when it mixed with the ink colored blood on the ground

“Of course, you’re right. We should keep moving.” As Tempest turned back into his human form, Dare saw how severe the wound on his arm was. Wincing in sympathy, she tied the clean side of the strip of fabric around the dripping cut. “There, good as new.” She struggled to her feet and grabbed her tool, whispering for it to transform under her breath. Dare tucked the sword into her belt loop and held out her hand to Tempest.

He took it with her left hand and stood to his feet and managed to put on a brave face and made sure Yumi stayed with them. "Alright let's see if we can find another Haven member cause…this one's worn out."

“How many more Haven members do you think there are in the arena?” Dare asked, starting to walk forward. She intentionally stepped in the puddle of black, shadowy blood and slipped, leaving herself coated in the stuff. “Ew!” she managed, wiping the stuff away from her eyes so she could see. Her eyes suddenly rolled back into her head and she went limp.

"Oh God oh Christ!" He dropped back to his knees and started to panic "Dare? Dare!? Can you hear me are you okay?" He wasn't prepared to disinfect anyone and didn't even have the materials for the makeshift treatment

Dare stood alone in a dark room that she somehow knew was inside her head. “Zerack!” she called, her voice echoing in the silence. “I wish to speak with you!” Back in the real world, ink pooled in the corners of her mouth and dripped from her nose, and she twitched a bit in response to Tempest’s call.

There was loud echoing steps like nice church shoes on a marble floor. "This is…interesting…you seem to have purposely infected yourself…why is that little one?" a voice said from her left

“It’s my best chance at some sort of survival. And if I want to do anything, it’s survive. Plus, I want answers, and thus far you seem to be the only one who can give them to me.” Dare was shaking at being surrounded by darkness, her worst fear, but she gritted her teeth and continued. “Can you?”

"Hmmm well little one," and his form solidified in front of Dare "What are you itching to know so much that your risking your very life to speak to me?" he was completely calm

“I want to know exactly what this place is and why you have created it. Tempest has told me his side of the story, but I want to hear yours as well. Why have you summoned us here, and is it worth it to become… whatever Patches is?” Dare tried to sound confident, but she was truly terrified for the first time in her life. There was nothing for her to analyze to distract herself, so she was left with only her thoughts.

"Well simply to keep my men and I's skills sharp…with the bonus of killing those pesky little Haven members…So many problems of your worlds would be solved if you just let me help…death would be gone, pollution, animal poaching, in great need…over population could be solved with just a thought…if my gift was given to all." He let out a polite smile, trying to not let his aggressive nature show

“To put it shortly, I’m intrigued. While I’m not all about this whole ‘hunting people for sport’ thing, I think you have some solid ideas. And I want to be a part of whatever you have going on, mainly because I don’t want to live in fear until I die permanently,” Dare said, put at least slightly at ease by his smile. “So, what can I do?”

"You're new friend…he's dangerous and a threat to what…I'll allow my gift to bond with you if you promise to put an end to him then I'll even let you go…go back to your home with my gift." He offered, bending down to her level offering his hand

Dare took a few moments to consider it, but eventually nodded her head. “We have a deal,” Dare said forcefully. “Just let me get home alive.” She took his hand, her slim fingers dwarfed by his grip.

"Trust me dear…you will…to show I'm serious…" he passed his other hand over hers and the mark on her hand vanished

Dare slowly took a deep breath as her brand disappeared from her skin. “Okay, but if it’s gone, won’t Tempest suspect me? I’ll need the element of surprise to get the jump on him.” A pang of sorrow tore at her at the thought of hurting her new friend, but it was her only choice to get home.

"It'll still be there physically be my barrier will let you pass and once outside the barrier I'll take you back home…he trusts you. Remember what good you'll be doing…Dare" he accidentally let out a wicked needle toothed smile "You can wake up whenever you want sweetie."

Dare could only nod. “I understand,” she murmured. She sat up rapidly, coughing out streams of the black liquid, her whole body shaking. “Tempest…” she choked out. “What happened?”

Tempest hugged Dare to his chest, his eyes were bloodshot red as he had been crying, thinking the infection had taken her life "Oh my God Dare! Are you okay? You passed out and started to twitch…your heart stopped for a while."

Holding the bat forward, Erika poked the bush where the rustling was, indicating that there was someone–or something–in there. "Okay, I've seen real wings and slimy cages and magic, I'm pretty sure I can get over whatever the h— you are, so get out here and show us your face!"

"Are you quite sure?" the voice "Do you really want to see what's after you? a dark colored spear flies out at Erika's chest. Ember knocks it out of the air with a well placed arrow "If you insist." There was a woman in an aviator jacket, and a pair of white pants and just as a pleasant face as the rest of shadow soldiers, her grey colored face gaunt and starved looking

Yumi started to panic, rushing beside the two. “Are you hurt? Is there any cuts? Any wounds? I can tend to them…”
Yumi gets closer to the two, then backs away shyly. She couldn’t possibly interrupt anything. “Um… I… uh….”
Yumi cuffs her hands together, her voice getting more raspy. “I hope… everything’s ok…. I…”

Erika flinched before regaining her composure. "So, who are you? Seeing as you fit the 'monster' stereotype, I'm inclined to believe that you're here to injure–if not, kill us, no? Mind you, you're up against two magic-users and a gal with a bat who isn't afraid to aim for your head, so choose your words wisely."