The Hunt

Chapter Four

I apologize, my pet, but I had no choice.

Diana’s inner thoughts floated in her mind.

She dodged the loose branches, twigs, and other greenery from slapping her in the face while allowing her tears to run down her face.

General Caspian was hot on her tail, his observant eyes searching the area for any possible threat.

He had witnessed the fear in the eyes of Commander Li. Raised as children with the Princess, both General Caspian and Commander Li had formed a lasting blood oath to protect the Princess with their lives.

Commander Li’s decision of allowing the Princess to venture on her lonesome was hard.

Screaming enveloped the air; the Lycans taking down their prey easy and sweet.

Closing his eyes, for he heard the battle cry of Commander Li, General Caspian gazed at the Princess's back while preventing his tears from falling. Knowledgeable of a Lycan’s strength, for she had heard the stories of the Exiled Lycan King; Angelique gulped.

One Lycan could eliminate a small army of her people.

Sensing every single person had met their end, including Commander Li, she was distressed and aggrieved.

Suddenly Diana came to a screeching halt. A gigantic black beast was dangerously blocking her path.

Hanging onto the rein for she had lifted her front legs, Angelique screamed, the rope biting through her soft flesh.

Diana’s ears laid flat on top of her head as she loudly neighed. The silently staring beast terrifying.

It stood beyond the Kingdom border. The fearsome beast was obviously blocking their way.

Gleaming and disappearing was the shield her mother had performed around the entire Kingdom before her horrible death.

As soon as it seized to exist, the beast roared. Gnashing its teeth, it began to run towards them.

“General Caspian, no!”

Screaming, as General Caspian rode hard and fast towards the beast that was making its way towards them, Angelique's throat tightened.

Shaking her burning hands, she felt Diana huff underneath her with pure fright. She was terrified.

“Run your highness! Do not try to protect me! I will stall him!”

Angelique shook her head.

He punctured the wild beast with his golden sword and summoning roots—the basic, but powerful nature magic in the Fae Kingdom.

“No! General Caspian, he will kill you!”

She feared he would make a terrible mistake. She bristled when he harshly barked in her direction.

“If you do not leave now, Commander Li’s death will be for naught!”

Wordlessly nodding with tears flowing from her eyes, she could only listen to his orders. One last glimpse as he and the beast collide in a furious battle, she turned Diana in the other direction.

Suddenly, she screamed in pure horror, for the beast had torn General Caspian in two and began running behind them.

With her closest friend's blood all over its body, its legs formed indents on the ground. Trees big as it fell in its wake. It sounded as if a stampede was chasing her. Feeling as if its breath was on her back, she pushed Diana until she was as fast as the wind. They barely avoided the beast's angry and irritated large paw.

It jumped onto the carriage, the tip of its claw cutting through the top. Its weight was breaking off the wheels. Angelique crawled on top of Diana to the place tied to the carriage.

She cut the rope with the sharp pointed edge of her root. She did this with a numb mind. As soon as the last thread of rope was severed, she watched and heard the loud crash, as it slightly hindered the beast chase.

Barely catching the bouncing rein attached to Diana’s saddle, she was out of breath from the strenuous activity, but her nightmares were far from over.

Unexpectedly, the instantly recovered beast had hit the soft flesh of Diana's rump. It caused her to falter, but she proceeded; her breathing irregular, as she pushed her body to the limit.

Hearing the Lycan teeth gnashing into the air every single time Diana jumped, Angelique's heart raced in her chest.

Its clumsy body was now almost equally near them. It was surprising, for Diana was running with ultimate speed.

Bending on Diana's back when the beast had swing its claws to try to throw her off of her, Angelique screamed. Diana's loudly neighed when the beast had managed to hack its teeth into her leg.

Crying when the beast had forcefully pulled Diana back, Angelique's grip loosened. Like the dolls her mother commanded the woodcutters to make, she went flying into a large tree that knocked the breath right out of her lungs.

Gasping for air, as if she was drowning, she whimpered when the crazed beast slowly began to walk towards her with hackles raised and canine teeth elongated.

In the black spots that clouded her vision, she saw the loud and painful neighing Diana. She used her affinity of elongating her horn to throw the beast away from her.

Hitting a tree, for the impact of her sudden attack had rendered her clumsy, Diana shook her head and body of the aches and pains erupting on her body. The beast had thrown a couple of feet away from them. Its body broke many trees in its disoriented wake. Whimpering, as it slowly climbed onto its legs, it snarled, for one of its paws was dislocated.

Quickly, Diana rushed towards Angelique, who was fighting for breath.

Placing the tip of her horn in the middle of her chest, she punctured it through her clothes and skin. Angelique took in a satisfying breath into her lungs.

The healing affinity of Diana's horns brought her great comfort. But it was soon over when she went flying into another tree when the roaring and recovered beast had banged against her bleeding side.

Diana loudly neighed. It echoed in the quiet forest. The healed and functioning Angelique screamed with tears pricking her eyes, for she had practically felt Diana’s horrified blow that sent shivers cascading all over her.

Looking at the beast that was readying to raise its claws to end Diana's life, she summoned large roots from the towering trees to encircle the feet of the Lycan. Forcing the roots to work at her pace by lifting the growling beast into the air, she angrily slammed it thrice onto the ground with a loud battle cry.

The heartbreak of losing her loved ones and subjects of the Fae Land made her angry. She sent the bleeding beast a couple of feet away.

Standing on wobbly legs, she suddenly went flying towards a tree, when the beast had managed to tear apart her creation. Causing large indention in the soft soil to break its fall with its large paws; it roared while showing its canine at Angelique.

Somersaulting and landing in the welcoming arms of a cocoon of grass, she summoned her vines.

Using this as a distraction, Diana rushed despite her massive injuries towards the Lycan; but Angelique quickly stood up.

Forming a gigantic shield of roots to surround and separate her from the growling beast, she sobbed.

Run, Diana. Do not look back.