Selling Myself To The Hunter

Chapter 4

Hunter

My heart raced as I scoured the jungle for her. This couldn't be real; this couldn't be happening. Surely, this was just another one of Seraphina's attacks, the mist playing on my mind again. The moon goddess wouldn't be so cruel, to first let Seraphina rule on this earth in any manner, and then to let her fall into this fabricated world. Hadn't I been punished enough? Was my self-sacrifice worth nothing to my goddess, that she felt the need to send the one person I prayed I would never find in this awful place?

"She is real." Hugo reiterated for the tenth time; his nose practically stuck to the ground. "And we must find her. Calm down and focus."

I took a steadying breath, though it came out shaky. Everything, everything, in this world was built to kill and destroy. And just about everyone who landed here was due to their own terrible, selfish nature. Nothing and no one good dwelled here. None of which lasted long anyway. If they weren't outright killed for sport, they were usually tormented in one way or another for some sort of sick pleasure, either by Seraphina or anyone else down here. I have seen many grotesque things in this world, things that I will never be able to unsee, or unhear. The things of nightmares. Knowing that she would be subjected to either death or suffering leading to death... it made me want to claw my eyes out. My stomach turned to lead, my body clammy at the thought of what might happen to her, especially if Seraphina finds out what she is to me.

I wouldn't allow myself to even think the word that she was to me.

"No sign of her here." Hugo said, quickly changing course.

But what if she was a monster in her own right? Would that be the saving grace here? That she was as awful as the rest of them? Perhaps if I got to know her, I wouldn't even truly want her... her unavoidable death wouldn't mean much to me. She wouldn't mean much to me.

"Focus!" Hugo growled at me.

I shook off my spiraling thoughts and looked around. It was beginning to get dark. And in my gut, I knew where we needed to go. If she wasn't dead by now, and assuming she hadn't found somewhere spectacular to hide, that left two places, and both were awful. The worst would be at Seraphina's mansion, located in the center of this world. Easy to get in, near impossible to get out of. Surrounded by a maze of vines and shrubs, many have died trying to escape.

The other option was the trading post, located in between the fork in the river, to ensure that no goods were stolen with ease. While that wasn't inherently a terrible place, in fact I frequently went there to do business myself, it would be terrible for her if she had been captured, which was very possible.

"Let's check the trading post first," I suggested. We would be better off starting there. The last place I ever wanted to go was the center.

That would be a death sentence.

- - - - - - - -

Dahlia

I began to stir at the sound of someone's anguished cry for help, and laughter - lots of laughter. Not the good kind though, it was an evil sounding sort of humor. Peeling my tongue from the roof of my incredibly dry mouth, I slowly cracked my eyes open, taking in my surroundings. I was... oh god... I was in a cage. Its metal lattice bit into me where I lay, making every movement uncomfortable. A thin layer of sweat clung to my body - my very naked body - the humid jungle air warm enough to stave off any chill but not the sticky discomfort. A wave of nausea ran through me as I eased myself up into a sitting position; leftover from the poisonous berries or the gruesome sounding suffering happening not far from where I was - I wasn't sure. I scrambled to my knees, my body screaming at the sudden movement, and began to dry heave in the corner of my small cage. My stomach was empty enough that I only managed to expel spit, nothing more, thankfully. Otherwise, I would have been sitting in my own vomit.

Easing back onto my heels, having to duck my head in that position, I looked around, wrapping my arms around myself for some sort of feigned modesty. I didn't let myself think much on my nakedness. Not now, not when I was in a f*****g cage. I have bigger problems to worry about right now than public nudity. It was dark outside, the only light that of a campfire twenty or so feet from where my cage was. It cast shadows over each and every plant and tree, giving the already ominous jungle a far more terrifying feel. To my right was the dense forest, to my left a large tent. It was on the other side of the makeshift structure that I heard the endless wailing. I thought myself lucky that I couldn't actually see what was happening, though that only caused my mind to begin to unravel at all the possibilities of what could be causing that girl so much pain and suffering.

Okay, it's okay Dahlia, just breathe, I told myself. Panicking would do me no good, though it was quite appealing right about now. What else did I see? What could be of help? I asked myself.

Ahead of me there was a dirt path and past that some makeshift tents. Zorra said she was taking me to a trading post. Was this the place? It looked worn down and forgotten. Not that I could see much with how dark it was. I imagined that by morning this place would be busy, which meant that I had to find a way out now. If not to escape the potential buyers, then to escape the endless pleas that were beginning to crumple something within me. There had to be something. A branch... a rock... something I thought as I began to scan the area just outside my cage for any tools. Nothing.

There was a sickening snap that drew my attention, the pleas for mercy ending. Perhaps I needed to find an escape route sooner. I gulped down my fear, trying to remain calm, steadying my breathing, praying that the laughing men had grown tired of whatever torment they had just dished out and would forget all about me.

But instead, my guts turned watery when I witnessed one of the men head towards the fire, a spear in hand. He plunged it into the ground with such force it made me jump. And then he began positioning something on top of it. His laughter grew as he showed his companions, but it wasn't until he had headed into the tent that I had a clear shot of what they had all found so funny.

A severed head.

Don't panic... don't panic... don't panic...

Even with the darkness surrounding me, there was no mistaking the black and blue marks and the deep slices marring the girl's face, which was set in a scream. I had no idea where I was, but I knew at that moment I was way over my head. My attention snapped to my cage, feeling for where the lock was located. It was a small enough cage that perhaps if I kicked hard enough, I could break the lock and escape.

Despite being bare-footed, I quickly got into position and gave the door a kick, then another, only to abruptly stop when I heard steps approaching.

"Let's see what that fox brought us." One of the men said, clapping his hands together in excitement, his unnaturally colored blue eyes locking onto me. He was muscular, and looked like a man, but there was something about him that had the hairs on my arms standing up.

"Please- don't-" I began to beg, my blood running cold.

But they acted as if I weren't even there. The one pulled out a set of keys, flipping through them as he began to speak.

"Zorra said it was a human; the boss won't get much for her. Perhaps we should have our fun now. It's not like-"

A low snarl and a set of vibrant green eyes had the men stopping in their tracks, their faces falling. My heart hammered in my chest as I took in the massive wolf standing right next to my cage. He looked like the wolf I had run into earlier...but that was impossible. No way would he have found me here... not so far from where I had landed...

"You sure do like to sneak up on people, don't you?" The man with the keys said, gulping nervously.

The wolf's stealth was impressive. I didn't hear or see him arrive. If I reached out, I could pet him if I dared. Though I'd probably lose a finger. Or a hand.

"I say we let the boss deal with... this." The first man said, taking a careful step back.

"Agreed." The other nodded, backing away with him, his palms up.

The beast in front of me didn't stop snarling, his ears back, hackles raised, until the men were fully out of sight, tucked away in their tent once more. Only then did his eyes meet mine. I swore relief swirled within them as he stared directly into my soul. I thought he might kill me, but he surprised me when he laid down in front of my cage, completely blocking my exit. f*****g great. His demeanor was at attention, scanning the area. The wolf didn't look especially relaxed, but it was no longer about to start a fight.

And as stupid as it was, I couldn't stop staring at it. His behavior suggested that he was guarding me. No, it was probably just waiting for someone to open my cage to strike. For all I knew, I could be his dinner.

"You don’t look like you want to eat me. Do you?" I softly laughed, my voice hysterical sounding. "Don’t answer that."

Silent tears began to stream down my face as I rearranged myself in the corner of my cage, as far from the wolf as possible. I swore it briefly looked at me as if it were disappointed. But that was also ridiculous.

"Can you help me get out of here?" I whispered softly. As if the animal could understand me.

But his head turned towards me, its eyes captivating me. My delusional mind even thought that he gave a slight dip of the head, as if he were nodding yes.

"Great, now I’m talking to a wolf. What’s next, a tree?" I said, scrubbing my hands over my face. Those berries must have been very potent.

The wolf growled at me. Not a threatening growl, but one that grabbed my attention. I frowned and looked at him again. And I wondered for a moment if he needed a friend just as much as I did. Why else would he be here, resting at the door of my cage? And perhaps I was out of my mind, perhaps I was still fighting the poison from the berries, but I reached my hand out and gently petted the soft fur on his back. I swore he purred in response.

At least there was one good thing in this jungle.

"Good boy." I sighed softly, wiping away my tears that wouldn't stop falling.

All I wanted to do was wake up from this nightmare. I wanted to wake up with Toby wrapped around me, safe and comfortable. But it felt like a miracle needed to take place in order for that to happen. My mind was still trying to wrap itself around the idea of this place, and the fact that I was trapped here, in a cage, with creatures I thought to be a myth.

I used to think that dealing with years of medical problems would be the worst I ever had to endure in this life. Multiple surgeries, countless treatments, life-altering diagnoses... I got through it all, and in my heart, I believed that I had paid my price in life, that whatever past life I lived, I atoned for whatever mayhem and would live out the rest of my days happy and healthy. That I would be married and travel the world and enjoy life again.

But here I was. Naked. In a cage. Surrounded by monsters. In a place I knew nothing about, my only companion was a lone wolf, maybe. The jury was still out on him. I wondered if Toby was faring any better. I had so many questions for him, the first being how the hell we ended up here. Assuming he was alive. For all I know, he could be... no, I wouldn't let myself go there. He was alive, and I was going to find a way out of this cage, somehow. And then I was going to search for Toby, and we could find a way out of this mysterious jungle.

Maybe we were drugged and brought to the Bermuda triangle. That might make sense, right? I fought my heavy eyes as I thought of every possibility of where we might have landed. From Africa to an enchanted forest to f*****g wonderland. The wolf eventually rested its head between its paws and I felt some comfort by that. Seeing him relax was all I needed to close my eyes, let them rest, just for a minute... just one minute...