The Hunted

TARRION

"I'd like to hear that story, but first help."

I sighed and stared at her. Her foot was lodged into the ground. "Nicely done. New thing to watch out for, gopher holes." I gave her my hand and helped pull her out. "You're stuck rather nicely," I grumbled, putting my arm around her and pulling. Finally she came free.

"Thanks. Now, about this deer?" She grinned at me.

It was just barely getting light out. All I really cared about was food and a warm bed. They better have cooked that thing right. I thought. Last thing I needed was to barf all over the place. "Right this way," I put my arm out and she linked her through it. "Are there any others?" If there were, my task still wasn't done.

She shrugged. "I have no idea. There was another on my helicopter, but he disapeared."

I nodded. "Well we can find him later." To be quite honest I just didn't want to go back into the woods. I followed the smoke until I coud follow the flame.

"Where is everybody?" I asked Domi. They seemed to have all disapeared.

"Out looking," she murmered, watching me intently. She looked afraid. Of me? Odd... I didn't really give off that horrifying vibe...

Sorry for doing this, I feel like a poo but I'm seriously lost right now. Everyone manically posted overnight while I was asleep. You posted like beasts. Could you, like, bring my character in or something? Sorry...

Meh, I'll try


Oliver

I couldn't remember much of the journey. All I knew was that I was in some kind of flying machine; either a helicopter or an aeroplane. I was with the woman who'd taken me for home, that was the only other thing I was certain of. During the journey, I was only conscious for a few minutes. I heard the woman speaking to some bloke within those few minutes. I was an 'awkward one' apparently. They were going to have to keep a close eye on me. Pfft. Sod them.

The next thing I remembered was waking up in the middle of an overgrown forest. I had no idea how, but I had my bag with me. My mum must have packed it or something. As I carefully sat up, I looked into my bag. There wasn't much in there, to be honest. Not that I had much stuff anyway. There were a few t-shirts and a pair of jeans, a bottle of water, a jacket and strangely, a can of deodorant. At least I wouldn't smell... Annoyingly, my guitar hadn't been packed.

Great. I was in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do. No guitar, no people, no food. Nothing. What happened next surprised me and also proved me wrong. As I stood up, I could hear voices shouting somewhere in the distance. I then did what any guy would do; I followed the unknown voices.

DOMINIQUE

I looked up at Tarrion, he brought someone with him, I was right again. Good we could use all the help we could get.
"Tarrion i hate to be a bother but can you do me another favor? It's going to rain soon and i haven't seen the others in hours, can you go find them?" I stood slowly, glancing at my leg, NO! The blood was seeping through! I turned my leg away from them, holding my hand out to the new girl.

"I'm Dominique, and you are..."
"Gemma." Gemma, what a pretty name! Tarrion hadn't left yet, had he said no to going and i hadn't heard? He held out his arm and the majestic falcon came back and landed on it.
"Gemma do you want to help me set up shelter?" She nodded and we turned towards the woods, i looked back at tarrion, i was trying desperately not to limp. He was staring terrifying at my leg. No, no, no! I had to show him it was nothing! Absolutely nothing! I wasn't useless!

Saphire
I kept my face blank and out of the way as I stood to the side realizing that everyone had forgotten me. I crossed my arms hissing through my teeth as I jarred my cut arm. I closed my eyes and opened them full of resolve. I started to help with the shelter keeping quiet. I noticed Dom was limping and I pulled her to the side. "Are you ok?" I asked quietly. She forced a smile. "I'm fine." She insisted trying to be nonchalant. I grabbed her arm as she started to walk away. "No your not downplaying won't help anyone especially you." I insisted quietly.

DOMINIQUE

"I'm fine, please. Let me go." I tried to say it calmly but even I could hear the edge in my voice. She gave me a concerned look, i pulled away from her.
"I'm not useless, please let me finish my work." I was forcing back tears that were welling up in my eyes. I tried to turn away but she grabbed my other arm. I yelp, involuntarily, as images of the other day flashed through my mind.

FLASHBACK
Dominique and her boyfriend were in the kitchen fighting, she begged him to believe her when she said she was fine, really she was sick. With the 24 hour flu. But he didn't believe her, he grabbed the frying pan off the stove and pressed it to her arm.
END FLASHBACK

I looked at her angrily.
"Let me go. Now." She obeyed. I crossed my arms, waiting for whatever was coming. She knew i was useless and now i would wait. Sobbing.

Saphire
I crossed my arms. "Ok but be careful." I said calmly turning around. I went back to work and heard her do the same.

DOMINIQUE

I went back to work, pulling long blades of grass from the ground, i could weave them together and make a base for walls. I needed something to work on that invovled not moving. I couldn't see the others, i pulled up my pant leg and unwrapped the cut. It was still bleeding a little. Right now i wanted to be alone. This is always a bad thing. I am a disaster magnite. But i didn't sense any imediate danger.

Once i had rested for a bit i stood, collecting the grass i had pulled out. I followed the crackle of the fire. Once i had it in sight i went and sat beside it. I took the blades on my hands and began weaving them together. I hadn't noticed if anyone was there. I moved my leg and hissed in pain. This was becoming a real problem. But i couldn't show weakness.

Saphire
I turned towards Dom and called calmly as she walked away "Wrap that up tighter until it starts to go numb a little bit. It should make the limping less noticable and your not weak." I saw her stiffen and flinch. "It's true." I called turning back. "Thank you." I could have sworn I heard but I merely smiled and kept working.

TARRION

I turned to Gemma, she was gathering branches and sticks. "I just don't understand her," I muttered, stroking Shalo thoughtfully. "She's so afraid. Every time I get near her she makes an excuse for me to leave..."

"She's just afraid. She's probably been through a lot," Gemma assured me, stooping to pick up another branch.

I sighed and started after the two. I believed the other was Saphire, but I couldn't remember for sure.

"I wouldn't go after her if I were you," Gemma warned.

Shalo shrieked and took off, high above the trees. There was another low growl in the distance and I shuddered. Gemma shot up, inching closer to me. "I would really like to know what sort of beasts lurk around here," I murmered. Whatever they were, they must have been big.

Gemma shook her head. "I can't say I'd want to run into one without a weapon." She paused for a moment. "Aren't you supposed to be looking for the others?"

I laughed. "They'll be fine. I'd rather help out with the shelter." I took a few branches from Gemma and made my way to the fire. I began to stack a few between trees and weaved a bit of grass between them.

"Not to shabby," Gemma murmered.

I grinned. "It'll do for now. The girls will be back soon enough with other things." Now, what about weapons? We had no guns and only a few of us had thought to bring daggars. I reached into my pocket, hoping to find my multi-tool tucked safely inside. "Oh thank God," I muttered, pulling it out.

DOMINIQUE

I looked up and saw tarrion, he didn't go and look for the others... what if they were hurt? I stood slowly, i had taken Saphire's advice and tightened it. I hoped she wouldn't tell. She wouldn't... right? I went into the trees and heard someone yell out to me.
"Domi! Where are you going?" I turned around, it was Tarrion. I shuddered.
"Well since you aren't going to look for the others, i am!" I started through the trees and a branch caught my sleeve.

It ripped the sleeve, which provivded little resistance. My burnt arm was fully exposed now. I put it in front of me and continued through the trees.

Saphire
We stopped on the shelter and then a thought occured to me. "We need to look for the others." I said calmly. "Um..." Someone started to say. "I don't give a damn we need to help them. What if their hurt?" I snapped my eyes blazing. No one moved. I turned and started to walk calling over my shoulder "Follow me if you care."

TARRION

I shook my head. Somebody also had to stay behind. What if the fire caught the trees and spread through the whole forest? I doubted that would prove useful. "You and Domi can go looking, we'll stay here and keep watch for the others," I called after her.

Gemma fed the fire, blowing on it lightly. I stared into the forest, it was beginning to grow lighter. It was actually quite pretty here, there were even a few flowers laying about. "We need to find water," Gemma commented, rising up and brushing herself off.

I nodded. "That's sort of an essetial huh? That and weapons. We've got one measily spear and a few daggars against a bunch of ravaging beasts." Not exactly what I'd call a fair fight.

"Water first. Then weapons." She strode over to our half-finished shelter and added a few other branches.

A twig snapped and we spun around, startled. There was somebody walking around in the trees. "Hey!" I called out. "We've got food!"

Oliver

As I was walking towards the voices, I really wasn't looking where I was going. I couldn't even see where I was going, I had to push some branches out of my pathway. Suddenly, I felt someone - or something - bump into me.

"Hey!" I heard a girls voice yelp.

Seconds later, I looked down to see a young girl sitting on the floor. I'd obviously knocked her down. Oops... Apologising, I reached my hand out to her and offered to help her up. She didn't seem amused by it though. She clearly didn't trust me. I couldn't blame her, if she was as confused as I was, that is.

"Sorry," I muttered as she stood up. "Do you have any idea what's going on...?"

"Not really," She shrugged.

"Ollie," I smiled, reaching my hand out to her.

She stared at my hand, clearly unsure of what I was doing. It was partly because of lack of trust though as well, I think. I couldn't help but laugh at her reaction.

"My name," I laughed.

"Oh!" The girl said, embarrassed. "I'm Dominique, you can call me Dom though."

DOMINIQUE

God i felt like such an idiot. I looked at my leg, it was bleeding again. Great. He didn't seem to notice, i hope he didn't. I stood on my own, watching him. I really hated guys. I looked at they welt of a burn on my arm. The brought it out of view. No one was allowed to see that. No one was allowed to see how easily i break.

"Why don't you come back to camp? No one should be alone." He nodded.
"Yes, that would be nice, how many more of us is there?" My head was pounding, i looked at my leg, begging in my head.
'Please stop bleeding before i pass out'
"A couple. Come on." He nodded as i led him to camp.

I tried my hardest not to limp, but the new pain found it's way through the numbness. I sat down beside the fire and started poking at it with a stick. I just needed a moment to breath. That's all. I didn't care if anyone saw me like this, i would just say i was feeling a bit sick. Blurriness gripped the edge of my vision, i started to breathe heavily.

GEMMA

"Hey! We've got food!" said Tarrion.

"Ooooh goody!" I said, "What is it? I haven't had anything since supper with my family before we were dropped here."

Tarrion shrugged, "I don't know, they must have gone over to the main area. I can't see them."

My stomach groweled and I groaned, "How long do you think it will be? I am starving!" I know I was whining but come on, for once I had a right. I was literally starving.

"If it is meat it will take a while," sighed Tarrion. He looked as disappointed as I felt. "But maybe someone found something else."

I stood up, "Well we can't just sit here. Let's go find out!"