She almost wanted to laugh, listening to their delusions. Mau and Kaleb may have been outmanned, but they would have kept on fighting to the bitter end. And if these clowns hadn't interfered with Kaleb's ability to shift, they'd be singing a very different tune right now. They should be thankful that the battle ended when it did!
They threaded their way through the dense growth, passing by ancient trees and clusters of wild growth that cast strange shadows in the sparse moonlight. Minx looked up at the sky through the occasional breaks in the canopy, catching slivers of the ghostly moon here and there. Somewhere, possibly close-by, Mau and Kaleb were walking beneath that same glowing moon. Would they stay close, try and monitor the movements of the Wuffs? What if they were separated—would they be able to regroup once Minx had secured the amulet? She cursed herself for not thinking things through more thoroughly. She and Mau had only just been reunited with Kaleb after a less than stellar reception back at the Talon Range. Now, their winning trio had been broken up again.
Staring ahead at Alla, who held onto Minx's lead with evident disinterest, something occurred to the Fae huntress that inspired a grin despite the circumstances. Kaleb will be able to latch onto Alla's scent! That was how we tracked her down the first time, in Karn, when she'd made off with Mau! It's possible we'll wander out of range for a short time, but Kaleb won't have any trouble zeroing in on her, I'm sure of it. There was the matter of the Faelyr, too—currently unable to communicate through telepathic means. If the spell or device preventing Mau from reaching out to her mentally was overcome, then she'd be able to connect with the Faelyr from a distance. Mau and Kaleb won't be far behind, I'm sure. However reckless her mission, she maintained faith in her allies. She knew they'd never abandon her—that they'd scour all of Aleio in search of her if necessary.
The moonlit trek saw them exit the woods into an unfamiliar region packed with grassy hills. Various of the hillocks had been converted into camps, replete with Wuff nightwatchmen, fires, tents and more. All told, a sizable war party had made its temporary home in these hills—easily a hundred or more strong. This camp had likely been responsible for the reinforcements that'd shown up after Kaleb's unexpected appearance.
The Wuffs and surviving Krah were pleased to have finally returned to the camp, and split into two distinct groups—the Wuffs parting with Alla to the nearest camp on the leftward side, and the Krah shuffling off to the one on the right. As they went, Alla turned and spared Minx a knowing glance. “I'll make sure you stay at my camp, so I can keep an eye on you,” she said in hushed tones.
Minx gave a short nod. The smell of roasting meat mingled with the grime of battle and the stench of an unwashed army; this noxious perfume met her nostrils, and her hunger was so strong in the moment that she could for the first time ignore the latter stenches in favor of the first. “Say... I don't suppose you could give me something to eat, could you? I haven't had anything to eat in awhile...”
“Shut your mouth!” warned one of the Wuffs walking alongside her. “Who are you to make demands?”
Oops. I guess I wasn't as quiet as I thought. Minx ignored the Wuff and instead watched Alla, who made a subtle gesture with her free hand. I'm playing the role of genuine hostage here. If Alla treats me too nicely, it'll all fall apart.
They walked up the side of the hill to the bustling camp, Alla breaking away from the grumbling Wuffs and leading her to a large tent at the center. A tall fire raged before it, and several Zuscha stood nearby, warming their hands. The half-Fae slipped past them without a word, entering the tent and bringing Minx inside with a theatrical yank of the chain. She cleared her throat, sizing up an individual seated within. “Sir, I've brought a prisoner—captured just now in the woods. Your orders?”
The figure in the tent rose with a grunt—stood to a considerable height—and strode over imposingly. His face was framed in wild locks of tangled black hair, and half of his gaunt visage was obscured by a plate of etched animal bone. The partial mask had been fitted with a hole, through which one of two steely eyes met hers from the interior darkness. The other side of the figure's face was bare, save for a spray of dense stubble across his jaw and a strange, angular tattoo beneath his left eye. Sporting a sharp, bone-white smile, the figure gave a curt laugh. “My, my, my... Look what you've brought me.”
The hunter, clad in lightweight armor and a cape of black fur, stood before her.
Minx couldn't hide her disdain and met his powerful gaze with daggers of her own. Oh, no... He remembers me.
Alla gave the chain another tug, nearly knocking Minx off balance. “She attacked numerous soldiers. I've had her bow and arrow confiscated. Your orders, sir?”
“You've done well, Alla,” replied the hunter, regarding his prey with a chuckle. “I know this one—a talented little Fae she is. In fact, last I met her, she was hanging around with you, wasn't she?”
The half-Fae lowered her gaze, troubled at his questioning.
“I'm glad you finally came to your senses,” continued the hunter gruffly, taking the chain from her hands. “We're going to have some fun with this one.” He nodded to the tent entrance.
