The Hunt

The air was cold as Vorbuk ran along behind the others on the horses. He could hear the sound of the crystal tiger chasing them at a distance while they struggled to put some distance between them. His heart was racing from the adrenaline.

"I think it's gaining on us." Bredret mentioned as he felt the presence of the beast closing in on them. It was starting to become an annoyance to him to have the beast following them. As someone who naturally preferred to laze around he was not fond of being forced to run away with the others.

"Try cutting off towards the left up ahead!" Daryl shouted at them as he saw a dead end up ahead. The only thing they could do was try to head up the side of the mountain safely as quick as possible.

Rocks and dirt were kicked up by the hooves of the horses as they pushed forward. Climbing up the side of the mountain, they made their way forward. From above the sound of thunder rumbled. Cold droplets of rain beginning to slowly fall from the clouds.

Even the weather is against us it seems.. Vorbuk thought as he listened to the rolling thunder. This time of year the weather was beginning to get colder. He had yet to witness winter in the new world but according to Daryl winter in the east could become brutal. It was only fall at the moment and the weather was already getting colder the further east they went.

ROOAARRRR!

The crystal tiger's heavy roar could be heard in the distance from behind as it continued to gain on them. It felt as if the beast was intentionally letting them know it was following them. A natural born predator that enjoyed the thrill of hunting its prey.

The path they took had a deep drop off the side of the mountain to the left of them as the horses ran. Deep down below the side of the ledge they could hear the sound of a rolling river. The sounds of the horses hooves echoing against the ground as it became more rocky.

A mist setting in began to cover the air around them making it hard to see in front of them very far. Only Zoe and Bredret could see comfortably because of their bloodlines giving an advantage to eye sight. Though it was not perfect with how heavy the mist was becoming. Still the both of them kept to the outside of the group in order to make sure nobody accidentally fell from the edge of the mountain as they moved.

"We can't out run it much longer. Keep your eyes open and be careful!" Leo shouted at them as he heard the beast closing in on them.

"You're wrong." Bredret said as his eyes glanced back.

"About what?" Prince Leo asked him as he felt confused at why Bredret was saying that.

"Your wrong that we have any time to run from it at all. It's already caught up." Bredret stated calmly.

"Wha-?" Before Prince Leo could ask anything further a blinding light was sent in their direction from behind.

A blast of crystalized rock shattered from the side of the mountain in front of them bringing the horses to a halt. Frightened the horses did the best they could to remain calm as they were trained for use in battlefields. Everyone tightened their grips on the reigns of the horses in order to help keep them under control. Glancing behind themselves at the sight of the large crystal tiger dashing in their direction.

Leo and the others glared at Bredret as he sighed. Feeling wronged by their judgemental glances.

"It's not as if me informing you any sooner would have made a difference in the fact the horses can't out run that thing." Bredret tried to justify his delayed warning.

Vorbuk did not say a word because he was already aware of the crystal tiger gaining on them since earlier. If he spoke up now it would only make them give him the same look as they were giving Bredret.

"We can't run the horses anymore. We have to deal with that thing now." Daryl said as he knew the horses could not be pushed much more without rest.

Slowing down in front of them the beast roared once more. A flash of lightning in the sky as the rain slowly began to pick up. Every step the beast took crystalizing the ground beneath its feet. That pair of golden eyes holding firmly on them as if it was testing them as it moved.

Vorbuk growled deeply as he bared his sharp teeth. His eyes glowing red as he hesitated to act on instinct. The feeling of being cornered was something he did not like. Though he was not the only one cornered on the side of the mountain. Standing around him was everyone he had come to know over his time in this world that mattered to him.

"Bredret." Vorbuk spoke up at the dragon sitting upon a horse. The man's eyes glancing back down at him in response to show that he had heard the wolf call out to him.

"Can you tank that beasts attacks in your human form?" Vorbuk asked while considering in thought how heavy a dragon's defense could be. He knew there must be a limit to what Bredret could hold himself up against but for something like the tiger they would need Bredret to help.

"Indeed. What do you take me for?" Bredret felt insulted at the thought of his abilities being questioned by Vorbuk.

"Good. So do it." Vorbuk glared unhesitatingly up at Bredret. Ordering a dragon around was never a safe thing to do but he could not hold himself back in their situation. He knew that Bredret needed to work with them regardless of whether or not he felt like it.

"How dare a mutt like you-?!" Bredret wanted to retort back at the wolf but was cut off by Vorbuk's unwillingness to listen to the dragon's complaints.

"Now! Bredret!" Vorbuk shouted at him while a blinding light lit up the area once more.

Bredret's body moved quickly from the horse as he clicked his tongue against his teeth in annoyance. He never imagined he would take orders from a beast weaker then himself. A part of him felt conflicted about it. No, was he listening because he felt it would be a pity for something to happen to the others? He could not understand his complicated feeling. The dragon just knew he was not willingly to see anyone in the group die.

A wave of light blasting in their direction from the tiger collided against Bredret. The red kimono on his body flapped in the violent wind from the attack. His strong skin glistening in the light from the sky above as lightning struck.

Bredret smiled faintly as he clenched his fist tight. A layer of crystal that had covered his body breaking and shattering apart. The crystalized flakes falling to the ground as the rain washed it from his body as it cracked. A dragon's skin was not something that could be easily damaged but that did not mean he could not feel the pain from the attack. It was uncomfortable and only made Bredret's annoyance with the crystal tiger escalate further.