Threat

"Don't forget your knife" Darla said as she gave Daryn his hunting knife.

"Thanks" Daryn took the knife and strapped it in his belt.

"Why don't i have a knife?" Eric asked.

"Because you are not hunting. You'll be...observing" Daryn answered as he hanged his bow across his shoulders and carried the quiver.

Daryn had decided that they should go hunting and on the way, show Eric where he would focus on to collect materials for his house. Though he had not picked a spot to build on yet.

After getting all their hunting equipments ready, they all started for the deepest parts of the jungle were they would find game.

They walked the jungle grounds for an hour trying to find any prints of any animal but found none. Then Darla said they should try viewing from above.

Using chi, the trio jumped on a great tree branch wide enough to carry five people. They used this elevation to view the jungle better.

They hopped through trees as they searched below. Daryn and Darla were quiet as both were busy using their senses to trace prey. Eventually they jumped to different trees leaving Eric as he followed and watched them.

Suddenly Daryn stopped on his tree because his ears ha traced something. He heard hooves beat the ground.

~Thud~Thud~

But the sounds were soft as though the hooves were beating low grasses on the ground and from the sound of it not only one animal was present. It was a whole herd of hooves scattered around.

When Darla reached his tree asking him what he heard. He explained what he heard to her and told her what he suspected the prey to be.

She smiled after his explanation and asked that they go ahead. The trio hopped among the trees as Daryn lead the way to the direction the sounds were coming from.

A few minutes later they found the herd. The animals were antelopes that Daryn was sure but what was different was the huge coats that stayed thick till their legs and their height. They surpassed their earthly cousins at six feet in height.

"Elder Antelopes" Darla gasped. "This herd must have moved to this parts recently because they are barely seen around here"

Daryn prepared his bow and took out an arrow. "So which should we aim for?"

Darla chose their targets. Since they both brought bows they each aimed for one elder antelope. Eric watched from the side.

Silently they picked their aiming spots and shot at their prey. Immediately both animals fell to the ground with loud thuds, the rest of the herd dispersed running for their dear lives.

The pair jumped down from were they hid in the trees and went to kills. Darla made a shot to the eye killing the animal instantly while Daryn shot the throat of his prey.

The dieing animal wheezed and scattered its hooves around trying to get to its feet so it could follow its disappearing herd but strength left it quickly. To release the animal of its misery, Daryn slit its throat completely and let it die. Then the hunting pair cleaned their kills.

¤¤¤¤

By dusk they had arrived at the shed with the kill. Darla took it upon herself to show Eric a good spot to build his home and showed him were to get his materials from.

After explaining to him on the things to observe when choosing a housing spot, Eric agreed it was a good spot for his house.

Daryn shared the meat keeping a part for tomorrow's meal and the rest for later while Darla roasted them.

That evening after they had cleaned themselves, Daryn asked Eric if they could talk.

"Eric can i have a word with you?"

"Sure" Both men went to the front of the house with chairs and sat for a discussion.

"Eric i know i have been dodging information on the tournaments which was of good reason but now....i will like to know what awaits on the battle grounds." Daryn said going straight to the point.

Eric got serious and adjusted in his seat before replying. "Just as i was telling you the last time, champions are disappearing....hiding from one man_ Alexis champion of great god Ra"

"No one knows why, but he has started killing strong champions that could oppose him at the battle ground. Last i heard, he had ruthlessly killed Ares warriors at their colosseum. Even Horus's champion is missing."

"Some say Alexis has started conquering kingdoms and stealing peoples magical knowledge as he kills sorcerers and mages on his path. Currently the southern kingdoms are in his grip. Southern rulers answer to him."

Eric shook his head in sadness. "The remaining champions have gone hiding awaiting the start of the tournaments....thats if they are still alive before it starts"

As Daryn listened to the information his mind went straight to Darla and how he had to protect her. It was just five days left to the day his mother had said he should be already ready to leave the jungles. He had to protect his mate.

'Mother,....i need to speak to you' a second after, he heard Selene's voice saying to meet her at the moon palace.

Seeing that his friend has been waiting for him to say something since his detailed explanation, he pushed the fears for later and focused on Eric.

Daryn cleared his throat.

"So Alexis has gone rogue?"

"That's how he has become."

"With no reason?"

"None i can tell of. The man just woke up one day and demanded for more power and being one of the strongest of the champions, he is an incredible opponent and almost impossible to defeat."

"He is a true problem and since he has been alive for five decades already..."

"His powers are five decades stronger" Eric completed for him.

Both men fell silent weighing the problems and their future plans. All along Daryn's thoughts went to how he could protect Darla.

The rest of the even passed by quickly until it was dark and everyone was on their respective sleeping beds. Eric slept early even before the couple had fully settled in their bed.

As Darla slowly fell asleep pulling him in an embrace. He started rethinking visiting Selene. The joy and sense of completion was to good to let go. He hugged his mate tighter an gave into sleep.

He had not slept for five seconds when he heard the slow trickles of the stream he had grown accustomed to.

With a sigh he open his eyes and found himself in Selene's garden laying on the soft grass. No Darla.

"Oh, don't act like i had disturbed your moment with your mate" He heard Selene's say as the goddess walked to were he laid on the grass and sat beside him. "You said you needed me_ so, what bothers you."