She loves the dark. The silence. Her senses are heightened to the point where she can close her eyes and still feel everything that's going on around her. The hairs on the back of her neck rise as a first indication of trouble, her fingers gentle move about the trigger, ready to fire when the need be.
These shadows move. But she doesn't react. As a hunter she knows what this creature is doing; he's circling, sizing up his pre, he then looks for the weakest part to attack, the most effective way to take the pre down without much effort.
Luckily, Ashley was not alone. She knew that her partner would watch her back. Her mom. She used to think it was funny that she has become some what of her mother's protector, and also the Rambo of their little operation. Not that she doubted her mothers' skill as a fighter and an excellent shot, Ashley always thought of herself as faster and more keen to the danger around her than her mother was. She was the hunter, not her mother.
But now, the hunter has no become the hunted.
Stupid clichés. They're always so cheesy and ridiculously over used. And it sucks even more when these stupid and over used clichés actually fit into a situation and you use them. Agh! But since this thought process has already been started, it would take too much time and really good writing to pull it back, let's continue.
Ashley couldn't get a good look at whatever they were after, but from the snarling and hissing coming from the shadow, there was no doubt in her mind that it was huge. And hungry. It was interesting how the creature would make full circles around them, but it never came into the light being emanated from the full moon above. Its tail, or what she could safely assume was the tail, would occasionally be swung into the light, but then quickly pulled back to the safety of the shadows.
"I think it might be sensitive to light." Helen's whisper, meant only to state an observation, caused Ashley's brain to start thinking. Quickly glancing above and around them, Ashley noticed lanterns hanging above them.
"Let's test that thought." Quickly, she lifted her left arm and shot at the cord that was stringing the lanterns from balcony to balcony. When the lights fell and further illuminated the alley they were in, the creature's growl became less threatening and sounded more tortured.
"Ashley, we need it alive." Helen slid her gun into its holder and quickly walked over to the creature on the ground. Its tortured growl, no more than a whimper.
"What are you doing? That thing could still kill you!" Ashley pulled the second gun out and followed her mother. "What is that thing?" She looked the creature up and down. It couldn't have been more than 5 ½ feet tall, thick cover of fur probably made it look even bigger than it really was, and a bear shaped head with sunken eyes and sharp teeth. This once terrifying thing was now lying on its side whimpering, while her mother calmly checked it over.
"I've never seen one before." Helen pulled her phone out of pocket and passed it to Ashley. "Call Will and tell him to bring the van over. As long as we keep some light on it, we are not in danger." Ashley's expression didn't change as she took the phone from her mother. Not in danger. It was only in the comfort of the Sanctuary where Ashley felt that statement could be said in confidence. Well, that's a bit of a stretch these days with lizard things hatching in artefacts and cute nubbins that make you horny for the opposite sex. These days Ashley was always on alert, and for good reasons.
"So let me get this straight. The two of you decide to finally take the night off and talk, but you end up with a rare creature that's allergic to light." Helen was easily amused at Will. He was so green when it came to abnormals and living in a world, and house, crawling with them. She thought to say something, but decided not to. She simply smirked and sipped her lovely cup of tea.
"That's right boy. Snagged ourselves a big one too." Ashley slipped off the desk, ignoring the glare coming from her mother sitting on the other side of it.
"You're always heavily armed when you two talk?" The phone interrupts the conversation, leaving whatever sarcastic comment that was about to come out of Ashley's mouth, left as a good though.
"Hello?" silence "How did you get this number?" silence and a glare in Ashley's direction "Are you sure?" silence "Send the information to me please. Thank you Ernie."
"What does he want?"
"Apparently, my dear, your contact has something of interest." Ashley perked up, loving a good hunt.
"Where we going?"
"Ever been to Myanmar?"
Somewhere deep in the former Burmese jungle, Helen, Will and Ashley trudge through the thicket. Of course it's night, so guns are out (in Ashley's case) and flashlight are nervously zig zagging back and forth (in Will's case)
"So how did Ernie get this intel?"
"He said something about joining a temple to 'change his ways' but I'm guessing, since he's one of your contacts, he scammed someone into telling him and is now on the run, hiding until whoever it is stops looking for him. Werewolves, all the same."
"You know mom I resent that. Not all of my contacts are useless." Ready to list off the many different occasions when one or more of her contacts have come through, she stopped. She could hear something in the distance. Unsure of what it was, she indicated for the other two to stop. "You hear that?" Helen and Will froze and listened.
"Something is coming." Helen pulled out her gun and took position beside Ashley. The footsteps got quicker and closer. Mixed in the sounds of feet pounding the ground, and trees and branches being broken as something came barrelling through, was the soft sound of someone crying. Before Will could comment, something came flying out of the woods and ploughed Helen to the ground.
"Mom!"