A/N: Thanks for the nice comments and reviews, guys! Great way to start off my day. :) Here's the next chapter, as promised...enjoy! Here's where we left off:

Keiran nodded slowly, contemplating. "Then go. Pitchiner, Ryann, Mael, Caden-I entrust to you four the safety of this village. You are the best hunters we have; I have faith you will not let us down."

Pitch smiled, standing up, a thin smile creeping across his gaunt features, grey in the dim light.

"I shan't."

Over the next week, preparations were made in regards to capturing the creature. The Alder by the pond had its sturdy branches felled and whittled by Caden, who was a fine carpenter and craftsmen as well as hunter. A box of crosshatching limbs was constructed, with a door that slammed down from the top bars and locked, large enough to allow their quarry to sit with its legs outstretched almost comfortably.

After the construction of the cage was completed, Pitch talked once again with Keiran, telling him of the plan that would be carried out at dawn the next day.

They would leave bait by the reeds at the pond-simple, shiny things that would spur any child's curiosity: stones smoothed by the gurgling brook down the hill, a lead cross pendant, a metal spoon, a bit from a pony's bridle. When the faerie boy appeared to investigate, they would be armed and ready.

All that was left to do now was wait to see what tomorrow would hold.

Pitch rose at the first hint of sunrise, barely-formed rays of light filtering in through crude window panes and splattering the dirt floor of his one-room home with dawn's colors. Rolling out of the straw bed, the tall man pulled on black pants and leather boots, worn soft from work and wear. Pitch then headed to the washbasin on the table under the window, heels thumping on the tight-packed earth. He glanced for a moment at the surface of the icy water, briefly taking in his reflection: sharp cheekbones, thin lips, sunken amber eyes. Not the same face of the man who lived with his daughter years ago...

Pitch frowned before promptly ruining the image, splashing water from his cupped hands onto his face and shaking his slick black hair dry. It would be a long day, but here was a chance to do something fulfilling with his life again. This would be good for him. Good for the village.

Before heading out to meet the others, Pitch grabbed the small hunting knife that rested on the wooden table, not bothering to wipe the crusted blood that stained the blade. He turned the knife over with long fingers, admiring the way the sunlight made the metal glow, worn and dull though it was.

This was a chance.

Pocketing the knife, Pitch turned and promptly headed out the door, creaking it open pulling it closed with a slam in his wake.

The others were gathered by the extinguished fire, shuffling their heels and talking amongst themselves. Heads turned when Pitch strolled over to join them, stepping around the large rectangular cage upturned and placed near the fire pit. He was greeted with nods and mumbled "Morning"s from the three hunters, each of whom were bundled in multiple layers to ward of the morning's biting chill. Ryann had a thick loop of rough rope slung over one shoulder, and each man had a knife at their belt just in case. Mael carried a large leather sack big enough to contain a grown human.

The ill-concealed whispers of children and hushed voices of mothers reached the gathering; the village was buzzing in anticipation of what was to come. Gossip had spread among the households that the hunters were setting off looking for something very important, but nobody knew quite what.

"Well then," Pitch broke the silence. "Do we have our bait?"

Mael grinned and produced a small leather pouch, tossing it once in his hand so the clinking of the metal objects inside could be heard.

"Excellent. Now, the plan..."

The four men started walking towards the pond east of their small village, gathering around Pitch as he spoke.

It was decided that they would sneak up quietly to the outcropping of shrubs and small trees by the banks, placing the bait just out of the large patch of reeds where they suspected the creature might be hiding. When it showed its face, Ryann and Mael would pounce with the sack and rope, while Pitch and Caden held back and made sure everything went to plan. Then they'd wrestle the thing into captivity.

If all went well, they would be celebrating with ales around the fire that night; it sounded fool-proof. Relatively.

After a minute or so walk, the pond came into view. Fog curled across its glassy grey surface and the breeze rustled the nearby dry foliage, making the scene all the more eerie as the four men crept closer.

Pitch got the others' attentions and pointed to a nearby cluster of shrubs, carefully mouthing "There", signalling to where they should hide.

The men, holding their breath, stalked behind Pitch to crouch behind the outcropping where they could peek through branches to the reed cluster and the water beyond. Mael wasted no time in hastily pulling out the leather pouch, dumping its contents into his palm and tossing the glinting objects to the sanctioned spot. Everyone behind the bushes let out a breath.

Let the waiting game begin.

It was at least two hours before the gathered men saw any sign of the creature they were waiting for-Pitch was the first of them to catch sight of a rustling in the cluster of reeds too large to be fowl.

The man froze, moving only his eyes and his hand in a silent signal to his companions. Mael, Ryann, and Caden snapped out of their states of boredom immediately, catching sight of the disturbance in the tall pond grass mere yards away. All four men crouching behind the bushes collectively stilled and watched in petrified anticipation as what looked to be a human boy stepped softly into sight.

A/N: Haha, Jack might be screwed, poor guy. If I can get 5 more reviews by the end of today, I'll post the next chapter as soon as I can manage. Thanks, readers! :-)