Disclaimer - I don't own anything from the movie, just borrowing the characters to have some fun!

A/N - A very happy Easter to everyone who celebrates the holiday. To those of my readers who don't, well then, a very happy Sunday to you! I am very pleased to finally be able to present you with: Chapter 10 - Hunted.

Many thanks to the following people:

My behind the scenes reader, Enchanted Peach Dreams

My husband, as always, who won't see this. You are by far my toughest critic but also my best sounding board.

And last, but certainly not least, my beta, ladyofshalott19. Rumor has it that she's working on a new story! Go check out her published works while we wait for the next riveting tale.


"So, you just left her out there?" Ethan looked at his friend in horror. They were sitting in a comfortable study in the Castle Beyond the Goblin City. The well-lit room was lined with bookshelves, and a fire crackled in the hearth on the far wall, holding the late autumn chill at bay. "What were you thinking Jareth?"

Jareth grimaced slightly but held up his hands in an effort to soothe his friend before he slumped back into the couch cushions. Jareth had discarded the vest he had worn shortly after they entered the room. His white shirt was rumpled and hung open at the neck. "I never intended to leave her out there, she just…" Jareth trailed off as he thought about how Sarah both infuriated and charmed him at the same time. He couldn't explain it to himself; so he sure as hell couldn't explain it to Ethan.

"She just... what? Pissed you off?" Ethan asked, leaning forward in his armchair and resting his well toned arms on his knees. The tight tunic he wore stretched uncomfortably across the back of his shoulders as he did so. He would have to see a tailor soon. Abruptly, he stood and stalked over to the heavy wooden table placed next to the mantle.

Jareth shrugged cynically. Ethan turned away from him and emptied the final drops from the bottle of whiskey they had opened earlier that afternoon before returning to his seat. By now, it was almost dark. They had long ago ordered and eaten their evening meal as they worked their way through the story of Sarah's last visit and subsequent return. The remains of the meal still littered the table. When a servant had tried to come and collect it, Jareth had rudely ordered the poor girl off. No one had dared to approach the door of the study since.

Despite the fact that the bottle of whiskey was empty, Ethan was remarkably unintoxicated. Jareth, on the other hand, was highly inebriated. Ethan had watched as Jareth downed glass after glass of the strong amber alcohol while he himself only sipped at his. Ethan had been incredulous as, for the first time, he listened to Jareth tell him the truth about what occurred six years ago. He might have thought that his longtime friend was pulling his leg, if it hadn't been for the way Jareth was knocking back the alcohol. The look that came into Jareth's eyes every now and then when he mentioned Sarah was unlike anything he had ever seen on the face of his longtime friend. Ethan had never seen Jareth like this, and it worried him.

"I didn't mean to leave her out there," Jareth repeated as Ethan set the last of the whiskey on the low table between them. "I tried to bring her directly here, but something… happened with the magic. I couldn't make it work."

"What do you mean you couldn't make the magic work?" Ethan demanded, seizing upon the most practical question he could ask at the moment. Ethan doubted that Jareth, even drunk as he was, would take kindly to prying questions about his feelings for the girl.

"I mean it didn't work!" Jareth exclaimed in frustration, sitting upright and spreading his hands to emphasize the point. The skin of both palms bore shiny, raised scars, a memento of Jareth's first attempt to utilize free magic. His dark leather gloves lay on the couch, tossed carelessly on cushions next to the Goblin King. They were a perfect example of Jareth's inclination to keep things hidden, even when it was unnecessary. Jareth could have worn his scars as a badge of honor, but instead, he chose to hide them. Ethan was used to seeing his best friend without gloves, but Jareth rarely removed them in front of anyone else, despite the fact that the entire kingdom knew that his palms were scarred. The Command General was slightly miffed that his king and friend had kept him in the dark about this Sarah, for over six years.

But then, Ethan reasoned to himself, I wasn't here to see what happened during her run. I was there when he got the scars.

Jareth had been so excited. He pulled Ethan along behind him as they made their way out to the furthest reaches of the royal gardens in Fialis. Ethan could remember hearing the cries of the gulls and the soothing sound of the surf as he followed the Crown Prince.

When they were as far away from the palace as they could get without leaving the grounds, Jareth stopped and turned to him. "I think I've figured it out," the excited ten year old said.

Ethan had raised his eyebrows and crossed his arms. He was unhappy about skipping sword training. Today was the day they were supposed to progress to wooden practice swords, rather than just swinging sticks around in endless patterns meant to build muscle memory. His reply to his friend was surly. "Figured out what?"

"Using free magic!" Jareth had exclaimed excitedly.

Ethan rolled his eyes, "You do know that no one has been able to do that in thousands of years," he said sarcastically. "What makes you so special?" His mocking tone caused Jareth to scowl as he stood tall, drawing himself up to his full height- all five feet of it.

"I'm the Crown Prince," he said haughtily. "I am special!"

"Yeah, yeah," said Ethan, dismissing Jareth's words with a wave of his hand. "I've heard all of this before. Get on with it already. We're missing practice!"

Jareth narrowed his eyes at his friend and shook his head. Jareth held his hands out, palm up, in front of himself. He scowled at his hands, a look of intense concentration on his face as he tried to draw on the free magic that they had been taught floated through the air around them.

At first, Ethan didn't see anything. "Come on," he said. "Nothing's going to happen, let's just go. We're already in trouble for missing the start of practice. If we go now, we might get off with only a few laps around the training yard."

Jareth grunted but didn't move. With a sigh, Ethan decided to wait. Showing up late on his own would inevitably get him into more trouble than showing up late with the Crown Prince. He began to fidget again as the moments ticked by and nothing happened.

Suddenly, there was a flash of light that emanated from Jareth's cupped hands. Ethan blinked and shaded his eyes as Jareth yelled triumphantly, "See I tol-"

His cry of triumph was cut off by a scream of pain as the magic, barely under control, flared again. This time the pulse was sustained and Jareth continued screaming as the magic raged against his tenuous control.

"Jareth!" Ethan screamed. He stood, shading his eyes, just outside the edge of the magic. He wanted to go to his friend, but he was too afraid to cross into the light that marked the sphere of magic.

The light began to die back as he stood there, unwilling to leave but afraid to get closer. As the light faded, the screaming died down to whimpers and groans of pain. Ethan was sure that Jareth would be dead or at least unconscious by that blast of magical energy, but he wasn't. To his surprise he could see his friend, tears streaming down his cheeks, his face twisted in agony. He was still standing.

In his bloodied hands, he held a clear crystal that pulsed with free magic.

The next few minutes had been a blur, as adults who could sense the magic began appearing from all over the palace. There was widespread consternation, and even a little fear, as they beheld the sight of the Crown Prince, proudly holding up a crystal of free magic. Free magic that was under control by an individual for the first time in living memory.

When he could finally be coaxed to release the magic, his mother had whisked him off to the royal physician. Ethan remembered hearing his own parents discussing the matter later that night. He overheard his father say to his mother, "He was fortunate, he only got his hands burned, he's damn lucky he wasn't destroyed!"

The Crown Prince had walked away from the experience with scarred palms, but complete control over free magic from that day on.

"It kept twisting away from me," Jareth said, tossing an arm up as though waving off an overly solicitous offer of help. Jareth's statement brought Ethan back to the present. With a mental sigh, Ethan tried to let go of his resentment about not being told sooner. This was just how Jareth was. He had long ago accepted Jareth's idiosyncrasies. This was just another thing about the enigmatic Crown Price that one either had to accept or ignore.

"Does it work now?" Ethan asked him, trying to get Jareth to focus seriously on the oddness of the situation.

"Yes," Jareth said shortly, before adding, "Come to think of it, it worked when I transported back here." He looked thoughtful.

"When was the last time it didn't work?" Ethan pressed, trying to make sense of the situation.

Jareth paused to think before replying, "It's always worked until today. I tried to transport Sarah three times, and I wasn't able to control it."

"But, as soon as you stopped trying to transport the girl it worked fine?"

Jareth scowled as he tipped his head back, staring at the ceiling as he thought about the implications of this lapse. "Yes." Ethan was glad that Jareth had finally moved beyond self pity over the rejection of the girl and started to think about the problem rationally.

Ethan furrowed his brows at he thought his way through the problem. "Did you try to use your personal magic?"

"No." Jareth continued to stare at the ceiling. "I was getting ready to, but she woke up, remember?" He sighed and leaned forward to grab the whisky glass that Ethan had set on the table between them. "Do you mind?" he asked. Ethan waved a hand at him, indicating that he was welcome to the glass.

Ethan said nothing, watching Jareth toss off the last of the whiskey he had just poured. He was beginning to have some serious reservations about this girl. Jareth was one of only two people who could reliably use free magic in thousands of years; it was awfully convenient that he would suddenly be unable to do so while in her company. Come to think if it, it was also very strange that the girl would refuse Jareth. Ethan had been friends with Jareth nearly his entire life, and he had never once seen him fail to charm a female.

Jareth broke Ethan's train of thought, saying, "It was strange. I could feel the magic; I could even access it, but everytime I tried to apply it to transport, it twisted off away from me."

"Perhaps we should ask-" Ethan began, only to be cut off by Jareth.

"Ask who? There isn't anyone. I'm the closest thing in the realms to an expert on free magic, at least inside the Court. There has only been myself and one other who has been able to use free magic since the Court was formed." Jareth stood once more and walked over to the table, depositing the glass on the tray that was waiting to be taken back to the kitchens. "There isn't anybody to ask," he reiterated.

"Perhaps..." Ethan said slowly. "Perhaps it has something to do with the girl herself?"

Jareth looked at him for a long moment, thinking that notion over. "No, I don't think so," he finally said as he flopped back down on the couch once more.

Ethan was silent for a moment, weighing the pro's and con's of what he wanted to say. He decided instead to make a suggestion. "You need to go and get the girl. I'll wait here. Use personal magic and I'll be here to take over when you return." There was no way Ethan was going to leave Jareth alone with that girl in a weakened condition. The entire situation was just too suspicious.

The withering glare that Jareth shot Ethan could have stripped paint from the walls. "Absolutely not. Haven't you been listening to anything I've said to you? She doesn't want anything to do with me!"

"So?" Ethan shot back.

"So?" Jareth mimicked. His voice was mocking, although Ethan wasn't sure if Jareth was mocking him, or if he mocked himself. "So, I refuse to go chasing after her. She knows where I am, should she desire my company."

"That doesn't mean that you should leave her out there!" he exclaimed. Ethan couldn't believe that Jareth was so willing to abandon anyone to the tender mercies of the things that roamed the Labyrinth at night. What was it about this girl?

Jareth glowered at him, but made no reply. Ethan sighed, "Can you at least use a crystal to check on her?"

Jareth eyes grew angry again. "No."

"Really? You won't even check on her? She could be hurt," he said, appealing to something other than Jareth's pride.

A look of anguish crossed Jareth's face at Ethan's words, but that was quickly replaced by a stoic mask. Ethan knew, that if it hadn't been for the alcohol, he wouldn't have seen even that much. It was one of the reasons why he had been careful not to drink too much, while at the same time, plying his friend with most of a bottle of whisky. Ethan had suspected he would need his wits about him as Jareth told this story. He had learned long ago that the best way to figure his friend out, was to catch these little slips that told him about Jareth's mood and thoughts. The Goblin King threw himself off the couch, startling Ethan. He stalked to a window and stared out for several moments before answering.

"It's not that I won't," he growled in explanation. "It's that I can't. I can't see Sarah through the crystals anymore."

"What do you mean, you can't?" asked Ethan incredulously. What about this girl turned his friend into a completely different person? The Jareth he knew would have been doing his utmost to charm the girl, including rushing out there to play the knight in shining armor for her. Ethan had seen Jareth go to great lengths to bring a woman to his bed but never had he seen him take this tactic, whatever it was.

"I mean I can't. It doesn't work." Jareth swung around from the window to face his friend. "I haven't been able to do that for the last six years," he said, almost sadly. All traces of his earlier anger were gone.

"But, you could see her as she ran the Labyrinth?" Ethan asked, hoping to clarify.

"Yes," answered Jareth. "It wasn't until she… went home, that I realized I couldn't see her magically anymore."

"Do you, know why?" Ethan asked hesitantly.

"I have an idea," Jareth said, exhaling wearily as he leaned casually against the mantle. Ethan remained sprawled in his chair. Jareth's eyes took on a faraway look, darkening until even the blue one was heavily shadowed.

Ethan said nothing, waiting for his friend to continue. When Jareth didn't say anything more he decided to give him a little nudge. "Feel like sharing your theory?" He asked snarkily. To his surprise, Jareth didn't take the bait.

"You have no power over me…" Jareth whispered.

"What?" Ethan's face showed his confusion. That statement made no sense. He watched as Jareth pulled himself out of whatever memory he was lost in.

With his mismatched eyes once more settled on Ethan, he said, "It's the last thing Sarah said to me that day. She told me that I didn't have any power over her." He shook his head with a half smile. "I think that's why I haven't been able to see her. I had hoped, now that she is back in the Underground, that the restriction would lift, but as I found earlier…"

"It hasn't," Ethan finished for him. "This doesn't make any sense. Do you have any idea why she would be able to place such a restriction on you? It seems odd that a random mortal girl would have that kind of sway here in the Underground."

Jareth sighed and returned to the couch once again. "Sarah isn't just any mortal girl. During our last encounter, I felt a... power, emanating from her. There's something about her that's… different."

Ethan felt alarm bells going off again. This was all too convenient. A mortal girl just happens to catch Jareth's interest and then is able to blithely walk away from one of the most powerful Fae in the Underground? She did more than just walk away, he reminded himself. She was actually able to prevent him from seeing her with his magic!

"Jareth," he said leaning forward in the winged armchair. "Have you considered that perhaps this girl isn't what she seems to be?"

Jareth looked sharply at his chief military officer. The feel of the room suddenly changed, as though it had been charged with electricity. "What do you mean?" he asked. His tone was dangerous, and Ethan knew he would have to tread lightly to avoid angering his sovereign.

"Where could she have gotten such power?" he asked, stalling for time, while he tried to figure out a way to tell Jareth what he was thinking.

Jareth looked thoughtful and the atmosphere in the room relaxed again. He shifted around on the couch and rested a booted ankle over his knee. He extended an arm along the low back of the couch and said, "It's possible that the book had something to do with it. I don't know how she got hold of the book, but it's a very powerful artifact. It shouldn't even have been out of the vault."

"Could it have been a copy?" murmured Ethan, still wrestling with how to tell Jareth he needed to be careful around the girl.

Jareth's brows drew together as he thought about that for a moment. "No," he finally answered. "The first thing I did once I realized what she had was check the vault; the book wasn't there."

"Well, she couldn't have been given the power by another Fae. It would have killed her by now," Ethan pointed out practically.

"Indeed." Jareth's reply was slightly chilling, and Ethan stiffened at the tone.

Steeling himself, Ethan decided to just go for it. If it pissed Jareth off, well, too bad. There was always work in Andris' kingdom for a warrior, if Jareth dismissed him. "Have you considered the possibility that the girl is a trap?"

"A trap?" Jareth asked darkly. Ethan hurried on.

"This could be some sort of plot. We know there are enemies out there. She could be here to get close to you, or to distract you, or to weaken you somehow." He said it in a rush, eager to get his thoughts out in the open now that he had started. No matter what Jareth thought of his theories, it was his duty to bring up all the possibilities, even if they angered the king.

For a moment, Jareth sat absolutely still. Ethan couldn't decide whether or not to be worried. Then Jareth chuckled. "You give him too much credit, my friend. This plot you imagine is far too convoluted, even for him."

His relief over Jareth's lack of anger was overshadowed by his fear that his friend wasn't taking his warning as seriously as he felt it should be. "But-"

"No." Jareth stated, his eyes blazed with fury as they stared into Ethan's own. "If you knew Sarah, you wouldn't even consider this."

Ethan ground his teeth but inclined his head in apology. No matter what Jareth thought, Ethan was determined not to be persuaded out of his opinion. He would get to the bottom of this. He had to know more about this girl. He was determined to do his job, not just as Jareth's chief military officer but also as his friend. He couldn't let this Sarah get her hooks any deeper into Jareth until he was sure that she wasn't part of some plot.

After a few minutes of awkward silence, Ethan asked, "Do you mind if I check up on her? Just to ensure her safety of course."

Jareth looked at him suspiciously. Ethan spread his hands in a gesture of peace, hoping to persuade his king and friend that he meant no harm. Jareth considered the request for several moments. Ethan could almost see the wheels turning in his mind as his pride fought with his other feelings. Finally, his other feelings won and Jareth gave in with a heavy sigh. "Fine. I left her on the southwestern edge of the Labyrinth, near the pond where that Unaligned rusalka has been living for the last few years. I'll send you there, but you're going to have to make your own way back."

Ethan stood and prepared for Jareth to transport him. Jareth leaned close and grinned wickedly. "Oh, and Ethan…"

"Yes?"

"Keep your hands OFF the girl," Jareth said before tossing a crystal at him.


Ethan blinked as the scene changed around him. Instead of the fire-lit study with its sturdy furniture and comfortable fire, he found himself standing in the dark. He conjured a crystal, tinged green with his magic, to light the area around him.

He was standing in the same cleared area that Jareth and Sarah appeared in earlier, but there was no sign of the girl anywhere. Ethan began to search for her, spiraling outward as he went. If she were hurt or even just sleeping, he didn't want to miss her in the dark.

He continued until he came to the pond. He knew the rusalka here wasn't dangerous, Jareth wouldn't have let her stay if she was. So, he crouched down and dangled a hand in the water. She didn't appear.

He intensified the light coming from the crystal in his other hand until he could see the entire pond in its glow. Luckily, it wasn't a large pond. He was already going to be sorry for the magical expenditure when it came time to transport back to the castle.

A small figure, dressed in grey-green robes, walked into the light that just barely reached the other side of the pond. The rusalka's brown hair was nearly dry, and the hem of her damp robe was covered in dust. Ethan looked at her in wonder. He had never known a rusalka to willingly walk away from her bit of water before.

"What do you want?" the water nymph asked shortly, narrowing her green eyes. She stepped into the water, sighing as she submerged herself. A moment later, she popped back to the surface in the middle of the pond, her eyes locked on his, waiting for an answer. The robes that she had been wearing had fallen away, leaving her in a far more revealing garment.

"I'm looking for someone," he told her, trying his best to avert his eyes from the large expanse of skin her current clothing laid bare to his eyes. She now wore little more than a chemise, and Ethan felt his face burn slightly at the realization. "Have you seen a young woman, a mortal one, around here?"

Naida cocked her head at the Fae. "What makes you think you'll find such a person here, Command General?"

"You know who I am?" he asked in surprise.

The nymph swirled her arms under the water, drawing his eyes downward once again. She laughed, a silvery chuckle, as he jerked his eyes away once more. "Of course I do. Everyone knows who you are, Lord Ethan."

Always used to thinking of Jareth as the one everyone knew, Ethan grew flustered. "Well, have you seen a young woman?" he demanded, a little more forcefully than he should have.

The girl in the water laughed. "You won't find Sarah here; she's entered the Labyrinth again."

Ethan stood from his crouch and began to pace, ignoring the tingling in his legs caused by the cramped position he had been keeping them in. He glanced over at the rusalka, wondering if she knew anything else about the girl. She watched him calmly from the water.

"Where is she going?" he asked, narrowing his eyes at the rusalka. She seemed awfully calm on the surface, yet there was a tension in the way she held herself that told Ethan that she knew something.

The rusalka made no reply; she just shrugged. "It's late. I think I would like it if you left now," she stated.

Ethan scowled, and considered her request. He knew she had more information that she wasn't sharing, but he had no wish to antagonize a rusalka, even one that was considered benign. With a last look at the rusalka, Ethan retreated back to the clearing he initially appeared in. He sat down on the pile of rocks that Jareth had leaned against so casually earlier in the day to think about the situation. He couldn't very well go searching through the Labyrinth for the girl at night. If the Labyrinth could be dangerous during the day, it was even more so at night. Despite his status as Command General of Jareth's armies, there was still the possibility that he would run into something he couldn't handle. There were things in the Labyrinth that answered to no one, save possibly the king.

Perhaps, I should return tomorrow and question the rusalka further, he thought. He doubted that she would give him any more information than she already had. The Unaligned weren't exactly known for being helpful just because members of the Court asked them to. He reluctantly set that idea aside and began to consider other ways to gather more information about Sarah.

He could try Hoggle, or better yet, Sir Didymus. Ethan smiled; Didymus would probably be most helpful actually. Unfortunately, any further information gathering would have to wait until tomorrow. He had just enough magical energy left to get himself back to his bedroom in the Castle Beyond the Goblin City. Making a mental note to call on Didymus soon, Ethan stood, conjured another green tinged crystal, and disappeared.


Sarah had been walking for hours. The pounding of her head felt like it increased with every step she took. The sun was just beginning to go down when she decided that she had been following the edge of the Labyrinth for long enough.

She grimaced as she began to run her left hand along the inner wall, searching for one of those hidden openings that she knew was there. After walking for several hundred yards, her fingers caught on a jagged brick causing her to pull her hand back with a small cry. Blood dripped down her fingers. Good thing I don't faint at the sight of blood, she thought, digging in the pocket of her coat for the tissues she had stuffed in them. Was it really only this morning that she had done that? It seemed like days ago now. Wrapping the tissues around her bleeding fingers, like bandages, Sarah continued on, being more careful where she put her hands. She wanted to sit down and rest, but she most certainly did not want to end up in the Labyrinth, alone, after dark.

Eventually, she found an opening. She hesitated, despite the threat of oncoming night. Sarah leaned against the wall and looked up at the branches she could see sticking up above the inner wall of the Labyrinth. Naida said the Labyrinth was more dangerous now. Sarah wondered exactly what she meant by that. Did her friend simply mean the run down state she had found it to be in, or was there a darker meaning behind the warning? What had happened to this place? It was very different from the Labyrinth she remembered. It was darker and almost felt sinister. However, it also felt almost… dead. She hadn't seen any sign of life in the entire time she had been walking along the corridor. She shivered again and was reminded of the rapidly approaching darkness. Taking a deep breath, Sarah plunged through the opening, heading deeper into the Labyrinth.

This section of the Labyrinth seemed fairly straightforward to Sarah, despite its condition. Some of the walls had begun to crumble and Sarah found herself forced to skirt around, and occasionally climb over, piles of rubble strewn across the passageways. The destruction was worse here than along the edge, and she wondered what the Goblin City looked like now. Climbing up on a pile of rubble, Sarah endeavored to see above the tops of the walls that surrounded her. She hoped to get some indication of the state of the rest of the Labyrinth. If the destruction continued to get worse as one went in, then she wouldn't be surprised to see the Goblin City razed to the ground. She could see nothing past the looming trees of the forest, and nothing before the trees but the maze she was working her way through. Giving up, Sarah climbed down off the pile of rubble and continued her journey. Thankfully, she was able to quickly find her way through the relatively few passages between her and the forest. Sarah had expected that she would need to solve some sort of puzzle or outwit some tricky entity to gain entry to the forest, but that turned out not to be the case, at least not anymore.

The wrought silver gate that once stood at the threshold between the stone maze and the forest was standing wide open. It was badly tarnished and twisted on its hinges. The edge of the gate, where the lock had once been, was crumpled and broken. Seeing it in such a state brought back the full force of Naida's warning once again. Sarah wondered what sort of creature would be able to twist and crush a metal gate like that. She shuddered and stepped through haltingly, hoping that whatever had done the damage was nowhere nearby.

As she stepped through the gate, Sarah sidled sideways and kept her back against the stone wall. Crumbling or not, it was comforting to have her back against the stone. She looked around and, seeing nothing dangerous, released the breath that she had been holding. The area between the disintegrating wall and the thick forest consisted of a thin strip of cleared land. Various grasses grew to knee height and often gave way to dirt and bare rock. Seeing nothing of interest near the wall, Sarah turned her attention to the forest itself. She took a few steps away from the stone, her sensible black flats scuffing over the dirt. The forest looked dark, but not exactly foreboding. As she took her first steps into the cathedral-like twilight of the still forest, she strained her ears to catch any sound. She was hoping to hear the sound of running water, which would indicate the stream Naida had told her about, but Sarah was also keenly aware that she could be in danger. She heard nothing but the gentle breeze rustling through the brilliant orange and scarlet leaves overhead.

Sarah walked deeper into the forest, careful to keep her path perpendicular to the tumbling stone walls she was leaving behind. It was far darker under the trees than it was out in the open. The fading sunlight was unable to penetrate the still dense canopy above. Sarah shivered and pulled the collar of her coat up around her neck. She had better hurry, or she was likely to freeze. She picked up the pace, despite her exhaustion.

Suddenly, she saw a flash of movement off to her left. Spinning in that direction, she peered through the gloom, trying to determine what had moved. Although the forest was largely clear of undergrowth, the area where she had noticed movement was a dense thicket of bushes. As Sarah started to turn away, she saw another flash of movement in the bushes. Caught unaware, she took a few steps closer to the thicket before stopping. Don't be stupid, Sarah, she chided herself, you have no idea what's in there. Things aren't always what they seem, remember? She strained her eyes and thought she could make out a face in amongst the branches that loomed in front of her. She was about to take another small step closer when the branches rattled.

"H-h-hello?" Sarah stuttered. She was shivering again, but not from the cold. Images of the twisted gate flickered through her mind as she stood there.

There was no answer and no movement.

Sarah took a few more halting steps closer. She was sure she could see a face now- a human looking face- staring out from the bushes. It was obviously male, with a full beard and bushy, brownish-red hair on his head. "Are you alright?" she asked leaning down slightly to peer at the face in the bushes.

It made no reply, save to grin devilishly.

Sarah gasped in horror as the grin revealed three rows of terrifying, razor sharp teeth. With a gasp, Sarah propelled herself backwards, only to catch her foot on an exposed root,crashing to the ground painfully. The thing in the bushes let out a trumpeting cry of triumph as it leaped at her, landing a mere few feet away.

Sarah's mind raced, trying to place the strange creature that was now stalking her as she regained her footing and backed away. The entire thing was covered in the same reddish-brown hair that she had noticed on it's head. While the face was human, the rest of the creature had the body of a lion. Most terrifying was the tail. It was covered in a hard shell, like a carapace, and was held high off the ground, arcing over the creatures back. The tip of the tail ended in a bulbous lump that culminated in a wicked looking stinger. Sarah began to breathe hard. She didn't know what this thing was, but it clearly wasn't friendly.

With a terrified scream, Sarah whirled and ran. It was pure luck that found her running in the direction she had been traveling before. All rational thought deserted her and she ran blindly, not thinking about the directions Naida had given her several hours ago. Her only thought was to escape. With an irritated roar, the creature followed, almost lazily, demonstrating that it had no trouble keeping up with the fleeing woman.

Now in a state of utter panic, Sarah ran, looking for anything that could help her as she fled. She dodged back and forth amongst the trees, hoping to avoid the stinger that the creature brandished as it followed. Glancing back over her shoulder, Sarah found it, loping easily behind her. It's grin widened as it saw her terrified face, and it raised it's stinger. Sarah quickly whipped back around and threw herself to the right. The creature growled as its stinger missed her, hitting the tree a few feet to her left and embedding itself several inches into the trunk. Not waiting to see if it would be able to free itself, Sarah took off once again. The beast let out a loud howl of rage when it saw her run. The sound was like the blast of a trumpet, one played horribly off key. Thrashing wildly to disengage from the tree, it tore up the forest floor in its anger and frustration.

Sarah ran as hard as she could. Her scant stores of energy were nearly exhausted, and she knew that she wouldn't be able to run much longer when she heard the sound of water burbling over some rocks just ahead. With a sob or relief, Sarah saw the stream come into view and she veered to the right to follow it's path. Glancing behind, she was further relieved that nothing seemed to be following her, at least for the moment. It appeared that she had managed to shake her pursuer.

Slowing slightly as she followed the stream, she tried to catch her breath. He legs shook, and her head swam. The headache, which was forgotten while she ran from that creature, came back suddenly, roaring into life, and making Sarah wonder if her head could possibly explode. The pain was so sudden and intense that Sarah dropped to her hands and knees beside the happily gurgling stream. Her vision became blurred, and she gripped her head in her hands. Her stomach twisted. Sarah turned her head away from the running water as she heaved violently. The bitter bile burned as it made its way up her throat to coat the leaf covered floor of the forest. When it was over, Sarah sat back on her heels and turned away in disgust. With shaking hands, she scooped up some water, rinsed her mouth, and splashed some on her face

The cool water helped, but only slightly. Her vision cleared, but her head continued to pound while her throat remained ragged and burning. Slowly, she became aware of the rustling of leaves behind her. Her heart jumped into her burning throat, and she froze in complete terror.

When nothing happened for several minutes, she timidly glanced behind her. There was nothing there. Now spooked, Sarah stumbled to her feet as quickly as she could and staggered off, following the stream. It was nearly dark and she jumped at every sound. The wind started to pick up, moaning eerily through the treetops, and making it impossible for her to stop shivering. Sarah began to move faster once again but found that she didn't have the energy to sustain the quickened pace.

More leaves rustled to her right. Sarah whipped around but couldn't see anything in the shadows. She considered her options. The small stream she was following was starting to widen. She could cross and hope that her destination lay on that side, putting the water between herself and the stretch of forest where she had last seen the horrifying beast. She didn't know how much further she had to go, or if the stream would continue to grow as she went. Another rustle and a moving shadow made the decision easy. Sarah crossed the stream, splashing noisily through the water, and set off at a dead run, her fight or flight response lending strength to her legs once more.

A few minutes later, Sarah saw the glint of moonlight through the trees. The clearing was just ahead! Sobbing in relief, she stumbled out of the dark forest and into the open. All energy expended, she collapsed on the grass several feet from the edge of the trees. Her head was swimming.

She didn't see the shadow detach itself from the dark forest behind her. Slinking low on its belly, the lionesque creature approached silently, inch by inch. Unknowing, Sarah lay on the ground, gasping and shuddering in reaction to her ordeal. Just a few more inches, and it would strike.

Sarah pushed herself up once more, determined to make it to Diona's cottage before passing out. There was a blur of movement in the corner of her eye and a searing pain in her upper back. A scream of horror ripped out of her already sore throat as she felt her legs give out one final time. She turned as she fell to see the creature approaching her, venom dripping from the tip of its lashing tail. It's fixed grin and the look of triumph in its feral eyes brought another scream to her lips, but to her horror, she couldn't make a sound. Blackness began to close in around her as she lay helpless. The last thing she heard was the trumpeting cry of triumph that the creature made as she slipped into unconsciousness.


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~LiteraryRhapsody