Chapter 9: The Capture

The patrol walked quietly through the forest, no one wanting to disturb the mournful silence. Suri paused hesitantly at the final clearing of Fortis territory. Kaito grinned broadly at her when she glanced nervously at him, her earlier angered confidence gone. "You're not scared, are you, Suri?" he asked, grinning through serious eyes. Suri turned her gaze ahead of her.

"No." she said as she moved forward.A few feet into Mahna territory, something caught her eye. Smoke was rising in the distance. She couldn't tell where exactly it was. "You two, go check it out. I don't care the territory. You are to help put it out. I don't want the forest on fire." she ordered sternly.

"But Suri, we can't leave y-"

"That was an order! Go!" Suri hissed darkly. After a long moment, Kifa gave a curt nod and led Lilah away. Turning back around, she continued forward. After a moment, Kaito moved back to her side.

"Are you sure that was a good idea? We're half as vulnerable now. In Mahna territory." he said, glancing at her. Suri ignored him, continuing forward. He stepped in front of her, blocking her path now. Suri glared up at him angrily.

"Move." she said flatly. He remained in his place, staring back defiantly. "I am ordering you to step aside, Kaito."

"I can't obey that order." he said stiffly. "Suri, I know you're upset about your father, the entire clan is, but this is not the way to mourn him. What would your father say if he were to see you like this? He-" Suri shoved him aside, moving past him angrily. He managed to regain his balance and follow quickly after her. He gripped her shoulders after turning her back towards him. "You're acting on a whim of anger, Suri. You're blind right now. You can't see the danger you're walking into-or rather you won't see it." Kaito's grip on her arms tightened as she tried again to pull away. He ground his teeth when she reached back for an arrow from the quiver slung over her shoulder. He breathed again when the arrow streaked just past his ear.

"Neither can you." she spat, pulling away. He spun, seeing nothing but trees around them. He was about to tell her that now he was really concerned, but then he felt it. The energy of a person. His grip tightened on his staff as the person gripping a sword came into view.

"I wouldn't move if I were you." he sneered through a grin. "You're on Mahna territory. Attack me on my land, and the clan will freely retaliate." he smirked under Suri's glare. Kaito stared at her, wide-eyed, as she dropped her arms, gripping her bow with a death grip.

"Take me to my brother." as she spoke in a low voice, that man's smile widened. He stepped forward and restrained her arms behind her back.

Astonished faces, and the cry of an apprentice greeted him as he entered the camp. He had gone after Suri, but he wasn't as young as he wished he was. She had soon made it out of sight. He paused, confused. It was as if he had shouted and alarmed them. Everyone had paused, mid-step or with weapons suspended in the air. They were all starring as if he'd died and come back. "What?" he snapped, glaring around him.

"You're... you're alive...?" a wizard managed to find her voice.

"Of course I'm alive. Why wouldn't I be, don't be foolish." he chided, frustrated.

"But..." the stammering voice paused, swallowing hard. "But Suri, she-"

"Suri?" he demanded, starring at her. "You've seen her?" he stared around the camp. When she didn't speak, another voice replied hastily.

"She thought you were dead, Sir. We all did..." Wolf turned his gaze to the man that had now stepped forward.

"Dead?" he inquired, a bad feeling beginning to form within him. Someone stepped forward with a piece of dark cloth covered in dry blood. For a terrible moment he thought it was Suri's before he realized it was his. "Where did you get this? Where is my daughter?"

"Suri found this in the forest, pegged to a tree and covered in blood." the man responded.

"That got snagged on a branch. Then I encountered an intruder, I couldn't go back for it. I took care of him, he ran off. The blood is not mine, I suspect he soaked it in an animal's blood and left it pegged to the tree for someone to find. Now all of you, stop avoiding the question." he growled, raking his glare over the clan around him. "Where is my daughter?" Glances were exchanged before someone managed to find their voice.

"She thought you were dead. She took a patrol to avenge you. To Mahna."

Suri and Kaito followed the Mahna Clan warrior through the trees. She tensed as the camp came into view. They had built walls around the camp, so what lay beyond was out of sight. She stared, slightly disturbed, at the massive pieces of trees that made up the walls. They were shoved tightly together, forming a strong, defensive wall. They paused when their escort, still holding his sword, stopped and turned to them. He walked up to Kaito first and ripped his staff from his grip before turning to Suri. She bit back a retort to his triumphant grin as he carefully plucked each arrow from the quiver, then took her bow. She cringed as he snapped the string of the bow with his sword. He then began to circle her, confiscating her sword, and any other object he could find that could be wielded as a weapon. Still smirking, he turned back towards the camp, and continued down the small hill that led towards the camp doors.. She took a deep breath as he pulled the entrance open. "Haru!" he snapped loudly, "Visitors! Special ones." she watched her brother exit a tent a few yards ahead. Suddenly angry, she tensed to sprint at him, Kaito grabbed her as she tried to move. She spun to glare at him menacingly.

"Let go of me." she hissed under her breath.

"No. You're unarmed. Don't do something stupid." he responded, indicating the Mahna clan members that had begun to draw their weapons at her attempt to attack.

"Well!" Haru cried, amused as he walked over to them triumphantly. "Isn't this a surprise. Hello, little sister. You've got quite the catch, Aaron. And look, bonus points for this one." he chuckled as he circled Kaito. "Nice staff." he remarked, taking the rod from Aaron. "I think I'll keep this. It'll be of no use to you here." Suri saw Kaito stiffen as he kept his glare fixed somewhere ahead of them. "Why, my dear sister, have you chosen to trespass on my territory?" he leaned in close, still with the ridiculous grin plastered on his face.

"What did you do to my father." she spat, losing control of her anger. To her surprise, he actually looked genuinely confused at the question.

"What-" he cut off, suddenly starting to laugh. "Stephan!" he shouted suddenly. A man moved forward slowly. He looked horrible, his face was bruised, and his arms were bandaged all the way up, disappearing under his shirt. "You're pardoned from your past crimes of betrayal." he said gleefully. The man smiled and dipped his head gratefully. With a yell of anger, she tore free from Kaito's grip and lunged at her brother, catching him off guard. He stumbled as she attempted to knock him off his feet. She cried out when he angrily threw her off.

"Suri!" Kaito called, stepping toward her. He stopped, trying to pull free of the hands restricting him. Scrambling to her feet, she dodged a strike, managing to land a hit on his torso. The action only seemed to anger him more as he swept his foot beneath her, knocking her to the ground again. This time when she found her footing, she was instantly restrained. She glared up at her brother as he strode over to her. Raising his left hand, he struck her hard on the cheek, causing her to cry out slightly. "Don't touch her!" Kaito spat, thrashing against his restraints. Haru turned his glare on Kaito as he moved quickly over to him. Gripping the staff, he brought the pole hard to Kaito's stomach, causing him to double over slightly. Coughing, he returned his glare to Haru.

"You're quite scrawny. Even for a wizard." Haru remarked, looking over his captive. "Can you even handle a weapon? Why would my father allow someone as tiny as you become a member of his clan? You're weak without your staff, and you can't even fight. He really has lowered his standards." he chuckled, turning and walking away. "You know where to put them." he growled over his shoulder.