A/N: That took a while didn't it? Sorry for the wait folks but it's taking me a while to work through the mountain of uni work that I've been heaped with this semester. It ends on Friday and I still have two essays to write! And then some exams right after Christmas. Lets have a quick vote shall we….all those who agree that as students we should not be expected to do anything say Aye! I personally would like to meet the mythological beast that is a bummy student who does nothing and sponges off the government. Anyone know one?.....Alright I'll quit ranting. Enjoy the fic, which is the real reason you are all here. (^_^)

As always big huge thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far!

Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth, or Jareth.

Hunter pulled on the reins, bringing his horse to a halt. His hand went to the flask at his hip and absently he drank some of the water it contained. He flung his thoughts far and wide and was met with silence. A void where Kara should be. It felt as if something had been physically torn away and it made his whole body ache. Sweat was pouring from his skin though the night air carried the edge of a bitter chill and he felt as if he had been carved from lead he was so tired, but he couldn't stop now. Not when Kara might be over the next hill. Or the next…

Jareth brought his own coal black stallion to a halt beside him and silently accepted the flask as Hunter passed it to him. He sipped, regarding his friend with no small amount of concern. They had been riding for almost nine hours now, from early afternoon till long after the sun had set and Hunter was beginning to show the subtle signs of strain. He hadn't eaten and hadn't even stopped until now and Jareth was well aware of the fact that if they did not stop and get some sleep now then they weren't going to be much use to anyone.

"You need to rest," he said gently.

"No!" Hunter's voice was horse and rasped painfully in his throat. The sound of unshed tears.

"Fine," Jareth said coolly, "But won't it be such a pity when you cannot ride to her rescue because you've fallen from your horse in exhaustion and broken your neck."

Hunter slumped dejectedly in his saddle. His eyes burned, his normally spectacular night vision blurring with the effort of staying awake and his muscles were screaming at him to get off the horse.

But what if she was over the next hill…what if she was there alone and bleeding and calling out for him…what if they were hurting her right now and he could not save her because he'd called off the search for the night. With there bond somehow cut off he could not find her, could not tell if she was hurt and the uncertainty was tearing at him.

Jareth watched the conflict of emotions play on Hunter's face. He could only sympathise, knowing that someone you love was being taken away from you and you were powerless to stop it was a terrible thing for anyone to endure. At least his love was still alive and well somewhere in her world. Kara may not be so lucky if Ulrich had her, and there was really no doubt in either of them that he did. Every second could be precious to seeing her returned mind and body intact, but Hunter would only damage his chances of winning the fight for her safety if he was well rested. Ulrich would take every advantage he had so at the least Hunter should be at full strength when they finally faced one another.

"Look you will not be any good to her if you fall unconscious at Ulrich's feet before you have a chance to even do anything," Jareth said decisively. "Dismount, we will set up camp and start again at first light. Besides we might miss something in the dark." Silently he continued to curse himself for not doing something about Ulrich sooner. He should have exiled him the first chance he got.

"I have excellent night vision!" Hunter snapped. "We start again in six hours." He negotiated the last knowing that he would be fine if he only slept a little.

"Fine," Jareth agreed readily, swinging down from his horse as soon as the words had left Hunter's mouth. That would put them three hours ahead of dawn and he had not really expected Hunter to wait that long anyway. Still if he had said six hours Hunter would have tried to make it three. Hunter slid carelessly from his horse, without his usual grace and together they began to make camp.

***

Ulrich towered in front of her, looking down at her with a face utterly devoid of emotion. He dropped fluidly onto hi knees, trailing his hands down her bare arms and Kara tried to push herself through the wall as her skin tried to crawl off her body. His hands travelled back up and she was surprised to hear a sharp click before her arms went slack as they were released from the bonds that had been holding them in place. Still they were painfully numb and at the moment did not actually feel like they would be of much use to her in a fight. Ulrich backed away from her, hunched on his legs, muscle straining impressively against the fabric of his trousers. He regarded her with cold, predatory eyes, his hands resting almost casually on his knees.

Kara watched him fearfully from beneath her lashes as she rubbed some of the feeling back into her arms. Her hands were still frighteningly cold though. She couldn't come up with a plan, though her mind was struggling desperately for one. Ulrich practically shimmer with the air of violence that hung around him. He was sadistic and ruthless but he was defiantly not stupid. If Kara was going to find an advantage she knew she had to do it fast. Though his overbearing presence in the room was making any thought other than 'I'm afraid' more or less impossible and she doubted she could ask he to step outside while she formulated some sort of plan of attack.

Ulrich continued to simply watch her, not moving at all and he looked a lot like he could stay that way for a very long time if he chose to. The tense silence was starting to get beyond endurance. Kara wanted to scream just to relieve the growing pressure she felt inside her chest and maybe to make herself feel like anything but a small rabbit that knows it has no chance against the hunter in front of it and knows it is only a matter of time before death.

Suddenly Ulrich launched himself at her. So suddenly Kara let out a small yelp of fear and surprise even as she dove to one side to avoid him, unfortunately rolling straight into another wall. However at least she was out of Ulrich's reach for the moment, she thought as she scrambled onto her feet, crouching low in the corner. Ulrich grinned at her and she had a mental flash of how a wolf would look if it could smile at its prey. Only there was a cruelty in Ulrich's eyes, in the set of his mouth that you didn't get with your average non-magical wolf.

"Well you might be good for some sport at least," he said quietly, gliding towards her on all fours. Moving in a way that no human ever could. They simply did not have the muscles for it. Kara pulled her legs under her, cursing her dress silently when her foot got caught and for a panicked moment she thought she wouldn't get it free. She did, after a brief struggle, and crouched in readiness balanced on the balls of her feet. Ulrich darted suddenly in on her left and she threw herself to the right.

She ended up in a corner, feeling like an idiot. A trapped idiot and she cursed herself and Ulrich in the quietness of her mind.

"Really, I can't see any sport when your prey has nowhere to run," she told him. "Isn't this kind of game beneath such a hunter as yourself?" she questioned lightly. If he were to hunt her in the forest she might not win but at least she would have a fighting chance and maybe away from the confines of her cell her mind could find Hunter's again.

Ulrich threw back his head in a deep throaty laugh and for a moment Kara was sure he had been about to howl.

"What kind of fool do you take me for little human?" he asked, saying human in the tone of voice people usually reserved for nasty things they had stepped in. "Why give you a chance to run when I already have you right where I want you?" He moved in again until she was trapped between his body and the walls at her back, moving until his face was very close to hers. "Besides, I have no plans of hunting you," he told her, his voice dropping to a low whisper that could almost be called seductive.

"N-no?" she made it a question, her voice trembling with fear despite her resolve.

"No," his breath dance over her cheek and she would have recoiled had there been anywhere to go.

"Are you just going to kill me then?" she asked boldly, despite the fear that was uncurling icy tendrils in her stomach.

Ulrich laughed again, "Spirit and courage," he remarked. "It is going to be so much fun to break you."

Kara simply frowned at him, not understanding what he meant.

He leaned in closer, pressing his lips to her ear. This time she did try to draw back, despite the walls. "What would you destroy your darling prince more than the sight of you willingly by my side?" he whispered into the delicate shell. Kara, stiffened, feeling the blood drain from her face. He trapped her chin in his hand and she could feel the strength rippling beneath the surface. He could crush the bones if he felt like it.

"And trust me, I can be most persuasive," he added before trailing his tongue along her cheek, leaving a warm, wet path. "I'll leave you to think about that." He stood and walked away from Kara, who huddled further into the corner, drawing her knees up and rubbing furiously at her cheek. He rapped sharply on the door and a guard opened it and then he was gone.

The door slammed shut again and Kara buried her face against her knees and wept. Her mind automatically tried to find Hunter's and the black, impenetrable wall she encountered did nothing to ease her fear. She had never felt more truly alone in all her life as she continued to sob, taking little consolation in her unbound arms and the light he had left behind.