Disclaimer: I do not own "The Most Dangerous Game". Personally, I think I
write better stories.
Note: *sentence* means someone is thinking, since I can't do italics.
***
The darkness swirling around her would have been overwhelming, had she not been there before. Even so, Tamereth felt its heavy, oppressing weight bear down on her. It wanted to break her, to force her to surrender herself to its depths.
She closed her eyes, pushing the feeling away from her mind. Slowly, she felt the familiar sensation arise- the feeling of a force, calling her. She allowed the stream of light within her mind to guide her, to lead her into the other world.
A thin smile twisted her lips. For her, this was all a game- a test of courage, cunning- a way to amuse herself. Through the Shadow Realm, she could traverse amongst worlds-for in its darkness were the gateways to all other worlds, if one did not lose themselves to it. Tamereth would not, of course. She had done the multiple times, when she had grown restless in the past. Adventure called her now, and she wondered eagerly what awaited.
Tamereth's eyes snapped open when she felt sunlight land upon them. She looked around, her keen gaze taking in the surroundings. She was surrounded by a dense jungle, a maze of tangled trees and undergrowth. In the distance, she could discern many spots of light, flickering in and out of view. They would have been impossible to make out in the light of the setting sun had they been facing the other way. She looked closer and saw that they were actually lights, inside an enormous building--a lofty structure with pointed towers rising upward into the gloom. It stood high atop a bluff, and on three sides, cliffs plunged down to meet the ocean's foaming waves.
She walked towards it, and found tall, spiked, iron gates looming over her. Hesitating for only a second, she pushed the gate open, wincing slightly as the iron burned her skin. Although she made no other sign that she had felt it, she cursed herself mentally for forgetting.
"Iron to bind the fey." She murmured, letting out a small, humorless laugh.
Tamereth walked up the stone steps, conscious of the unrealistic aura about the place. Yet, it did not bother her, for she was used to this sort of thing. *That is what makes it all the more amusing.* she thought.
At the massive door, she reached up, her hand clasping around the knocker, which depicted a leering gargoyle. It creaked when she lifted it, as if reluctant to have its peace disturbed. She let go, and it hit the door, a sound very much like thunder escaping. She did not flinch at the sound, though it startled her. Faintly, she heard footsteps approach.
The door was flung open, and Tamereth blinked, as the door was jerked open, and she was washed with gold light. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the light and she found herself looking up at one of the largest man she ever saw. He loomed in the doorway- a creature of solid muscle, the beard hanging down to his waist, dressed in uniform--a black uniform trimmed with gray astrakhan, and a revolver pointed straight at her.
*Not straight.* a remote part of her mind corrected, a sorry attempt to be humorous. *More down, since you're so short.* Mentally, she yelled at herself to shut up.
Despite the predicament, she did not feel panic, her mind calm and cool. She stared back levelly back at the man, her cold eyes boring into his own menacing gaze. He stood as if he were a statue, unmoving, except for his thumb to raise the hammer of the revolver with a sharp click. She did not move, and let no emotion show, for emotion was weakness- a way for the enemy to know that his prey was cornered, helpless.
They stood like that, for a minute, hours, how long, she did not know. Soon, she saw the hostile look in his eyes fade into puzzlement. Then, the man's free hand went to his forehead in a military salute, and she saw him click his heels together and stand at attention. Another man was coming down the broad marble steps, an erect, slender man in evening clothes.
"It is a great pleasure to welcome you to my home." He said, in a cultivated voice, marked by a slight accent. "Never have we had a girl, much less one with looks such as yours, visit here."
*If you get any visitors at all.* she thought darkly. Something in her mind was warning her, and it made her uneasy, mistrustful, although she was careful to let nothing show.
The man made some sort of signal to the larger, fiendish man, who lowered the revolver, saluted, and withdrew.
"Please forgive our hostile welcome. My name is General Zaroff." He said silkily. "Come, let me show you around, and then you will want some food and rest."
His tone was polite, but she caught an oily undercurrent she particularly disliked. There was something she was missing, and she wanted to find out, so despite her own misgivings, she nodded and followed him through the house.
Tamereth was shown first, to the dining hall, a vast room, with its own sort of magnificence, with its oaken panels, high ceiling, and a large table in the center that could have easily seated about forty men. What unnerved her though, was the animal heads displayed around the hall- lions, tigers, elephants, moose, bears, all of them the largest of their kind she'd seen, and she had seen a lot.
He led her to one end of the table, and pulled back the chair. She found though, that she had just lost most of her appetite, but politeness deemed that she sat down. *Why I care to be polite, I will never know.* she growled.
The food served was foreign, none of which she had ever tried before. She ate a bit, out of courtesy for the host, and bit back the urge to be sick.
She looked up, and found General Zaroff looking at her appraisingly, and she felt her temper grow short. She controlled her anger, however, keeping her face a cold, unreadable mask.
"I never did catch your name." he said lightly.
* I never gave it.* she thought nastily. When she spoke though, her voice was flat. "Tamereth."
He nodded. "Ah."
She let her gaze rove around the room, not letting her disgust show. *Humans and their destructive ways.* she thought disdainfully.
"You are a hunter, are you not?" she asked, keeping her voice impassive.
He nodded again. "Yes."
"What do you hunt, here on this island?"
She felt her eyes narrow, as he gave a curious smile. "I hunt the most dangerous game. Of course, I have to stock the island, but the hunt is worth it."
She remained silent, her brain working rapidly. After a moment, he asked, "Would you like me to show you my other trophies?"
Tamereth shrugged, apathetic. Taking her answer as an affirmative, he led her down another hall.
"My most recent prizes I've kept in the library. This prey is the biggest I've hunted."
"The biggest and the most dangerous?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "What creature may that be?"
"Look for yourself." He answered simply.
The size of the door they arrived at rivaled that of the front door. He pushed it open, and she stepped inside. A wave of nausea passed through her, and Tamereth felt her stomach lurch. Luckily for her, her expression did not change. She saw Zaroff's eyes widen, and she knew that he had expected her to be revolted, or appalled. Inside, she smiled grimly- her stony countenance was paying off.
Yet, as she looked around, she felt the horror well up deep inside her, and for good reason. For along the walls of the library, was lined human heads.
Everything made sense- his "big and dangerous" prey, her own uncertainties and inner warnings.
Her eyes narrowed, and she shot the general a look. "So this is the game you hunt." She snarled.
He smiled humorlessly. "Yes, but more accurate would be the 'game I play'. For you see, the hunt had long since ceased to amuse me. I went in search of a creature whose cunning could match my own-"
"-which turned out to be your own kind." She finished for him.
"Right again. All these people had the misfortune to land on this island. I give them food and a knife, and three hours head start. If I do not get them after three days, I admit that I lost."
"And to this day . . .?" she asked.
"I have not yet lost." He said, with certainty. "And you, Tamereth- we will have good hunting, you and I."
"And if I refuse?" she challenged.
"Naturally, I give all the people a choice. Normally, if they refuse, they are given to Ivan, who was once official knouter to the Great White Czar, and he has his own ideas of sport." His smile twisted. "Though in your case, I dare to suggest that he may have . . . other forms of amusement."
She felt her rage boil up, but was quickly drowned out by a new feeling- the urge to rise up to a challenge. *Two people, playing two different games.* she thought amusedly.
"I have never been one to back down from a challenge before, General Zaroff." She said harshly.
"Good, good," he laughed. "This will be entertaining. Indeed, I hope you will present some sort of challenge."
Her eyes narrowed in annoyance. He underestimated her. That was good. *You may hunt humans, mortal, but you have never hunted one of my kind before. Let us see how well you can play my own game.*
Tamereth was led to a bedroom. Once inside, she closed the door firmly behind her. On the bed lay a knife and a pack of supplies. She picked the knife up, twirling it in her hand, checking its weight and balance.
Suddenly, a suspicion grew on her mind. Setting the knife down, she strode over to the door, and gave it an experimental pull. It did not budge. *Figures.* she thought disgustedly.
Inspecting the room, she found it also held clean clothes and moccasins. She disregarded these, opting to wear her more comfortable and familiar clothing. He had not noticed her own knives that hung sheathed on her belt, she noticed with some amusement, even if they were partially covered by her cloak. * An acclaimed hunter, yet he fails to notice certain small details.*
Excitement flowed through her, making her unable to stay still. She felt like the hunting dogs- kept at bay although the scent of the prey was strong. Yet, she knew she would need the sleep. She would not be getting much in the next three days.
***
When she awoke, the sun had barely crept up over the horizon. Even so, she got up, feeling refreshed and eager. Her cloak lay folded on the chair beside the bed, her belt and knives on top of it. She tied on her belt, which was little more than an intricate weaving of cords. The knives, including the newest addition, were hung in their places, and she made sure they were better hidden under her cloak than the other night.
She went downstairs, which turned out to be a very long way down, as the room had been in one of the towers. The dining hall was empty, but on the table, some food was laid out.
Tamereth decided, after eating a light breakfast, that bacon, eggs, and toast were much more to her taste than whatever it was they had served for dinner last night. About the time she finished, General Zaroff came into the dining hall. From the looks of it, he did not have to go all the way into the dining hall to eat. She stood up.
"You want to start now?" he asked.
She nodded, shifting restlessly.
"Good. Remember, you have three hours before I go after you."
Tamereth was led to the front door. Once outside, she headed down the well-trodden path leading from the gates, until she was out of sight of the large building. It was then that she turned off the path.
The undergrowth, to her disgust, wasn't even as thick as that of the forest from which she came- and she could go through those without leaving a trail. *Bumbling humans may leave a trail easy to follow, and more experienced ones less so, but a trail nevertheless. Yet, I am one who is of the forest- and am no mere human.*
Still, she was careful to loop her trail, easily weaving through the trees, spotting openings where she could slip through without breaking branches or let her feet sink into the ground, which would leave obvious signs of her passing.
When she judged almost three hours to have passed, she slowed down to a casual walk, studying the trees carefully. She found what she was looking for- a tall leafy one, whose first branches were almost ten feet into the air.
Its height was almost impossible to reach, but she let her eyes rove over to the tree next to it, judging the distances. She leapt up lightly, swinging herself onto the other tree's lowest branches. Thankfully, they weren't very tall as she wasn't very much so either.
Standing up warily, she reached up to the next branch and pulled herself up. Soon the movement was systematic, reach and pull, reach and pull. Once she reached a height even with the other tree's she stopped.
Carefully, she crept further out onto the branch, and waited to see if it would hold her weight- it did. In a move much like a cat's, she crouched down and sprang gracefully onto the other tree- a move which brought on a rush of adrenaline. Her breathing soon returned to normal, and she sat in the cover of the branches and waited. *And to think that I used to be afraid of heights.* she thought dryly.
She wrapped her cloak around her, trusting it to shield her from unfriendly eyes. She snorted at the thought. *As if this island has anything but.*
Sinking back against the trunk and praying that she didn't fall out, she closed her eyes and drifted off into a light sleep.
***
Some hours later, her ears caught the faint sound of footfalls, and her eyes snapped open. Half the day had gone by while Tamereth had slept, and in the fading light, her eyes picked out the outline of a man coming towards where she hid. *Could he have followed my trail?* she thought, feeling fear well up inside her, making it hard to breathe. She suppressed the feeling automatically. If she didn't, it would eat away at her, and soon, would give away where she hid. She would just have to wait.
She watched with baited breath as the general came closer, and breathed an inaudible sigh of relief as he passed by the tree without a glance. She suppressed a grin when she caught the murmured words.
"Why is it that she doesn't even leave a trail?" he growled frustrated.
*Because you are no longer playing your game, general.* she thought smugly. *You are playing mine. And it is one that you cannot win at.*
***
During the second day, not much happened, although she saw General Zaroff go past her tree multiple times. Every time, however, he never spared a glance her way. For fun, she purposely went of some ways, left the most obvious trail she could, which ended up to go around the island in a wide circle, then chose another tree to stay in to watch the fun.
Tamereth watched as the man passed by, and saw his face light up with anticipation when he spotted the tracks. She couldn't help but grin when he came around under the tree again some time later. Just after sundown, she saw him circle by again, for the last time that day, and caught a muttered curse as he realized he had been fooled.
She gave a small laugh. This was getting more amusing than she had anticipated. * It was time this deranged madman learned a lesson or two.* she thought before sinking into a deep sleep.
***
She wasn't up as early the next day as usual, feeling the effects of sitting in a tree for about forty eight hours getting to her. She stretched, feeling the muscles all over her body complain, and almost tumbled out of the tree. With a small gasp, she righted herself before she fell and broke her neck in the process.
She breathed a word of thanks to anyone, anything that was listing, *or can hear me when I can't hear myself.* she amended, that it was almost over.
*Just because I spend my life around trees doesn't mean I have to live on them twenty-four seven.* she grumbled.
A few hours later, she heard a noise that chilled her bones- the sound of the hunting dogs barking. She may have not left a visible trail, but she knew full well they would be able to smell her. Unless. . .
*But will it work here?* she thought uncertainly. *I never got to see the dogs the night before.*
She had to try. Tamereth closed her eyes, blocking out all other things, focusing on the dogs' call. She heard, and at the same time, felt them coming closer.
Her breathing grew deep and even as she focused on the feeling deep within her- one that she had no name for even now. 'It is power, Tamereth, and the ability to wield it.' She heard the voice of her friend surface- the voice of the only person she could trust. That was the price of the game.
She let the power flow through her, wisps of the feeling it bore clung to her, warming, comforting her. Tamereth made sure it settled over the dogs before succumbing to it- the feeling of peace. It would drive the lust for the hunt out of the dogs; give them the feeling that all was well- if it worked.
Sure enough, she saw them pass by the tree sometime later at a leisurely pace, tails wagging, not at all bothered by the bewildered frown on both Ivan and General Zaroff's face.
Tamereth relaxed, and watched satisfied as the sun set in a blood glory, sacrificing itself to the coming night. Unlike herself, who would not be falling into the hands of the general. She had won the game, both hers and his.
***
In the dining hall, General Zaroff sat at the end of the tables, a glass of wine in one hand. He swirled it, watching the crimson liquid spin around the glass, barely touching the edges. Two things were on his mind, although one bothered him more so than the other.
One thing was that the girl had not been playing the game. He had not been able to catch her, and from the looks of it, she had disappeared from the island all together.
What troubled him the most however, was the identity of the girl herself. What human could manage to make their way through the jungle without leaving a trail that he would follow? How was it that there was no scent for the dogs to track?
"What manner of a creature indeed?" he murmured aloud.
A cold voice answered him. "Certainly not one that you would have believed possible, General Zaroff."
His head flew up, his eyes widening in surprise. Tamereth stood across from him, the cloak drawn over her head, veiling her face. In the dimly lit room, it almost seemed as if she herself were a shadow.
He smiled nervously. "So, you have won the game." He said silkily.
The icy tone did not change, nor did she move. "I have not been playing your game, as you have suspected. On the contrary, you have been playing mine. And you have lost."
His eyes flashed. "Y-your g-game?" he stammered uneasily.
"My game." She agreed. "And just like yours, losing has its consequences."
He backed away. "Consequences?" he asked shakily.
She drew closer, and he could see the gleam in her eyes, the cold fury. It was not the look of the hunted. It was one of a hunter.
***
General Zaroff fumbled with the gun at his side, and raised it. With one fluid movement, Tamereth drew her knife and rammed the hilt against his hand. The gun clattered to the ground and skittered across the floor.
She shoved him against the wall, the knife pressed hard against his throat, but not hard enough to draw blood.
"How does it feel?" she hissed coldly. "What is it like, to be hunted?"
Tamereth smiled in grim satisfaction as she saw the fear flash in his eyes.
"What do you want?" he asked, his voice quivering.
"What do I want?" she murmured thoughtfully. She looked at him, her eyes locking with his. "I want to give you a warning. Hunt anymore of your own kind, and one day, one of them will hunt you."
His cocky tone came back, and she knew he thought she would not kill him. "You just did."
She gave a humorless laugh. "I am not one of your kind."
Tamereth watched, with a glee that almost sickened her, as his face twisted in fear once again. "W-w-what are you?" he whispered. "Death?"
Her dark, black eyes bored into his as she spoke the words her friend had once said to her. "I am the fire." She murmured. "I am the darkness." Her tone grew deadly soft. "I am not Death, I am its vessel."
There was a flash, as she let herself be drawn back into the Shadow Realm. She caught a glimpse of the general as he sank down onto the floor, shuddering. *Be warned.* she thought darkly.
***
Tamereth fell back onto the hard, firm earth with a sigh. She thought back to her latest exploit, and her words to General Zaroff. *Quite ironic, really.* she thought, laughing out loud.
She spoke, watching the sun rise, golden beams piercing the treetops.
"I am the light."
***
So, you like this? Whether you do or not, please just go and review. And um. . . by the way- this is probably my more. . .stupid ideas, but I had this inside my head after reading the story at school ( I really think this deserves extra credit for this- don't you?), so here it is. My other fic, The Sounds of Silence, is much better by my standards, thank you very much. (It's a Yu-Gi-Oh fic, featuring Tamereth. For those who have read it, or will read it, Tamereth's background is not the same- I change it for the story's sake.) Also, I know "The Most Dangerous Game" is supposed to be a short story, but unless you can tell my where else to put this, it's staying right here. Either way, review ya'll! Thanks! ^-^
Note: *sentence* means someone is thinking, since I can't do italics.
***
The darkness swirling around her would have been overwhelming, had she not been there before. Even so, Tamereth felt its heavy, oppressing weight bear down on her. It wanted to break her, to force her to surrender herself to its depths.
She closed her eyes, pushing the feeling away from her mind. Slowly, she felt the familiar sensation arise- the feeling of a force, calling her. She allowed the stream of light within her mind to guide her, to lead her into the other world.
A thin smile twisted her lips. For her, this was all a game- a test of courage, cunning- a way to amuse herself. Through the Shadow Realm, she could traverse amongst worlds-for in its darkness were the gateways to all other worlds, if one did not lose themselves to it. Tamereth would not, of course. She had done the multiple times, when she had grown restless in the past. Adventure called her now, and she wondered eagerly what awaited.
Tamereth's eyes snapped open when she felt sunlight land upon them. She looked around, her keen gaze taking in the surroundings. She was surrounded by a dense jungle, a maze of tangled trees and undergrowth. In the distance, she could discern many spots of light, flickering in and out of view. They would have been impossible to make out in the light of the setting sun had they been facing the other way. She looked closer and saw that they were actually lights, inside an enormous building--a lofty structure with pointed towers rising upward into the gloom. It stood high atop a bluff, and on three sides, cliffs plunged down to meet the ocean's foaming waves.
She walked towards it, and found tall, spiked, iron gates looming over her. Hesitating for only a second, she pushed the gate open, wincing slightly as the iron burned her skin. Although she made no other sign that she had felt it, she cursed herself mentally for forgetting.
"Iron to bind the fey." She murmured, letting out a small, humorless laugh.
Tamereth walked up the stone steps, conscious of the unrealistic aura about the place. Yet, it did not bother her, for she was used to this sort of thing. *That is what makes it all the more amusing.* she thought.
At the massive door, she reached up, her hand clasping around the knocker, which depicted a leering gargoyle. It creaked when she lifted it, as if reluctant to have its peace disturbed. She let go, and it hit the door, a sound very much like thunder escaping. She did not flinch at the sound, though it startled her. Faintly, she heard footsteps approach.
The door was flung open, and Tamereth blinked, as the door was jerked open, and she was washed with gold light. Her eyes quickly adjusted to the light and she found herself looking up at one of the largest man she ever saw. He loomed in the doorway- a creature of solid muscle, the beard hanging down to his waist, dressed in uniform--a black uniform trimmed with gray astrakhan, and a revolver pointed straight at her.
*Not straight.* a remote part of her mind corrected, a sorry attempt to be humorous. *More down, since you're so short.* Mentally, she yelled at herself to shut up.
Despite the predicament, she did not feel panic, her mind calm and cool. She stared back levelly back at the man, her cold eyes boring into his own menacing gaze. He stood as if he were a statue, unmoving, except for his thumb to raise the hammer of the revolver with a sharp click. She did not move, and let no emotion show, for emotion was weakness- a way for the enemy to know that his prey was cornered, helpless.
They stood like that, for a minute, hours, how long, she did not know. Soon, she saw the hostile look in his eyes fade into puzzlement. Then, the man's free hand went to his forehead in a military salute, and she saw him click his heels together and stand at attention. Another man was coming down the broad marble steps, an erect, slender man in evening clothes.
"It is a great pleasure to welcome you to my home." He said, in a cultivated voice, marked by a slight accent. "Never have we had a girl, much less one with looks such as yours, visit here."
*If you get any visitors at all.* she thought darkly. Something in her mind was warning her, and it made her uneasy, mistrustful, although she was careful to let nothing show.
The man made some sort of signal to the larger, fiendish man, who lowered the revolver, saluted, and withdrew.
"Please forgive our hostile welcome. My name is General Zaroff." He said silkily. "Come, let me show you around, and then you will want some food and rest."
His tone was polite, but she caught an oily undercurrent she particularly disliked. There was something she was missing, and she wanted to find out, so despite her own misgivings, she nodded and followed him through the house.
Tamereth was shown first, to the dining hall, a vast room, with its own sort of magnificence, with its oaken panels, high ceiling, and a large table in the center that could have easily seated about forty men. What unnerved her though, was the animal heads displayed around the hall- lions, tigers, elephants, moose, bears, all of them the largest of their kind she'd seen, and she had seen a lot.
He led her to one end of the table, and pulled back the chair. She found though, that she had just lost most of her appetite, but politeness deemed that she sat down. *Why I care to be polite, I will never know.* she growled.
The food served was foreign, none of which she had ever tried before. She ate a bit, out of courtesy for the host, and bit back the urge to be sick.
She looked up, and found General Zaroff looking at her appraisingly, and she felt her temper grow short. She controlled her anger, however, keeping her face a cold, unreadable mask.
"I never did catch your name." he said lightly.
* I never gave it.* she thought nastily. When she spoke though, her voice was flat. "Tamereth."
He nodded. "Ah."
She let her gaze rove around the room, not letting her disgust show. *Humans and their destructive ways.* she thought disdainfully.
"You are a hunter, are you not?" she asked, keeping her voice impassive.
He nodded again. "Yes."
"What do you hunt, here on this island?"
She felt her eyes narrow, as he gave a curious smile. "I hunt the most dangerous game. Of course, I have to stock the island, but the hunt is worth it."
She remained silent, her brain working rapidly. After a moment, he asked, "Would you like me to show you my other trophies?"
Tamereth shrugged, apathetic. Taking her answer as an affirmative, he led her down another hall.
"My most recent prizes I've kept in the library. This prey is the biggest I've hunted."
"The biggest and the most dangerous?" she asked, raising an eyebrow. "What creature may that be?"
"Look for yourself." He answered simply.
The size of the door they arrived at rivaled that of the front door. He pushed it open, and she stepped inside. A wave of nausea passed through her, and Tamereth felt her stomach lurch. Luckily for her, her expression did not change. She saw Zaroff's eyes widen, and she knew that he had expected her to be revolted, or appalled. Inside, she smiled grimly- her stony countenance was paying off.
Yet, as she looked around, she felt the horror well up deep inside her, and for good reason. For along the walls of the library, was lined human heads.
Everything made sense- his "big and dangerous" prey, her own uncertainties and inner warnings.
Her eyes narrowed, and she shot the general a look. "So this is the game you hunt." She snarled.
He smiled humorlessly. "Yes, but more accurate would be the 'game I play'. For you see, the hunt had long since ceased to amuse me. I went in search of a creature whose cunning could match my own-"
"-which turned out to be your own kind." She finished for him.
"Right again. All these people had the misfortune to land on this island. I give them food and a knife, and three hours head start. If I do not get them after three days, I admit that I lost."
"And to this day . . .?" she asked.
"I have not yet lost." He said, with certainty. "And you, Tamereth- we will have good hunting, you and I."
"And if I refuse?" she challenged.
"Naturally, I give all the people a choice. Normally, if they refuse, they are given to Ivan, who was once official knouter to the Great White Czar, and he has his own ideas of sport." His smile twisted. "Though in your case, I dare to suggest that he may have . . . other forms of amusement."
She felt her rage boil up, but was quickly drowned out by a new feeling- the urge to rise up to a challenge. *Two people, playing two different games.* she thought amusedly.
"I have never been one to back down from a challenge before, General Zaroff." She said harshly.
"Good, good," he laughed. "This will be entertaining. Indeed, I hope you will present some sort of challenge."
Her eyes narrowed in annoyance. He underestimated her. That was good. *You may hunt humans, mortal, but you have never hunted one of my kind before. Let us see how well you can play my own game.*
Tamereth was led to a bedroom. Once inside, she closed the door firmly behind her. On the bed lay a knife and a pack of supplies. She picked the knife up, twirling it in her hand, checking its weight and balance.
Suddenly, a suspicion grew on her mind. Setting the knife down, she strode over to the door, and gave it an experimental pull. It did not budge. *Figures.* she thought disgustedly.
Inspecting the room, she found it also held clean clothes and moccasins. She disregarded these, opting to wear her more comfortable and familiar clothing. He had not noticed her own knives that hung sheathed on her belt, she noticed with some amusement, even if they were partially covered by her cloak. * An acclaimed hunter, yet he fails to notice certain small details.*
Excitement flowed through her, making her unable to stay still. She felt like the hunting dogs- kept at bay although the scent of the prey was strong. Yet, she knew she would need the sleep. She would not be getting much in the next three days.
***
When she awoke, the sun had barely crept up over the horizon. Even so, she got up, feeling refreshed and eager. Her cloak lay folded on the chair beside the bed, her belt and knives on top of it. She tied on her belt, which was little more than an intricate weaving of cords. The knives, including the newest addition, were hung in their places, and she made sure they were better hidden under her cloak than the other night.
She went downstairs, which turned out to be a very long way down, as the room had been in one of the towers. The dining hall was empty, but on the table, some food was laid out.
Tamereth decided, after eating a light breakfast, that bacon, eggs, and toast were much more to her taste than whatever it was they had served for dinner last night. About the time she finished, General Zaroff came into the dining hall. From the looks of it, he did not have to go all the way into the dining hall to eat. She stood up.
"You want to start now?" he asked.
She nodded, shifting restlessly.
"Good. Remember, you have three hours before I go after you."
Tamereth was led to the front door. Once outside, she headed down the well-trodden path leading from the gates, until she was out of sight of the large building. It was then that she turned off the path.
The undergrowth, to her disgust, wasn't even as thick as that of the forest from which she came- and she could go through those without leaving a trail. *Bumbling humans may leave a trail easy to follow, and more experienced ones less so, but a trail nevertheless. Yet, I am one who is of the forest- and am no mere human.*
Still, she was careful to loop her trail, easily weaving through the trees, spotting openings where she could slip through without breaking branches or let her feet sink into the ground, which would leave obvious signs of her passing.
When she judged almost three hours to have passed, she slowed down to a casual walk, studying the trees carefully. She found what she was looking for- a tall leafy one, whose first branches were almost ten feet into the air.
Its height was almost impossible to reach, but she let her eyes rove over to the tree next to it, judging the distances. She leapt up lightly, swinging herself onto the other tree's lowest branches. Thankfully, they weren't very tall as she wasn't very much so either.
Standing up warily, she reached up to the next branch and pulled herself up. Soon the movement was systematic, reach and pull, reach and pull. Once she reached a height even with the other tree's she stopped.
Carefully, she crept further out onto the branch, and waited to see if it would hold her weight- it did. In a move much like a cat's, she crouched down and sprang gracefully onto the other tree- a move which brought on a rush of adrenaline. Her breathing soon returned to normal, and she sat in the cover of the branches and waited. *And to think that I used to be afraid of heights.* she thought dryly.
She wrapped her cloak around her, trusting it to shield her from unfriendly eyes. She snorted at the thought. *As if this island has anything but.*
Sinking back against the trunk and praying that she didn't fall out, she closed her eyes and drifted off into a light sleep.
***
Some hours later, her ears caught the faint sound of footfalls, and her eyes snapped open. Half the day had gone by while Tamereth had slept, and in the fading light, her eyes picked out the outline of a man coming towards where she hid. *Could he have followed my trail?* she thought, feeling fear well up inside her, making it hard to breathe. She suppressed the feeling automatically. If she didn't, it would eat away at her, and soon, would give away where she hid. She would just have to wait.
She watched with baited breath as the general came closer, and breathed an inaudible sigh of relief as he passed by the tree without a glance. She suppressed a grin when she caught the murmured words.
"Why is it that she doesn't even leave a trail?" he growled frustrated.
*Because you are no longer playing your game, general.* she thought smugly. *You are playing mine. And it is one that you cannot win at.*
***
During the second day, not much happened, although she saw General Zaroff go past her tree multiple times. Every time, however, he never spared a glance her way. For fun, she purposely went of some ways, left the most obvious trail she could, which ended up to go around the island in a wide circle, then chose another tree to stay in to watch the fun.
Tamereth watched as the man passed by, and saw his face light up with anticipation when he spotted the tracks. She couldn't help but grin when he came around under the tree again some time later. Just after sundown, she saw him circle by again, for the last time that day, and caught a muttered curse as he realized he had been fooled.
She gave a small laugh. This was getting more amusing than she had anticipated. * It was time this deranged madman learned a lesson or two.* she thought before sinking into a deep sleep.
***
She wasn't up as early the next day as usual, feeling the effects of sitting in a tree for about forty eight hours getting to her. She stretched, feeling the muscles all over her body complain, and almost tumbled out of the tree. With a small gasp, she righted herself before she fell and broke her neck in the process.
She breathed a word of thanks to anyone, anything that was listing, *or can hear me when I can't hear myself.* she amended, that it was almost over.
*Just because I spend my life around trees doesn't mean I have to live on them twenty-four seven.* she grumbled.
A few hours later, she heard a noise that chilled her bones- the sound of the hunting dogs barking. She may have not left a visible trail, but she knew full well they would be able to smell her. Unless. . .
*But will it work here?* she thought uncertainly. *I never got to see the dogs the night before.*
She had to try. Tamereth closed her eyes, blocking out all other things, focusing on the dogs' call. She heard, and at the same time, felt them coming closer.
Her breathing grew deep and even as she focused on the feeling deep within her- one that she had no name for even now. 'It is power, Tamereth, and the ability to wield it.' She heard the voice of her friend surface- the voice of the only person she could trust. That was the price of the game.
She let the power flow through her, wisps of the feeling it bore clung to her, warming, comforting her. Tamereth made sure it settled over the dogs before succumbing to it- the feeling of peace. It would drive the lust for the hunt out of the dogs; give them the feeling that all was well- if it worked.
Sure enough, she saw them pass by the tree sometime later at a leisurely pace, tails wagging, not at all bothered by the bewildered frown on both Ivan and General Zaroff's face.
Tamereth relaxed, and watched satisfied as the sun set in a blood glory, sacrificing itself to the coming night. Unlike herself, who would not be falling into the hands of the general. She had won the game, both hers and his.
***
In the dining hall, General Zaroff sat at the end of the tables, a glass of wine in one hand. He swirled it, watching the crimson liquid spin around the glass, barely touching the edges. Two things were on his mind, although one bothered him more so than the other.
One thing was that the girl had not been playing the game. He had not been able to catch her, and from the looks of it, she had disappeared from the island all together.
What troubled him the most however, was the identity of the girl herself. What human could manage to make their way through the jungle without leaving a trail that he would follow? How was it that there was no scent for the dogs to track?
"What manner of a creature indeed?" he murmured aloud.
A cold voice answered him. "Certainly not one that you would have believed possible, General Zaroff."
His head flew up, his eyes widening in surprise. Tamereth stood across from him, the cloak drawn over her head, veiling her face. In the dimly lit room, it almost seemed as if she herself were a shadow.
He smiled nervously. "So, you have won the game." He said silkily.
The icy tone did not change, nor did she move. "I have not been playing your game, as you have suspected. On the contrary, you have been playing mine. And you have lost."
His eyes flashed. "Y-your g-game?" he stammered uneasily.
"My game." She agreed. "And just like yours, losing has its consequences."
He backed away. "Consequences?" he asked shakily.
She drew closer, and he could see the gleam in her eyes, the cold fury. It was not the look of the hunted. It was one of a hunter.
***
General Zaroff fumbled with the gun at his side, and raised it. With one fluid movement, Tamereth drew her knife and rammed the hilt against his hand. The gun clattered to the ground and skittered across the floor.
She shoved him against the wall, the knife pressed hard against his throat, but not hard enough to draw blood.
"How does it feel?" she hissed coldly. "What is it like, to be hunted?"
Tamereth smiled in grim satisfaction as she saw the fear flash in his eyes.
"What do you want?" he asked, his voice quivering.
"What do I want?" she murmured thoughtfully. She looked at him, her eyes locking with his. "I want to give you a warning. Hunt anymore of your own kind, and one day, one of them will hunt you."
His cocky tone came back, and she knew he thought she would not kill him. "You just did."
She gave a humorless laugh. "I am not one of your kind."
Tamereth watched, with a glee that almost sickened her, as his face twisted in fear once again. "W-w-what are you?" he whispered. "Death?"
Her dark, black eyes bored into his as she spoke the words her friend had once said to her. "I am the fire." She murmured. "I am the darkness." Her tone grew deadly soft. "I am not Death, I am its vessel."
There was a flash, as she let herself be drawn back into the Shadow Realm. She caught a glimpse of the general as he sank down onto the floor, shuddering. *Be warned.* she thought darkly.
***
Tamereth fell back onto the hard, firm earth with a sigh. She thought back to her latest exploit, and her words to General Zaroff. *Quite ironic, really.* she thought, laughing out loud.
She spoke, watching the sun rise, golden beams piercing the treetops.
"I am the light."
***
So, you like this? Whether you do or not, please just go and review. And um. . . by the way- this is probably my more. . .stupid ideas, but I had this inside my head after reading the story at school ( I really think this deserves extra credit for this- don't you?), so here it is. My other fic, The Sounds of Silence, is much better by my standards, thank you very much. (It's a Yu-Gi-Oh fic, featuring Tamereth. For those who have read it, or will read it, Tamereth's background is not the same- I change it for the story's sake.) Also, I know "The Most Dangerous Game" is supposed to be a short story, but unless you can tell my where else to put this, it's staying right here. Either way, review ya'll! Thanks! ^-^