"Damn!" Cesare roared, storming into the cave. "Damn that wretched brat!"
"Having trouble?" Netto said softly, not wanting to provoke his captor but feeling happy that something hadn't gone as he had planned.
Cesare whirled around, his eyes narrowed with rage. In a heartbeat the not-quite-human was in front of Netto, holding a knife to the boy's throat! Netto gulped and looked down at the blade. It definitely looked sharp enough to cut him.
"Oh, don't worry, its nothing I can't take care of...with a little help from you, of course."
"I'd rather die," Netto spat.
The knife flashed suddenly, and Netto felt something warm dripping down his face! Cesare brought the knife back in front of Netto's eyes to show that there was blood on it. Once again Netto went cold with fear.
"Oh trust me, you will die. Just not yet. Now get up."
Grabbing a hold of Netto's coat, Cesare pulled the boy to his feet and marched him out of the cave. Night had fallen and the temperature had dropped quite a bit. It didn't take lond for Netto to start shivering, but Cesare paid no attention. He just dragged Netto through the snow, ignoring the wind and snow that flew at his face. Then, quite suddenly, he stopped. Netto looked around, but couldn't see any reason for them to have stopped.
"This looks like a good place," he sneered, pushing Netto to the ground. Once again the boy found his body frozen so that he couldn't run.
"Good place for what?" Netto growled.
"A good place to capture that other brat. Oh, I shall be needing this."
Cesare reached down and yanked the wolf pendent from around Netto's neck. He held it up close to his face so that he could see it better. A bone-chilling smile came across his face that cause Netto to shiver even more.
God, please don't let Enzan get hurt! Netto prayed silently.
"Well, I shall be off. Don't try to run off, now, do you hear?" Cesare laughed evilly, before disappearing into the forest.
*****
Enzan cried out suddenly, placing a hand against his right cheek. There was a burning sensation for a moment, then it was gone. Anuzu stopped and looked up at him, concern showing in her eyes.
((What's wrong, Enzan?)) she asked.
(My face, it felt like it was burning a moment ago, like someone had cut it. But it vanished just as quickly.)
((That is very odd...Perhaps it has something to do with Netto, and, if that is the case, we should keep moving.))
Enzan nodded and placed his hand back on Anuzu's collar. The snow had been falling on and off, and the temperature had dropped considerably. The only reason Enzan hadn't collapsed yet was because Anuzu was keeping close to him, sharing her body heat. Still, it wasn't easy goings.
((ENZAN!)) Cota shouted suddenly, making Enzan's head ring! The only time he'd heard a voice that loud was from Tainn... Enzan pushed the thought away.
(What is it, Cota?)
((There is a man standing about 20 meters away, and he is holding Netto's pendant! He knows we are here, and demands to see you, now!))
That didn't sound good at all. If he had Netto's pendant, he had to know where Netto was. And that he knew Enzan was looking for him was even more disturbing.
((Enzan, this smells like a trap,)) Anuzu warned. ((I don't like the feel of it at all.))
"I don't like it either," Enzan replied out loud. "But chances are this man knows where Netto is, and I have to find him. I want you to go back and get Kichi. If it is a trap, she may have to come after us. I'm a pretty good fighter, but its best to have a back-up plan."
Anuzu looked reluctant to leave Enzan's side, but did as she was asked. She turned and streaked through the trees back the way they had come. In truth, Enzan was kind of depending on Kichi coming to help. He had no idea how well he'd be able to fight against this guy with a broken arm, if indeed it was a trap. He'd just have to find out.
Sure enough, Enzan found the man no to far in front of him. And like Cota had said, he was holding Netto's pendant. The wolves were all out in the open, and more than one of them had their teeth bared and claws ready. That wasn't the most reassuring sign that this wasn't a trap, but at least he had the wolves to back him up.
"You must be Enzan," the man said with a grin. "Netto's been so worried about you."
"Where is Netto?" Enzan demanded, not bothering to ask who the guy was. Chances were, he didn't want to know.
"My, my, so impatient. Don't worry, you'll be seeing him very soon."
Suddenly the man turned his attention to the wolves. "Don't think I don't know what the lot of you are planning, either. I'm not stupid. And you don't have your precious leader to protect you either."
Enzan didn't even have time to blink before the forest around him was set afire! Everywhere flames poured out of the snow, igniting everything it touched. The smoke that rose up with the flames was thick and choking, and Enzan found himself unable to see. He could hear though, and the howls of pain and terror that rose up around him was truly terrifying!
"And now, I have you," a voice hissed in Enzan's ear. Enzan heard himself scream out, then everything went dark.
"Having trouble?" Netto said softly, not wanting to provoke his captor but feeling happy that something hadn't gone as he had planned.
Cesare whirled around, his eyes narrowed with rage. In a heartbeat the not-quite-human was in front of Netto, holding a knife to the boy's throat! Netto gulped and looked down at the blade. It definitely looked sharp enough to cut him.
"Oh, don't worry, its nothing I can't take care of...with a little help from you, of course."
"I'd rather die," Netto spat.
The knife flashed suddenly, and Netto felt something warm dripping down his face! Cesare brought the knife back in front of Netto's eyes to show that there was blood on it. Once again Netto went cold with fear.
"Oh trust me, you will die. Just not yet. Now get up."
Grabbing a hold of Netto's coat, Cesare pulled the boy to his feet and marched him out of the cave. Night had fallen and the temperature had dropped quite a bit. It didn't take lond for Netto to start shivering, but Cesare paid no attention. He just dragged Netto through the snow, ignoring the wind and snow that flew at his face. Then, quite suddenly, he stopped. Netto looked around, but couldn't see any reason for them to have stopped.
"This looks like a good place," he sneered, pushing Netto to the ground. Once again the boy found his body frozen so that he couldn't run.
"Good place for what?" Netto growled.
"A good place to capture that other brat. Oh, I shall be needing this."
Cesare reached down and yanked the wolf pendent from around Netto's neck. He held it up close to his face so that he could see it better. A bone-chilling smile came across his face that cause Netto to shiver even more.
God, please don't let Enzan get hurt! Netto prayed silently.
"Well, I shall be off. Don't try to run off, now, do you hear?" Cesare laughed evilly, before disappearing into the forest.
*****
Enzan cried out suddenly, placing a hand against his right cheek. There was a burning sensation for a moment, then it was gone. Anuzu stopped and looked up at him, concern showing in her eyes.
((What's wrong, Enzan?)) she asked.
(My face, it felt like it was burning a moment ago, like someone had cut it. But it vanished just as quickly.)
((That is very odd...Perhaps it has something to do with Netto, and, if that is the case, we should keep moving.))
Enzan nodded and placed his hand back on Anuzu's collar. The snow had been falling on and off, and the temperature had dropped considerably. The only reason Enzan hadn't collapsed yet was because Anuzu was keeping close to him, sharing her body heat. Still, it wasn't easy goings.
((ENZAN!)) Cota shouted suddenly, making Enzan's head ring! The only time he'd heard a voice that loud was from Tainn... Enzan pushed the thought away.
(What is it, Cota?)
((There is a man standing about 20 meters away, and he is holding Netto's pendant! He knows we are here, and demands to see you, now!))
That didn't sound good at all. If he had Netto's pendant, he had to know where Netto was. And that he knew Enzan was looking for him was even more disturbing.
((Enzan, this smells like a trap,)) Anuzu warned. ((I don't like the feel of it at all.))
"I don't like it either," Enzan replied out loud. "But chances are this man knows where Netto is, and I have to find him. I want you to go back and get Kichi. If it is a trap, she may have to come after us. I'm a pretty good fighter, but its best to have a back-up plan."
Anuzu looked reluctant to leave Enzan's side, but did as she was asked. She turned and streaked through the trees back the way they had come. In truth, Enzan was kind of depending on Kichi coming to help. He had no idea how well he'd be able to fight against this guy with a broken arm, if indeed it was a trap. He'd just have to find out.
Sure enough, Enzan found the man no to far in front of him. And like Cota had said, he was holding Netto's pendant. The wolves were all out in the open, and more than one of them had their teeth bared and claws ready. That wasn't the most reassuring sign that this wasn't a trap, but at least he had the wolves to back him up.
"You must be Enzan," the man said with a grin. "Netto's been so worried about you."
"Where is Netto?" Enzan demanded, not bothering to ask who the guy was. Chances were, he didn't want to know.
"My, my, so impatient. Don't worry, you'll be seeing him very soon."
Suddenly the man turned his attention to the wolves. "Don't think I don't know what the lot of you are planning, either. I'm not stupid. And you don't have your precious leader to protect you either."
Enzan didn't even have time to blink before the forest around him was set afire! Everywhere flames poured out of the snow, igniting everything it touched. The smoke that rose up with the flames was thick and choking, and Enzan found himself unable to see. He could hear though, and the howls of pain and terror that rose up around him was truly terrifying!
"And now, I have you," a voice hissed in Enzan's ear. Enzan heard himself scream out, then everything went dark.
