~ * The Hunt and the Hunted * ~

Chick-a-tee-in-ur-face

Disclaimer: SM is not mine

Chapter Three

The whole village was in a buzz about the death of one of their own. Amy Anderson was found that morning by a passing shopkeeper on his way to open for the day. Now it was high noon and the talk was still about Amy.

"She was good girl that one. Nice and polite. Always very quiet." Said one farmer.

"Yes, it is a shame that she was taken." Said another.

"And what of Mrs. Anderson?"

"She must be heartbroken to lose her only child and what with the news that she can't bear any more children."

"Fate has a terrible face."

"The poor child. At least we can bury her."

"Mr. Anderson is a good man. He did not deserve this."

"The proper respect must be given."

It was like this all morning, the news spread far and wide. It was the first attack so close to the village. Mothers kept close watch on their children playing outside making sure they did not lose sight of them. Men kept watch at the gate all day a rifle in hand. It was that very same day that Lita came to their village to purchase supplies for the coming winter. The autumn leaves were falling, ripe in colour. The air felt crisp and cold wind blew through her brunette hair. She pulled her cloak up covering herself before entering the village.

Keeping her head low Lita heard the same gossip everywhere she went. She listened intently to a conversation between an elderly woman who seemed to be doing all the talking with another who listened heedfully while pretending to be handling fruit.

"I always knew that girl would be taken. A shame really. Why just the other day I told Mrs. Anderson she needed to close the shop earlier what with winter coming and nightfall coming early too but would she listen to me. No, and now the poor girl is dead and is to be buried soon I hope. But all the same, it is quite queer that she was found so close to the village. In all my sixty and seven years I have been living here never once was a body found so far from the forest. It is not safe here anymore."

Lita frowned. That was news indeed first time she knew of someone dying not from the forest. What she heard next made her gasp involuntarily.

"It's strange. All they could gather from the dead body was two teeth marks on her neck a hand apart too. Nothing else. Her flesh was not ripped like every other. A nice clean death it was. Strange indeed. I had never seen anything like that for fifty years. Strange."

Lita stopped what she was doing forgetting about her shopping list and made for the farm immediately. She had to tell Artemis about this. All this talk brought an image of the beast jumping on her mother tearing at her neck sucking at her vein, it clouded her vision and she did not see the man in front of her.

"Whoa..."

Lita felt strong arms grab her before she fell. The hood of her cloak fell back from the impact exposing her face to the stranger who held her. Her eyes squinting she looked up at the man. She could not tell his features for the sun was right behind him blinding her. All she could make out was his hazel brown hair which fell to his shoulders and his height. Being taller than most she usually looked down on men or equally at them but this one, she had to look up at him. He was one other than Artemis that made her feel short.

"Thank you..." She said trying to be polite. Putting her hood back on she hurried out the gate down a dirt path which disappeared round a bend.

The stranger stared after her. Her green eyes pierced his mind. The scent of her hair filled his nostrils for the second when he held her making his senses wild with frenzy.

"Nathan?" He heard his name being called out. "Hmm, yes?"

"This way." Casting one more glance at the direction she had gone he followed his friend down the street.

* * *

Two men entered the tavern. They were both clad in dark cloaks only their faces exposed. The bartender brought out two flasks of beer and put it on the bar. They picked up each flask and looked around the room and the interested faces of some of the occupants. Finally someone from a corner hidden in the shadows stood up. One of the lamps light reflected off half his face.

"You finally show your face after all this time Ronan." He sneered, "Now you come back to hear the folly of your mistake."

Ronan sneered back at him, "I have come because mother called me brother." His ruby eyes held contempt in them as he stared back into his sapphire ones.

"I see you have brought along the last of our cousins," he said changing the subject, "I don't suppose he has heard of the incident in the woods."

Ronan's eyes narrowed a comment on the tip of his tongue but were beaten by his companion. "I have heard Stefan," his said. "There is no shame in losing to a girl for the girl is a hunter after all." Ronan looked at him startled.

"I see you're still the same Nathan." Stefan leered studying the tall man in front of him.

"As you are too." Nathan replied curtly. Stefan was an average height, his sapphire blue eyes were his best features set in a plain face. His dark hair had streaks of blue in them. He was nimble for his built and quite strong.

Nathan's blue eyes searched the room seeing his brother and sister were present already seated at a far corner half hidden by the darkness, he excused himself and headed their direction.

"Nephlite." He heard his sister say in their native tongue as he reached within earshot. "You finally show up and with Rubeus no doubt. That boy is trouble."

"Almost as much trouble as you Zoicite." Nephlite added in jest. He received a small punch on the arm and saw her pouting at him from across the table.

"What did Sapphire have to say?" His brother piped in looking at the direction where he stood talking with Rubeus.

"Nothing Jadeite. He was just trying to humiliate Rubeus in front of every one."

"But you intervened, right?" Nathan looked at his brother with a questioning look. "Yes... But, never mind. You have changed." And he had for Jason had grown taller, almost as tall as Rubeus but not quite. His hair was blonder and had grown a little past his ears, his green eyes shone with delight. He must have been training for his muscles were toned and his arms were tanned.

"I have." And that was all he would say.

Now that they were both older it was somewhat easier to tell the difference between Jadeite and Zoicite, as they were identical twins. When they were younger they both caused a lot of mischief and it was difficult to separate them. Zoicite had grown her blonde hair longer past her shoulders and her figure had grown some curves distinguishing her femineity. But both their eyes were the same shade of pale green.

"Good." They heard Rubeus's voice from behind them. "It is time. Nathan, mother wants to speak with you privately now. Jason and Zelda may join you in a while."

* * *

She was breathless when she reached the little farm house. She fumbled with the lock at the gate side-stepping the ferns and flowers in the little garden.

"Artemis!" She ran and burst through the door yelling at the top of her voice, "Artemis!"

She looked in every room of the small house both upstairs and down, in the kitchen and drawing room but he was nowhere to be found in the house. She ran to the back and still no trace of him except her keen eyes had picked up a shoe print on the dirt path leading to the forest. Lita frowned; quickly she followed the marks her senses alert. She saw a wisp of silver bobbing along in the not so distant trees and bolted towards it. When she was a couple metres away from the silver light she took cover behind some thick bushes following at a fair distance keeping as quiet as possible. Artemis! What do you think you're doing? Suddenly he stopped in front of a small forest fir and knelt by it. He said a prayer softly that even when Lita strained her ears she could not make the words for they were foreign to her ears. She watched as he sprinkled something over it then placed a flower near its roots, he stood up slowly. With his back facing Lita still gazing at the tree he called out to her.

"Come forward Lita. For I know you are there." His voice was sombre, sounded empty and sad.

Lita came forward and stood by Artemis looking at the fir tree with a look of bewilderment. "Artemis, I don't understand..."

"No," Artemis said quietly, "But I think I should tell you now."

Lita nodded. "Fifty years ago I was to be engaged with a certain woman, Beryl. I was sent here with a few men to find her instead I found the most beautiful creature in the world. They called her Luna." His gaze never left the fir tree; a small smile alighted in his silvery eyes. "I courted her, wooed her and asked her to marry me."

"Wait," Lita interrupted, "I thought..."

"Let me finish," he said turning to look at her, "I went to Beryl and told her I was in love with someone else and that our engagement was broken. I have never loved her but she...she loved me it seems. She grew rage with jealousy and sought after the woman who had... bewitched me... Fifty years ago Luna... she died here... in my arms." Artemis cast his glance down and Lita could have sworn she saw tears in his eyes but no tears fell to the ground. "I buried her here and one night when the new moon was full and high this fir tree sprouted from her grave and I have visited her since."

Lita felt sorrow in her heart. To watch Artemis like this, she stared at the fir tree, its leaves were as green as her eyes and still many hung on its branches. Its roots were strong and dug deep in the soil. Lita frowned, how can the tree be green if it's nearly winter? Should not the leaves have withered by now?

"Artemis, I don't understand..." As if reading her mind Artemis looked at the tree, "Her spirit lives in this tree Lita and it will keep on living until..." And thinking for a moment he continued, "The day we are joined. You have finished your chores fast this morning Lita."

"No Artemis," Lita said remembering why she had come back, "I came to tell you something. I want to know the truth. Your story and mine may just be coincidence but I need to know."

"Get to the point girl." Artemis said impatiently.

"Well, a girl was found dead this morning near the village. Her death was not natural, obviously done by a wolffiend but different. It was a good clean death they said. Just two teeth mark on her neck a hand apart..." Lita stopped, Artemis had gone pale. "I heard that the last found dead like this was... Fifty years ago Artemis... fifty years ago. All my life I have studied these creatures not one had slain so near a village and without ripping the flesh of a person's neck. I must know Artemis... Are they the same or is there a new foe I must know about?"

"Lita what you ask is difficult..." Artemis began.

"She died by one of them didn't she?" Lita said as the truth dawned on her. Artemis just nodded and whispered two words unheard by Lita. "My brother."

AN: Read and Review....Thank you