Lotus

Disclaimer: -sigh- I do not own anything from the marvelous movie called Van Helsing. At least I own Loras and others I have created!

The Hunter's Instincts

Every man stays true to his heart. But when danger comes forth, he stays with his instincts. If a hunter knows how to do his job, its because of his instincts. It keeps them alive. If they follow their heart and get blinded, truly they are lost.

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A chill ran through the forest as Van Helsing's head flashed back to agonizing memories of Anna and Carl. The two hunters entered the forest silently, their horses panting and puffing white vaporized air into the cold breeze.

Van Helsing blinked several times, his eyes drying up and touched his pistol on his belt immediately. He felt the familiar roughness of it and his heartbeat relaxed. His thoughts were averted again by a loud snarl of insults coming from his 'partner' as he looked back at Doris.

His lips curled into a small smile as he saw the young hunter scrambling with his large parchment of maps. Doris, who was unaccustomed in going outdoors, looked a bit messy. Mostly because his horse would not obey him and it made him fall into a dirty puddle whenever it can. Or maybe the humiliation he had of getting helped by Van Helsing was also another thing.

"Damn maps! Urgh!" Doris shouted to no one in particular as he snarled again in rage. As if it was Van Helsing's fault, he threw a glare at Van Helsing. Van Helsing only snorted softly, a continued snort coming from his horse also. Another yell of rage from Doris only lightened Van Helsing's spirits.

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Slowly their path led them towards the city of Transylvania. Many of the people of Romania looked up to see Doris and Van Helsing with cautious looks. All looked suspiciously at them and some small kids pointed at them, shouting 'Cine este el that bărbat?' (Who is that man?) in Romanian. Van Helsing only lowered his black wide-brimmed hat and covered his black trenchcoat tightly over his body. Doris beside him had finally shut up and had concentrated on getting his horse steady. The horse snorted irritably.

"Any ideas where to look, Doris?" Van Helsing said sarcasticly, with a raised eyebrow towards Doris. Doris glared dangerously and then looked back at his horse.

Van Helsing looked back at his front, ignoring the suspicious looks coming from near the town people. Doris scowled as the horse neighed loudly, causing Doris's hold to waver for a bit. Then after calming the horse again so it will walk straight, Doris looked back at Van Helsing's growing smile with his same dangerous glare.

"Our mission was last seen in Dunaujvaros. I'm guessing we would find some clues there. Tell me, Van Helsing, how did your ugly monk friend die? I heard he was trampled by an angry mob," Doris said with a slur as his eyes gleamed evilly. Van Helsings's face immediately stiffened and he looked at Doris with a murderous glare. Doris chuckled and rode further, kicking the horse further.

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They finally came through towards Dunaujvaros. It was a rather gloomy looking place and not many people seemed to wander through the streets. If there were any that did, they also wore grim expressions. Van Helsing and Doris somehow fit to the gloominess of the place as they got off their horses and onto the ground.

Still holding onto the reins, Van Helsing patted the horse and looked around. Indeed, it looked like anyone could be kidnapped here. From Doris's information about their mission, they had to find a fourteen year old girl, tall and slim. The only recent picture they had of the girl was the same photo he had seen of the innocent girl with the most angelic smile.

Van Helsing, who was already determined to find this girl and save her, wished he knew more about her. All he heard of who she was was her last name, which he heard was Angestina. And that it was urgent for them to find her and quick.

"Lovely, hm? A place of your liking, I'm guessing, Van Helsing," Doris said with a hiss as he looked up at the rather tall buildings up above. All the windows were shut though and the only times they ever saw a head poke out from the window was either a curious child or a dog barking at their direction. Doris dragged at the horse's rein and the horse, angered now, stomped on Doris's foot.

"Argh! Curse you, you awful beast! Urghhhhh!" Doris immediately yelled at the horse, who gave out a triumphant snort in reply.

Good work, Van Helsing thought towards the horse, who had saved him the energy to yell at the foolish young hunter beside him.

Van Helsing walked further, gently pulling at the horse's reins and then caught sight of a tall frightened looking woman. Hoping she would know something about the girl he was a saving, he pulled out the tattered photo of the girl and came closer towards the woman. The woman seemed to back away as Van Helsing walked closer towards her. Rather annoyed and confused, Van Helsing stopped and called out to her instead.

"Hello we need to ask you a question!" he shouted and the woman, who was just about to run off, stopped. She seemed to hesitate and then, looking back at her again, she walked towards Van Helsing's direction. She was a rather chubby and short woman, who had curly brown hair and dark brown eyes. She wore a maids' clothes for some reason and the woman was biting her lips nervously. Her eyes went to Van Helsing, and then to Doris, who was yelling at the horse, who now attempted to sit on him.

"Oh don't worry about him. He's having all sorts of issues," Van Helsing spoke, a smile creeping up onto his lips. He could see the woman was terrified of him. Usually he knew why. He was Van Helsing, feared by many. But what he didnt understand was why the woman was also terrified of this actual place. Was there some kind of connection between the girl and the frightened way the woman was looking at to and fro?

"Quickly, please, I must be going back soon. I-I… I'm afraid this place is cursed. So please..." the woman spoke so softly and quickly it was hard for Van Helsing to hear. His eyebrows rising in interest, Van Helsing whipped the photo of the little girl to the woman's view. The woman immediately gasped in shock, or disbelief, eyes wide. Van Helsing, now very curious, watched as he saw the woman's lips quivered.

"Ma'am, do you know this girl? She would now be a young girl around 14 years old. We are finding her and we believe she has been kidnapped."

The woman only nodded slowly. Her eyes still round with shock, she asked if she can have a closer look at the photo. Softly she murmured something, something which Van Helsing thought was a name. The woman, now able to hold the photo in her hands, started to sob. Van Helsing looked at her in confusion. Why was the woman crying?

"I-I am t-truly sorry f-f-for acting l-like this. It is j-just, it brings back so many memories."

Van Helsing was about to open her mouth to ask if she knew her and the woman interrupted him quickly.

"Yes, I knew her. She was an absolutely beautiful little girl. Always seemed to smile and never wavered to do what was right and what was wrong. But her awful parents dumped her in the middle of the streets, leaving her to die. I knew and went to find her. She wasn't there... And I have never seen her since."

Van Helsing frowned deeply. He felt rather sorry for the woman and for what he had done. He had brought back bad and sad memories. And he knew the feeling of it. It was just as same as him remembering the memories of Anna and Carl.

"Do you know what her first name is?" Van Helsing asked, feeling rather guilty and bitter of asking the woman.

The woman, who was still sobbing, gave back the photo to Van Helsing. "She was usually called Angie. I am not quite sure exactly what her real name is. Her parents live nearby here if, if you would like to visit them. Call for the name Famile and you will find them."

"Thank you," Van Helsing spoke and the woman, who looked up tearfully at him, nodded slowly and then walked back to where she was going, without a word. Van Helsing, rather puzzled, put back the photo into his pocket and looked back at Doris, who now fumbled with his gun. Van Helsing rolled his eyes. Doris's head looked up, an annoyed expression crossing on his face, and then both hunters' eyes met. They quickly looked away, glaring at either the skies or the ground. When at last they seemed to stop, Doris shouted, "Did you get anything from that blasted woman?"

"Yes I did. We're going to meet the Familes'."

A/N: Sorry for not updating so long, I've been pretty busy! But I've updated now! Please review:) And NO FLAMES!