Disclaimer - Assassin's Creed and Prototype all belong to their rightful owners. This story is beta by Trondason.

My Hunt My Prey

Alex yawned and stretched slightly as he stared at the never ending snowy forest. It was weeks with no action and boring hunts, he still did not understand why he had to come to begin with, because more than half of the animals in the forest knew he was the biggest and meanest hunter, they either all gave him space or ran away from him like a plague. Alex kept a close watch around the area, while Ziio was going out to set some traps before they both lured some of the animals into them. Actually, he would be the only one doing the "lure" part of the plan.

Suddenly a gunshot rang in the air, Alex froze on his spot as he focused his senses to his surrounding, hearing laboured breathing and heavy footing over the snow, and small and light footing over wood. Someone was chasing Ziio. Alex immediately bolted after the direction where the sound came, the snow did not hider him the slightest. Then he spotted some shadows running around him. The wolves were the only creatures that seemed to dare hunting his preys. Probably, because of their number being bigger and they could easily snatch something while he was preoccupied.

'You try my patience, woman!'

Alex frowned when he heard the voice. He was not pleased with the way the man spoke to his friend. Well, Ziio still treated him the cold shoulder. She had accepted the bit that he was wearing her fiancé's face, but she still disliked his methods of solving things. The virus let out a growl as he spotted the man chasing Ziio, who was out of reach from the trees, and tackled the man into the snow. His hand gripping the knife tightly enough that he left a handprint on it and their face were only a few small inches from each other. He faltered slightly as he recognized the man who had saved the last batch of slaves from the boat.

He would have started questioning the man on why he was here, but he heard the soft growl of a wolf and released the man in a second before the canine creature flew passed, both men stood immediately as they turned to face the wolves that had them surrounded, Alex told Ziio to stay in the trees as one the wolves charged towards, he caught it in its mid-air jump and stabbed it in the head, the British did the same, but with a hidden blade. When another pair of wolves fell in a similar manner, the rest of the pack became more cautious as they continued observing them while turning in circle, looking for an opening for them to catch one of them off guard.

The Blacklight virus wasn't worried, because he knew from experience already that wolves would retreat if they deemed their target to be too dangerous or another pack had found food for them. At that moment a long howl was sounded in the cold air as the pack looked at the source of the noise and ran towards the direction, only one remained long enough to snarl at him before joining its group.

The moment the wolves disappeared from view, Alex and Haytham returned to previous position, with Alex on top and one hand wrapped tightly the British man's neck, the other one held the blade back and readied to strike, as he demanded, 'What do you want?'

The man held out both hand in surrender as he said with a pace that was reserved for the deaf, 'Me. Haytham. I come. In peace.'

Alex felt the strange urge to punch the man for speaking like that, but he was wearing Ratonhnhaké:tone's skin, so he concluded that the British didn't know that both he and Ziio understood every word he said without speaking in such a slow pace. Speaking which, Ziio jumped down and spoke with the same tone Haytham did before, but dripped with sarcasm in it, 'Why. Are. You. Speaking. So. Slow.'

Haytham sighed tiredly, though Alex was certain that it was also out of embarrassment, before he muttered, 'Sorry.'

Alex relaxed his hand slightly as he repeated, 'I ask again. What do you want?'

'Well, both of your names, for one, but is it possible to discuss this with both of us standing?' said Haytham, moving his free hand between them and gesturing at their awkward position.

Alex nodded, but his hand tightened for second as a warning that if he dared to do something suspicious, he would not hesitate to end his life. Both of them stood, Haytham dusting off the snow while Ziio started, 'I'm Kaniehtí:io.'

'Pleased to meet you,' Haytham greeted properly. 'Godz-zio?'

'Just called me Ziio,' Kaniehtí:io said flatly after hearing the stumbling and pauses in her name.

'Oiio?' the British pronounced.

'Ziio,' the Native woman corrected harshly.

The British cringed a bit at her sharp tone, but he repeated the name again and this time he got the sound right. Haytham glanced at him, Alex smirked slightly at his hesitation in learning his name, but the virus was slightly merciful today. Instead of using his Native name, he said, 'You can call me Zeus. You won't be able to even pronounce my full name.'

'Zeus?' Haytham repeated the name incredulously, uncertain whether it was a joke or not.

'Zeus,' Alex repeated with all the seriousness he could muster.

'Alright, Zeus, it is then.' The man looked between surprise and relief.

Ziio directed them back to the matter at hand. 'Now tell us why it is you're here.'

The British pulled out a circular necklace or amulet of sort and showed to them. While Kaniehtí:io took the item from the man's fingers and demanded where he got it. Alex studied the serpent that was biting its own tail on the amulet, searching through the Native hunter's memories that shown him a painted cavern where a wall that was most certainly not made out of stone laid with pictograph images all over it. The wall told the story of a goddess' journey. The virus had gotten more suspicious of the reason why the British helped them, from what he noticed in his victim's memories, the wall was most certainly manmade, but the pictogram on it was unknown to him or to his collective knowledge, they were neither in cuneiform, hieroglyphic or prehistoric. Alex decided that before he left America, he would go and study this wall thoroughly.

Alex was so deep in his thought that he failed to notice Ziio telling the man to head for the hill that overlooked Concord until she was leaving with the amulet in hand. The virus shook his head tiredly as he thought humourlessly. Well, at least we'll be in a warm and smelly tavern. And drunken Redcoats.

It was when the sky blackened completely that they reached the hill that gave a clear view Concord. Ziio explained to European companion, 'That town hosts soldiers who seek to drive my people from these lands. They're led by a man known as the Bulldog.'

'Edward Braddock...'

Ziio immediately grew hostile as she questioned, 'You know him?'

'He is no friend of mine,' the British answered with a hint of sadness in his voice.

'So a friend of yours a long time ago. I take it,' Alex said, observing the quiet town below them.

Kaniehtí:io ignored his comment as she continued explaining the situation to Haytham. 'Every day more of my people are lost to men like him.'

'Then I suggest we put a stop to it. Together.' Alex glanced at the man who was still untrustworthy in his eyes, but the situation of Ziio and her people was as she had told him, dire and hopeless. The worse was that he knew that this coming war would drive her people further from their land and let them to an extinction of culture and identity.

'What do you propose?' asked Ziio.

'That we kill Edward Braddock,' Haytham answered as if it was the most obvious thing to do.

Though the Native woman was satisfied with the answer, Alex was not impressed. From his memory banks, he recalled correctly Braddock was ambushed when his troops crossed the Monogahela River on 9th July 1755, meeting an Indian and French force from Fort Duquesne and died four days later from a wound he suffered during the battle. This man claimed they would kill the general as if all they needed to do was stabbed the man in back like an assassin.

Alex sighed again, knowing that he had to wait few more months before he, Kaniehtí:io and the other clans would gather for the fight in Monogahela River. He was pulled out of his thought by the sound of leaves rustling and saw Ziio coming out of the leaves wagon. The British then made his jump without hesitation, leaving Alex alone on top of the hill, glaring at the wagon from below. To him, it was no different from a trampoline that had its middle cut and was just waiting for him to jump towards the pain of a broken back. Alex saw the look of calm impatient Ziio gave him and he took his jump, landing in the leaves and causing the wagon to break under his weight.

Mercer groaned, frustrated and angry at Ziio who dared giggle at him. He got out of the wagon dusting dry leaves off of him as he glared at woman who stifled her laughter as he headed towards the tavern where they would find some loose tongues that would give them the information he already knew. On his way, he turned to inform Haytham, who was the only who did not laugh at his predicament, 'I don't trust you.'

'I know,' Haytham replied.

'Yet you remain,' Ziio stated as they crossed the graveyard.

'That I might prove you wrong,' the British answered.

'It won't happen,' said Alex with all the confidence and certainty of the world.

'So you say.'

'So we know.'

Alex felt like he was the third wheel in this banter. When they reached the door of the Wright Tavern, Haytham held them back and said. 'Wait here. A Mohawk man and woman are likely to raise suspicions – if not muskets.'

The Blacklight virus rolled his eyes at the useless and pathetic excuse of a concern while Kaniehtí:io, with a tinge of annoyance, told Haytham, 'This is hardly the first either of us have been amongst your people. I and he can handle ourselves.'

The Mohawk pushed the British aside as she entered the building while Haytham muttered under his breath, 'I hope so.'

'We know so,' Alex added sing-song-like as he entered the building with Haytham left in the cold.

It was official. Haytham could not keep up with the Mohawk man. His emotions and attitude were like the mountains, with ups and downs. One minute, he was hostile enough to act like any Assassin he had ever met and the next, he acted like they were good friends teasing each other. The Templar got rid of this uneasiness he felt as he focused in getting into a corner where he could eavesdrop on the Redcoats and learned of Braddock's whereabouts. And this time, ended him for good.

From what he had gathered from the drunken soldiers, Braddock was going to head south to deal with the French, but he was currently in an advanced camp, doing some planning. He already knew where the camp was located, so it was no longer necessary for them to stay in this place any longer. Haytham discreetly gestured to his Mohawk companions to leave. Well only Ziio came, Zeus was sitting at the counter taking his drink

When he was about to grab the handle, someone shouted, 'Oi, where you goin', cully?'

Haytham calmly turned to look at the sad excuse for a human being and asked innocently, 'Me?'

'No. The other cock robin,' the soldier taunted.

Haytham could feel the stare of his companion burning into his side, he looked between the door and the gathered soldiers as he started with a small smile, 'Well, I uh... I WAS leaving.'

'Oh? And now?' the ugly soldier challenged. Haytham noticed the male Mohawk was setting down his drink with his shoulders tensed and readied for a fight.

'Well now... I'm going to feed you your teeth,' Haytham answered calmly as he got into his fighting stance.

Ziio, who was next him, edged away from the man as she wondered why he first thought she and Zeus would be the problem when they entered Wright. Before anyone made their first move, the soldier who had insulted Haytham got his head crushed by a drink filled mug and crashed into the wooden table next to him, breaking the furniture in the process. All the British in the room looked in the direction where the mug came from to see Zeus standing up from his seat and cracking his knuckles as he announced, 'Seeing that we are already in trouble. Mind if I join in, gentlemen?'

'Be my guest,' Haytham replied with a shrug.

Immediately, the soldiers charged towards them with all guests cheering and shouting in the background. Haytham grabbed one by the neck and threw him to table breaking both wood and man as he began beating the soldier who tried to grab him from behind. Zeus remained on his spot, dodging each and every punch the soldiers threw at him and delivered one powerful blow to the four Redcoats who dared to attack him. One of the soldiers got lucky and nicked his right cheek which Haytham countered with a strong kick in the groin, making the man doubled over, and finished him with another strike on the back. He finished the last soldier standing by throwing him into the wall before he took his rest at the counter, next to Zeus, and glared at the downed soldiers.

Zeus pulled a bottle out from behind the counter and handed to him, whom Haytham answered, 'No, I am not thirsty.'

'It's not for drinking,' said Zeus, drawing Haytham's attention to him instead of the mongrels on the floor. The Mohawk pointed at his cheek. 'It's for the cut.'

The man shoved the bottle into his hand while the British insisted that the injury was nothing. Ziio came with a towel and took the bottle from his lax hand, pouring some alcohol over it before gently pressing it over the wounded face of the Templar, softly saying. 'This should stop the bleeding.'

The Templar stared at the two Mohawks in surprise. Their hostility towards him when they met was gone, replaced by care and worry. Those were feelings he had rarely felt from others, the only source of such feeling only came from his sister, not some strangers. After the bleeding stopped, Ziio removed the cloth just as he cleared his throat slightly and thanked them, 'That wasn't necessary. But thank you.'

The thanks seemed to snap Ziio back to business, while Zeus poured a drink from the used bottle, she stared at him and her companion and said, 'We should move one. Meet me at Braddock's camp when you two are ready.'

'Will do. Ista.' Zeus added the last part as an afterthought, which he earned a glare from the woman before she left them with the mess.

'Ista?' Haytham repeated curiously.

'It means mother,' Zeus explained with an amused smirk. 'Ziio hates me for calling her that when she hasn't had any children yet.'

The smirk was contagious enough to make Haytham smile. When the Mohawk poured a glass for him, Haytham accepted it and both of them knocked their mug against the other, a sign of comradeship between two unlikely people.

After obtaining a plan of Braddock's expedition, Ziio and Zeus and I have parted ways, but she promised that when the time comes, their tribes would come and help them. After some times alone in my room, I begin to wonder who Zeus truly was, he is a Mohawk yes, but when I talk to him, he acted like someone who had been living in towns before, as if he had expected the fight to happen before they even entered the tavern. When we met this afternoon, he has treated my existence with that of a prey, but after knowing that our common goal of eliminating Braddock, Zeus and Ziio treated me like a brother in arms. It was strange, when Ziio helped clean my bloodied cheek, it feels like Jenny taking care of me. Yet, when it is Zeus, the feeling in me is foreign to me. It is neither something I have felt when I have fought with Braddock in their early years, nor is it a feeling of a family. This piece of unknown in my heart unnerved me. I am starting to really worry if this shard of mystery in me would stay hidden or become the source that would compromise the Order...

I hope eveyone enjoys the new chapter and please review. - Yuna Blaze