The Hunted (Completed Thread)

Dimitri would have been proud of himself, dealing with the cyclopes the way he had. However, his victory against the two was short lived. The knock into the wall was sharp and full of harsh impact. He could feel some of the rocks cut into his skin. His clothing was even further tattered and he was once more bleeding. The demigod wasn't even sure how he could endure so much, let alone all of it in one day. Dimitri could hear the propulsion-like sound of the crossbow firing by the time he was able to get on his hands and knees after the fall. He couldn't tell how badly he was hurt, but it didn't feel good in the slightest. He breathed a sigh of relief however, as he was sure the worst of it was gone. He'd succeeded in taking down the two, and the last one wasn't going to be a problem for Katarina. He attempted to get up anyway, to help, just in case; it didn't work.

He could bring himself to stand, his hips entered a sharp pain whenever he attempted to stand. He took the ambrosia from her, grateful. It wasn't long before it all entered his system, and the sharp pain around his hips began to dull, along with the ebbing pain that had remained in his leg from the bear trap. He'd felt much better, though he still wasn't on his feet. "It's okay." Dimitri said to Katarina, as dull and plainly as he could manage. He wasn't sure what he was trying to tell her. Was he truly okay with her just pretending they shared no bond now? Of course he wasn't, but he couldn't bring himself to voice that. He wouldn't dare take Katarina away from her home like he'd been ripped from his when he learned what he was.

So what was the new problem? He was a male with only hunters in his company, and they certainly wouldn't have the same kindness towards him Katarina had. Dimitri stood, and his eyes darted from Katarina to the hunter. He already knew he had to pretend, despite how bad it hurt, he was willing. The most worrisome part of the matter was that they had no reason to keep him around. Dimitri stood silent now, of course Katarina wouldn't want to leave him behind alone, but he doubted there would be much she could do on the matter. And he wouldn't dare ask it of her, it compromised too much.

Katy smiled at Dimitri, there was so much that the daughter of Himeros wished to say to him. So much that she desired to tell him, longed to let him know. Yet, being a Hunter was her life and she wasn't certain if she could leave it all behind. The long forbidden desires still rushed through her body so she was not certain if they were true reflections of her feeling for him.
She placed a hand on his shoulder, her right hand slipping something into his pocket. A card for calling the Hunters, it would not be much use for him but it was all that she could give him, especially if he ever wished to contact her. "Give this to your sister if she is interested in joining our number." Katarina informed him, her eyes sparkling. The Hunter hoped that he might understand what it was really for. Who knew? Perhaps they might get somewhere. Of course if they did, Katarina would have to surrender her place as a Hunter and her immortality.

"Katy we need to go." The other Hunter said, the daughter of Himeroes suppressed a sigh.
"Solid copy." She stood up. "See you around boy." Katy turned to face the other Hunter. "Lets go grab our dead and find the others." Dimitri should be find with his friends, even if they were a tad groggy.

There was no gratitude or acknowledgement from the other hunter, only a glare that was strong enough to kill a man willing to look it back in the eye. Though, he hardly even glanced at the other hunter, his eyes were locked on Katarina. His gaze begged her not to leave, but he wouldn't dare speak up, especially while there was another hunter present. Dimitri didn't move, he simply got to his feet. The soles of his boots rested on the cold rocky floor, the sound of pouring rain still sounded outside. His eyes didn't leave the hunter that he'd shared some life-changing moments with. He desired to hold her hand once more, and enjoy her presence next to him. After all that he'd been through, the bear trap and the feeling of rocks digging into him, the fear of the serpent, the worst part was still watching Katarina leave. But she had a place to be. She was going home, with her family.

The card was in his pocket, and as grateful as he was to always have a reminder of her, it was also a curse. How was he going to stop himself from using it? The thoughts piled on him in his head, and he didn't move. The twenty-four hours of his life had massively effected his perspective, and possibly even torn up some of his concrete conviction. Dimitri had no way to know how much time had passed, he simply couldn't bring himself to move forward, or even look back at the cave entrance. He had so much he wanted to ask her and tell her. He yearned to see her once more, but not just one last time, his chest burned with a fiery passion to see her every single day. The boy sighed, his eyes clamped shut. He didn't wish to give up or shed tears, but being a demigod was an inhumane task for someone so human to face. And the person that made it possible to sleep at night was gone.

When he finally did emerge out of the hollow cave, he walked with no fault in his step. Despite the horror in this forest, he was stronger because of it. Monsters and traps were no longer a thing of nightmares, but a product of reality. The thought that he was going to face more of it before he got out of the forest, if he even survived, was horrid. However, he wasn't afraid to face it. After everything he'd seen and been through, he was confident that no traps and no monsters were going to be able to stop him.

Unknown to him at the time, his confidence was not well placed.

It wasn't long after Dimitri left that he saw a shape in the distance, four red eyes stared him down and he knew he'd been spotted. The creature looked to be some type of two-headed rabid dog, and it wasted no time charging at the young demigod. Dimitri raised his dagger up in an attempt to skewer the animal, but it pounced on him from meters away, his dagger flew from his hand. Thinking fast, Dimitri immediately willed water from all the rain that was falling and sent it darting at the dog, but all it did was stagger before pouncing back onto the demigod, its claws now sunk into him.

With only one shriek of pain, Dimitri had been taken down by one monster. The heads slowly lowered, as Dimitri's relentless struggling only caused more pain from the claws in his chest. Then, with the sound of a whizzing wind, there was only golden dust spreading out.

"My arrow hit first." The son of Apollo boasted to the girl standing next to him.

"In your dreams." She replied, picking up her sliver-tipped arrow from the ground. "I bet your arrow didn't even hit the thing." She said, turning back to the son of Apollo. The girl looked untouched, no cuts or scratches. She was geared up for travel and combat, from the way she looked. "Have you seen my fellow hunters, boy?" She asked Dimitri, not standing over him.

"They just left a cave a little while ago. 'Sjust a little bit further north." Dimitri replied, sitting up, the water already working his magic on his wounds.

The girl turned back to the Son of Apollo. "Well, guess that's where I'm heading! Have fun on your date." The girl said smugly to the son of Apollo.

"Abby, wait. At least let us help you find the hunters. You don't know what could happ-" The son of Apollo attempted to speak, but he was cut off.

"I do know what could happen. We'll see each other again, little brother. You have a friend to look after now." She said, turning around and nearly disappearing into the distance with swift nature.

Dimitri pulled the rings out from his pocket, displaying them to his friend. "Thank gods." He said, taking them with haste. "The others are safe, except Bella. She got attacked by a cyclops, death on impact. Come on, let's get the hell out of here so we can sip on some lemonade."

Dimitri didn't reply, he simply stood up. He was going to be safe, and he was going to make it back to camp just fine. But he wondered what would hunt him down first. The monsters, or the burden it was to be a demigod, to be hunted by far more then just man and monster. But to be the hunted from the feelings within.