Kota, just short of his 18th year had followed in his young fathers footsteps and made his living by hunting the barbaric beasts of the enchanted forest, big city developers had their eye on this land for some time now and had only just re-enlisted the services of Kota and his family as the best in the business, world wide in fact."Stupid creature"
Kota stood to the side of his hunting partner Michael who re-strung his bow and smirked,
"Kota, bind it.... I want to enjoy killing this one"
Kota frowned, his body ached, and for no apparent reason either. It'd been getting worse over the last few days as the hunters markings on his body bulged with his rapidly growing muscles. Kota reach behind him and unlatched a strong leather and stone whip, lashing it out with intense precision as he made his move to entrap the animal but it had dodged his whip, as the beast laughed in re-coil and mocked the young hunters.
"Michael wait!"
The hunter had tossed his bow aside and lunged right at the creature, his blade held firmly in his fist as he swiped and gouged away in his fit of rage attempting to disembowel the girl,
"Michael stop it!"
Kota hadn't seen his partner act this recklessly on some one else's territory since their friend was eaten before their eyes. Michael was huffing through his gritted teeth as he haphazardly tried to mount the girl for a better position,
"Michael I said stop!"
Something inside Kota was screaming, it felt so wrong, as he re-drew his whip the young man lashed out and fastened the painful strap around his friends throat, yanking him back onto the ground Michael coughed and sat upright heaving in his breath heavily,
"Kota... KOTA!"
He hissed, his blood stained teeth still clenched as he got to his feet and picked up the dagger once more,
"You tried to kill me!"
"Michael... calm down, you know it was an accident!"
Michael shook a chill off and began to step forcefully towards Kota,
"You-you've sided with the beasts!"
"NO! You're wrong!"
"You've betrayed us all Kota, now it will be my honor to defend our clans pride!"
He lunged at Kota who dodged the lazy attack easily and backed away,
"You're not thinking straight Michael... It was just an accident!"
"No Kota I'll tell you what the accident was... Choosing YOU as a partner! I thought being with the son of the greatest hunter on the planet would boost my sitting int he ranks.. put me right up there with the greats... Oh no but I was wrong... you Kota are the weakest hunter known to man-kind! You've never killed a beast and you're always the last in everything!"
Michael laughed and tossed his dagger between his hands trying to confuse young Kota,
"You're wron-"
"They're all laughing at you Kota! you're the butt of every one's joke and you bring SHAME to you father! thats why he won't even look at you anymore! I can barley stand it, just seeing my name on the parchment next to yours makes me want to hurl!! Your a disgrace to every one around you, and I'll be doing them all a favor by removing your useless self from our profession... Forever..."
Kota was shaking, something within him was burning, as Michael stepped forward it was like it had all been slowed down, for a moment Kota could even hear Michael's heart beating... or was it his own... no, this rush was-
"ACHK!"
It felt warm, wet and somehow it moved, twitching with Kota's pulse, something wet was dripping down his elbow as hot breath whistled into his ear,
"T-traitor"
Kota wrapped his arm around Michael but was unable to support his properly as his body fell to the ground, Kota felt sick, his hand... it was still warm... something was moving within it... Michael's heart.
