The Forgotten Rogue

Chapter 2: Forgotten Rogue Rewritten

As the sun lazily fell behind the horizon and draped the world in darkness, the two cloaked figures disappeared into the thick woods. They moved swiftly, yet silently. Their feet expertly avoided twigs and dry leaves as if by their own accord. There was a grace about the two figures as they moved, vanishing from eyesight every few seconds. It wasn't long before they were well out of the other's view, shrouded in the murky shadows of the woods.

The hunt had begun.

Emeric didn't wait too long before heading off course, taking a turn that would lead him in the general direction his father had taken. He had to stay silent...hidden. If his father spotted him first, he would be forced to admit defeat...an action that severely bruised his pride. However, he knew his age was on his side. His father's sight was slightly offset in the dark covers of night. It was a slight margin, but one Emeric saw as a definite advantage.

He knew his father's tactics in a hunt match like this. The older Etreshian would rely on his supreme skills at remaining hidden and would find a place to bunker down, relying on Emeric to track him down and reveal himself in the action. Rayhan had won every match somewhat similar to this. The only thing driving courage through Emeric was the fact that they had never done it at night. His vision was like an owl's once it adjusted to the dark. He was still getting used to the supreme eyesight that had developed with his glyphs, but appreciated it humbly.

There were a few occasions that Emeric jumped nervously at far off sounds in the woods. Out of habit he let his fingers drift down to the horn strapped to his belt. It drove an odd sense of security through him. He knew the wolves would be out hunting, but somehow found himself fearing his father more. He couldn't let Rayhan win again. All the years of training had prepared Emeric for this moment. This fraction in time where he would claim his first victory over the supremely skilled Etreshian who happened to be his father.

Emeric suppressed a cry of joy when he found footprints. The glyphs glowed warmly, excitement coursing through his veins. This time. This time for sure. Emeric told himself. He knew Rayhan well enough to know that the trail could either be false or was put down to deliberately draw Emeric out.

With a sly grin the young Etreshian walked twenty paces away from the footprints before turning parallel to them and continuing in his course. With no torch light it would be impossible to spot Emeric so far from the trail, yet his vision gave him the opportunities to glimpse the raised undergrowth every now and again.

Emeric guessed that he was approximately 5 kilometres from their cabin, close to the agreed distance that they wouldn't surpass. He frowned at the trail. It just seemed to go on forever. Deeper and deeper into the thick woods. He concluded that he would go one kilometre further before stopping. It was strange though, he reckoned, that his father would break his own rules.

Emeric slowed down when he saw a soft glow peeking through the trees. He shook his head, amused. Emeric looked up to Rayhan for his extreme track record of winning these matched, however, lighting a fire to draw Emeric out seemed a bit desperate.

'Your age is really getting to you, old man.' Emeric thought well humouredly.

Emeric, despite his reluctance to be spotted, concluded that he was still well out of sight. He crouched down and glided forward, silently. He stopped well short of the glow of the fire. He couldn't see the fire itself, bushes obscured his sight, however, he knew Rayhan wouldn't be sitting next to it. The older Etreshian would be hiding somewhere off in the woods, waiting for Emeric to reveal himself.

Emeric's glyphs felt taught with tension as a familiar heat spread across his back. Adrenaline triggered the glyphs almost as hard as fear did. Emeric could only be thankful that his thick woollen cloak was dense enough to hide the glow that was radiating from his back. It would be a dead giveaway if Rayhan saw the blue tinged luminosity move through the woods. For a second Emeric gazed around hopefully, wondering if he would be able to spot his father similarly, but sadly admitted that his father was too good at controlling his glyphs for a glow to reveal his position.