The Wild Hunt (Part One)

Savior

I heard the sound of gurgling water in the darkness. Felt it rise in my throat. Someone's mouth was on mine and it pressed against my lips hard and demanding. They were forcing the water towards them. Why? Am I not dead yet?

Serri.

My name was a soft, ringing noise in my ears.

Serri.

I felt those lips against mine again. They were soft, but forceful. The water gurgled. It rose. My lungs expanded and the gates burst open.

"Ah!" I gasped, flinging my eyes open. Air filled my lungs and I turned over, upchucking water. I was alive!

"Finished, princess?"

I stilled my coughing. A cold shiver ran down my spine and it wasn't due to how drenched I was right now, but to the sound of General Kohs voice.

I slowly turned over. The general sat across from me, his legs sprawled out in front of him and his hands at his side. He was sopping wet and his hair was undone, plastered across the sides of his face and neck. He pushed the long, dripping, locks off his face. He did not look happy.

"If your finished I'd like to go now." He stood up and water escaped the sides of his breast plate. His black, long sleeve under shirt clung to his muscular arms and shoulders. The material was thin and I could barely make out the outlines of a tattoo snaking up his right arm.

What do I do? Where was I? Where was Kona? Did he wake up? Is he okay? Does he know where I am? So many questions raced through me as panic set in. I couldn't go back to the palace. I had to fight. I had to run and find Kona and we needed to board another boat and set sail across the sea. Get as far away as we could.

"Get up Princess or I'll throw you over my shoulder."

I glared at him and rose to my feet. I grabbed for my knife but the holder was missing on my belt. I wonder if it came off when I plunged into the water? Our satchel was missing too.

"Looking for this?" General Koh held up my sheathed knife, before tucking it behind him into the waist band of his pants. Those were sopping wet as well and clung to his muscled thighs and calves. He was extremely fit and large in stature. I don't think I would stand a chance at hand to hand combat, let alone even know how to it approach him. I had no choice but to go with him. I was unarmed, untrained and outsized. I just prayed Kona would find his way to us, where ever we were.

General Koh tied my wrist up with some thin vine he scrounged off a nearby tree. He pulled the knot snug and jerked me forward. I fell against him. He stared down at me and something feral flashed across his eyes. From afar his eyes looked more brown, but up close there were swirls of green and orange in those muddy puddles.

"Don't you even think about running away."

He wrapped his arm around my waist and pressed me closer. My fisted hands were smushed between his chest and mine as he held me tight against him. We were so close to each other I felt the droplets of water that clung to his hair drip onto my face.

I huffed, pushing against him. The corners of his mouth tilted up before he released me. He tied off the end of the vine to his own wrist and pulled me after him as he started on his way.

I had not the slightest clue as to where we were or where we were going. I honestly didn't think General Koh did either but he marched along none the less.

This jungle was different from the forest of Miran up north. The trees here were tall and had long, bowing shoots with wide, fanning leaves. Large, furling palm trees and exotic looking plants scoured the rocky, sandy floor. Birds squawked loud and high, their songs echoing through the the trees. Behind us I heard the soft roar of a waterfall. I guess General Koh must have dragged me from its bottom.