I looked behind to see the last hunter still stunned and immobilized. I sprung up and made for him. He was breaking off the stunned state, but not well before I reached him. And now with a blade fixed by me to his throat, I addressed him.

"How long have you been in this wilderness?" I asked with a hoarse growl.

"Please, have mercy, I was only following the directives of our leader." He pleaded dearly. Of course, before death men were made as a pup.

"Just tell me how long you have been on this mountains." I barked.

"Over a week now. We are come the grounds for an expedition."

"You are far from home then?"

"Merely miles from here -- a close by village is our inhabitation. But this wilderness is our grounds -- we have hunted on it countless years. Alas, your allies would deprive us this right."

"There are more camps on this mountain then?" I flashed a glint of anxiousness.

"No one but your allies!" I furrowed my brows at the sound of his word.

"I have no allies on this wilderness," I rebuked. "so tell me who exactly is on this mountain."

"The hostiles...cruel men, led by the man named Dakor." He declared.

A strange cold cloaked me at the mention of the name. Fear and anger symphonizing quickly to form a strange entity.
My sources were right...Dakor had truly journeyed far to this mountains.

"He has been on this land over a week now. He has banned us from hunting on the grounds - our village. His men plunder the forest, taking all the games."

"And yet you and your friends tossed such simple instruction and came the mountains anyways."

"We had too," he flinched at the cold steel stinging his skin "our people are growing death hungry. Our grains have been seized by the vile men. Our last resort is meat from the forest. We had to thus take the risk and sneak up here."

"So you all thought to kill me, in perception that I was Dakor's man?"

"Yes"

"How foolish you were," I spat "if I was his man, killing me would have only put your village into greater horde," I reinforced the threat on the man's throat, with a firmer grip.
"You are lucky he hasn't razed down your village."

The scarred man met my threat with sour cringe. But only for a while, pure ire in a moment overcame his fears, as he declared...
"How can he, when he still draws his self gratification from our land."

"Self gratification?"
He glommed, and for a while said nothing. Despair filled his eyes - the kind i was familiar with. His countenance spoke anguish, and I could very well tell, this man had greatly suffered from the hostiles.

"Speak," I urged, but my voice was softer now...almost like I was encouraging him.

"They rode our village that day, took our food and what we would hold as treasures - the best things of our land. It wasn't enough; they remained on this lands and continue to oppress us. They ride each day to our village, taking a refresh of our daughters and wives," he pouted, while the last words swam out "...they would have them to their fill." The doldrums took him now. Beads of tears rolled down his eyes casually.

I was silent, but bittered. This was the usual pattern of Dakor -- to inflict pain and anguish on the innocent.

"Which is it...a sister, a daughter, or wife." He looked at him. He knew exactly what I was asking.

"A sister and a friend," he bowed his head in dismal.

"A bitter fate then, my friend."

"Indeed," he sighed "but i pray thee, do not let this ill continue...show me mercy."

"If I don't, who then who lead me to Dakor's camp. I drew away my pointing weapon from his throat.

"Are your allies set to come?" Confusion lay him as he stood from the ground.

"I told you before, I have no allies." I smirked.

"You would go down their alone." His eyes widened, almost daring to bulged out.

"No I wouldn't go down alone," I smiled, "I would go with you." He handed him his fallen weapon.

"They are a host. They are strong men."

"A better decision then, choosing an ally this time." I spoke nonchalant, as I moved up to pack my saddles. His mouth almost dropped in fright.

"We can't go down there alone." He refuted.

"Do you want justice for your friends and family?" I growled. He cringed from my responsiveness.
"I thought you were a fighter. I would deliver justice to you, once I cut off the head of that snake. But you must lead me there...else, what then is your use." I proclaimed crassly.

"But you are in no shape for such contention."

"Worry about your head, while I worry about my flesh." I jabbed the fallen tomahawk of his dead leader on his chest, while pushing him on.

His strides were hesitance for a while. I could sense his conflicting mind from his reaction. Howbeit, he grew over this fear, and began strongly leading us on.

The sun harshly stood in the sky. We felt its scorching glory, as we descended out the canopied forest. Cracking dried branches to make way, we took station now on a high ground spying deviously the camp.
But the camp appeared rather too silent to be thought of a camp of hostiles. Their was no sound on the grounds and neither did we catch by chance a being.

We couldn't be rash now...for all we knew, Dakor might be just scheming something. I myself had fallen once to such kind of his contrive.

We waited a while, not yet willing to proceed in. Silence persisted. One as cold as death prevailed the whole grounds.

I was sick if this. My blood was rushing eagerly. It almost seemed as if the pains of my wound were pumping my adrenaline more.

I was becoming disappointed and in fact tired. I saw the signs of life of a camp -- dying fire with a swirl of smoke reaching the heavens, clothes littered all around. But of creatures...none!

This was strange. Not even the neigh of a horse was heard. I couldn't hold any longer. My patience had finally ran to its end.

"Lets move." I drew up the reluctant hunter, as I led the way in.

Their was not a single sound. From a distance even, I could hear the echo of my own feet, which perfectly told this land was nothing but as the lifeless men's land. From behind, the hunter followed, not completely in support of our infiltration. But the conviction came after running in and out several tents, that this camp had been abandoned, and they had moved on.

I checked the food and meat that was being roasted in the fire. It was still fresh. The hostiles had surely been present an hour ago.
Could they have gone on a quick raid?

A new observation altered that thought. Their manner of exit, only told they were fleeing from a potential threat. But the only event that would pose a threat, was the rumble of the firearm during my contention with the hunters. This certainly would have driven them away!

So once again, he slipped so easily from my fingers. What a fool I considered myself be, to have let Dakor escape again.

"No!" I growled bitterly, kicking aggressively the steaming pot of soup upon the dying coal.
My true pains was for fact that Dakor was sure to vanish cold again and it surely would take violent efforts to sprout even the least covert knowledge on him again - and at a bloody great price.

I was yet weeping and brooding in my own savage way, when the hunter called my attention.
"Over here!" He screamed at me. He almost sounded to have found something dear. Hastily I dashed for the hut he had gained entrance into - it was the largest hut of the camp.

My heart was anxious for something - anything. But as soon as I broke into the hut, terror struck me hardly. The awe filled me to the brim, that I could scarcely make a move.
Before me, a company of women lay, tied up together, haven been molested, and then abandoned to be consumed by the severe weather, starvation or possibly wild animals.

True joy rest the hunters face, as he declared freedom on the women.

"What happened?" My voice low voice cracked

"The hostiles," the eldest of the women began. "upon hearing the thunder of firearm up the mountains, assumed threat had come. A faction of Kedrones army they thought."

"And you," I ran my gaze at them all...a total of thirteen women, ranging in age, "they left you all here?"

"To die...yes." She bristled.
"...leave them out here," the leader said "the wolves would do their bidding." The woman narrated.

Even though I had given my conscience to rage and for revenge, I still knew this to be cruelty, and I would still feel bitter for this women.
Their was no more to say. The women walked out the tent upon their relieve. I looked to see the hunter - he was reunited with his sister and friend. Their was absolute joy in their hearts, that I almost wept like a child.

While they all raced out of the tent, I remained there, too weak to move away. Brooding and cursing Dakors existence now, suddenly, my sight fell the wooden desk - a wooden carved mug, and an array of varying kind of sheets.
I moved forward to take appraisal of the things therein. In my heart truly expecting nothing, merely anxious to be thrilled by Dakors work.

But I was astounded by my sight. I took time to take reconnaissance of the work and knew in fact that these were mere rough work...it was Dakors own plan map.
Fate alas had showed some graciousness!

Dakors plan in my hand, could make me a step ahead of him, what more could I ask for?
What was I doing, weeping and brooding and taking defeat, while I needed to be hunting?
I laughed as I gathered the piece of work. In few heart beats, I was done and out the tent. While the hunter and the women moved from tent to tent looting up the camp, I made quick strides for my horse.

"Wait..." I heard the voice of the hunter call from behind. He was running eagerly to me. I sat calmly on my beast as I awaited his presence.

"This man has abused our laws and cultures. He indeed deserves judgement. Let me come with you, and see that he receives due judgement." The man boomed, truly vexed of Dakors atrocities.
But I simply smiled softly.

"What is your name?" I asked him.

"Peticus!" He answered snappy.

"You are a good man. And I wished we had gotten to know each other on a better grounds...would have been fit for a good comrade. But I can't task you with my cause. Take this women and go home. You still have something to live for. Live and protect your people. This life and path I seek, is mine and mine alone to walk in."

He gave a faint smile and a nod of acknowledgement. I sparred him no further word, and in a blink, charged my stallion and the gallop began, kicking up dust, amid the cheers and waves of the women.

For a new hunt I was prepared