How to outsmart your pursuers

As they hurried through the damp forest, Ikki and Pairo tried to keep their footsteps as light as possible to avoid alerting their potential pursuers. The dense foliage above was slowly blocking out what remained of the daylight, casting shadows across their path.

Pairo looked back towards the direction of their village, now nothing but smoke and ruins, and shuddered.

"I can't believe this happened, Ikki. How could someone do this to us? How could anyone do this to another human being!?"

Ikki shook his head in solemn agreement. "I don't know, Pairo. I don't know…"

" But I know that we need to keep moving."

Pairo nodded and quickened his pace, but the darkness was quickly closing in on them. The once verdant forest was now a labyrinth of ominous shadows and tangled undergrowth.

Ikki could feel his heart racing as he struggled to see more than a few feet in front of him.

As they wondered through the night, the darkness of the forest outside only seemed to grow more oppressive. Ikki and Pairo huddled together, hoping that they could make it through the night without being found.

Ikki: "Pairo, it seems like we have pursuers on our tail. We need to figure out how to lose them."

Pairo: "But how did they find us in the first place? We didn't leave any tracks."

Ikki: "I have a feeling that someone from the village betrayed us. Maybe they were tortured into giving up our location."

Pairo: "That's possible." " But what do we do now?".

Ikki: "We need to cover our tracks and make sure we're not followed. I have an idea. We'll split up and retrace our steps. Then we'll head in the opposite direction for a while before doubling back."

Pairo: "Okay, but how will we know if we're being followed?"

Ikki: "We'll have to be extra careful and keep our senses open."

Ikki looks around, scanning the surrounding area carefully.

"We need to split up in a little while," Ikki replies. "You go in one direction, and I'll go in the other. After about 30 minutes, we'll retrace our steps and try to confuse our pursuers."

Pairo nods, and they both set off in different directions, being careful not to leave any obvious tracks. After half an hour, they began retracing their steps, taking care to step on their footprints.

As they started to retrace their steps, a chill ran down their spines, making them both uneasy. The forest seemed to be watching them, with every rustle and snap of a twig sending shivers down their spines. The darkness of the woods only added to the eerie atmosphere, making it hard for them to see anything beyond their immediate surroundings.

Ikki took a deep breath, trying to push away the fear that was starting to settle in his chest. He closed his eyes, focusing his energy and trying to control his body's reaction to the fear. As he opened his eyes, he felt a strange calm come over him, and he began to move forward, taking careful steps and retracing their path as quietly as possible.

Pairo on his path, had his eyes darting around as he scanned the area for any signs of their pursuers. They moved in complete silence, their breathing the only sound breaking through the stillness of the forest. They both knew that one wrong footstep could mean the end for them, so they continued to move forward with caution.

As they came back, Ikki could almost see a white silhouette; he could feel his muscles tensing up, ready to spring into action at a moment's notice. The thought of being made his skin crawl, and he could feel the hair on the back of his neck stand up.

The forest seemed to be closing in around them, and the darkness was starting to play tricks on their minds. Every rustle of leaves sounded like footsteps, every snap of a twig like the sound of a weapon being cocked.

Ikki tried to shake off the feeling of impending doom, but the fear was starting to take hold, making it hard for him to think straight. But they made it to the end. He activated his device, which sparkled a little to signal to Pairo that everything was okay. They moved near each other.

"We can't go to the nearest city," Ikki said, his voice barely above a whisper. "We will be propably caught and lynched."

Pairo nodded in agreement, the fear evident in his eyes. "But where can we go? We have to find somewhere to hide."

Ikki's voice dropped to a hushed tone. "The villagers in the nearby village are very racist towards the Kurta clan, and so were most of the people in this country. If we go there, we'll be hunted down for sure."

Pairo's face fell, and Ikki could see the despair in his friend's eyes.

"We'll have to find somewhere else to hide," Ikki replied, his voice firm with determination.

Ikki's mind raced, trying to come up with a solution. He couldn't risk taking them to any small village they needed at least a city.

(flash back)

Pairo, Kurapika, and Ikki walked through the small village, searching for supplies to replenish their dwindling resources. As they approached a small shop, they were cornered by three thugs.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" one of them asked, eyeing the group suspiciously.

Kurapika tried to ignore them and continued walking, but the thugs blocked their path. "We heard you were stealing from the village," one of them said, his face smiling.

Kurapika furrowed his brow. "That's not true. We're just here for supplies."

The thugs laughed. "Yeah, right. We don't believe you. You're just a bunch of trash trying to take advantage of our village."

Ikki stepped forward, his fists clenched. "What did you say? Don't insult us like that."

The thugs sneered at him. "What, are you going to fight us? Whelp."

Kurapika's eyes suddenly shone crimson as he stepped forward.

"Do not insult my friends," he growled.

The thugs only response was to insult Pairo. "Especially you, you disabled brat," one of them sneered.

Pairo's face fell, but he quickly composed himself. Kurapika's rage intensified as he stepped forward "You will regret those words," he snarled.

Ikki stepped up beside him with a cold smile. "No one talks to my friend like this" he said, his voice calm.. too calm as if he were just talking about the weather.

The thugs seemed to realize their mistake and tried to back away, but it was too late. Kurapika and Ikki attacked them with a ferocity that took them by surprise.

Ikki quickly joined in, delivering a swift hit with the tsuba of his katana. Kurapika's rage intensified as he continued to beat the remaining thugs without mercy. Their bones cracked under the force of his blows, and their screams of pain only fueled Kurapika's fury.

Kurapika's rage intensified as he continued to beat the thugs brutally. But then Pairo stepped forward, trying to defuse the situation. "Kurapika, that's enough. We need to leave now."

Kurapika turned to face Pairo, his crimson eyes filled with rage. "No, they need to learn their lesson," he stated coldly before going back to the goons and throwing another punch, slamming his head into the concrete. The gangster heads pounded on it hard.

Pairo stepped in, grabbing Kurapika's arm. "That's enough, Kurapika. We can't risk them dying" he said firmly.

Kurapika hesitated, his eyes still locked on the thugs. He took a deep breath before finally letting go of his anger and nodding in agreement. Pairo looked at Kurapika back and smiled gently.

Kurapika's eyes widened in shock as the villagers began to scream and run away at the sight of his crimson eyes. "What's going on?" he asked.

Kurapika took a deep breath and tried to calm himself as he approached a group of villagers. As soon as they caught sight of his crimson eyes, they recoiled in fear.

"Red devil messengers!" one of them screamed, and the rest of the group followed suit, scattering in different directions.

Kurapika watched as the villagers ran away, feeling perplexed. He turned to an elderly woman who had earlier treated them kindly just few minutes ago, but before he could even open his mouth, she screamed at him with fury.

"You bastard son of the devil!" she yelled, her voice shaking with anger. "How dare you show your face here! You and your kind are responsible for all the suffering in this land!"

Kurapika: "Please, listen to me. We mean no harm. We are just passing through."

Villager 1: "Liar! You are the Red Devil messengers! You have come to bring us misery and pain!"

Villager 2: "You're not welcome here! Get out before we call the authorities!"

Kurapika: "We are not the Red Devil messengers! Please, just listen-"

Grandma: "You bastard sons of the devil! How dare you come here and disturb our peace!"

Kurapika: "We are not-"

Grandma: "Shut up! You have no right to speak! You and your kind have brought nothing but suffering to our people! Get out of our village before we take matters into our own hands!"

But before he could answer, a small boy suddenly threw a stone at Kurapika, hitting him square in the chest. "Get out of our village, you Red devil messenger!" the boy screamed, his face twisted and in tears.

Kurapika winced in pain as the stone hit him, but he didn't react otherwise. Instead, he turned to Pairo and Ikki and motioned for them to leave. "Let's go," he said, his voice cold and emotionless.

Kurapika couldn't help but feel a pang of bitterness in his stomach as they drove out of the community.

(end)

As they make their way through the forest, Ikki looks up at the trees, scanning for the perfect one to climb. Finally, he spoted a tall tree with sturdy branches. he took off his shoes before hoisting Pairo onto his back and started to climb.

As he climbed, he tries to be as careful as possible, making sure to only step on the biggest branches to avoid rubbing off any of the tree bark. However, as he gets higher up, he realizes that the bottom of his feet is starting to grip onto the rough bark, allowing him to climb faster and more efficiently.

"Looks like going barefoot was a good idea," he mutters to Pairo as they ascend higher into the canopy.

"Be careful not to leave any marks on the bark," Ikki whispers to Pairo as they ascend the tree. "We need to be as stealthy as possible."

Pairo nods, gripping onto Ikki's shoulders tightly as they climb higher and higher. Finally, they reach a spot high up in the branches where they can hide and watch for their pursuers.

"This is a good spot," Ikki says, settling down onto a sturdy branch.

Pairo nods in agreement, looking around nervously. "What do we do if they find us?" he asks.

"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Ikki says, patting Pairo's shoulder reassuringly. "For now, we just need to focus on staying hidden and keeping ahead of them."

"Ikki, are we going to be okay?" Pairo asked, his voice shaking with fear.

"We have to be," Ikki responded, his eyes scanning the area for any signs of danger.

Slowly but surely, they moved through the trees, trying to remain as silent as possible. As they made their way deeper into the forest, the white glow reflected on their pale faces, casting an eerie glow over the damp leaves and moss-covered trees. The forest glinted as if darkness met an eerie whitness, with each passing minute, and the sound of their breathing was the only thing that filled the silence.

Ikki gritted his teeth, focusing all of his mana pool on efficiency.

Ikki and Pairo make their way deeper into the forest, moving carefully to avoid detection. Suddenly, Ikki stops and looks up at the tree canopy, his eyes glinting with an otherworldly power.

Pairo watches in awe as Ikki's entire demeanor changes - he seems almost...otherworldly. And then, with a sudden burst of energy, Ikki jumps onto the second tree, his movements graceful and fluid. As he hugs the tree trunk, Pairo can sense an aura of power emanating from him - it's as if Ikki has tapped into some hidden reserve of strength that he never knew he possessed.

The forest seems to come alive around them, the leaves rustling in the wind and the branches creaking under Ikki's weight. It's a strange and eerie sight, but Pairo can't help but feel a sense of wonder as he watches Ikki defy gravity with seemingly little effort.

As they continue on their journey, Pairo can't shake the feeling that there's something magical about Ikki's ability - something that he's never seen before.

The tree bark rubbed against his skin, leaving red spots, but he didn't flinch—the pain was worth it.

They eventually landed on a particularly large tree, and Ikki assisted Pairo in descending from his back. "Wait here," he said quietly, scanning the area for any indication of their pursuit. "I'm going to see what I can find out."

Pairo shuddered as he vanished into the forest's darkness, his eyes darting around fearfully. Will they be able to escape alive?

Ikki and Pairo moved swiftly through the damp forest, their footsteps silent on the moist ground. The sky above them was quickly darkening, and the trees around them seemed to close in, creating an ominous atmosphere. They knew they had to keep moving, keep running, to stay ahead of their pursuers.

As they moved cautiously through the damp forest, Ikki and Pairo knew they had to be strategic and careful to avoid any possible pursuers. "What if they have dogs?" Pairo worriedly whispered to Ikki. "We can't let them catch our scent."

Ikki's mind raced as he thought of ways to make their escape more efficient. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes and focused on his own body, taking control of his muscle fibers and manipulating them to generate power more efficiently. His movements became smoother and more precise.

As he leapt from tree to tree, he scanned the forest floor with his keen eyes, searching for any sign of the herbs they needed.

He could feel the rush of adrenaline coursing through his veins.

The forest around them was alive with the sounds of nature - birds chirping, leaves rustling in the wind, and the occasional snap of a twig underfoot.

Suddenly, Ikki spotted a small patch of the herbs they were looking for. He signaled to Pairo to follow as they quickly made their way down to the ground. Ikki carefully gathered a handful of the herbs and stowed them away in his pack.

Finally, they reached the swamp, filled with thick, murky mud. They knew what they had to do - they covered their entire bodies in the black cold mud, blending in with their surroundings and making it impossible for their pursuers to detect them. "We look ridiculous," Pairo chuckled nervously.

"We'll look even more ridiculous if we get caught," Ikki reminded him, his voice firm.

The air was thick with the stench of mud and decay, and the ground squished under their feet as they moved. The swamp water was murky and cold, seeping into their shoes and chilling their toes. The mud clung to their clothes, making them heavy and uncomfortable. The wind was picking up, sending shivers down their spines as they waited for the mud to dry.

Despite the cold, Ikki and Pairo remained focused on their goal, their eyes scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger. Finally, after what felt like hours, the mud began to dry and fall off in large chunks, leaving them feeling chilled to the bone.

"Let's get rid of the evidence," Ikki said, as they quickly gathered sand covered in mud, and threw it into the swamp to cover their tracks. The sand felt cold and gritty between their fingers, but they knew it was necessary to keep their pursuers from finding them.

As they worked, they could feel their hearts racing with adrenaline and their bodies shaking from the cold. But they pushed through it, determined to stay one step ahead of their pursuers.

Taking two branches full of leaves, they proceeded to rub their tracks as they slowly made their way towards the mountains. "We have to keep going,". "We can't let them catch us now."