Prey taken

Leo and Liam were now in the middle of the forest far away from the town and heading to a new destination. They were now resting under a tree, using the giant forest tree as their shade.

The sun was shining brightly as they hid under the tree, munching on some sandwiches and cookies, they bought at the town. Liam was shoving all the chocolate cookies in his mouth like a kid. His cheeks and mouth were smudged by chocolate and Leo couldn't help but laugh at his messiness.

"What are you laughing at?"He said in a muffled voice, his mouth was packed and it didn't seem like he could stuff one or any more in.

"There's something on your cheeks," Leo replied as he tried to contain his laughter.

Liam tilted his head, confused, he thought Leo was only joking about it. He raised his hand up to his face and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. Then, looked at his hand to see that it was covered in chocolates and some cookie crumbs. Even with his cheeks covered in chocolate, Leo could still see his face blushing, his embarrassed reaction and his red ears gave it away.

"What so funny about it?!"He yelled as he covered half his face with his hand and Leo couldn't help but laugh out loud."Stop laughing and hand me something to wipe!"

"All right, all right, you don't have to go all feisty about it."Leo said, still chuckling a little, which made Liam blush even more."And it's only the two of us, no need to get shy and all."

Leo dug through his bag and found a handkerchief, it was peach-pink and had flowers decorated on the edges. Liam saw it and snatched it away from him, he hastily wiped his lips and both his cheeks through Leo's guidance. (Leo helped Liam to indicate where the dirty parts were by pointing them out for him.)

While he was wiping, he suddenly saw a letter written in cursive at one of the corners, the letter 'P'.He turned his attention to it and looked to Leo. He knew that Leo wouldn't have such a girly thing with him but who would have given him this?

"What is this?"Liam asked as he showed Leo the napkin.

"Oh, I guess it stands for the princess's name, Princess Peach. She told me her name when I was in the carriage with her, you know when we were about to leave."

"Oh..."

Liam looked at the napkin for a second before reacting to it.

"Why didn't you tell me that in the first place?!"Liam yelled as he threw it back to Leo.

Leo didn't say anything but only laughed.

"I knew you wouldn't like it but that was the only napkin in my bag," Leo replied, holding the chocolate-stained napkin in hand."You still have a little on your left cheek."

Leo held it up for Liam to take it again but this time Liam refused.

"No way! I ain't using that again!"Liam refused as he pushed it back to Leo.

"Come on, it's only a little."Leo persuaded as he reached out to wipe his cheek.

"No!No! I don't want to!"Liam yelled like a 5-year-old kid as he used his hands to push Leo away.

Leo was laughing as he realized Liam's reaction but that didn't stop him from continuing what he was about to do. Liam was shouting and Leo was laughing, both of them were happily playing until a sound disturbed them.

Leo immediately covered Liam's mouth while Liam stared confused at him. Leo noticed his confusion and pointed to the rustling bushes. The bushes were moving and the leaves rustling sound could be heard loudly in the silence.

Leo slowly let go of Liam and pulled out his blade from his baldric as quietly as he could, trying not to draw the attention of the unknown creature. Liam saw what Leo did and followed, he grabbed his bow and took an arrow out of his quiver. Then, pointed it at the bushes.

Leo then quietly sneaked toward it, a step at a time, making sure he wasn't making a lot of noise. As he was closed enough, he reached out his hand, inching closer and closer toward it.

Suddenly, something leaped out of the bushes, which made Liam yelp. It was a small common brown rabbit.

Liam breathed a sigh of relief, he thought they were going to meet some kind of wild, fierce creature. But even knowing it was just a small and harmless creature, Leo still swung his sword at it. Luckily, the rabbit reacted quickly and managed to dodge away from the upcoming attack and hopped away. It dived back into the bushes and disappeared.

"Why did you do that?!"Liam yelled at Leo as Leo clicked his tongue and placed his sword back into the baldric.

"Did what?"Leo asked, which sent Liam on edge.

"What you mean what?! You tried to kill a harmless being! A rabbit!"Liam exclaimed while Leo looked at him, stunned.

"Aww, I didn't know you cared so much," Leo said, smiling proudly.

"Shut up and answer the question!"Liam yelled, his cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"Well...you need to know we're in the wild...and we don't know if we have enough food to last the trip before we reach the next town. So? Is that a reasonable answer?"

Liam thought for a second before commenting.

"Yeah, that makes sense...Should we go hunt it down?"Liam asked, casually, he didn't seem like the guy who just tried to defend the poor, defenseless animal.

"If you want to..."Leo replied, surprised by his sudden change of thought.

"Let's go then!"Liam said without a second thought as he grabbed his bag and ventured into the bushes, leaving Leo standing dumbfoundedly there.

After seeing Liam disappear into the woods, Leo shook his head and let out a soft sigh. He grabbed his bag and tossed it onto his shoulder, then set off into the forest with Liam.

They walked for quite a long time before Liam started to complain because they couldn't find it anywhere and none of them were experienced trackers.

"Where is it? It couldn't have gone so far!"Liam complained as he continued, walking forward, stepping over dry leaves and broken branches.

"Maybe it's because we're too loud...Just imagine loud sounds coming from the bushes, you would be scared too right? Afraid what scary or fierce creature will come up there."Leo replied, speaking facts.

"Then, why are you talking so much? If you know that fact!"Liam snapped back, his eyes glaring at him.

Leo didn't say anything and followed behind him. He wasn't mad because it was obvious that Liam was starting to be impatient as they had been walking for an hour and only just to find something small. (And it was Liam's first time, what do you expect from a new learner?)

They continued walking deep into the forest, heading straight to the town and hoping to see the small brown rabbit along the way. But there was no luck and soon both of them gave up and rested under a huge oak tree.

"Too bad we couldn't find it..."Leo sighed and took out a waterskin from his bag and drank from it.

"Yeah..."Liam said, exhausted. Then, turned to Leo."Give me some."

Leo handed him, his waterskin and Liam drank it. Then, gave it back to him as he wiped his lips with the back of his hand.

Rustling sounds suddenly came from the bushes next to the trees they were lying under. Hearing the rustling sound, Liam immediately stood up and dashed to the bushes. He hoped to see the rabbit, no... more like he was expecting to see it.

He pushed open the bushes and really saw the rabbit but it was already dead. It was lying on the grassy ground as blood was flowing out from its ripped neck and missing its leg. The blood dripped onto the grass around it and there was a trail leading to something.

Liam's eyes followed the blood and saw a majestic creature. It had stunning white fur like the moon but the beauty was destroyed by the blood on its mouth. (It must be the one that killed the rabbit!)It seemed like a fox but as big as a wolf and something about it made it seem off. It was the fur, they were all spikey-like needles and just gently touching it, could make him bleed.

He could smell the disgusting scent of blood and carcass. He was so freaked out, he wanted to scream. But luckily, Leo managed to close his mouth before he could do so. But they made too much noise, Liam accidentally stepped on a branch when he backed away due to the disturbing scene.

The white fox's ears raised and its head moved away from its paws. It looked around the place and didn't see anything. Then, proceeded to continue its rest.

They managed to avoid the creature's eyes due to Leo's fast instinct, he pulled Liam down to blend in the bushes. Both of them were kneeling down and staring at its reaction. Luckily, it didn't suspect a thing and continued its rest because if it did try to find the sound, they wouldn't be able to escape without being noticed and attacked.

They then silently and swiftly crawled back to the resting zone and lay relief under the tree. Leo sighed and Liam immediately exploded.

"What the fuck was that?! It looks like a fox but larger than one and did you even see its fur?!"Liam asked, yelling.

"Calm down, it is most certainly a fox but it has eaten a dragon's scale, the ice dragon scale or moon dragon scale."He said, making a lot of sense now but corrected himself in the end."But if it has eaten a moon dragon scale, it can only appear at night so...that won't make sense...Yup, it ate an ice dragon scale."

"So...are you saying that this fox creature thing('a fox'Leo corrected him)Ya, ya, whatever, has an ability?"

"Well...yes, this fox has the ice ability," Leo replied, feeling a little regret telling Liam about this when he saw Liam's reaction.

His eyes were sparkling as he looked Leo straight in the eye.

"I know what you thinking and the answer is a big no."

His reply made Liam disappointed, his sparkling eyes and enthusiastic expression immediately died out.

"Why not?!"He asked, grumpily.

"No, we can't have it. It is safer if we get one from someone else than catch it in the wild. We don't know its attitude and everything else about it. We don't know if it is aggressive to humans or not and you're still new, it is best if we avoid trouble."Leo explained, trying his best to make Liam understand but didn't seem to work as Liam started arguing again. (Leo knew it wasn't easy for him to give up.)

"But-"He muttered but suddenly stopped as if the words were stuck in his throat, his face turned pale as if he had seen a ghost.

Leo tilted his head, confused and Liam slowly raised his trembling hand to point behind him.

Leo turned around and saw two blue eyes hiding in the bushes.

It was as dead as the deep blue sea with no waves, not a single life.