Those Who Sparkle

Chapter 1: Hunted

Suddenly, I heard leaves crunch around me, and a figure appeared from behind a nearby tree. I gasped. It was a hunter. He was dressed in browns and reds and golds, camouflaged with the forest surroundings. He had on a ski mask, so I was not able to make out his features very clearly. Then he grabbed me.

 I screamed, high pitched and beautiful. The hunter could not hear me. He saw me only opening my mouth, as if to yawn. But the Kalani could. I wondered if any others were close enough to me to hear.

 Before I could scream again, I was gagged, a sticky piece of duck tape drawn across my mouth. There was no chance of getting another Kalani to come to my aid now. I was on my own.

Lightning fast, I turned to kick the hunter, but he was one step ahead of me; I was already tied to the tree. My legs and arms had been tied, without my knowledge. How could I have been so stupid, so unobservant the time that it really mattered?

I struggled against my ropes. I couldn’t be captured. I couldn't be. We heard stories about Kalani that were captured and tortured, those who were brave enough to sacrifice themselves for the good of the race, who died to protect out secrets from the hunters.

"I've got you now, my pretty," the hunter snarled at me, abruptly waking me from my thoughts. My eyes went wide. I sensed the hunter readying himself to untie me from the tree behind and place me in the ugly green sack he was carrying on his back. As if in slow motion, and saw him prepare his stance, and slowly walk towards me, in a protective lunge. I waited for the perfect moment to come. Seconds felt like hours. This was my only chance to escape.

Finally, the ropes fell off. The hunter jumped, intending to trap me with his weight. But I was ready for him. I brought my foot up and turned, executing a back turn kick. His eyes grew wide, knowing what awaited him milliseconds away. My foot connected where it hurts, and the hunter groaned in pain. I took advantage of his momentary paralysis and threw him off of me.

I sprang up, analyzing my fighting options in seconds. There were only a couple of options for me: run away, or fight. I was a Kalani, not a coward. I was faster, stronger, more focused than the hunter. I wouldn't loose. I would stay to fight. 

The hunter was still dazed from my blow. I was at an advantage. I prepared for another blow, this one to his head, but he was ready, catching my hand suspiciously fast for a human. This caught me off guard. He took advantage of my momentary confused and threw me into the sack. I couldn't believe it. A human shouldn't have been able to move at this speed. But then again, maybe he wasn't human...

This was my last thought before the darkness consumed me and I passed out in the man's sack, driving away from the forest. 

A/N: Hope you like this one! Again, I apologize for any mistakes. Please comment! I always want to make it better! I'll try to upload again this week, if I have time! Thanks for reading!