Hunter: Cursed

Chapter Five.

Ants are amazing creatures. They can lift seven times their own body weight, or was that nine? Either way, not much could stop them once they started their journey; determined little insects. I admired that and right now, I was kind of jealous too.

Jealous of ants; yup I've reached a new low.

"Kill. Me!" I groaned, urging myself to get up and soldier on like the steady flow of tiny workers in my direct line of sight. "I give up!"

Sure my kind have good eyesight, but having this kind of view of the ground isn't because of that. No, it was because I tripped and fell - face first into the dirt, and haven't managed to get up yet.

"Was that complaining I just heard? Alfie, what do you think?" Zane asks the ever traitorous snake demon who was at his side.

Please say no. "Yesss."

"You get to three to get up kiddo!" He starts to count and as Zane throws in a two and a half, I push up and managed to roll into a sitting position. "Up as in, on your feet! Two and three quarters!"

"I'm up, I'm up!" I argued, standing on shaking legs.

Rubbing my hands together, I dust off before glaring at Alfie. He looks away, and if he could, I bet he'd be whistling some kind of inconspicuous tune like a cartoon character before they run off scene. While he doesn’t run away, he does jump slightly as Zane obnoxiously blows his whistle - so loud even I flinch at the blast of sound.

"Good. Now, drop and give me ten!" Zane orders.

"Ten? But-"

"Twenty."

My mouth drops.

"Make it thirty or if you've had enough kid, we can stop?" He taunts.

The man has to be demon; the devil even.

I look at Alfie again to find him staring at Annipe; who has come to join in watching the show. I definitely don’t have any help coming from those two. Sure in battle it’s all, ‘I’ll protect you’ and ‘keep Elise safe’, but when being subjected to torture from someone they know, they look the other way. I really need to start getting some kind of control over those two.

Dropping onto my back, I barely do three when a shadow looms over me and staying down, I look up to see a very familiar face smiling at me.

“I heard you’re on bed rest?” Raya teases.

Never in all my life have I ever been happier to see her.

“What are you doing here?” I wheeze, taking the chance at getting in a break while I can.

“I was around and heard you were back here so wanted to check on you. Have you forgotten how to answer an email?”

“Sorry, I’ve been a little, occupied.”

She offers me a hand up and I take it, ignoring the groan from Zane.

“Hey Zane!” Raya aka my saviour, smiles and waves at him. “Keiran is waiting in the gym for you.”

“Keiran is- You knew they were coming?” I glare at him.

“Yeah, why do you think I got you up so early this morning? I got shit to do today!” He laughed. “Don’t forget to stretch and you still owe me for the complaining!”

We watch him head off and Raya gives Alfie and Annipe each a scratch under the chin while I do as Zane said. I’m already aching and the stretches do help.

“How long are you here for?” I ask, leaning against Alfie.

“Just tonight. Keiran is visiting his cousin who lives about an hour from here and our time off is also going to including going after a tiger shifter of all things!”