A Cruel Jest?

34

Mori thrills to the hunt far more than she's ever done so before. The weapon's she chooses are the more silent ones. Her stalking couldn't be better and she knows that Nocturne hasn't been able to find her either. Although she's kept track of his location for the entire time.

Mori takes the last of her kills to the clearing indicated. She cleans them and hangs them letting the blood drain. When the time comes for the game to end Nocturne still hadn't showed up. Some ten minutes after the game finished he finally shows up with an impressive amount of dead animals strewn about his person.

"Nice Nocturne," Mori says looking over his kills, "too bad they don't count." Mori smiles at his look of outrage and horror.

"What do you mean?" Nocturne demands.

"The game ended more than ten minutes ago and you had no animals on your side of the clearing." Mori clarifies her statement to the vampire.

Nocturne splutters in outrage as Mori continues, "Not that it matters, I'd still win." Indeed  Mori has her own impressive array of animals and since it's by poundage she wins.

Nocturne is both outraged and proud that Mori is such a fine hunter. Indeed she was a ghost as she hunted. "Where did you get the moose Mori?"

"It lost a fight and I followed it to the springs. Thankfully it wasn't too far away, damn that animal is heavy." For Nocturne that makes things all the more impressive. The animals aren't heavy for him but he knows that for Mori some of them, like the moose, must have been difficult for her to carry.

"You are the better hunter Mori, there is no doubt in my mind," Nocturne concedes. Hell he'd been ready to concede that without this little contest. "It's a good thing other humans aren't as skilled as you or the vampire race would be in danger." Nocturne speaks his thoughts out loud without thought.

Mori smirks, "Oh, there are others that are this good. Some of them even live in this valley. Fortunately for you kingy they don't mind the status quo, most likely because they haven't been bothered by vampires before."

"Kingy? Mori, what have I told you about using my title?" Nocturne says trying not to get angry.

"What? kingy isn't your title Nocturne, king is. I'm not using your title I'm mocking it, there is a difference you know." Mori states, she knows she's pushing things but at this point doesn't care. She's still angry with him and this is her only way to show it.

Nocturne narrows his eyes at her, "Are you trying to provoke me Mori? Do you want me to hit you again?I don't understand why you are saying things like that."

Mori immediately drops her smile and fades into the forest. "No, Nocturne I'm not trying to get you angry with me. I've told you before that I'm not easy to live with."

"Mori," Nocturne calls out to the fading voice, "let's talk about this I won't hurt you."

"You are angry. I'll find you later or if you leave I'll return to the cabin," Mori calls out.

Nocturne in anger hits a tree making it fall. He immediately feels ashamed for his lack of control and knows that Mori won't be happy. He goes back to the area of his last kill and grabs the bear that had been attracted to the smell of his kills. Bear meat may not be liked by many but, he shrugs, he'd promised Mori that the meat wouldn't go to waste. He takes the bear back to the clearing and hangs it up with the other kills allowing the blood to drain.

Even with the bear he's not sure that he would've won. Mori has an impressive amount of animals both big and small.

Mori ghosts through her forest. Really other than the time she ran away from Nocturne and during the games this is the first time she's been alone since Nocturne decided to turn her life upside down.

She goes to her favorite vantage point and looks over her forest. At least she thinks it's still hers. Those vampire's and their damn games. Taking Nocturne at his word as to whether a gift once given can't be taken back, especially when it's given to a human, well Mori has been lied to too many times to take his word at face value.

"My lady," Jerus's voice breaks into her thoughts

"What are you doing here Jerus? I thought Nocturne told you to come back tonight?" Mori isn't happy to have vampiric company, in truth she didn't want any company.

"He did and will be angry that I am here talking to you if he finds out." Jerus says in complete candor.

"You didn't answer my question Jerus. Why are you here?" Mori asks, she starts playing with her hunting knife.

Jerus looks at the knife and at the human holding it and dismisses the threat. "I wanted to talk to you without Nocturne's presence."

"You risk your life to talk to me without Nocturne's presence? What's so important Jerus," Mori asks diffidently. She really doesn't care but he is risking his life so she pays him some attention.

Jerus reaches over and caresses her face. "I wanted to see you again Mori."

Mori has the knife to his throat and pushing in before he even realizes that it's there. "This isn't sanctioned by Nocturne, nor did you ask me." Mori's voice is cold and icy and Jerus feels that he truly has made a mistake.

"Give me a reason to not kill you right now Jerus," Mori hisses in her anger.

Jerus lets his shoulders slump in defeat. "I have no reason my queen. In fact you killing me would be far better than Nocturne and what he'll do to me."

"Well if this isn't your lucky day. You just told me a reason to not kill you right now," Mori smiles but there is no warmth in it like Jerus is used to. 

Jerus looks at her with wide eyes, "I beg of you to kill me right now my queen. I'd rather die by your hands than have Nocturne torture me."

Jerus looks into Mori's eyes but doesn't see any softening there. He takes a deep breath when he feels the knife move from his throat. "Damn how did the vampire's ever take control? You are all just too easy of targets."

Jerus looks at her like she's lost her mind. The only other vampire she could possibly be talking about would be Nocturne and everyone knows how hard he is to hunt.  His wandering thoughts are brought back to the present danger when Mori speaks again. "Get out of here Jerus, and don't come back until you are told to." Jerus bows to his queen and leaves as silently as he came.