17Disclaimer: I do not own Merlin.
A/N: Thank you, again, to my lovely beta, jaqtkd. Enjoy. And review!
Hunted
It is near dusk, the sun just meeting the ground and the world turning into shades of gray when he hears the sound of hunters. They think they are subtle in their approach but their footsteps betray their movements when one of them steps on a branch causing his ears to prick up. He holds himself silently, lest he bring their attention to his location.
The wind gently sways the branches of the trees, as he holds his breath. The forest dims ever slowly as the sun disappears. His eyes try to focus on the surrounding scenery, but he finds he can not keep them open enough to concentrate. They start to water as he tries to remain alert before an arrow flies past his head. In his moment of weakness, they have gained the advantage.
He breaks into a cold sweat, urging himself into a run. Several more arrows speed past his head, as he gracefully leaps over a log. His long strides quickly take him away from his captors. They are an ever present force in these woods and he is certain he will see them again.
He slows to a stop, panting, his body moving, showing his laboured breaths. He smells water up ahead and limps to the edge of the river through brush and branches that scrape at his sides. Shadows dance across the surface of the stream as he lowers his head and laps at the water, trying to quench his thirst. All the while, checking for danger from both the land and the water.
Too late. He feels the arrow embed itself into his torso. A cry leaves his lips as he makes a mad dash into the forest once again, hoping to escape his ruthless hunters. Why can't they leave him in peace?
He feels the pain start to grow as his life blood slips out of him faster than he can run. It trails down his leg and plops on the ground, staining the leaves with red. He grunts in distress as he body continues to weaken. No longer graceful, he trips over a log. He can hear the hunters. They are closer now.
His body is no longer strong. He tries to keep moving for a long a possible. He stumbles again. His breathe comes in short pants. The forest around him now is dark. He can no longer see the leaves on the trees. The blackness presses in on him and he thinks that it is not only the night that shifts at the edge of his vision.
He falls and fails to lift himself again. He can't really feel his side, his thoughts growing soft. The murky opaque obscures his vision.
He thinks he knows how it feels to be a deer now.