Great Hunt: Ravenous

He’d chosen to go by foot, for the sake of easier concealment. Horses were too big and loud, teleportation out of the Order would be noted. It was much safer to walk… no matter how long it took him to get to the safehouse… or to get home.

And it took him a long time.

One hand in his pocket and the other on his cigarette, Keralas moved through the jungle with the grace of a three legged deer, stumbling through bushes and over tangled weeds with curses under his breath. Oh, how he wished his own magic would allow him to travel physically through dreams. It would be so much easier than crashing through this damned-

He paused, hand on a bush, at the sound of a voice calling out. Immediately, Kerelas stiffened, ash from his forgotten cigarette fluttered from the tip. It landed hot on his finger, snapping him back to attention as the stranger called for… papers?

Oh, if his heart wasn’t pounding so hard, he’d laugh.

Kerelas took another drag from his smoke as he stepped through the bushes, letting it burn through his throat before he even thought about speaking. His gaze worked the witchfinder up and down, landing uncaring on the crossbow that remained trained oh so still on him, a scoff leaving his lips.

“I work with mages who can kill me every single day, and some have tried,” He began with a sigh, rolling his tired eyes back to the witchfinder. “The Archon’s little go-fers are the least of my concerns.” Regardless, he hooked his thumb into the breast of his coat, turning the little golden pin in the fabric into the sun. He never carried papers, but he always sported his identification pin.

Just as he untangled his thumb from the fabric, a low thump shook the ground under his feet, followed by a deep bellow of a creature Kerelas had never heard. The thumps continued, slow and steady, and when he turned his head to follow them, he found himself stumbling back a step, eyes wide and smoke falling from lip fingers.

A monster. A corrupted mage. His gut twisted painfully. It didn’t matter how much this witchfinder thought he was a good shot- nothing he could do would harm the beast.

Kerelas’ gaze snapped back to the stranger, and suddenly he was able to move. Rocking on his heels, he adjusted his coat on his shoulders and turned toward the monster. Or more importantly- where it was headed.

“Come on now,” He prompted, swiftly as he pulled another cigarette from his pocket. “I’m sure your Archon would like her pets to come home for this.”