Chasing the Stag by Amaranth

Chapter 2 – The Pursuit

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Chapter 2 – The Pursuit

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Silently Celegorm glided through the forest, faithful Huan by his side. Soft rays of the morning sun broke through the thick canopy of leaves, painting their surroundings with a dim greenish shade which made the place appear mystical, even more so with the occasional wafting of mist between the trees. This was Celegorm’s favourite time to walk the forests; the world around him stirring from its nightly slumber, the air damp with mist; leaves heavy with dew which sparkled in the soft light like a scattering of gems and pearls.

Yet despite the hauntingly beautiful surroundings, Celegorm was uneasy. For four days he’d felt as if hidden eyes secretly observed him; even though nothing indicated he was being followed or spied upon, he could not rid himself of this strange sentiment. The forest itself seemed to have eyes and ears, though surely Huan would be alerted if there was any threat. The ever watchful hound did not seem to sense anything out of the ordinary, but this did not ease Celegorm’s growing apprehension. Celegorm was oddly thrilled; the elusive yet potent presence kept him on edge and made his skin prickle with excitement, though whenever he came close to grasping what exactly it was, it withdrew.

He had broken camp long before first light this morning, the strange feeling more prominent than all the days before; occupying his every thought and awakening a restlessness within him he could not dispel. The sensation was as if Celegorm was tracking an elusive prey. There were no visible tracks for him to follow, but the trees whispered to him, drawing him deeper to the heart of the forest. Even the very air seemed to promise the revelation of a secret which haunted and taunted him equally. His mind warned him to caution; what if he blindly walked into a cunningly laid trap, one that even deceived faithful Huan? But the hunter he was found himself eager to rise to the challenge; drowning out the voice of prudence.

The snapping of a twig alerted Celegorm, the sound almost inaudible, yet easily discernable to his sharp hearing from the otherwise normal sounds of the forest. He froze, intent on catching any other signal that might provide a clue while his eyes searched the direction from which the noise had originated, yet met with nothing but mists his gaze could not penetrate. Even though Huan sniffed the trackless ground carefully, he quickly lost interest; leading Celegorm to believe what he had sensed was neither threat nor worthy quarry, else the hound would be eager to pick up the trail. It must certainly be only a small animal they had flushed and which had quickly fled without leaving imprints on the moss and leaf covered ground; nevertheless Celegorm decided to stray from his previously chosen path alongside a small stream to follow this new direction instead.

The mist grew steadily denser in the area of the forest Celegorm now explored, obscuring his vision to a degree where he could only discern his surroundings as hazy outlines and a surreal blurring of greens and browns. Out of the corner of his eye he suddenly detected movement, a shape soundlessly gliding through the mist, stilling for an instant before moving on. He followed cautiously, making no sound; yet lost sight of the mysterious shape several times when it vanished into the thickening mist, only to reappear elsewhere until it finally disappeared completely. Never before had Celegorm been uncertain of exactly what he was chasing. It seemed a larger animal, considering the size and shape, yet Huan remained indifferent. Perhaps his eyes had merely been deceived; beholding naught but dancing shadows caused by the interplay of flickering sunlight through the forest canopy, moving to the breath of a breeze too gentle to clear the mist.

Celegorm fruitlessly searched the ground yet again for tracks where he had last seen the mysterious shape. He was close to accepting the possibility of his mind playing tricks on him when he caught sight of something that roused his interest anew. Only a few paces away, the mist cleared slightly and a shaft of sunlight pierced a large gap in the foliage, illuminating a fist sized stone which obviously had been moved recently. The slight hollow where it had been embedded was distinct, as were the dampness and traces of humid earth on the upturned surface of the stone where it had rested in the ground. It could be coincidence, but there was no way Celegorm could discern if the stone was moved at the exact time he had chased the shape through the mist, yet his instincts told him he was not chasing a phantom.

Celegorm instinctively followed the direction of the being that had caused the stone to be disturbed. There were no further clues, but soon the mist cleared and when he turned and looked back, Celegorm found to his surprise that he had emerged from what seemed to be a passage leading out of a valley. Wooded slopes rose to each side, only dimly visible through the obscuring mist; it irked Celegorm to have been so distracted as to become oblivious to his surroundings. He had been too careless in following the mysterious phantom, especially not knowing what he had been chasing; if not a merely a figment of the imagination. Even though Huan would warn him of anything that could even remotely be a threat - be it evil spawn, animal, man or even a foreign elf - it was not like him to completely rely on his faithful hound and lose full awareness of a situation, neither as warrior nor hunter had he ever lost control.

Climbing the wooded slope before him, Celegorm sought to get a clearer view of his surroundings from the ridge at the top. When he glanced about, he found that he had indeed crossed a small valley in which the mist gathered as if a ghostly white blanket had been cast across the forested area lying below. The view was hauntingly beautiful and when Celegorm gazed into the distance, he saw the cleft through which he had entered the hollow; mist welling forth from it like steam from a cup, just as it did on this side. The stream he had followed previously bypassed the valley in a bow; he would meet it again if he walked straight ahead. He decided to return to it now that he knew his heedless expedition had not caused him to stray too far from the path he had chosen earlier.

It was yet morning, far too early to seek a new campsite. Thus Celegorm wandered upstream for another hour without incident until the course of the stream turned northwards to where its spring probably originated in the mountains. Celegorm had no desire yet to return north to where his own lands lay. He would have to do so soon enough; thus his gaze scanned the dense forest stretching south, seeking a new path to follow. To his right, he caught sight of something which both drew his interest and alerted him: a broken spiderweb still heavy with dew sparkled in the sun between two low hanging branches, at almost shoulder height. The fine web had not been completely torn; only the lower part of the fine gossamer had been damaged. Nor was the web abandoned, its eight legged inhabitant busily inspecting and mending the fine net as he watched, indicating the damage was recent.

Something of considerable height must have come this way recently, and whatever the nature of the being, it was likely to have left additional signs somewhere. Carefully, Celegorm searched the area around the spiderweb and found a fine filament of gossamer which had caught on the rough bark of the tree anchoring it, indicating the quarry had moved south. Then only a few paces ahead, his gaze finally discerned a single, fresh imprint on the ground. The unusual shape puzzled him, it was neither hoof nor paw print, nor left there by a bird’s foot, nor was its source either bare human foot or shoe. The depression was rather roughly funnel shaped, smooth and rounded at the bottom. Gazing at Huan, Celegorm hoped to find the hound had picked up a scent, but shook his head in bewilderment when his friend was again unhelpful in solving the mystery; his entire interest focused upon a squirrel on a branch above.

Thrilled and challenged by his strange discovery, Celegorm called Huan to his side and headed south in the direction the elusive trace dictated, yet was thrown off the track again when he could find no further imprints. Frustration welled up within him, twice he had found mysterious clues, yet twice his search had come to nothing despite his superb tracking skills and Huan’s sharp senses. His frustration escalated and he was close to losing his temper, but he held himself in check as the prickling, uneasy feeling of being secretly observed returned. He tried once more to tell himself it was merely imagination awakened by the odd occurrences thus far, yet again his instincts indicated otherwise. Celegorm took a moment to regain his composure, inhaling deeply of the rich fragrance of the forest before slowly continuing upon his way, senses highly alert.

Not long after, he caught a distant, bright reflection in his peripheral vision, yet when he turned his head it was gone and Celegorm saw naught but trees and thicket, unable to pinpoint its source. It had been too bright to be one of the normal, dancing tricks of light the flickering sunlight painted when it fell through the billowing branches to set beads of dew aglow. Only light caught by a reflective surface could have caused such an intense gleam; water maybe…or a weapon. He sincerely doubted any armed being other than his own kind could sneak up on him so closely without alerting his sharp hearing, yet not even an elf could escape Huan’s notice and the hound had remained unconcerned. Nevertheless, the mysterious discoveries thus far had him highly strung; Celegorm gripped his bow and carefully chose a path where the forest provided the best cover as he soundlessly made his way to the approximate position from which the reflection had originated.

He would not rush headlong into chasing another phantom, yet instantly took cover and nocked an arrow when he heard the snapping of a twig in the distance to his left. Peeking out, he was just in time to catch sight of movement in a far thicket, its density preventing his gaze from penetrating, but after long moments of careful observation, no further sound or motion betrayed the presence of another being. Huan’s ears twitched and the hound curiously gazed in the direction of the thicket, nevertheless he did not seem to have caught the scent of anything to either interest or alert him. Cursing silently, Celegorm carefully approached the thicket in a wide arc and finally rounded it, scanning his surroundings both for possible threats and fresh tracks. What manner of being moved without leaving sign of its passage upon the damp ground or disturbing the dew upon leaf or grass?

Unsurprisingly, he found neither animal nor anything else hiding either within or beyond the thicket, yet a single twig close to the ground had been freshly snapped off; certainly the source of the sound which had alerted him. Again nothing indicated the nature of his quarry or the path it had taken, yet as it was impossible that anything could have fled either to the left or right without his awareness, the only way of escape would have been straight ahead, where the thicket had blocked his view from his previous vantage point. His arrow still nocked in readiness, Celegorm soundlessly followed, determined not to overlook any clue. A few paces further along, he found a single, freshly torn oak leaf; yet glancing about, Celegorm noted he was surrounded by beech trees. Another mysterious trace; and again anticipation washed over him, drawing him onward.

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The forest around him grew denser the further Celegorm ventured, following his hunter’s instincts as he found no further signs to lead him. He shouldered his weapon and replaced the arrow to his quiver when the thickets between the trees and interwoven low branches made it difficult to move unhindered; even Huan had to struggle to pick his way through the greenery. Yet Celegorm intuitively knew he was nearing the end of his chase. A whisper seemed to carry within each gust of breeze and every rustling of leaves, even the piping of birds held the promise of the secret finally being revealed. With each step he took, Celegorm felt the elusive presence which had haunted him for days become more tangible.

When the tangled undergrowth and trees finally opened, a large clearing lay ahead of them, bathed in the warm rays of the midday sun. A clear pond sparkled in its center, fed by a small spring that welled from a rock on the far side. Celegorm gasped, not because of the beautiful sight but because he finally laid eyes on what he instinctively knew to be the mysterious phantom which had eluded him. Back turned to Celegorm, his elusive prey slaked its thirst at the fountain, tall and graceful, fawn brown hair gleaming reddish in the sun. Even though nothing in the movement or posture indicated his quarry was aware of Celegorm’s presence, Celegorm knew better. As if sensing Celegorm’s thought, the phantom turned in one fluid, graceful motion and stared at Celegorm with sparkling eyes.

The eyes…Celegorm startled, immediately thinking of the dagger at his belt. The eyes gleamed emerald, every bit as beckoning and taunting as the green gem eyes of the engraved stag had the night by the fire. Their gaze bore into his, teasing, causing Celegorm’s anger to flare anew. He had been played, tricked into a meticulously planned game of hide and seek which had led him to this place of the enigmatic presence’s choosing, to finally meet him face to face. From the beginning, the hunter had instead been the hunted; but the game was not yet over. They would play by Celegorm’s terms now. Slowly he let his pack slide to the ground, loosened the straps which held his quiver and carefully put it down together with his bow; curious eyes following his every movement.

“The hunt is not yet done, but I will need no weapons to bring thee down, my elusive quarry,” Celegorm challenged haughtily. “Prove to me how fleet thou art and how gracefully thou canst run, my proud stag. I want a good chase before I emerge victorious and claim my prize!” A sparkle lit the eyes of the apparition at his remark, teasing and full of mirth, before the head slightly bowed in acceptance of the challenge. A blink of the eye later, the quarry was vanishing into the forest, Celegorm following only a few heartbeats later, commanding Huan to stay back while he chased after his prey. This challenge was personal, a matter of pride. He would succeed without the aid of his hound.

The pursuit was all Celegorm had yearned for and more; exhilarating and thrilling, yet a true test of his endurance. Swift and agile, his quarry darted through the forest, sidestepping or leaping over obstacles with a graceful elegance which was surprising while being so hard pressed. Maintaining the gruelling pace was demanding, at times it seemed as if the phantom was flying ahead of him, yet Celegorm knew if he ever once lost sight, the challenge would be done and his prey would melt into the forest without a trace.

The unfamiliar forest challenged Celegorm, making it impossible for him to proceed tactically; thus he had to rely on physical strength, constantly trying to close the distance between them. He almost lost his quarry when the apparition took a sharp turn to the left, sprinting into a cleft between two high rocks which led straight into a blackberry thicket on the other side. Celegorm’s momentum prevented him making the sharp turn necessary to duck into a narrow passage between thicket and rock, and he crashed sideways into the brambles where his clothes and hair caught in the thorny twines. Thankfully, his leather garb protected most of his skin from the thorns, yet he suffered a deep, bleeding scratch on the side of his neck and several shallow ones on his hands.

Freeing himself, he emerged from the thicket cursing furiously. His quarry had again dared to play him for a fool; the humiliation of it tasted sour and bit deeper than the thorns. Frantically scanning his surroundings for the vicious forest sprite, he caught a glimpse of fawn disappearing between the trees. Spurred by his anger, Celegorm took up pursuit again, unwilling to surrender. He poured all his anger into a powerful sprint that pushed him almost to his limits and succeeded in catching up enough to not lose sight again. He lost track of time, the forest swept past him in a blur of greens and browns as he kept his gaze focussed on his quarry and the ground immediately ahead of him.

Celegorm’s heart was pumping rapidly, his breath heaving, struggling for more air. Perspiration drenched his skin, burned like fire at the scratch on his neck and trickled stickily down his back and chest. Yet he pressed onward, slowly gained ground, his strength of will ignoring the limits of his body, pushing him beyond. His prey seemed to tire as well, the once fluid movements faltering at times, less elegant; while Celegorm drew closer with every step, feeling the chase was finally nearing its end. His nostrils caught the scent of sweat and it spurred him even further, lent him wings. The trees around them cleared and with a feral growl, Celegorm pushed himself forward; leaped and crashed into his quarry, sending them tumbling to the grassy ground.

They rolled and fought; then suddenly cool water hit their heated bodies like a shockwave, yet their struggle never faltered. Teeth sank into Celegorm’s wrist when he tried to restrain his catch, yet he did not loosen his hold but roughly gripped the fawn hair with his free hand and pulled his hissing prize back onto the grass, straddling the writhing body. Green eyes glared at him, free of taunt and mockery, yet full of untamed wildness and with a deep growl Celegorm leaned forward, roughly jerked his prize’s head closer by his hair and crashed his lips against him in a brutal kiss. Teeth clashed, bit down onto soft lips and tasted blood. Tongues fought, forced their way past each other and explored unknown territory until the need to breathe forced them apart only to join again with new ferocity.

Hands impatiently tugged and tore at tough leather clothing. Nails left red trails on pale skin in their urgency to dispose of the material which separated their naked flesh. Each new patch of skin that was revealed was greedily tasted, licked and sucked, marked by teeth in their feral need. When the last bit of clothing finally fell away, hands roughly explored sweat slick skin and long limbs entwined, pulling each other closer. Heated flesh strained against each other, ripped throaty moans from them until their pulsing erections wept clear pearls of precum.

Roughly, Celegorm turned the other onto his belly, slicked his straining erection with salvia then dug his fingers deep into the white skin of the other’s narrow hips and pulled his prize into a kneeling position, brutally claiming him with one hard thrust. Tight heat enveloped him and a feral growl rose deep from his throat, met by the shocked hiss of pain when the other was suddenly filled and stretched so wholly. Yet Celegorm was too driven by his need and hunger to hold back, pulling out almost completely he slammed back into the velvety sheath, eliciting a long drawn moan from the other, as he grazed his pleasure spot and pain turned into blinding bliss.

Setting a punishing pace, Celegorm plunged deep into the welcoming body that strove toward him and met every thrust. There was no gentleness in their coupling; their feral need outweighed everything but the brutal clashing of their bodies, accompanied by hoarse moans and cries of pleasure mingling with pain. When Celegorm knew he was finally nearing his peak, he pulled the other up by his hair and drove even deeper into his body, his other hand roughly stroking his companion’s weeping erection. Another hard thrust, and another, then his climax rolled over Celegorm with a shocking intensity that caused his body to shudder violently as he spilled his seed deep in the tight, pulsing heat. With a roar of triumph he claimed his victory and sank his teeth deep into the tender flesh of his prize’s exposed throat, marked him in the same moment he felt the body under him shake uncontrollably with wave after wave of a shattering climax.

Exhausted, they collapsed onto the grass in a heap of limbs and long, sweat drenched hair, struggling to regain their breath. Every muscle in Celegorm’s body ached. The demanding chase and their rough coupling had drained him utterly and a blissful, sated weariness overtook his body.

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