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[The Haunted Hunter]

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Years ago.....

A variety of trees mapped the land. Uneven dirt paths paved through the gnarled and tangled mess. Cicadas hummed constantly unseen. Fauna congregated by the flowing creek, consuming all sustenance.
Trained eyes waited patiently. Still and focused, the hunter drew back his bow string and fired. All the deer, save the one, fled for their lives. Their eyes wide with fear as they galloped to safety, leaving their fallen behind.
The hunter got up from his hiding and approached the buck. The animal lay still, the last of its breath leaving him forever. The hunter knelt down and placed his hand on the beast's stomach as he admired his prize. The meat would feed his family for weeks. It's hide would keep them warm in the winter.
“A fine prize you will be for my family. I thank you for your sacrifice so that we could live” The hunter whispered to the departed animal as the last of its breath escaped. The huntsman hefted the beast to his shoulders.
A little girl, no older than the age of ten came bursting through the tall grass, smiling from ear to ear at her father's accomplishment. Her lapis lazuli eyes blazed with excitement and pride. She had an arm full of dry sticks and kindling. Her ebony hair and eye lashes were seemingly polka dotted with snow flakes.

“Father!” That will feed us for the whole of Winter! You are so skilled with the bow, can you teach me?”
“Perhaps another day Mahlin. Today you must learn your way around the forest.” The girl pouted at these words.
“We mustn’t take more than what we need. Left is a balance, my girl. If we take more than this deer provides then the meat will rot and be tossed away because it will no longer be fit to sustain us. Thus making the creature's sacrifice wasted. Study the way of the forest for now and when I am old and cannot provide for you and your mother with mine own hands, then I shall send you to fetch your own beast. Fear not my child, you day is not this day but it will arrive all too soon”, with that Mahlin sighed and nodded. Snow was falling rapidly about them. “Come, supper awaits us”
The hunter then turned his back to the girl and trudged forward.
The child secured her bundle of sticks and kindling and began to follow her father. Experience saw the hunter through as he navigated his way through the trees as if he wasn't impeded by the heavy snow fall. He had laid his eyes on these very trees for years, his feet knew the way even when his eyes were lost in the white of the snow.
An hour's time had passed when he saw the cottage he built for his family was just a few yards out. The house was nestled by oak trees, just before the cliff over looking the forest. He had made this journey more times than he could count. Turning as he reached the door to his cottage, he turned, with the dead animal on his shoulders and gestured towards the house.

“Ladies first....” he said to no one. The little girl he expected to see only a few paces behind him was gone. He smirked and heaved the beast on to his porch.

A lovely gift for my wife to find. He thought

Snow had covered any and all foot prints, not even the wildlife prints could be found. It was no matter, He thought as he passed under the woodland canopy again, I'll find you yet, little Mahlin. Only a few steps in, he saw a bit of his daughter's bounty strewn across the snow, quickly being covered. The hunter frowned at this. Never before had Mahlin just disregarded her duties in such a slothful manner. Fear began to seep into the man's heart. He began to pick up the pieces that his daughter dropped. With every twig he clutched he knew he was that much closer to finding her. The trail led him to the back side of his cottage and then ended. Tiny hand pints decorated all the trees. Her entire stash of kindling and wood lay discarded at the edge of the cliff. The man rushed to the bundle in a panic. His hand wrenched it in panic. The last clue to finding his daughter lay expired before him. He scanned the land before him. Tiny hand prints had been made upon the surrounding trees. They began as perfect purposeful hand holds but only a few steps out became more erratic and panicked. Near the edge of the cliff, the print he saw was nearly indiscernible. No palm print was seen, merely fingers trailing down. Cautiously he approached, testing each and everyone of his steps, being this close to the cliff, the snow gave a false security. The hunter saw an unnatural break in the snow build up at the edge of a cliff.
He held the tree as he peered down to see what had fallen through, all the while hoping he was wrong. A broken doll lay at the base of the hill. It had scratches and scrapes over its body. Bruises began to taint the white limbs. Ebony hair sprawled out the head.

Aye, only a Mahlin's discarded toy from the Summer, he thought to himself. Certainly not my own daughter.
It wasn't until he saw the blood coming from the side of her head from the collision of the rock next to her did he let himself believe her to be real. Her lapis lazuli eyes moved wildly, not focusing on anything in general.

“My God” He took a running leap off to the side as not to startle her and encourage her to jostle anymore than necessary. Quickly and calmly he made his way. As he reached down to pick her up, like he often did when she fell asleep next to the fire in their cottage, she stirred.

“Papa, am I in trouble for falling?”

“No my dear one. Let us get you inside to see what we can do about your lips. My girl, they are now blue” he replied, keeping his tone calm and smiled, though his heart was aching and fearful. She smiled at him and closed her eyes, falling asleep, her bloodied head settled against his chest, leaving it's mark. He carried all the way back home.
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Searhing for what is mine...