Her gaze never wavered from the clearing as she glared through the emerald foliage of the tree. She perched on a branch, eyes narrowed, bow drawn. 

She allowed her other senses to roam as she watched and waited, listening for any signs of life, feeling things as the forest felt them. She didn't know how long she had been waiting but knew that soon something had to happen. And that would be when she struck.

Sarai turned as a sound from afar caught her attention. It was minute, indistinct, a sound that would not be heard by humans. But Sarai was far from human.

Her senses were a lot stronger than those of humans, and her physical ability surpassed those of any creature known to this realm. Her features were different too: bedraggled, dark hair, long enough to reach her shoulders; eyes the colour of a starless midnight sky; pale skin, a slight blueish hue to it; and she was tall - unnaturally tall. Even now, she had to crouch among the spacious branches of the tree.

She watched as someone entered the clearing, a smug grin flickering at the corners of his mouth. He held a gun; a human device used for killing. She was told it was more effective than a bow and arrow. Well, they would see.

Sarai crept across the branch, light as a cat, careful not to make a sound to alert the man of her presence. He was important to her, and she would have preferred to take him alife, rather than dead. Surprise was crucial in this attack.

The man looked around, surveying the landscape with cool indifference. It was clear he felt above such things as nature.

But what was also clear was that he was waiting. Sarai frowned, peering through the leaves. This was bad. He was waiting for someone.

She didn't know how long she had, but she did know that she needed to be swift. She couldn't be caught.

Jumping from the branch, she landed on her feet, uninjured, and with stealth. The man hadn't even noticed her as she drew behind him, every step among the dead leaves in silence. 

And he turned around.

There were a few seconds when they stared at each other without a word, he surprised she had managed to sneak up on him, she surprised he had noticed. Maybe it was the fabled "sixth sense" that humans so foolishly believed in. 

The moment passed, and he opened his mouth to yell. But she had made a lunging movement, knocking him to the ground. He looked up at her in terror as she gagged him with her sash. He tried to protest, to get her off, but she was too strong. She managed to tie his hands and feet together, and all he could do was struggle uselessly against his bonds.

Then she fled, into the forest, her captive slung over her shoulder.

It had succeeded.

What's more, in complete silence.

Sarai let him fall into the chair, not a care for his muffled cry of pain. She then left him in the cell, not giving him a backwards glance.

He watched as she left the room, saw the malicious look on her awful face, and knew that whatever the reason she had captured him, he was soon going to find out. He struggled against the rope but to no avail.

How had this happened? 

He thought through it all in his head.

He had arranged a meeting with this woman, someone called Raine, who was supposed to help him. Apparently she was a warrior, someone who could help him claim the power he so rightly deserved. He had brought the gun as a safety precaution, although he had convinced himself he wouldn't need it.

Now he had nothing, because he had been so foolish as to let down his guard.

Whoever this "Raine" woman was, she would never find him here.

What seemed like a century passed, in which mixed feelings submerged the man like a tidal wave. Anger. To this creature and himself. Fear. What would she do to him? And sadness. He would never see his wife and son again. All because he had been so power-hungry.

He hung his head, aware of the gag and the ropes cutting into his flesh. He could feel them rubbing against his skin.

He just hoped this creature would end it soon. He couldn't stand the fear, and the pain of his searing limbs. 

He was just beginning to wonder if there were anyway to hang himself when he heard a crash from upstairs, an unearthly wail of agony, and silence.

His heart raced as footsteps began, descending the stairs. A voice resounded from behind the door. "This was not how I imagined meeting you."

It was Raine. She had found him, and was unlocking the cell door now. She entered the room, flicking back her dark hair as she did so.

He noted how she had to bend down, to stop herself from hitting the ceiling, and it was only when she began untying the ropes that he realised that her grin was far from kind and her eyes were a deep, midnight blue.