The shackles snap shut, firmly clasping his limbs, restraining him.
"Ahhh"
He yelps, looking around only to see a long line of chained slaves, just like him.
"No!"
Rain abruptly rises from his makeshift straw bed, drenched in cold sweat.
"Never again."
He murmurs in anger, albeit tinged with terror.
His limbs shake and tremble, refusing to oblige under his command, and so, he paces around the expansive burrow-lair.
His fists curl, fingers digging into his palms as the vice-like grip tightens.
The nightmare he just had was unsettling--- the shackles clasping and restraining his freedom.
To deprive him of freedom was the greatest affront that could be done to him.
He'd prefer death to a life of captivity.
And this is why the nightmare had been so unsettling-- a corruption to his innate core principle.
All this shattered the internal equilibrium, sending him into a state of unease, anger, wrath, anguish, you name it.
****
~meanwhile, the enforcer cohort~
The four ranger enforcers sat in a circle, a dim fire flickering before them.
"Cap'n," Darrin calls, "I reckon the target has been stationary for the past hour, why don't we strike?"
The better dressed, higher ranked captain grunts, his eyes scan the canopy, the dim moon glowing up in the sky and back to his subordinate.
"Be a little patient." He says, eyes scanning the jade tablet in hand, locking in on the still dot.
"Let him get into a deeper slumber, we strike in an hour." The captain asserts.
"Wouldn't we be at risk of beast attack? Bearing in mind that they hunt under the cover of darkness?" Irene, the female cohort questions.
"What would you suggest? Wait till morning so that he can slip out of our fingers?" the captain intones with sarcasm dripping with every word uttered.
"I...I am...I was just pointing it out sir." Irene sputters, trying to muster composure but falling short, terribly.
"Listen up," the captain declares, "We can't afford to let him slip us, nor start cowering at the face of our mission."
"We do it quick, in and out," he continues, "The faster we grab him the better."
"And finally get out of this accursed jungle."
He murmurs under his breath, his voice barely a whispering grumble, swatting away drones of mosquitos
The cohort makes its last preparation, silently watching the dim moon moving through the sky.
"We strike!"
***
By now, the unease Rain was feeling was slowly subsiding.
Though he jerked and twitched with every faint and errant sound--- be it a rustle caused by the wind or critters foraging for food.
At this point, his startled tirade had already awakened the sleeping weasel--- Kai curiously regards his master, feeling the turmoil he was in.
Skt.
Shing.
Rain unsheathes his dagger, alert.
He halts mid-slash, realising that the skittering was of his beast companion making way towards him.
A relieved exhale escapes from his throat as he settles the blades on his thighs-- seated in a lotus position, aiming to calm his errant spirits yet falling short.
"Hi there, little one." He coos, gently stroking the weasel that was now snuggling close to his chest.
His heart warms on seeing the weasel's attempt at soothing his troubled spirit.
Haht.
He startles, twitching and almost sending the little Kai flying.
"Sorry, my nerves are on edge today." He apologises to the startled and confused weasel, gently stroking its fur with his visibly trembling fingers.
His spirits gradually calm, the unease subsiding slowly, yet still enough to occasionaly send twitches across his limbs.
The two sit there, snuggling in complete darkness, slowly drifting back to sleep.
~Outside the lair~
The captain stares at his jade tablet, his eyes sweeping between the tablet and the giant oak before him.
There. He points to it
The others nod, slowly cranking up the net hurlers, careful not to make any sound.
"I can't see him." Darrin whispers.
"Neither can I." Irene responds with a muffled voice
"Look within the branches," the other male enforcer whispers, scanning the thick leaves, aiming to peer through.
"Get into position, I want every possible escape route barred." The captain orders,
"I will go check the branches, he's there, the tablet is never inaccurate."
The other three take their positions surrounding the oak, net hurlers in hand as they watched their captain steadily skulk towards the oak.
Crack.
A muffled crack sounds as the captain steps on a dry twig.
Within the burrow, Rain visibly tenses, his ears waiting to catch another sound.
He bids his time, waiting, though the hard thrumming of his heart almost made him go crazy, as its loud beating sounded in his ears.
Outside, the captain tenses, freezing in place, his eyes darting towards the canopy.
He sighs, the target was still unaware,
He comes face to face with the giant trunk. His fingers curl on the contours of the oak bark as he gradually and silently climbs into the branches.
He could now feel it, the mission was coming to an end.
He could taste the sweet tarty flavour of accomplishment.
His mind replays the moment he grabs the unruly rogue martyr...
Crack!
Woosh.
His face pales in horror when the dry branch give way, sending him plunging towards the ground.
Thunk!
All hell broke loose, he quickly gets back to his feet, looking around--- silence.
Or rather, total silence and the gaping mouths of his juniors as they look at him, appalled.
Wait.
The mission is still salvageable, he unclasps his jade tablet, aiming to confirm that the target was still there.
Imagine his terror when he notices the red dot flickering as it disappeared and reappeared in a distance.
The red dot flickered, again and again as the distance between them increased.
"What are you doing staring?" He yells, "He's escaping!"
The others look around, confused.
They grab their tablets, aiming to track the target.
To their utter shock, the red dot had already gained considerable distance, yet still making more ground-- further widening the gap.
They scamper, trying to mount a decent pursuit
"Fuck!"