Chapter Text
Hunter burst through the door of the Owl House, running to get as far away from his troubles as possible. Trying to outrun even his thoughts - those blue eyes piercing into him -
Uncle
Golden Guards
GRIMWALKER
No, there was too much in his head, he couldn’t process it clearly. He just needed to get away. Away from everything.
Running into the forest, he pushed away branches and foliage, his tunnel vision narrowing as he tried to drown everything out -
Belos
Sigils
GRIMWALKER
No. NO. Hunter pushed away the darkness in his mind, focusing on his feet jumping over roots and searching for even ground.
He couldn’t go back. He couldn’t see those eyes again. He couldn’t be found. He just needed to get out of here. Out of his own head -
TWEET TWEET
Hunter flinched and halted, jumping into a defensive stance before realizing the sound that startled him was just coming from Flapjack. The bird was winded from trying to catch up and quickly settled onto Hunter’s head, pecking and twittering gently.
“Flapjack-” Hunter tried to catch his breath, “Flapjack, I - I don’t know what to do. Luz and I - we saw so much - my uncle did these horrible things - and the other golden guards -”
Hunter doubled over, clutching his stomach, feeling something come up his throat. He swallowed it down and collapsed into a kneeling position. Flapjack flittered onto his knee with a concerned look.
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“Thanks, Flapjack.” Hunter replied, “I’ll tell you the whole story later. I’m glad you’re here.”
Flapjack nuzzled the boy affectionately and hopped about his leg.
Hunter smiled, a brief reprise from his torment. Flapjack’s presence calmed him, and his mind slowed down enough to try to make sense of things. He looked at the dark forest around him. He had no idea where he was or how long he’d been running, and he needed to find a safe place before dawn. Surely the Emperor’s Coven would be sent out immediately to retrieve him and Luz…
He suddenly felt bad for leaving her. What would happen when the scouts came knocking at the Owl Lady’s door? But no, Luz was capable. And so was that wild witch. And would they even want him around after everything he’d done to them…
It was just himself and Flapjack now.
Snap
Hunter started at the noise, rising quickly to his feet. Flapjack flew beside him as they listened for the noise to reappear.
Crunch
Someone or something was definitely headed his way. Hunter quickly bounded up a nearby tree, easily finding a hidden spot in the branches. Flapjack perched beside him just as three forms lumbered through the bushes below.
All three figures were cloaked, their faces hidden by hoods and the shadow of the night. The one leading the way was taller and broader than the others, the second appeared shorter, and the third was quite small and… crawling around on the ground? Hunter thought they looked familiar… then realized they were the same cloaked figures he had been trying to capture earlier that evening. He instinctively prepped to pounce and attack, before remembering he was no longer the Golden Guard and had no need to capture them. Hunter felt a pang of hurt and confusion at his lack of purpose and identity but swallowed it down to watch the intruders with newfound curiosity.
None of the figures spoke, but the first and larger one looked about desperately, then continued to barrel forward past Hunter’s tree. The second figure, however, pulled the first back by the arm, shaking their head and pointed towards the very first signs of dawn in the sky. The first yanked out of the second’s grasp, stood tense for a moment, then slumped their posture and nodded. The second now took the lead in a new direction, patting their hand on the shoulder of the first as they walked by. The third, smaller figure followed, and finally, with what seemed like a sigh of resignation, the first figure took his new place as the last as they followed their companions away from Hunter’s hiding place.
Hunter exhaled deeply, noticing he had been holding his breath. He wondered who the figures were and what they had been striving to achieve in the Emperor’s mind. Either way, Hunter didn’t think they would have any motive to help the Emperor’s previous right-hand man no matter how he explained himself.
Hunter waited a few minutes to be sure the figures were out of earshot before he climbed higher, jumping from branch to branch with ease thanks to his many years of training. Training for his uncle’s approval… for the furthering of such a horrible cause… Hunter again felt that pang of guilt and shame cause his stomach to churn. A flash of blue crossed his mind and -
He almost missed his grasp on the next tree limb, but held strong dangling with one hand before pulling himself up.
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Flapjack landed beside him as he settled on the branch and leaned against the tree trunk.
“Sorry, bud.” He said, “We can’t fly right now or we might be seen. Best to keep under cover of the trees for right now.”
Hunter peered through the branches and leaves at the early dawn light blanketing the forest. Scanning the horizon, he tried to get a sense for his surroundings. The Knee was jutting out of the sea to his left, a dark shadow being cast against the purple sky. He mostly saw more trees and swamp, occasionally spotting a light or two from houses nestled in the woods. Just beyond the trees, though, Hunter could make out the misshapen skyline of Bonesborough in the distance.
Noticing the lack of scouts in the area, Hunter took a moment to take in the view. The morning was calm and peaceful - the very antithesis of the events of that night. He could almost imagine his world-shattering adventure into the Emperor’s mind didn’t happen… except for those blue eyes and that gnarling twisting vortex in his stomach. It was as if his very body wanted to reject everything he’d witnessed and heave the horror out of his system.
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Flapjack hopped onto Hunter’s shoulder, giving him a comforting nustle.
“We can’t stay out in the open like this…” Hunter said, rubbing his temples. “.. But everywhere I can think of will have scouts crawling all over the place…”
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“Captain?! Of course!” Hunter fumbled around his uniform, searching his pockets. If he could just get a message to Captain Willow… Wait. Would she even want to help?
Regardless, his pockets were empty. Hunter remembered with a sigh that he left his scroll at the castle, tucked away in a hidden compartment in his room where he kept a few secret things safe from the cold blue eyes of -
Hunter lurched, breathing fast and quick. The eyes of the Emperor were boring into his skull, taking over every thought. Those hollow and raging and deceitful blue eyes threatening to swallow him whole. Hunter saw his uncle’s gaze as they had looked at him back in the mindscape - like he was a broken cog, a tattered parchment, a useless nephew -
Hunter barely noticed through his gasps for air and foggy vision that he was falling - bumping and scraping against the branches he had just so lithely climbed. The bark tore at his uniform and his limbs screamed in pain as they battered against foliage as he fell. Still unable to catch his breath, he reached for Flapjack as the bird grew stiff, growing into his staff form and sweeping Hunter away from the tree and into a small clearing below.
Hunter collapsed onto his hands and knees, his breathing rough and ragged. Flapjack returned to his usual form and stood before the heaving and gasping boy.
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Hunter barely heard Flapjack, he felt like he was drowning.
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There he was. Hunter could see the cardinal now, his foggy vision showing only a blob of red.
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Hunter focused on Flapjack’s sweet sound against the roaring in his ears.
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His breathing was starting to slow, the crashing wave of panic slowly starting to rest.
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Hunter stared, unmoving, at his palisman. He observed every single red and black feather. Every little scrape and bump on his little body. All the love and concern in those much kinder eyes…
Hunter heaved and coughed a while more before collapsing to the ground. Catching his breath, he rolled over to stare at the sky now shining blue and pink with the sunrise. Flapjack flitted up to his forehead, looking down into the boy’s face.
Hunter smiled, “I’m okay now, bud. I’m okay.”
Flapjack jumped onto Hunter’s chest and nestled into himself. Hunter watched the nested bird rise and fall with every tempered breath. He just wanted to lay there, staring at the sky with Flapjack, completely oblivious to the world… but the Emperor would be after him. Soon the scouts would find him… Hunter focused on flapjack, trying to silence the fear.
Hunter supposed he could go back to the Owl Lady…But that would be the first place the scouts looked. If Luz and the rest were smart, they would be long gone already too. Even if he had his scroll, would he really want to contact Captain or the other Entrails? No, best not to put them in harm's way. Not again.
“Where should we go, Flapjack?” Hunter sighed. The little cardinal peered at him, then stood, stretched and took flight.
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Hunter sat up in disbelief, “No, bud! We can’t put anyone in danger. Maybe we can find an abandoned house.. Or a cave… Or…”
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Flapjack flew around Hunter’s head, pecking and pulling at his hair.
“Alright, alright ! But… It’s just to gather intel.” Hunter stood, attempting to pat his hair down, which didn’t do much to relieve his disheveled state. “We can see what the library has to offer on Grimwalkers. And we’ll keep a low profile until I can think of somewhere else to hide.”
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Satisfied, Flapjack stilled himself and transformed once again into a staff. Hunter grabbed it out of the air and straddled it. Rising into the air, Hunter adjusted course and took off. Slowly, and low to the treetops, the pair flew Westward.
Watching the darkness disappear from the sky ahead of him, Hunter wished the fear from last night could melt away just as easily. Unfortunately, he knew that more than just a new sunrise was needed to wash the shadows from his mind. He could still feel his uncle's eyes hiding deep in that gloom, waiting to pull him under again. Hunter shook that aside, staring straight to the destination ahead. He was going to figure out who he was, and the first step was to seek refuge in the only place he had ever truly felt seen: Hexside School of Magic and Demonics.