A Hunting Expedition [ATTN: DB & Werl]

It had been a mere day since the Dominante had began the Aést Rakhát development project, and not all of those working under his command approved or appreciated the long work hours - Though they certainly weren't about to speak up about it, they weren't going to simply take their duties to heart without some form of short term reprieve or reward, even if it meant to the detriment of others.

It was the early hours of the night, and a small schooner made its way east, silently across the Oudínmaré - It's crew, a number of low ranked, agitated and frustrated Toškhát, led by an even more agitated and more frustrated captain. What they were doing was highly illegal, of course - To make such a journey, unrequested and thus unapproved by their superior officers would result in severe punishment should they be caught, the punishment unthinking should there true intentions be discovered, but of course, they had no intentions of being caught - By anyone.

A juvenile male stood by the stern looking outwards, towards their destination, oblivious to his captain pacing backwards and forward behind him. "I'm... So hungry... Haven't hunted in.. Days.."

The captain, growling under his breath, clipped his subordinate around the ears. "Yer wanna go hunting yer useless whinging whelp?! How about I kick yer into der sea and yer can go hunting with der fish! If yer got time time to whinge, yer got time to work der decks!"

The subordinate, not really hurt, but stunned by the surprise attack on such a sensitive part of the body, instinctively cowered slightly at his captain's words. The captain, looking around to all the crew on board, continued. "We'll be at der kósta in a few hours, yer lil' kits! Soon we'll get what we all came here for! We'll be settin' anchor at der triangle where Alba and Solaris meet with the Kósta Barren and Oudínmaré! Heave, starboard, fifteen deg!"

Within a few hours, they'd arrived at their destination - The small, thin strip of neutral territory between Alba and Solaris where it met the coast. Silently, they pulled anchor, porting up under the cover of dense forest where it met the shores, hiding their small schooner out of view.

They knew - Or, at least, the captain knew and his subordinates followed - What they were looking for. Once off the boat, the captain made clear what had to be done. "Yer kits better pipe down! If yer mummy and daddy ever taught yer how to hunt properly without getting yer own hides ripped off yer body, yer'd know to keep close, low and not go 'til yer got der right moment. Watch yer step and follow yer captain, if yer please - Our maps are old, but I know der way - Stick to der neutral area along the border, and if any of yer take a step in either Alba or Solaris, I'll skin yer myself! Don't wanna get caught, yer see. There's always small towns and villages along der border - Bunch 'o morons that don't like either side or can't make up der minds which country they belong to - Easy picking, easy kill. Don't be seen - If yer seen, make der kill! No one sees us come, no one sees us leave. Got it?"

The message clear, they set out. With Toškhát night vision, though perhaps not quite as on par as some lore make it out to be, was far superior to that of their human counterpart, and thus, with ease, in the pitch darkness, they made their way forward, silent and unseen.

Many hours past - It was during the early hours of the morning, while everything still remained dark but the sun would soon be rising, that they found exactly what they were looking for - A small village, far enough in land to not look like a coastal attack and small enough both for the group to handle with ease and to not cause much fuss. The captain, grinning maliciously, crouched low in shrub towards the edge of the bush lining around the clearing that surrounded the village, undoubtedly intended for farming live stock and harvest. "We're here. Watch and wait until I say. When I tell yers, yer'll remember what yer learnt as kits and we'll take 'em all."

A few goats and cows chattered obliviously to themselves as the group waited - No torches or lights shone from any window and no sign of human life could be seen - Undoubtedly, the village slept.

All was peaceful; All was tranquil. The night air was cool and crickets chirped happily.

"Now."

Silently, the captain darted forwards - Not towards the nearest home, but to a larger, more secure looking building just ahead of it. Closely behind him ran his subordinates, bloodlust in their eyes, but trained and well controlled - The last two in the group stopped short at the first building as the rest continued on. The captain waited, fearlessly by the front door of his target, for his subordinates to get into appropriate position before they acted - The two that remained behind moving into guard position, one by the rear window and the other by the front entrance. One of his subordinates stopped and waited by the opposite end of the door, ready to assist, while another two circled the building to check for other entrances.

The rest of the group flooded out throughout the rest of the village, following the shadows, making no sound.

After a minute or two, several short, quiet yet high shrills were heard - Imitating the mating call of a small nocturnal bird found in their homeland, the shrill used to indicate that all units were in position. Within seconds, in all directions, simultaneously, the sound of doors being smashed down and windows shattered could be heard, the captain, too, doing his part, breaking inside the wooden structure with ease.

The captain heard several screams and other ghastly sounds filtering in from throughout the village - all human, but he cared not, focusing only on his own part. A small family - An elderly man, a middle-aged couple and a small child lay huddled together, sleeping, on the one bed. Perfect.

Pouncing forward and drawing his claws, he slashed, first, each with each claw, the jugulars of the middle-aged couple. They both opened their eyes, tried to scream out, but failed - Their screams drowned out by the blood that instantly began filling down their esophagus and drowning their lungs as they very quickly ceased breathing. A moment later, the child awoke - Looking up to the captain, she screamed at the top of her lungs, which, only proved to irritate the captain further, who clenching his teeth tightly in pain from the loud noise, swiped down across the child's face, ending her life immediately. The scream was enough to wake the elderly man, who upon opening his eyes, almost screamed in panic - But the captain, turning to face his final opponent, realised it was not a scream of panic, but a scream of pain, for the man quickly fell back without a single strike, his hand clenched around his chest. His heart had instantly given out.

Several hours passed. By the time they were all done, not even a corpse remained - All had been consumed entirely, the bones either eaten or scattered across the shrub that surrounded the village edge. The goats and cattle were gone too - Not because of being culled, however. This, they took back with them - They had taken their fill, had no need for more, but the captain knew very well the value of goats and cows in the Empire and would not forego opportunity for profiteering on behalf of their exploits thus far.

When they left, the village remained a ghostly shadow of itself, but in tact - Doors and windows had all but been smashed down, but the buildings themselves, walls and the likes, remained in perfect condition, unharmed - Bloodstains littered throughout, leaving no doubt in mind that something had happened here, but with no evidence as to the exact nature of what.

The fields remained as they were, but absent of animals.

When they left, they left in the same manner to which they'd arrived - Silent and unseen. By the time they'd left, daylight had arrived, but the town, its hosts gone, continued into the day, silent and dreaming, as it had the previous night. Such would remain, until such a time as a stranger, visitor or passerby may stumble across the horrors that lay in clear sight, assuming, of course, that the entire episode wasn't washed away by the rains by the time such came. Lest is happen, all would be forgotten, but assuredly, either way, the perpetrators, by such a stage, would be long gone, having made their way back to the schooner from where they came and disappearing for good.

By mid-day, they were well on their way back to the port town from where they'd set sail - Short for explaining the sudden appearance of goats and cattle on their vessel, none, their superiors included, would be the wiser as to their activities the previous night.