"Everglades National Park"

It's been a while since Dario ever hunter in home turf, usually he had to travel and hunt in other states or fly to different countries.

But now he was hunting in Florida, more specifically, the Everglades National Park.

He arrived in Everglades city not to while ago, it was a 4 hour drive.

He was currently lurking in the swamps of this national park, mostly filled with dirty swamp water and who knows what was lurking down there.

He had to worry about the alligators, and it doesn't help since one of them is actually a target trophy.

But on this hunt, he wasn't alone.

Seth decided to assign Marcus Courtois, who was supposed to go to Thailand.

Dario then noticed a mosquito flying around him.

Dario: Damn, mosquitoes too?

He tried his best to ignore it and then Marcus called out from afar.

Marcus: Any sights?

Dario: No, nothing.

Marcus then soon joined him and managed to clap the mosquito that circled around the Americo-Macedonian.

Marcus: There.

Dario: Thanks.

Marcus: So, you're half European too?

Dario: Mom is from Macedonia and I have roots there.

Marcus: I see, it's a pleasure to meet a fellow European like you. I don't know if Seth told you, but I come from Belgium.

Dario: Cool, how's it like in there?

Marcus: Oh it's nothing special, just being the lesser known sibling of an older brother that's more famous.

Dario: I wanted to ask you that, is there by any chance you being related to Thibaut Courtois?

The Belgian nodded.

Marcus: Yeah, unlike him or my other siblings I choose to pursue a different sport instead of a ball. Hunting.

Dario: That's cool, I like your brother's work. If you see him in the future tell him I said hi.

Marcus: I will...

Dario was about to say something but then.

Marcus: Look out!

He grabbed a hold of Dario and pulled him as he was about to enter an alligator infested water, there was even a sign.

Marcus: You should be more careful of your surroundings.

Dario: Right thanks and sorry.

Marcus; It's no worries, anyways we should split up that way we cover more ground. When you gun something down contact me so we can meet up ok?

The Americo-Macedonian nods as they split up.

Dario was now all alone and was searching for a trophy.

Then another mosquito flew around him, making the hunter groan.

Dario: Again? Shoo! Shoo!

He waved at it and tried to smack it but it flew away faster around him. As if it was trolling him.

Dario: Ugh, how I wish I brought a bug repellent.

He tried to swat it away but it made him drop his gun in small puddle of water.

Dario tried to pick it up only to then be ambushed by something.

He was pinned to the ground by a Florida Panther that had blue eyes, was mostly dark brown color and had some orange texture around the face and lower half of the body.

Dario pushed it off with all his strength and tried to get up only for the animal to attack back.

Dario punched it away, angering it more as it lied on the ground.

It then got up again and this time it went through a transformation.

It was now a tan skinned man with dark down hair and had millitary-esque clothing.

Dario: Come at me trophy!

The trophy hissed and tried to attack Dario with a pounce but he ducked and went to grab his rifle.

Dario: This must be Privateer, well it's time for me to dismiss his duties.

The Florida Panther then saw a rock and chucked it at Dario and hit the back of his head.

Dario was stunned for a second and was pounced on by Privateer again.

Someone was watching the fight behind a tree, they saw that the animal had the advantage as it was ontop of the hunter.

Salivating I tried to sink its teeth on Dario's neck but he moved his head to which the trophy accidentally hit himself on the ground.

Dario then turned the tables and was above the human panther. Hands around his neck and began choking the trophy.

It turned back to its original form and swinged his paws at the hunter and scratched the right side of his face.

Dario: Gah!!

He now had a scratch mark on his right cheek.

He held it only for Privateer to then bite his left thigh.

This made the hunter angry as he grabbed the animal by the mouth and with force removed him from the bitten thigh.

Dario then put his right hand to the lower jaw and began pulling on both sides.

The trophy hissed as it tried to break free, Dario let out a war cry as he kept pulling both sides of the mouth.

Then a snap was heard, Dario let go of the trophy as it lied dead on the ground. With his jaw snapped open.

The hunter panted as he had survived this encounter.

Dario: Get... fucked...

He got up as he held the wound on his face, he then cracked his neck on both sides.

He pulled out a piece of paper and crossed the name Privateer off.

Dario: Man that one was rough, I need to do something about it later. But right now I have to contact Marcus that I got a trophy.

He checked on his pockets to see his phone but it was nowhere to be found.

Dario: Huh? Where the hell is it!?

He looked around to see the phone was on a small pond, the hunter was distraught.

Dario: Oh hell no!!! It's dead! Shit...

He placed his arms on the back of his head.

Dario: Great I'm basically lost with this dead trophy here, what am I going to do now...?

He then looked through his backpack and pulled out a coconut oil cream and a handkerchief.

He applied some on his arm and rubbed it on his scratch mark.

The unknown figure was watching him apply it, it also saw the hunter tie the handkerchief around the right side of their face, covering half of his face.

???: No way... can it be...?

Dario looked at a pond for a reflection to see how he looked.

Dario: Damn, wait until the girls hear about this one.

But then, he heard a new voice.

???: Dario... is that you?

The hunter turned around and saw someone he was never familiar with.

It was a girl with fair skin, long brown hair with a small braid on her left side. She had yellow eyes. Her attire consisted of a cream colored shirt underneath a brown jacket with black pants and with brown boots that matched with her jacket and hair. She was smiling.

The hunter was confused as to who this girl was.

Dario: Umm hi..?

???: It's been so long, but I always knew you'd come back for me.

The Americo-Macedonian was more confused.

Dario: Umm do I know you?

The girl went from happy to sad and confused.

???: What do you mean "Do I know you"? It's me...

Dario: Oh... can I get a name.

Peekon: It's Peekon, did you really forget about me?

Dario: Peekon... doesn't ring a bell...

He then realized something.

He checked his list of trophies, he ran through all of them and spotted the same name the girl just said that she was called.

The hunter looked at her, Peekon just stared back at him with a sincere smile. He looked back at the list and then at her.

She was an elk.

Peekon: Is something wrong?

Without saying anything he ran passed her and was about to grab his rifle, but then he was pinned by Peekon to a tree.

Peekon: What are you doing?

Dario: Let go.

Peekon: Can I at least know why you ignored me and tried to grab your weapon?

Dario: Nothing personal, but you're on my trophy list to kill.

The elk girl was shocked from the statement.

Peekon: K-k-kill me? Why? What did I do?

Dario: Nothing it's just-

Peekon: Why would you kill me, don't you remember that thing you did for me in the past?

Dario tried to think.

Peekon: You helped me when I hurt my knee and bandaged it for me, don't you remember when you've done that for me when we were kids?

Then, Dario felt like a truck has hit him after he heard all those words.

He had been reminded of a memory in his past.

"Flashback"

The scene changed to a camp ground that was in Everglades city.

We see a little Dario who was with other kids as they were eyeing their scoutmaster who was teaching them something.

The other kids found it interesting, but little Dario wasn't all in particular interested.

He turned around and started walking around the camp, where he eventually found the entrance and went passed it.

The little scout was now searching through a woodland forest, leaves were scattered around the floor, there were a couple of fallen tree branches on the ground. But that didn't scare him off.

Dario: Wow, this forest looks cool.

He collected a now brown leaf and examined it.

Dario: I heard every season the leaves change color, that's-

He then heard sobbing nearby, Dario looked up to hear where it came from.

He was walking and searching for the cries, he could hear the sobbing on his right.

He turned right and approached the sobbing, he was getting closer.

He then saw a little girl who sitting on a tree trunk. She had brown, fair skin and yellow eyes, she wore a white shirt with a brown skirt with suspenders and brown shoes.

The girl was sobbing, Dario noticed that she had a gash on her right knee.

He approached her.

Dario: Hi, are you okay?

The girl was startled when she saw him, she tried to get up but she couldn't and sprayed her injury even more.

???: Owww...

Dario: Sorry, my bad.

???: No no, it's ok...*sniff*

Dario looked down on her knee.

Dario: You look badly wounded. Did you trip?

???: Y-yes, I got lost and was looking for my mommy and then I fell down and hurt my leg.

Dario inspected it closer and then decided he was going to do something.

Dario: I can help you.

The girl looked at him.

???: You can?

Dario: Leave it to me.

He then dropped his backpack on the ground and burrowed through it. He pulled out a coconut oil cream and poured some on his hand.

Dario: This may sting a little, hold still.

The girl nodded as the little boy rubbed it on her knee. He then pulled out a handkerchief from his backpack and tied it around her knee.

Dario: There, that should cover it. You'll feel better in a few days.

The girl smiled.

???: Thank you so much.

Dario sat next to her.

Dario: I forgot to introduce myself, I'm Dario. What's your name?

The girl smiled.

Peekon: I'm Peekon, nice to meet you Dario.

Dario giggled.

Dario: That's a cute name.

The girl blushed a bit.

Peekon: You think so?

Dario: Yes, also why are you blushing?

She looked away.

Peekon: No reason. Anyways why are you alone in the forest?

Dario: I was exploring by myself, to see how it's like.

Peekon: I see.

Dario: By the way, are you still trying to find your mom?

Peekon: Yes.

Dario: Then can I help you find her, you don't need to go alone.

The little elk was surprised by the choice of words, she smiled.

Peekon: Really? You'd do that for me?

Dario: Yes, now come on we-

???: Dario!!

They turned around to see his scoutmaster who was worried sick about him.

Scoutmaster: There you are, I was looking for you everywhere kiddo!

He saw how he was close to Peekon.

Scoutmaster: What are you doing with that little elk, she might hurt you.

He grabbed the boy's hand and started pulling him.

Scoutmaster: Come on let's head back.

Peekon watched on. But Dario broke apart and ran to the girl and then.

He hugged her, making the little girl blush more.

Dario: I'm sorry, I can't help you because you know why.

Peekon smiled.

Peekon: It's ok, at least you were considerate. I'll try and find her myself.

Dario broke the hug and waved goodbye at her.

Dario: Bye! I sure hope we meet again!

Peekon: I hope so too!

Dario and the scoutmaster left, Peekon couldn't believe what happened.

Peekon: I... I will never forget you...

"End of Flashback"

Dario was taken at back. He remembers how he met Peekon.

Dario: Peekon... is that you? Oh I really forgot about you.

He slapped the side of his head.

Dario: Oh, I feel like an idiot forgetting your name.

Peekon: No no it's fine, it's good that you finally remember.

She lets go of the hunter.

Peekon: You've changed a lot, you look different from what I remember.

Dario: And so do you. Look at you!

He looked at her from feet to the top of the head.

Dario: You've grown a lot.

Peekon: I did and now we're back, like how you promised.

She was joyous.

Peekon: You have no idea how much I waited for you, wishing and thinking how would it be like for us to see one another again. I missed you.

She hugged Dario, the latter smiled and hugged back. He shed a small tear since he had reunited with the girl he helped in the past.

Dario: I... missed you too... Peekon...

To be continued...

OK guy, this was chapter 15.

Peace out!