A New Threat

chapter 9: The Hunt
The morning sun rose and he continued on.  He was a master tracker and even the slightest bend of a twig gave him enough information as to which direction his quarry had gone.  Several days passed and it seemed the distance she was traveling lessened.

Approaching several caves, he dismounted and drew his weapon and loaded an arrow tipped with silver.  She lunged from one cave knocking Gabriel onto his back.  He quickly sprang to his feet and faced his adversary.

She snarled at him showing her white fangs.  Eyes glowed golden.  Gabriel waited.  He knew she would attack – her posture, the growling, and the way she never took her eyes off of him he interpreted with exactness.  He had hunted many beasts before, and this creature before him was no different – she was built like a woman, but was very much an animal. 

Panther lunged for Van Helsing knocking him right on his back with a thud.  The thick tall grass didn’t cushion his fall whatsoever and the impact nearly knocked the wind out of him.  For a second, he hesitated to open his eyes.  He could feel her weight on him and her hot breath breezed on his face as her low guttural growl sounded in his ears.

“This is it, this is it,” he muttered to himself.

SNICKT!  She unsheathed her claws laying them against his throat, and Gabriel, for the first time in his life, struggled with fear succeeding in tossing her off.  He didn’t hesitate to aim and fire his weapon.  The arrow pierced her shoulder and she wailed in agony before bolting.

He tracked her – the blood trail made the job easier.  Another two days passed and Gabriel was amazed the creature had not died or slowed up.  The blood trail had stopped and he stumbled across the silver tipped arrow lying in the grass.  Picking it up, he examined it – there was no damage to it.  He continued on traveling into a very remote town in the hills near the ocean.  The thought drifted into his mind of times of old – of the small villages of Romania that were plagued by creatures of unbelievable descriptions – and here he was in the modern world in a place that even today still clung to the simple ways of old – a place he passed the centuries in near solitude - and now hunting a mutant she beast.

Gabriel’s horse began to snort sensing danger and began balking in refusal to go on.  A small simple hut was before him.  It was set near a small field with a stream meandering alongside that led to the ocean.  He heard the familiar growls again and the creature bolted from inside the meager home.  She stumbled and fell to the ground obviously in failing health.  Gabriel readied his crossbow again.  He took aim and the beast looked up towards him.  Her eyes showed pain – emotional pain as well as physical.

“It’s time to put you out of your misery,” Gabriel said as he again took aim.

“NO!” a strong voice said as Gabriel was pushed to the ground.

It was Father Cleo – an old friend.  He rushed to the beast and cradled her in his lap.

“You fool!  Get out of the way!” Gabriel shouted.

“NO!  You do not understand!”

“What is there to understand?  She is a bitch of the devil!”

“NO!  She is not the evil beast you think she is!”

Father Cleo took possession of Gabriel’s quarry continuing to shield her.  Gabriel approached – not lowering his weapon.  Panther’s eyes opened and she looked towards Gabriel.  He sensed so many sensations emanating from her – pain, fear, and sadness.  He drew closer, lowering his weapon and she reached for him grasping his coat until her grip went limp as she fell unconscious.

They brought her inside the small home.

“She showed up here wounded just this morning.  I tried to offer her food and water, but she was so frightened.”

Gabriel eyed Panther with narrowed eyes and furrowed brows.  He got up and walked around the bed Panther was laid out on. 

“My friend, it has been many years.  I beg you – listen to what I have to say.  The Count lives and I think he wanted her because she is part animal.  I know he has done something to her to make her this way,” the priest explained while gently stroking her.

“The wound – you said she was wounded?  I hit her dead on with an arrow,” Gabriel said as he pulled her bloodstained shirt to the side. 

“There is no wound – at least not now.”

“How is this to be?” Van Helsing asked as he examined her shoulder.

“She obviously has the gift to heal – a mutant ability I have heard about.  Gabriel, she is a marvelous creation.”

 He brushed her tangled hair aside and eyed her with both suspicion and interest.  He took the dog tag in hand and looked it over – Wolverine N Panther.

“So, which are you – Wolverine or Panther?  Either way, you have a nasty temper,” Gabriel mused while stroking her forehead.

“You do know of mutants, right Gabriel?”

 “What the hell kind of remark is that?  Of course, I am aware of them.  I have spent many years debating on what they really are – God’s creations or works of the devil.”

“Just checking.”

“Just because I have spend most of my life in solitude doesn’t mean I am oblivious to what’s going on around me.”

“Please don’t take offense, Gabriel.  And yes, we cannot deny that there are those with evil intentions – but many are good.  My old friend, this one has no evil intentions.”

“How do you know?  She almost killed me.”

“Of course she would.  She’s part animal.  And animals attack when they are frightened.”

Gabriel cocked his head.

The priest continued to examine her.  His hand ran over her belly and he raised an eyebrow.

“What is it?” Van Helsing asked.

“She’s pregnant.”

“Pregnant?”

The priest eyed Gabriel suspiciously.

“Don’t look at me like that.  I had nothing to do with it!”

Father Cleo laughed heartily.

“I wasn’t insinuating that you had.”

“I...I can’t have children.  You know that.”

“I do, Gabriel - a sacrifice of being immortal.”

“Well, no wonder she almost killed me.”

Just then, Panther rose most unexpectedly.  Gabriel jumped back to avoid her slashing claws.  She whined loudly and bolted outside.  There, she slouched over wrapping her arms around herself.  Both Gabriel and the priest followed her.

“Oh, dear Lord!” Father Cleo cried as he held Panther.

“What’s wrong?” Gabriel asked with great concern.

The priest continued to follow Panther as she stumbled to the stream.

“Get some boiling water and bring some fresh clothes for her!” the priest called.

Gabriel ran inside obeying the orders.  After he finished preparing the water and collected some clothes and was just about to return outside, Father Cleo returned carrying Panther in his arms.  The priest looked extremely sad as he laid her down and began stripping off the wet clothes.  Gabriel turned away as he handed off the dry clothes.

“Is she ok?” Gabriel asked with hesitation.

“She lost her baby.”

“Christ, have mercy,” Gabriel said while crossing himself.

“I think she is in shock and doesn’t really know what is happening,” the priest replied as he finished dressing Panther.

Gabriel turned around sensing Father Cleo had finished changing Panther into the dry clothes.  He was handed a plate of food and a canteen of water.

“She’s dehydrated and starved.  I am sure even a body as unique as hers still requires food and water, and after what she went through just now, she will need to replenish her body.”

Gabriel snorted thinking he lacked the ability to be a proper nurse.  He waved a piece of steaming meat in front of Panther’s nose hoping her animal senses would spark her need to eat.  She remained still hugging the pillow she laid on.  Gabriel growled at himself.  Sensing his own hunger, he took a piece and chewed on it.  Removing a bit of the softened meat from between his teeth, he gently worked it into Panther’s mouth.  She refused this attempt.

“Look, I am no nursemaid and you need to eat,” Gabriel said sternly.

Prompted by Gabriel’s stern voice and the smells of food, she finally responded by accepting the morsel and he smiled gently with his success.

He took another piece and soaked it with some water and offered it to Panther.  She readily accepted it.  He moved from offering the bits of meat to the water – cupping some in his hand and dripping it on her lips. 

“Guess you aren’t so bad,” he said as she looked into his eyes accepting a cup filled with water.

He sat down on the bed by her side and continued coaxing her to eat more food.  The priest left them alone while he went off to bathe himself.

Night drew on and when Father Cleo returned, he found Gabriel has dosed off by Panther’s side.  The priest went over with a blanket laying it over the both of them.  Gabriel had wrapped a protective arm around his former quarry’s waist and she was holding him tightly.



The next day, Gabriel woke up, wiped the sleep from his eyes, and was greeted by a wide smile from Father Cleo.

“She’s outside, if you are wondering,” the priest said with a grin.

Gabriel walked outside and squinted with the bright morning sun.  Panther was sitting by the edge of the stream.  She then ran her hand over her belly – sensing her loss.

“I’m sorry,” Gabriel said as he put his arm over her shoulder.

She turned her head to look at Gabriel.

“You do understand,” Gabriel commented.

He watched a tear fall from her eye and that was the only proof of her emotions.  She leaned into his embrace but did not cry.  The priest walked out to see the tenderness Gabriel was attempting to share.  After several minutes, she pulled away and looked out over the water.

“Do you have a name, besides Panther?”

She struggled to interpret his words – her mind still so fragile and regressed.

“Don’t fret, my dear.  The knowledge will come back to you soon,” Father Cleo said.

As she fought to remember, she began to hear a voice in her mind – a voice calling a name that she began to sense had to be hers.

“Danielle,” she said softly.

“Pretty name.  Want something to eat, my dear?  You really should to regain your strength,” the priest said.

Danielle turned to the priest, who approached her with a plate of food.  She sat in the grass overlooking the ocean – the sound of the tide calming her pain-filled heart.  Gabriel continued to watch her wishing he could erase the pain for her.  Father Cleo watched Gabriel.  He walked over to Gabriel and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder.

“You are having feelings for her.”

“What feelings?  She’s like a scared rabbit.”

“And you are falling in love with a soul in need.”

Gabriel shook his head and looked at the ground.  His heart spoke loud enough.

“I can’t have her – she belongs to someone.  Somebody out there is missing her.”

“I am sorry.”


Charles rolls out of Cerebro.  Logan was anxiously pacing near the entrance.

“I connected with her.  It was very brief, but I feel she is safe.”

“Where is she?”

“I couldn’t determine where.  I will try again in a bit,” Charles replied as he rolled passed Logan.

“Why not now?”

“Logan, this has been very tiring for the Professor,” Scott said as he followed Charles.


Panther rose quickly – her heightened senses picking up the scent of danger.  A winged beast flew towards her with great speed sweeping her up and carrying her away.  Gabriel could do nothing but yell in anger.

“Son of a bitch!” he yelled as he found his horse and began heading off in pursuit at a fast gallop.

Van Helsing reached the castle only to find it empty and abandoned.  A note was attached to the door saying “perhaps next time ~D” was inscribed on it.