The Hunt

    Takarada sheltered behind a boulder as the cool evening breese rustled the leaves in the trees. The moonlight was flickering on the ground creating an almost hypnotic pattern. "Tak", as the rest of the unit called him, was different from the rest of his unit on a number of counts. While Tak was an Astartes (genetically modified human warriors, also know as Space Marines) like the rest of the unit, the rest of Coln's Stalkers bore the geneseed of Leman Russ, Primarch of the Space Wolves.  Tak's geenseed was a deep secret held by the Adeptus Mechanicus Biologicius. Tak heard a sound, like that of a leaf falling to the forest floor, behind him. Tak slowly raised his arms in surrender. Coln stood behind him with a bolt pistol pointed at his head.

    "Third time this week, I have claimed you in the hunt." said Coln.

    "Aye. But, I have made dozen claims on the Stalkers as well." stated Takarada.

    "True, but you have never claimed me in a hunt." said Coln gravely.

    "I would hope not, at least not yet. You are the pack leader. You are supposed to be better than those you train or lead." laughed Tak. "How many times have you been claimed by a Stalker in the first month?"

    "None. I admit, I may present a challenge. But every other Stakler has claimed me at least once. While this is training for you, it is a deadly serious game. Your squad must be able to rely on you." said Coln. He reached in his belt, and drew out a flair gun. Raising it, he fired. The flair rose into the night sky, a brilliant green star. "Now we hunt the rest of the Stalkers. Don't let me down." Tak nodded and the two of them slipped silently away into the shadows.
---
    Two days later Takarada came across a disturbance in the snow. It could have been made by the wind, or snow falling from a branch, but he did not think so. Looking around he saw a row of evergreen trees, some scrub bushes, a large boulder, and snow covered hills. He checked the wind and found himself upwind of of the most likely hiding spots. He again looked at the snow. He was even more convinced that it had been smoothed over to hide a passage. Looking up, he shook his head and continued on as if he had tricked himself into believing it nothing.
    Ten minutes later, he had circled around and was now down-wind of the disturbed snow. He sniffed the cold air. While his nose was not that of a Space Wolf, there was only one scent in the cold, dry air. He could not identify it, but was certain of what it was, a Space Wolf.
    Tak crouched and waited, surveying the terrain. He checked behind him, just  in case, but there was no one to be seen. He took a moment to enter a trance that he was taught earlier. The trance allowed him to compare, in minute detail, the terrain from both the current and earlier viewpoints. There was a path of changed snow leading to and from a tree. Takarada was instantly, fully aware. He charged off following the trail from the tree. No time for subtlety now!
    He ran, seemingly not aware of his surroundings. But in truth, following the trail closely. As he ran, he removed his pack, and was dropping items to lighten his load. The items were carefully picked, leaving only what Coln had taught him was absolutely necessary. Suddenly, he tripped and fell, flipping around, on his back facing Coln.
    Coln smirked, sighting down the boltgun's sights, across the gap, down Tak's gunsight, and into Tak's eye. "Dead again, I'm afraid." said Coln.
    "That makes two of us, then" replied Takarada.
    "I disagree." chuckled Coln. Just then the ground at his feet exploded with a blinding flash and a concussion that threw Coln off his feet.
    "I apologize. You are correct, only one dead." said Takarada with a smirk identical to the one that Coln had worn only a second ago. "A wise man once told me that the second most dangerous part of the hunt is the capture. I believe he also told me to always be aware of my surroundings. I would assume that included a concussion grenade."
    Coln's face was furious. "Don't think to try to instruct me!" he yelled. His eyes borred into Tak until Tak thought that he would just about burst into flame from the heat of it. But then Coln exploded into laughter. "Well done, though" laughed Coln.
    Tak raised the pistol and fired a flare into the air. "Now we hunt the rest of the Stalkers." he said in his best imitation of Coln.
    "I won't let you down." Coln replied, laughing again.