" Chase him. Don't loose his tracks. We can't afford to come so close and let him out of our sights." Said Gallagher as he and his men charged into the pine woods. It was already getting dark but darkness was not a challenge. These bounty hunters weren't scared of it. To them, it was an emblem of solace that gave them an unfair advantage to outsmart their preys, irrespective of size and might.
" Boss, it's the cursed woods. We should perhaps abandon the chase for today. The beast is wounded and would probably die anyway." Said Sacramento who was by the far the slimmest among the dozen men in Gallagher's gang.
" Keep shut you good for nothing Urchin. Go to the market and sell fishes like your grandma if you are to scared of the woods." Said Gallagher as he ran frantically into the thick woods while his men ran after him.
" Master!" " The beast was here. Look at the blood stain on this orchid. " Said Durban a young man with an insatiable taste for harming people. It was his ruthlessness and ease to deploy carnage that had charmed Gallagher to take him in, at a young age. He was now twenty four and his dark side was constantly on the rise. To be a member of the black rose gang founded by Gallagher, one had to be ruthless and getting initiated into Gallagher's gang, came with a elevation of status especially in the underworld . Among the favorites , Durban was to Gallagher a diamond where the rest were Stones.
" That's my boy. Always delivering. Now move in pairs and mop the surrounding radius. I'm sure the beast is not too far from here." Said Gallagher as he sniffed the air like a dog that had a picked up the aroma of a spiced barbecue.
" Yes boss!" Shouted Durban and signaled another member to follow him.
" You stay with me. You are dumb and powerless but you always attract good luck from the mother Angel. Let's go this way, We will spend the night tracking that monster if we have to." Said Gallagher and pointed to Sacramento.
" Aye Captain." Said Sacramento and cleaned the beads of sweat that had formed on his forehead. Before charging along with his boss who was fully armed with a revolver pistol in his hands and a dagger in the other.
All men were wild and ready for a kill. They knew just how much they had to gain if they brought forward the head of the werewolf kingpin who had terrorized the villages of Texas. Their sheep's and cattle were constantly on the decrease and far from having no source of meat or milk , it was the fear of soon turning into preys themselves that had made them hold their senators and governor to ransom. Their safety was no longer debatable and the state of Texas had placed a million dollar bounty on the head of the beast as long as it was caught and proven to be the cause of carnage. Gallagher who was a well known badass and elite standard bounty hunter had wasted no time to take on the opportunity to further enrich his self and his men. At just twenty seven, he had achieved a feat of reckoning and respect from the people of Texas including the neighboring states. He commanded an aura of fear and respect which most top generals in the United States army could not command. He was like a god who had his ways with the government authorities and did what ever he liked without fear or remorse. His gang was more of an occultist fraternity which worshipped Uriel, the arch angel of the seventh heaven. Gallagher believed that he owed all his achievements to her benevolence thus he made all his men say her praise every morning before they set out on their daily hustle.
This night the search for the destructive werewolf had saw them going deep into the pine forest which was synonymous for harboring cruel creatures that took delight in bringing death to the soul of men.
They were almost calling it a day when Gallagher had picked the smell of smoke from afar. He sniffed like a beast and suddenly picked up the smell of blood causing his eyes to suddenly widen in rage.
" there is a cottage over that hill over there. I can smell herbs cooking over the fire. Let's go. Our target may just be there." Said Gallagher and charged to the hill while his men followed him as they flashed their torchlight in his path to illuminate his way.