Ares did not run, but he kept pace, his dogs not getting too far ahead of him. He could hear them both baying for their quarry, and he whistled to them, a command that sent them to split up, herding Kaden, stopping him from going back uphill, their barks intended to terrify him into not thinking clearly.
“Give me the child, and you shall have a quick, clean death.”
His voice echoed in the trees. He was gaining on Kaden, not ever letting up, inexorable Ares always a few steps behind him.
“Your brother did you real dirty when he dragged you into this. You wanna end up like him? No one will find your bones when I am done with you. No one will mourn you. You’ll be a husk,a nothing, just like all the others. Give up now, and I won’t have my dogs drag your entrails out of your belly and eat them in front of you while you still live.”
The barking was louder, gaining on him, the flicker of the beasts passing between the trees. They would not attack until Ares gave the command, but Kaden didn’t know that.
“You have thirty seconds to surrender, boy! Better think fast!”