Don't Eat That! [Aello]

[Whisper]

40th of Fall Another failed extraction. The root was in pieces and half of it was still lodged in the ground. She wiped her brow with the bottom of her palm, to not smear dirt across her pale face, with a heavy sigh. She thought she had done it carefully enough, but apparently she had not. She dug beside and around and under and did everything that made sense, but even she knew what made sense hardly ever worked. She only wished she was taught more about gaining the materials for her poisons rather than actually making them, while useful in a sense, it would have been more cost efficient. "Mom... where are you...?" she asked longingly, finally giving up on the roots. There were about three other spots that were torn and scarred with bits of root around them. Laura, her mother, had disappeared years ago when men (and one woman if she remembered correctly) invaded their home and took her mother from her life. Her mother was her teacher and her only caregiver so when she was taken away nineteen year old Whisper had to learn how to survive and teach herself skills to make a living. She was twenty-five now, going on twenty-six in a few days, and still didn't excel at her craft. She never had any formal teachers, if there were any for it, simply because she didn't trust too many people. Reaver, the nuit doctor, was probably her only and most trusted friend and that was because he was one of the only people she knew from her childhood. A loud caw from above told her that her other friend, the best companion anyone could ask for, was above her and found food. Food for a predatory falcon, that is. Maybe a rodent, a small bird, or something of the sort because she knew he was not one for berries and whatnot. She looked up through the trees just in time to see him make his descent and she figured, looking back at the destoryed roots, she could go see what her best friend was going to eat while she ate a stale bread loaf during the midday hour. "Ryek... why do you make life seem so simple and easy...?" OOCI was determined to post this so we could get it rolling so... yell at me if you have anything wrong with it~ ...still disappointed that it's short. Might add some more this afternoon if you haven't replied.

[Aello]

Aello crept through the forest, bow in hand. Her left hand curled around the wooden frame, while the three middle fingers of her right hand hugged an arrow. The point was tipped towards the ground, the space just in front of her step, while her eyes were trained on her surroundings. Scanning the area from left to right, just in case anything should pop out of the line of trees, and spring for her. The bowstring was inched back, but only a little. Her fingers growing somewhat numb with the effort, of having held it in place for so long, without being able to release. Her heart rate, the rate at which her chest rose and fell was stable. Everything else within her as was it always was: locked onto one thing, the need to kill. The need to find something to shoot with her weapon, so that she may sell it, and in turn, insure that she had something to eat, at least for the night. The girl had sent Yune out ahead of her, to scout the land. For she was in no mood to use her magic, knowing that as soon as she began to use it, she would not want to stop. That it would weaken her, by tiring her system. Making her more than capable of locating enemies, friends, or even her prey, but increasingly less capable of moving forward, for magic drained Aello of everything she had. Including, her already dwindling level of sanity. The sparrow had not returned to the girl's shoulder for quite some time. In fact, Aello had not so much as caught sight of her since she first turned into a small brown dot in the clear blue sky. Framed by a series of fluffy white clouds, the glowing golden orb of the sun, hanging in the right-hand corner of the endless blue. Hopefully she's ok, Aello thought as she glanced up at the sky. Looking for any sign of life. For Yune. But she found nothing. The girl sighed, as she pushed onwards. Stepping over fallen leaves and branches, so as not to make a sound, as she stalked her prey. Prey she had yet to locate. After several more chimes, a sharp caw cut through the forest, causing Aello to look up at the sky. Must be a bird of prey, she thought, as her eyes danced over the blue, jumping from one cluster of trees that hung beneath it to another, searching. Wondering where it could be. After a few moments, she saw it come into view. A dark dot against the sky. Something smaller, another dot in front of it. Something a light brown color that was chirping madly. Petch... please don't be Yune, Aello thought, as she crept closer to where the two birds were. Watched as each madly flapped its wings, trying to pick up speed, for one reason or another. The two birds were coming closer with every minute. With every second. They were more than dots now. Blurry figures, with wings. What Aello supposed was a falcon, and a sparrow. Aello jogged now, even closer, and watched the sparrow dive through the air. Watched the falcon dive after it. Cawing all the way, drowning out the frightened sparrow's chirps. Its cries for help. "Yune!" Aello screamed, as she rapidly raised her bow, and closed her left eye. She inched the bowstring back, until it stretched past her right ear. She could hear it creaking as her heart picked up the pace. "Come on, come on..." Aello growled through grit teeth, as she raised the point of her arrow to a space above the bird. "Just a bit closer you petching asshole," she added as she pulled back on the string some more. Followed the bird into its dive. Now! Aello's brain hissed, causing her to let go of the string. The arrow erupted off the serving, sending it into a series of rapid vibrations, which whacked the middle of the girl's left arm. She watched as her raven-feather fletched projectile soared through the air, inching closer and closer to her target. Until finally, it met with the beast, knocking several of its tail feathers off. Aello watched as the split ends fluttered to the ground as the bird fell back with a frightened caw. Flapping its wings furiously to stay aloft. "Come on Yune!" Aello yelled through the forest as she reached for another. As the sparrow chirped angrily, and pushed its way closer and closer to its mistress. "You're almost here!" Aello shouted, as she watched Yune's assailant out of the corner of her eye. She could see it rounding again, swirling around the trees, preparing for another attack. Aello was just fitting another arrow onto the serving when the frightened Yune landed on her left shoulder. Tiny talons curling her flesh. Digging into it with the added strength provided to it by adrenaline. By its scare. "You're safe now love," Aello whispered, as she raised her bow, and prepared for another shot. Following the falcon with the tip of her arrow as she inched the string back. "But he's not," Aello whispered, her lips curling into a sinister smile. "What do you say we take it out love?" Aello asked, as the bird circled around a series of trees and out of sight. Aello growled, she simply would not have it. Instantly, she willed her magic to her. Her pupils dilating as the forest lit up. Swaying in a breeze of misty colors- deep greens and red. She could hear the injured falcon cawing long before her magic caught sight of it. The blood red mist that surrounded its form. The curve of its beak, the span of its wings. It seemed to billow off the creature as though it were smoke, as it circled the area. As a dark shadow ran beneath it. The form of a woman. How interesting, Aello thought, the bird has an owner... too bad for them, they're about to lose their pet... if only they had kept a better watch on it. Kept it away from mine, they would not have had to part. Aello's eyes sparkled as she took several steps forward, trying to find herself a better position from which to shoot. Perhaps, once it's dead, we should return the carcass, perhaps even, take the owner out, for causing so much trouble... Notes : I figured this diagram may help, when trying to figure out how our bird's flight would be affected/if you supply time by which to shoot your bird again, we can use more specific terms as well. *shrugs* Also, I apologize for taking temporary control of your bird... and as promised, I did not kill him/do any permanent damage. Just frightened the thing a bit. >.< Hate me all you want. Aello. P.S. The shadow running beneath the falcon is part of the aura... I figured you'd be farther back still, out of range of Aello's magic.