[Flashback] Desert Dawn

[Adarra]

[Flashback] Desert Dawn Timestamp: Summer, 36th day, 503 AV Young Adarra Young Jozef “Jozef, wait!”She called out in a meek voice, scurrying upward toward the figure. Her feet refused to find their place, and she stumbled again, falling to her knees. In a matter of seconds, she was up again, tripping over her long skirts and fumbling through the sand. The sky was barely light, and fear crept into her mind. At the peak of the dune, she hesitated, sucking in a deep breath and shaking the sand out of her skirts. Her gaze roamed the wilderness, wary of its dangers, in search of her brother. The boy stood not far off, shoulders tense and legs bent, a predator spying out its prey. His eyes were downward cast, glued to something that she could not see. His body, thin and ragged, was completely frozen. She examined his stature- the awkward dangling arms and thin legs, with a childish belly and face. However, he held himself like a man, back curved, legs bent, jaw clenched, feet firmly placed. He was ready for anything. Glancing down at her own frame, Adarra frowned. Layers of skirts and sleeves covered her not yet developed body, and a shawl hid the majority of her deep auburn hair from the world. Her feet never seemed to know where they were going, and her arms lacked the muscular tone of her brother’s. She let out a sigh, taking handfuls of fabric and lifting her skirts, hurrying toward her brother. As she made it to his side, she knelt down, allowing her skirts to drop in the sand as she steadied herself with one hand. She followed her brother’s gaze, eying the small herd of gangly cows below. Pursing her lips, she drew in deep, silent breaths, and waited for her brother to speak. His eyes did not stray from the cows, and he reached over his left shoulder, pulling the large bow from its place in his quiver. He slowly stood, holding the bow up and pulling out an arrow. In an arching position, the bow was almost as tall as he was. Jozef was tall for his age, but their father’s long bow was about the same height. Adarra watched in awe as her brother pulled back the string, knocking the arrow in place and closing one eye, taking careful aim. The bow itself was hand carved from a beautiful, shimmering wood. Thin strips of leather were wrapped around its middle, where Jozef’s hand grasped tightly. The wood curved into a perfect arch, ending at each tip with an outward curve to hold the string in place. The arrows, too, were beautiful, each carefully crafted and fletched. Adarra loved the bow, as it was the only remaining piece of their father. Jozef held it with a sense of delicacy, pulling back the string and releasing a moment later, his stone face suddenly breaking into a proud smirk. He shot a glance down at his sister, rustling her hair with his free hand and chuckling. His gaze was adoring, and he pointed, bow in hand, toward the cows as they dispersed in a frenzy. “Come!” He bolted down the dune, sliding to a halt beside the injured cow. It let out a wail of pain, thrashing out on the ground. Carefully kneeling beside it, the young boy set the bow in the sand and withdrew a knife from his belt. It was old, rusted, but sharp enough to break through the hide of the cow. He leaned over the creature, steadying it with his free hand and reaching over its back toward its neck with the knife. With eyes closed and head bowed, a whispered prayer in Shiber escaped his lips. As his eyes flashed open once more, he drove the knife into the neck of the cow, silencing the beast immediately. Adarra raced after him, eyes always wandering the surrounding landscape. She settled a few feet away, crouching and watching her brother as he killed the animal. After he stood, she mimicked him, joining his side and standing over the cow as he set his quiver and bow aside, dropping his pack on the ground. Adarra knelt beside the cow, praying over it as her brother rummaged through his pack. After a moment, he produced a large, crescent shaped blade and made his way back over to their kill. Starting at its haunches, he dug the blade into the flesh, sawing off the skin in wide strips. Adarra stepped away and covering her face with her hands, repulsed by the smell of blood. “I’m going to find my herbs.” She announced over her shoulder, hurrying up the sand dune. She made sure to always remain within shouting distance, circling around the small valley in search of desert plants. The children were out for hours, gathering what plants they could find and carefully folding their prey into thin leather wrappings. The meat they stored in Jozef’s pack, as well as many of the organs, wrapping them in the hide. Adarra took the hooves and other small bits, wrapping them up in her smaller pack, now filled with various leaves, branches, and flowers. Jozef glanced up toward the sun, which was now at its zenith in the sky, and then to the city- they could see it not a mile away.“The hunters should return soon.” He called to his sister, who was seated at the base of a dune, digging through the sand in search of the roots of a small bush beside her. She nodded in response, and he made his way to her, sitting beside her with a huff. He watched her nimble fingers, mesmerized, as they gently cleared away the sand to reveal deep red, knotted roots. Jozef dug his hands into the sand, wriggling them deeper into the ground. He stared up at the sun through squinting eyes. “We’re going to explore the world, Ad.” He murmured, smiling as he scanned the sky. “I’ll take you to see snow, and mountains, and flying eagles, and jungles, and cities.” The words were oddly spoken, foreign on his lips, concepts he knew only from books and paintings. Adarra glanced up from her work with a stern expression, “Mama will be very angry.” She replied robotically. Jozef laughed, giving her a coy, sidelong smile, “She will understand. Besides,” he closed his eyes, taking in all the splendor that his imagination could conjure, “we will be together.” Pulling out the last of the root, Adarra stowed it in her pack. She scooted closer to her brother, staring up at the sky as well, “Promise?”She pleaded, meeting his icy blue stare with emerald eyes. Her brother smirked in response, rustling her hair affectionately, “Promise.” He echoed. Footsteps approached, and Adarra smiled to herself as her brother stood to greet the hunters. What a life they would live as adventurers! She imagined them, older, stronger, masters of hunting and travels. She imagined big cities and mountains, only left with images that her brother had gifted her through his stories. If only- “Adarra! Run!” Her daydreaming was interrupted by a shriek. She looked up, alarmed, to find her brother, bow in hand, pointing toward the city. Confused, she stood, only to freeze at the sight of the horrid beast that slashed at her brother. Jozef leapt back just in time to avoid the long, curved claws of the monster that stood before him. He reached for an arrow, trembling, fumbling backward in the sand. The Tsana dropped to all fours, hissing and pawing, eyes fixed on the young boy. He yelled, screamed, ordered his sister to run. The arrow was knocked, and he pulled back the bow, releasing just as he lost his footing. Tumbling down the side of the dune, he clenched his eyes shut, loosing grip of the bow. Adarra watched in horror as her brother fell, the arrow that he’d fired flying into the air and falling a few feet away. She stood, petrified, as the bulky creature made its way slowly down the sand dune toward Jozef. The bow was out of his reach, and he was on all fours, face in hands, arrows scattered all around him. Panic enveloped her mind, and fear consumed her. She couldn’t move, couldn’t breathe. It was as if she were in a dream. And then, suddenly, she heard a voice. A thought, distant and muted, whispering in her ear. It was indistinct, deep, and echoed through her mind. Time seemed to slow. The monster drew closer, and her brother was blinded in the sand. She heard it again, and again. Suddenly, it was as if something possessed her. Her legs moved of their own accord, springing her forward. She pounced on the bow, pulled an arrow out of the sand, and knocked it. Pulled back the string, aimed at the creature, and… She froze. What had just happened? Shoot. She heard the voice. Go. It was quiet, but authoritative, calm, and commanding. Trust me. Adarra sucked in a breath. She aimed, pulled the string back with a great effort, and firmly placed her feet apart. Fingers released the string, eyes closed instinctively, and she waited for the sound of her brother’s scream. She was deafened, instead, by another shrill sound. Eyes flying open, she caught sight of the wounded Tsana, clawing at the arrow in its side. It limped weakly and aimlessly, hissing and clawing, and Adarra froze, shocked. Another arrow suddenly hit its neck, and then another flew in from behind. Adarra glanced up to spot two hunters standing at the peak of one of the dunes, and another rushing to her brother’s aid. She was paralyzed again, much to her dismay. Dazed, she watched the hunters overtake the Tsana. Her brother was on his feet in a matter of minutes, and someone placed a hand on her shoulder. “Adarra,” murmured a masculine voice. The young girl looked up at the Benshira man, “are you alright?” She gave him a faint smile, and he patted her shoulder, leaving her to help the others. Her eyes fell, catching a glimpse of the bow that she clutched. It felt natural in her white knuckled fist, though its wooden frame was easily taller than she. She could feel its familiarity… Jozef hugged her from behind, “My little sister, the huntress!” He proclaimed, weaving his arms around her waist. “I've never seen such a monster before! How did you…” Adarra drifted off, absently listening to her brother’s praise. A huntress. She smiled at the thought.

[Colombina]

The XP Wand Is Waved! Lovely writing, my dear! I could hear the characters in my head and feel the hunt. The kid pics were adorable too. I hope to see more from you here. One teensy note, most desert people would try to catch the cow instead of kill it. Silly as it sounds, cows are a big deal and not very common. If you eat beef, you're on top of the world. Adarra's Loot 2 XP Hunting 1 XP Tracking 2 XP Archery Lore of Tsana Lore of structure of bows Colombina is pleased.