Growls (Solo)

[Aello]

Timestamp: Winter 1, 512 AV The sky was a dismal grey, leaving the trees barren from their adornment's fall cast in shadow. Their twisted limbs stretching across the earth, blanketing the uneven terrain in dark tones. Their gnarled roots reaching for Aello's ankles as she stepped silently along, her boots grinding against the hard packed soil. Scarcely leaving indentations in her wake, although the occasional deep brown bead piled in thin creases where she had once stepped. The huntress breathed evenly, her chest rising and falling softly as her Akajia robes rippled in the subtle breeze. Her steps near silenced, her body kept warm by the bleached winterbane's coat, which the animals she knew, were only too like to see if she were too careful, considering the lack of snow present for the material to blend in with. Even so, the huntress was not dismayed, her fist tightening around the supple curve of her father's old short bow as she glided along, weaving her way in and out of the dense line of hardwoods. Her muddied irises scanning the terrain for any prints an animal may have left behind, but finding nothing despite their scrutiny. The huntress sighed, her breath leaving her paling pink lips in silver wisps, she had been searching for several bells now, and still she had not found a hint of anything being present. It was part of the reason why she hated this time of year, food was scarce. The forest was at rest; hibernating. As she should be somewhere warm, in the depths of a city. But she knew for the time being that she was miles from any of them. She supposed Sunberth would be closest by now, but perhaps her old hometown of Zeltiva was. She could not be sure, having lost her memory of the forest's appearance around each. That around Ravok being the only familiar, seeing as she had stayed within the city's reach for such a long time, before being sent off with the other assassins on her special mission. Inwardly the huntress sighed once more as she looked around her, finding nothing. Recognizing nothing. Her heart beat a little faster as the thinner branches trembled against the wind. Sticks scratching at the surface of diamond backed oaks, their bark thick, yet a chipping light brown. Her feet pushed up against the ground, propelling her further along her path as her fist tightened around her bow. The color fleeing from her hands while the tips of her fingers grew numb, and then reddened. The huntress could feel Lily shifting in her pocket, she supposed in slumber with her occasional body metamorphizing. But she couldn't be sure, nor did she truly care, considering how her attention was directed elsewhere, through the thicket. Hopefully something shows itself soon, or it'll be travelers rations again. Dried fruit and perhaps a strip of salted pork... mmm.... yum. Not... The young spiritist rolled her eyes as she moved along, silently wondering if it would be best to simply turn into a city soon, considering how all that she carried on her person was wearing thin, alongside her muscles.

[Aello]

For several more chimes, Aello kept on moving through the trees, her eyes scanning the terrain as the air chilled; causing the tiny hairs that lined the back of her neck to stand at attention as her ears prickled. Straining to listen to any new sounds that may present themselves to her. She rounded another bend, and headed up the slight slope granted by the terrain when the silence broke, and a growl reached her ears. It was low and gutteral, and yet, seemed somewhat strained, as though the creature whose mouth it had left had grown tired. Her breath caught in her throat as her heart began to beat faster and faster. She could feel it hammering against her rib cage as she instinctually reached for an arrow, and laced it onto the serving of her bow. Her head slowly turned left to right, as silver mist sprouted from her lips. Now where are you? the huntress wondered as she heard a click, and slowly, raised her bow as she continued to search; her eyes looking for a rustling of dying underbrush that seemed more than the work of the winds. For a long time, she stood silent and still, finding nothing. But after several more chimes, the underbrush trembled. And she could hear, faintly, the padding of a creature's paws. Intending on being as prepared for the oncoming battle as she possibly could, the huntress raised her bow a little higher, and twisted her form towards the oncoming creature. Her eyes followed the swaying of leaves, listened to the cracking of several smaller branches beneath the weight of whatever was coming. Slowly, Aello closed her left eye and began to sight down the length of the arrow's shaft as she fought to breath more deeply. She inched the string farther and farther back past her ear until it had grown taut, and it began to dig into her fingers. "Come on," she whispered under her breath as another low growl sounded, this one closer than the one that had come before. As it faded off into the distance, new auditory stimuli presented themselves, namely the scratching of claws against the earth. Displacing thin lines of dirt. Or so the huntress supposed as she quieted her breathing, calmed the rapid beating of her heart with deeper inhalations through her nose, and then soft sighs of exhalation through her paling pink lips. Another few moments passed where nothing seemed to move, causing the girl to feel slightly more anxious as she waited, before the break of thunder. A large brown bear came crashing through the woods, pushing down low lying branches as it passed. They cracked beneath its weight as it tossed back its head and growled again, its nostrils flaring as its wet black nose sniffed the air hungrily, and its dark eyes flashed despite the darkness that was spreading across the land. Oh for fuck's sake, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed, Aello thought to herself as she loosed the raven feather fletched arrow, sending it towards the creature's flank. Within a few ticks, after it had stopped rearing, it stuck in the far side of the creature, towards its left hind leg. But it didn't cry, and it hardly shed blood, making the girl wonder if it was more than a glancing shot as she hiked her bow up onto her shoulder, and reached for the cursed blade, as well as its purer twin. Her fingers furling around the wire hilts; in a moment it seemed, she had wrenched each free.

[Aello]

The bear charged at her, its paws scraping against the ground as its massive body ambled. Wobbling as though it were caught within a powerful gale. Aello stood her ground, her fists tightening around the wire hilts as it approached. Her breath catching in her throat as her heart began to beat faster and faster, and her body naturally eased itself into a deep crouch, as her feet fell forward, easing her weight onto the balls of her feet. Her eyes danced over the creature, the rippling of its muscles beneath its dark fur, its slow progression. The numerous ticks it took for it to close the distance that once rested between them; yet, at the last moment, the huntress sprung to the side as she extended her right arm, allowing the blade to rake over the charging creature as it extended a paw and unsheathed is long claws, only to have it rake at empty air. The bear snorted its disapproval as it brought its limb back into is form, and growled unhappily. This Aello ignored as she too, swept her limbs in and turned to face the animal, her body falling easily into a crouch once more as the beast turned to sweep its claws at her again. The huntress easily stepped back and out of its way, before moving into the opening it had left in its wake. For a tick she remained poised and silent, before she swung each of her arms out and to the side, before bringing them back in, cutting them across her chest in a wide arc, allowing the right arm to glide over the left as each savagely slashed at the bear's face. They grazed over the sides, cutting towards its dark nose, which flared angrily as it bucked its head, knocking the huntress back several steps. Struggling to right herself, she pulled her arms back in, forcing the blades protectively over her chest as the bear shook its head out. Droplets of crimson blood dotting the earth as it snorted silver mist, and came at the girl again. Swinging both arms wildly, one right after the other, causing her to have to move back, lest she wished to have her skin torn open. Again, the bear swung at her as the girl continued to back up, soon finding herself wedged against a tree. Startled as the bear swiped again, the girl turned to the side. Her body following the trunk's curves; her ears prickling against the sound of nails grating against wood. Tearing shreds away, which fell as easily to the ground as would the first snow. I have to end this soon, for I will tire far more quickly than it, the huntress thought to herself as the occasional bead of sweat trickled down her brow and she continued to slide around the trunk, her feet moving deftly over its roots. The bear, staying in one place, too lazy to give chase, or perhaps too confused. Either way, it provided Aello with the opening she needed, and soon, she was running, and then jumping. Her head falling against her chest as her feet pushed up against the ground with all of her remaining strength. Swiftly, her legs bent at the knees, and the girl managed to tuck them into her form as she held her arms out and twisted over the bear. The daggers lodging in its back, keeping her from simply jumping over it. Blood left the creature's skin readily as it roared in pain and shook the girl about. Leaving her to grab hold of the daggers more tightly, as she wrenched the cursed free, and then drove it back into the base of the creature's neck. Causing the animal to bleed all the more as it began to wobble drunkenly about the area. Before finally, falling. Leading the girl to pull her blades and then wipe them on its clean fur. Well that takes care of that, the huntress thought as she sheathed her blades and walked off, knowing that her belly would never be truly full that night.

[Accolade]

Aello

Experience

Skill	XP Earned
Detection	+ 1 XP
Hunting	+ 3 XP
Duel wielding	+ 2 XP
Acrobatics	+ 2 XP

Lores

•	Lore Earned
•	The winters breeze
•	Cold winters leave little to hunt
•	Out for a hunt, in with a bear

Notes :

Interesting thread...picking on poor Yogi shame!

The Sylir has spoken

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