Solo On The Hunt

[Ilaria]

{ 36th of Winter, 512 } The forest was not silent to the ears that were accustomed to these sounds. Birds, insects, the wind in the trees, all these soft songs filled Ilaria's ears as she made her way deeper into the somewhat familiar territory. Her father had brought her into the area a few times, but it was as well known to her as she would have liked. It was strange being in the woods alone, the first time she had been out since his death. Her packhorse was loaded with all of her belongings, except her crossbow which she had laying across her back. Tracking was not a skill she possessed, but she'd seen her father doing it; checking the soft parts of the ground for prints, the bushes for broken branches. These things and more spoke to him, told him what beast made them and which direction they were heading. All she saw in the dirt was just that: dirt. Some leaves. No tracks. The bushes looked, to her untrained eyes, to be undisturbed. With a sigh, she shifted her weight and pulled on Brina's lead rope, continuing deeper into the trees. It was, she knew, too much to ask for a deer to step into her path and ask her to kill it. The young woman also knew, though, that a water source was her best bet. All animals needed water. If she started there, she might have a chance.

[Ilaria]

Leaves crunched beneath her boots and the wind whistled softly as Ilaria stepped out from between the trees. She had finally reached the river. "See girl, we're there. That wasn't so bad, was it?" she asked softly, with a pat on Brina's neck. The two them made their way to the water's edge, the sound of the water a welcome change from the crackling of leaves. Ilaria's waterskin was half empty and the water it held was less than fresh at that point so she took the opportunity to rinse and refill it while the horse drank directly from the stream. "Alright you, let's let get you unpacked. I'm setting up camp a bit further up." With a firepit dug out, it was time to get food ready. She had passed a few bushes that looked familiar not too long ago, so with Brina grazing and camp mostly set up, she backtracked her steps until she found them. The berries on the first one were not quite ripe, but edible. Ilaria began to fill her bowl, wishing they were plump and juicy instead of still slightly firm, but they would do. A rustle in the bushes nearby made her freeze, muscles tense. Slowly, she turned her head in the direction of the sound, and ducked low behind the bush, breathing as quietly as possible. With her concentration focused on remaining silent, she laid the bowl of berries on a patch of dirt, reached around, and gripped the crossbow, unstrapping it from her back and loading a bolt in. The something that was making the noise was either dinner or a threat, and for either instance she required a weapon.

[Ilaria]

Holding the crossbow steady, she waited. Please be a deer, she begged silently. Patience was the hardest part of hunting, especially when she couldn't track to save her life. Eventually, if it was an animal, it would either run away or head for the water source. She just had to wait and see which. Ilaria's muscles began to ache, but shifting might cause her to rustle the leaves and she couldn't have that, so she gritted her teeth and continued to wait. It seemed like hours, though in actually only minutes, before she heard another crunch and caught a glimpse of tan. Oh please be a deer! she prayed once more. And luck was with her that day, for when the nearby bush parted, it was indeed a deer! Young doe by the look of her. Patience was harder to hold onto now that she could see her potential meal. Her legs were screaming now, which didn't help either. The doe stopped, looking toward the river. Ilaria hadn't been heard or smelled! She would wait, she decided, until she had a clean shot. If she missed, or only injured the creature, she'd never find it again. When the deer finally decided that it was safe, she stepped through the brush carefully, making her way to water. Her ears twitched carelessly, still listening for danger, but not expecting any. Water was near, and she was thirsty. Ilaria attuned herself to the deer's movements. Not startled, wary but not fearful. A few more steps, just a few. There! Now! she thought. Slowly exhaling, the girl raised the crossbow into position, took careful aim, and THWOOSH, the bolt was away. The deer started, but too late. The shot landed well. Fearful now, the doe dodged away but, mortally injured, only a handful of steps later she collapsed.