Completed Destiny's Call (Praetorian/Rue)

One of the most important days of Arundel's life thus far.

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The Wilderness of Cyphrus is an endless sea of tall grass that rolls just like the oceans themselves. Geysers kiss the sky with their steamy breath, and mysterious craters create microworlds all their own. But above all danger lives here in the tall grass in the form of fierce wild creatures; elegant serpents that swim through the land like whales through the ocean and fierce packs of glassbeaks that hunt in packs which are only kept at bay by fires. Traverse it carefully, with a guide if possible, for those that venture alone endanger themselves in countless ways.

Destiny's Call (Praetorian/Rue)

Postby Arundel on September 9th, 2013, 2:43 am

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513 AV, 30th Day of Fall

It seemed that Endrykas was doomed to endless tragedy as of late. Their numbers were still so few compared to what once was, and now bodies were being found. Murder. Murder in her beloved home. Bile rose in Arundel's throat as she imagined what agony her fellow Drykas must have endured before Dira finally saved them with the kiss of death. She'd heard what some of the bodies looked like. Bloated, mangled, and desecrated. At least they had returned to the Web. Always the Web. That was the silver lining - however thin it may be - to these horrible circumstances. She could only pray that the victims returned as something magnificent. A precious Strider perhaps. But even those were among the bodies being found. Tears pooled in her eyes as she recalled an elderly woman keening over the loss of her son and his beautiful bonded companion. Both of their throats had been slit, and then they were disemboweled.

Arundel grabbed the bundle of spears tied together from her belongings in the pavilion, shouldered the heavy wooden shafts along with her tack, and made her way to where the horses grazed. She and Rue were escaping the now stifling confines of their home to hone their skills. It seemed they needed to train more and more as the dangers once reserved for the Sea spread and consumed their very homes. It fueled her desire each day to work toward the right to join the Watch. A little dejectedly, she reminded herself of her lack of a Strider. She pursed her lips when she reached the grazing ground not far from the pavilion. Arundel whistled loudly, calling Juniper to her from the grazing cluster of the family's Semes. Her mare thundered to a stop, knowing what was expected of her at the sight of her yvas. The Drykas signed a greeting and smiled affectionately, though her eyes were clouded with a hurricane of emotions.

She stood quietly while she was tacked, and her rider hung the bundle of spears on one of the hooks at her withers. Arundel swung up onto the mare's back, wiggling into position. She wasn't bringing along a pack today. Just her yvas bags with some snacks in one and rope in the other. With a firm nudge of her heels, Juniper lurching into a slow canter, a little surprised but accepting of the sudden pace. She held one handle on the yvas as they took off, just to be sure she didn't lose her seat. Her mare could be a little rough on the starts and stops. But once she fell into the rocking horse rhythm of her mare's lope, she released her handhold and steered with her legs. Juniper gave to whatever pressure she received, and soon the pavilions of Endrykas were behind them.

She wasn't meeting Rue too far outside of the mobile city, but it was far enough that at least for a few bells they could forget the turmoil consuming everyone's day-to-day. Half a bell later, Juniper crested a swell in the land at a pokey trot. The poor girl wasn't an endurance horse, but she had the determined heart of a champion, and rarely complained. Arundel didn't push her, because she knew the mare's limits, but she could tell her horse was tiring when she finally spotted Rue waiting with Wildfire. "I'm sorry if I'm a little late!" she called as they drew closer. Before Juniper lumbered to a complete stop, Arundel swung down from her back and half-skidded, half-jogged to a stop. The woman offered a smile as she smoothed her windblown hair. "I really hope you haven't been waiting too long," she said, the apologetic tone clear in her words. She signed the words for both greetings and forgiveness.
Last edited by Arundel on November 11th, 2013, 2:20 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Destiny's Call (Praetorian/Rue)

Postby Naiya on September 9th, 2013, 6:30 pm

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Wildfire whinnied his excitement as Rue approached with a final load of gear, sensing the excitement of his partner. She had been coming back and forward from the pavilion for nearly a quarter bell, each time for something she had forgotten.

"I think this is everything, Wildfire." Rue said as she began a final check of her gear. Both her daggers were in place as usual, one at her hip, the other in her boot, she had her arm guard and archer's glove in the pile beside her bow and quiver, with two string coiled carefully in her backpack. A day's worth of food, an extra wetskin of water, and grooming tools were set away in a Yvas bag, ready to be hooked on to her strider.

She nodded her head as she made the mental list, it sounded like everything they would need. Her usual wetskin rested at the hip opposite her dagger, tapping against her leg as she began to ready her gear. Her yvas had a new addition, two feathers hanging from a braided leather string, one green dipped in red, the other a dappled blue that added a nice contrast of color next to her once bright white yvas pad. She arranged both the pad and yvas on Wildfire, watching as he shifted, getting comfortable with the sensation.

Next her bracer and glove went into her backpack which she hung from a hook on the yvas. Her quiver was soon to follow, hanging beside the bag, her bow hung gracelessly across the top. The yvas bag hooked on the opposite side and then Rue surveyed the area, checking to make sure she hadn't missed anything.

She pulled her self up onto Wildfire's back, and once seated set her bow more carefully on the yvas, tying it in place with a knot that pulled loose in one motion.

With a click of her tongue and a squeeze of her legs they set off. Arundel was meeting her in a spot where they had gone to train once before. About a half bell's ride away from the city it was just far enough away to have a nice ride and feel like they were free of the pressures of the city, something they needed now more than ever with the trouble that was stirring.

Once outside the city they stepped into a canter, the ground eating lope a favorite pace for both horse and rider that left Rue with a sore stomach if she worked at it too long. All the same sitting a canter was her favorite, the circular motion of her hips as she followed the movement of the horse, up down, back, in a rhythm of threes. Her calves held tight around the girth, letting her lift her body up off Wildfire's back as he topped a rise to make it easier on him.

Just like that they had arrived, she recognized it by the small copse of trees that offered them shelter from the heat. Not that they would need it today, the chill of fall was settling across the land, readying the Drykas for the winter to come.

She dismounted, alone with Wildfire for the moment, and checked his feet for rocks or twigs. Finding none she settled beside him in the grass, leaning forward to stretch the muscles of her legs after the ride.

That was how Arundel found her not long later, sitting in the grass beside her not so heavily burdened horse.

"Not at all." Rue reassured her from her spot on the ground, hands signing greetings and friend. "Wildfire and I were just relaxing after the ride, I haven't even pulled his burden from his back yet. Though I'm sure he doesn't mind now that I'm on the ground again." She laughed and Wildfire pushed her over in the grass with a snort. Seeming once again to understand all too well the words of his Drykas partner.

"You had an uneventful ride here, I assume?" Rue asked, only the slightest hint of worry in the movements of her hands as she spoke. Murders. She'd found it hard to believe at first, that anyone would harm another Drykas, but the evidence had been all too real. It gave her pause on a regular basis, made her worry probably more than she should.

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Destiny's Call (Praetorian/Rue)

Postby Arundel on September 10th, 2013, 11:39 pm

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Arundel smiled easily - both from the pleasure of seeing Rue and relief that they hadn't waited too long. Semes couldn't tap into the web like Striders, so she was forced to go a normal pace. But she was pleased with Juniper, and always was. Loudly, the Drykas patted the mare's thick neck. "Good girl," she mumured, running fingers through the dark mane. "It was very uneventful, but we can never complain about that. No glassbeaks, bears, lions, or the like. And lets pray I didn't just jinx us. Anyways, the ride was pleasant." Arundel laughed as she pulled her yvas bags from the hooks at Juniper's withers, then retrieved her spears. The wooden shafts rattled loudly as she shouldered the deadly bundle.

"I brought food and rope. Spears too, of course. Just didn't think we'd need much. What did you pack?" She dropped her gear loudly on the ground as her Seme meandered off to graze nearby. Wildfire followed, and she smiled after the two of them. Their tails swished insects diligently, and their teeth started cropping grass, noses almost touching. They had become fast companions, even more so than Rue and herself. But she felt the two of them would become close as well. Arundel really liked the young girl, and enjoyed their time together. They had similar ideals and goals for themselves when it came to their duties to their people.

Her lips twisted up into another smile. "How long can you stay out today again?" She couldn't help the darkening of her eyes, just thinking about going back home and hearing of possibly another death. Arundel shivered imperceptibly.

OOCOne most post from each of us and Prae will join in. This one is pretty short, I know.
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Destiny's Call (Praetorian/Rue)

Postby Naiya on September 11th, 2013, 12:33 am

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'I'm glad.' her hands signed in reply, as she stood and began untacking her strider. Her gear followed Arundel's falling beside it in the grass. No reason to have them spread out where they might be forgotten, or worse, tripped over.

"Wildfire and I kept it light," Rue answered, eyeing her belongings, "Just food and grooming tools. Some extra water. I only have the one bow, I suppose I should have thought to bring one easier to bend, but you've had some practice, so hopefully it will be okay." She rubbed the back of her head, embarrassed. She signed a quick apology to follow her words, forgetting an extra bow was such an obvious mistake, and after she had worked so hard to make sure she hadn't forgotten anything.

The question that followed her first was expected, there were often days when Rue had to rush home for one thing or another, but today she was free for the whole of the day. Rue began stretching again as she spoke, bending at the hip to reach out and touch the ground at her feet. "All day today, but an early start in the morning," She looked up as she continued, swinging her upper body from side to side to stretch different muscles, "So not too late into the dark hours." Not that they were likely to be out past dark, with the danger lurking in their city. Night was the opportune time to snatch an unsuspecting Drykas away, and even armed as they were, Rue preferred not to tempt fate.

Realizing she probably looked rather odd, Rue stood up again, laughing softly. "The picture I make, doubled over and holding a conversation." Despite her comment she went right back to working the tightness out of her body, speaking again as she did so. "What did you have in mind for today?"


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Destiny's Call (Praetorian/Rue)

Postby Praetorian on September 12th, 2013, 4:01 am

In the grass, a black shape moved slowly... it was stalking the women in silence. Padded feet made no noise, each breath was slow, measured, that of an experienced hunter.

Perhaps, too experienced.

The Nightlion's ebony flanks were crisscrossed with dozens of pale gray scars, mementos of battle won and, more recently, lost; his once billowing mane was patchy, falling out in places, a sign of his lack of grooming and hunting partners. He was an alpha past his prime, surviving entirely upon scavenged meat. But, survival was not enough. He licked his lips, scenting warm flesh of two horses, and two riders. Any would make a meal worthy of bloating his emaciated form. And, times were so desperate that a scorned patriarch would take his chances.

He was pride-less, mate-less... But, his lineage lived on in dozens of cubs, all fine warriors now. His last litter had been killed as an outsider, an upstart young male from territories away. His last mate had been claimed only an instant after his cubs stopped their cries. He was shamed. He was defeated.

He was so very hungry.

On arthritic hips, the lanky male stalked forward, closer to the group. His torn away ear was unable to turn towards them, unable to focus in upon the sounds of them breathing, of them shifting their weight as he searched for a weakness in any of them, something that may give him the upper-hand in getting a meal. A pink tongue darted out to cast a stark contrast against his black chops as he licked them, mouth already watering at the idea of fresh meat. For a tick, he was nearly seized by the youngling-instinct to simply dash in and take a few bites out of one of them, even if they managed to get away.

But he was old, experienced. Even the smallest human could feed him to the point of bursting for a day or two. Especially now that he had no pride to worry over.

Deep within his innards, something protested the lack of nourishment, growling quietly. The Nightlion stilled, waiting to see if any of his prey had heard his hunger's betrayal.
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Destiny's Call (Praetorian/Rue)

Postby Arundel on September 12th, 2013, 5:13 am

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Arundel smiled, signing worries and none, combining the two into a reassurance. "I'm sure we can make do!" She chuckled and stooped to yank the release knot binding her spears. Picking up two, she stood but paused to watch Rue stretch. Her grin widened, and she stabbed one spearhead into the ground so she could lean her weight on it. Fingers raked through her tangled, wind-blown curls, and she winced when they caught a snag. "I want to be back by sundown. That should give us plenty of time to tire ourselves out." They both knew why they needed to be back by dark. For one, they were completely unprepared to rough it in the Sea at night. The second reason was the cause for them escaping out here in the first place. Arundel swatted at a hornet that dared to fly too close, then yanked the spear back out of the dirt.

When Rue stood straight once more to stretch high, she carefully tossed the spear over for her to catch. "We'll start with these." Amusement danced in her green eyes. "Loosened up enough?" she teased gently, then backed away several yards. "I want to start with something a little choreographed. Pretend I'm an offender." She braced her feet apart - one behind the other - with the heels of her boots dug into the earth and spear held aloft, the shining head pointed toward her partner. "I just insulted your pavilion and spat on your boots! What are you going to do about it?" Arundel smiled, forking an eyebrow. The hornet buzzed by her face again and she grimaced, waving a hand at the annoying insect then readjusting her grip on the spear's shaft. Her eyes rolled skyward and she smiled at Rue.

"Come on at me," she demanded. Arundel was in the mood to jump right into things. She needed to get her mind off the turmoil of Endrykas. There was too much going on. But they were out here for a reason, which Rue knew perfectly well. Her eyes shined with a friendly challenge, and as Rue started to approach she bent at the knees - bracing for an attack. The wind shifted and blew her short curls wildly, but she stayed poised and ready. Her eyes were locked on Rue's. Blue staring into green. Her smile was daring and excited, and Arundel's muscles coiled, readying to retaliate.

A whinny from Wildfire suddenly yanked the grasslander from her concentration.

Unable to help herself, she looked over her shoulder at the two horses. Both of them stood tall and proud, ears erect and bodies tense. They snorted nervously and loudly, prancing away from somewhere behind her. A chill crawled up her spine. Horses were fight or flight, and a Drykas mount was used to the Sea. They wouldn't spook at any silly blade of grass or stray stick. Especially not a Strider. Arundel's grip tightened on the spear, turning her knuckles white. She looked at Rue with a wide eyed, questioning stare. What is it? the Drykas tried to ask without moving or uttering a sound. Her brows furrowed upward. Every nerve ending in her taut body was screaming to turn around, but she fought the impulse as fiercely as she and Rue had been about to spar.
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Destiny's Call (Praetorian/Rue)

Postby Naiya on September 12th, 2013, 4:25 pm

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She only fumbled slightly catching the spear in her hands with a grimace. She had hardly improved since their last bout, but at least she had a better grasp of basics after past practices. She fell quickly into a fighting stance of her own, the T-shaped foot placement one that seemed to work just as well in armed combat as it did in unarmed.

Despite her partner's teasing she took the extra time to check her grip, making sure her hands were positioned right, pinkies to the sky, bottom hand turned at an angle that was odd until you were striking. Ready now she responded to the second call from Arundel, spear tip facing down at the ground until her target was in striking range.

Steps away from a strike, Wildfire called loudly, drawing her attention to him for a moment just long enough to watch him straighten and stomp his foot. Then even his nerve broke and both horses moved towards their riders, moving away from something behind Arundel.

Her eyes flashed back to her friends, giving a minute shake of her head. She couldn't see anything, but the sign from Wildfire was well established, whatever was out there, it had no human with it, it was no Drykas, it was a hunter and they were it's prey.

Her eyes flashed back to her strider where he had circled to stand just behind and to the left of Arundel, a sentry, his ears pricked towards the sound. Whatever it was it was diagonally to the right, Arundel's left for the moment.

She met her friend's gaze once again, deliberately, then flashed her eyes towards whatever had spooked their horses, praying that her friend got the message.

With her back to their stalker, Arundel had the first move, she would need the time to turn, so Rue held herself very still, grip so tight on her weapon that she wouldn't be able to use it. She relaxed her hands marginally and waited, looking in the same direction of Wildfire who was tracking the sounds of their enemy.


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Destiny's Call (Praetorian/Rue)

Postby Praetorian on September 15th, 2013, 10:32 pm

Hunger-mad as he was, the Nightlion decided that his prey would be the biggest and slowest moving creature he could sink his claws into. And so, with a great roar, he leapt from the grass and onto Juniper's back, sinking his claws into her hide and his fangs into the back of her neck.

Immediately, chaos ensued.

The mare began to buck and lash out with her large hooves, attempting to dislodge the monster. Her screams ran high as she went wild with pain, caring not about the Strider nearby nor the two Drykas as she bucked and whirled and shuddered as each motion simply made the Nightlion hold on more tightly.

The predator quickly realized his mistake as, prideless, it was unlikely that he would be able to bring down such large prey on his own. Things seemed hopeless. He was so tired, so weak... But he needed to eat. Holding onto her withers with his front paws, he started to tear at the horse's haunches with his rear claws. The hot scent of coppery horseblood filled the air, driving him past the point of madness as he continued, occasionally reaching around to the horse's front with his forepaw in an attempt to tear open her throat.

As it was, Juniper was finding it harder and harder to use her back legs as the muscle was torn to pieces and her blood created hot red puddles in the dirt. The whites of her eyes rolled and she screamed, tossing her head and, in a final attempt to pull the lion from her back, fell to the ground and rolled on her back. But, despairing as the horse was, the ebony monster on her back had been driven to his most base instincts. He held on through her roll, yowling despite himself as the horse's immense form was entirely upon him for a tick.

But, Juniper's strength was waning. With her damaged haunches, she was finding difficulty rising to her feet.

The Nightlion had brought her to the ground. With a bloodied maw, the beast lunged forward, aiming to sink his teeth into her exposed throat as her breath came hot and harsh and ragged. Just as victory seemed to be his, something stung his back, causing him to cringe backwards, eyes searching.

Oh, the two legs. Claws in the weakly whinnying horse's flesh, he turned, yellow eyes sparking with primal rage. A low sound of warning rumbled from his chest. He was going to eat this horse, it would be enough for him and more. There was no point in him chasing the smaller preys, nor was there any point in them fighting on the side of a mare already on the brink of death. But, if they were able to sting him again with their glinting stingers, he would attack them as well and make this feast into a buffet...
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Destiny's Call (Praetorian/Rue)

Postby Arundel on September 16th, 2013, 5:34 am

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Fear of the unknown gripped her firmly. She was a mouse caught in the owl's talons - unable to move. Her breathing accelerated quickly, turning ragged. Rue's silent message was nothing promising. Arundel could see the unease in the young girl's eyes. The older Drykas cocked her head around ever-so-slightly, so her ear was facing whatever approached. Only the whisper of grass moving in the wind and against something tickled her senses. She could hear whatever it was slipping through the dry stalks, though barely. Her ears strained, and she glared off into the horizon in concentration. Her jaw clenched and flexed methodically, and she readjusted her sweating fingers on her spear. Three more breaths and she would turn around to face whatever had fell upon their meeting. If it were a glassbeak they'd already be dead - that much was at least promising. Maybe they'd get lucky and it was just a stray wolf.

1... 2...

A very non-wolf roar ripped through the air, and Arundel whipped around in startled fear. Acting on instinct, she raised the tip of her spear. But it wasn't going after her - or even Rue. Her mouth went dry as her wide green eyes followed the path of the night lion's body as it arced through the air and landed on Juniper's back. "No!" Her mare was the furthest from them all, having the weakest instinctual desire to fight. Adrenaline flooded her system as the Seme reared, trying to throw the predator. The Drykas surged forward to aid the animal, but her mind was a mess of fear and rage. Her foot caught her ankle, sending her into the grass. Arundel's shriek mirrored her mare's; a piercing note of sickened pain - physical on Juniper's side and emotional on Arundel's.

She scrabbled awkwardly across the ground before clumsily climbing to her feet, hefting her spear. "Stay back!" she screamed at Rue, wild-eyed and tense. She wasn't going to let the girl get hurt. There would be no living it down. Her crazed eyes locked back onto the trashing black bodies of the horse and lion. Juniper was fighting so hard. If any of them got too close, a stray hoof could surely end their days and send them back to the Web. Her chest heaved for air and her arms shook. Suddenly, the mare threw herself onto her back, effectively crushing the lion. Yes! she thought triumphantly, licking her lips nervously. Surely that would kill it? Her pounding heart fell when it instantly became clear that wasn't the case. A strangled cry escaped her as Juniper flailed, struggling to stand. So much blood. So much blood!

Tears filled her vision, blurring the world in a haze of despair. Arundel tried to blink them away, and found her feet propelling her toward the struggling pair. Now that Juniper was down, it provided her an opening to approach. She leapt a felled log that blocked her path and stumbled to a halt, shaking like a leaf. Her eyes connected with the mare's, and their fear reflected the other's. Bile rose in her throat at the stench of her beautiful horse's blood. So much, she whimpered internally. The lion swarmed toward Juniper's throat, and there was only one outcome for that. Death. Fury burned in her belly, helping the banish some of the icy fear. "You can't have her!" Arundel screamed, charging forward and swinging her spear wildly. The horribly aimed blow did little more than graze the treacherous old creature's back. A thin red line winked at her - stark against the mangy black fur.

But it got the lion's attention. Tears streaked her flushed face, and her mouth hung open as she tried to draw in deep draughts of air to her burning lungs. Arundel was surprised her joints didn't fall to from the tremendous amount of shaking she was doing. She was her own personal epicenter for an internal tectonic quake. Still, she found the courage to match the murderous predator's growl with her own. Her eyes locked with his, and her lips pulled back over her teeth. Her face twisted into something unlike herself. She would rip this animal's heart out with her bare hands and crush it if she could. Her fingers flexed tighter on her spear shaft appropriately. Arundel wanted to dig her nails into its big yellow eyes. Blind it and leave it to wander the Sea. She licked her dry lips, inching forward a few paces. It growled again, and she snarled a challenge. "Here, kitty kitty," she hissed menacingly; voice dripping with hate. "Come to die."

A pained whinny from Juniper made her breaking heart constrict. Fresh tears flooded her eyes and slipped down her soaked cheeks. How did this happen so fast? A sob shook her chest - sounding more like a strangled moan. Experimentally, she jabbed the spear at the emaciated lion. Its sharp glinting point scraped the beast's shoulder, slicing open another small wound to match its flank. Her warped snarl was a merciless smile now. "I'm going to cut off your head and carry it back to Endrykas mounted on my spear," she promised in a deadly whisper. Arundel could taste the blood in the air on her tongue, mixed with stomach acid and this morning's breakfast that she couldn't seem to swallow back down.
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Destiny's Call (Praetorian/Rue)

Postby Naiya on September 16th, 2013, 5:59 pm

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Rue waited in tense silence, watching the grass for movement she couldn't hear. She caught the hint of black only ticks before the creature pounced leaping at Arundel's mare with a roar. She froze a moment, a Nightlion, a Nightlion was stalking them and had found their weakest link, the gentle mare who had inched towards home and opened herself to an attack by leaving the herd. Wildfire cried loudly, rearing and stomping in hopes of driving the creature off in fear, but he could not approach, kept back by the same thing that kept the others away, the flying hooves of the struggling mare

Arundel cried out as she moved towards the battle, tripping over her own feet and landing in the grass. Rue moved towards her carefully, spear aimed towards the screams and growls of the horse and lion.

"Stay back!" Arundel's voice was frantic as she screamed at the younger girl, they both knew that Rue was no real use with her spear. She stopped where she was, instead dropping the weapon in her hands, it was no use to her at this point.

She moved back towards their gear, eyes locked on the battle that had consumed all of the lion's attention, and when the mare threw herself over on top of the attacking creature she turned and ran for her bow.

It was unstrung as she had left it, she almost cursed as she pulled open her bag, unfolding the oil paper that held her bow strings and uncoiling the first her fingers found. She set the string in the bottom nock and dropped her bow to the ground, holding the unbound end still in her hand. Placing the bottom of the bow between her feet, she fitted the string over the top of the bow with ease of practice.

The lion's growl caught her attention, pulling her back to the struggle. Juniper was still on the ground, laying in her own puddling blood. The sight sickened her, her entire body clenching with pain at the thought of her Wildfire laying there in such a state. She forced her eyes away, finding Arundel face too face with the lion, starved and half mad from the appearance of him and his attack on such prey. Arundel was talking to it, saying things Rue couldn't and didn't want to hear. She was in danger, pulling the beast from it's meal, not that she could blame the woman, but it was the truth. She pulled an arrow from her quiver, slinging the rest over her shoulder and lined the shot, moving around so she flanked the bloodied beast.

She raised her bow, sighting down the wooden length of the arrow, until the sharpened tip was lined up with just behind the shoulder blade where a deer's heart would be. But this was no deer, and she had no knowledge of whether or not she would be able to hit it's heart this way. So she took another moment to readjust her aim, knowing she may only get the one shot. Arundel and the lion were still facing off, still in that moment of sizing the other up, it was her chance.

She took a deep breath in and let it out slowly, holding there in the stillness between breaths, she drew back the bow string, anchoring at her chin, then let the arrow fly, sending a prayer to all that would listen that her aim was true and the beast would die.


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Race: Human, Drykas
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