[Flashback] Leaving Differences Behind Us. (w/ Drusilla)

[Brunhild Alalia Ambros]

[FLASHBACK: Training]
Mount Skyinarta - Far outskirts

65th of Spring, 504 AV: Early morning

"Be silent now, Axel..." Brunhild whispered to the silvery Wind Eagle, as she crouched lower to the ground, arms shaking violently in inexperience. Her grip on her Composite bow was far too tight, and her aluminum arrow missed the baby Yukman that merely zoomed away and disappeared into the bushes.

Axel chirped in laughter, fluttering his wings in amusement. "Oh, stop that!" the young Inarta pouted, stomping her leather-clad foot on the thick ground of the wilderness. "Father won't be back until sundown, and I want him to come home to a daughter who has killed at least ten monsters!" she grabbed the young eagle's wing and climbed onto it. "I'm already fifteen years old," she whispered as the eagle began to bound down the steep slopes nimbly, nodding its head to its master. "I'm so lucky to have such a wonderful father!" she giggled, as they made their way to a much more open field, teeming with more Yukmen. "We're not going home until I've taken the lives of ten," she whispered to Axel, who hid behind one of the large rocks in the open field. "Ruins, perhaps?" she shrugged to the eagle, as she prepared her bow and arrow. Brunhild knelt behind a smaller piece of rock and began to aim at the closest baby Yukman, her emerald eyes as sharp as a hawk's.

[Drusilla]

Drusilla was panic struck. In the midst of all the chaos of finding surrogets, she had left her dark home in the cave. She didn't like the outside world, it was bright. She ducked behind some rocks, she heard something.

[Brunhild Alalia Ambros]

Brunhild furrowed her brows, her crystal arrow fixed upon the grazing little Yukman. Ambros tilted his head to side, flapping one wing up. The redheaded Inarta nodded, fixing her stance and relaxing her arm. Ambros nodded vigorously in approval.

She released the arrow, her eyes remaining open as she watched the quick crystal hit the Yukman in its center. The monster collapsed onto the ground, dead. "Ambros! I did it!" she shouted, but the eagle's attention was focused on a nearby rock.

"What is it, boy?" Brunhild tossed her heap of red hair to the side as she slowly walked over to the rock, her Composite bow prepared for a shot.

[Drusilla]

Drusilla had been watching the grazing animal only to see it killed with an arrow. Whoever had shot it had good aim. Her stomach growled but stealing and eating the downed animal would talk hours and with the sound of approching footsteps seconds may be all she had left. In this instant she missed the mother she had never met...

She guessed it was an instinct, wanting her mother. Drusilla backed up into a small opening in the rocks, hitting her back against the end of the cave. She crawled upward. She was thankful for being able to climb walls. Feeling somewhat safer she looked around, the cave-like opening wasn't very deep, but the light had dimmed a bit. Not that it mattered to her. She waited to see who or what approched.

[Brunhild Alalia Ambros]

"Maybe it's an adult Yukman..." Brunhild gulped as she closed in on the rock, working the proper stance. "Remember what your father taught you," Axel warned. The Wind Eagle slowly made her way next to the young Inarta, sending her telepathic messages on how to hold the bow.

"Relax your elbows... Remember to pull the arrow as long as possible, and to steady your hands. Do not grip too tight!" Axel flapped her wings, watching carefully as Brunhild adjusted her pose and stance. "Good... much better! Now, ease yourself, keep a straight body, stomach in... and..."

A large Yukman zoomed out of the rock, and she let go of the arrow smoothly. It hit the monster at full force, throwing it back and having it hit the rough exterior of the rocks behind it. "You've got it, Brunhild! Now, practice some more..."

"Wait, Axel... something's still back there," Brunhild ran over to the other side of the rocks, and found a young Symenestra, looking lost and terrified. "Hello there, are you alright?" the young Inarta inquired. The little Symenestra girl seemed to be of the same age as her. "Careful, Brunhild. It could be a trap..." the Wind Eagle moved closer to her master, peering over to see the girl.

[Drusilla]

Drusilla peered down from the cave's ceiling eyeing the human. She slowly scaled her way down(in a very Exorcist-like manner) to the arrow holder, "You shouldn't be here, out and about," she said eyeing the bird. "They're taking women to be surrogets for our females. You're a little young, but you're quite the looker...They would just pen you up like cattle 'till you grew.
Drusilla stepped closer and into the light, her ash skin and grey veins clearly visable. "Let's make a deal, you don't bite me...and I won't bite you....You don't shoot me...I don't shoot you." She held out an elongated arm, a handshake, "I'm called Drusillia. Drusilla Aster." She smiled showing venomous fangs. Without warning Drusilla tugged at a strand of the human's hair and letting go quite confused,"Your hair is on fire, but it's not hot at all......" Her own hair a long mess of cobweb-white tangles. "May I ask you a question, human girl... Do you view me as a person or creature?" She asked curiously, purple eyes almost glittering. All was serious, untill Drusilla's stomach gurgled.

[Brunhild Alalia Ambros]

An innocent twinkle of light gleaming in Brunhild's emerald eyes. "She seems fine, I suppose..." Axel murmured skeptically, eying the Symenestra curiously. "Don't be too friendly now, Brunhild."

Brunhild nodded vigorously, the sheer joy and hope of having a friend overwhelmed her. "No biting, no shooting!" she giggled, putting her bow and arrow down willingly. She watched with amusement as Drusilla touched her hair and then quickly let go of it. "I'm Brunhild, Brunhild Ambros. My hair's not on fire at all, actually... Father said that it has something to do with--" she cut herself off, and then turned to her Wind Eagle. "This is Axel," she grinned, petting the slate blue bird lovingly. Her grin faded at the question of the Symenestra.

"You're... a person?" she tilted her head to the side, eyes twinkling with curiosity and interest. "Father hasn't taught me about the other races as much, but all I know is that... you are.. a Symenestra.. and the Symenestra eat meat," she turned to her kill, which wasn't very far away. "You could eat that, if you want..." she shrugged, taking her bow and arrow and moving away, "I need to practice my aim, you see..."

[Drusilla]

"I've never seen a person with such bright hair..." Drusilla admitted, "I simplely assumed.... Never mind." She shook her head, " I apologise." At the answer to her question, Drusilla smiled, "Most would find me a monster." She looked to the downed beast, "It would take me hours to eat that, seeing is I can't eat most solid foods. Take them home to your mother and father. I'm sure your mother could make a stew and your father a coat from the pelts. However, if you have a peach, overly ripe prefered. I'd eat that." Dusilla looked at the bow, "Your shot is already great, one can only guess how much more you can learn. With talent like that in a few years you'll be a silent assassin."

[Brunhild Alalia Ambros]

"Oh, I've no plans for that..." Brunhild giggled, sitting down on the ground in front of the young Symenestra, feeling euphoric that she was actually having a conversation with somebody. She blushed nonetheless, for she had insecurities on how she should act with others her age. "I do have this..." she took out two ripe apples from her little black rucksack. "Here, you could have them!" she managed cheerfully, handing the apples to Drusilla.

"I'm not really fond of fruits," she said cheerfully, only to hear the inaudible snicker of he Wind Eagle. "Well, you should be... Fond of it, that is." Axel exclaimed telepathically to the Inarta. "Oh, you!" Brunhild replied back through her mind, turning to Axel, and then back to Drusilla. "Are you lost, then?" she inquired innocently, her flaming red hair blowing off to the side as her emerald eyes stared inquisitively at the Symenestra in front of her.

[Drusilla]

Drusilla picked up an apple and slowly opened her mouth taking a small bite, trying to keep her fangs from showing."Fruits and vegtables are the only solid food I can stomach. Bad digestive system." She chewed the small bite of apple for some time, finally swallowing, "I kinda sorta...ran away." She looked to the ground, but not before taking another bite of the apple. "Doesn't matter really no one will miss me. My mom is dead, my dad's remarried, and my step-mom hates me. Been taking care of myself for some time now." Another bite. Drusilla eyed Brunhild, "You're an odd little human aren't you? Most humans would run from a Symenestra, even a small one like me." Another bite. "What sort of family life you have Brunhild? I assume you live in the city....Think they would let me find a home there?"