The man’s flat, toneless voice took her a little by surprise and she found herself wondering why he had bothered speaking now after having spent all their previous conversation in silence. Why did he not just leave, why did he stay and speak? But those questions were quickly pushed aside as his words dawned on her and she felt frustration build in the back of her mind.
If she hid from all dangers the Sea of Grass had to offer she would be safe from death granted, however the girl would then be faced with problems equally as great. Life for anyone in these grass plains was never easy, never without its dangers. But she knew one thing. The more she trained, the more chance she had in competing for food. If that meant she was putting herself in a deadly situation, then so be it. It was a chance she would have to take.
Natane kept eyes forward and still locked on the target ahead of her but the tension on her bow slipped, “The dangers are great but if I do not better my hunting I will starve” she was dreadfully hungry as it was but had learnt to ignore the pains in her stomach that would come from fair lengths of time spent without food. After leaving home Natane had quickly realised that the cooking skills she had been taught were useless when there was nothing to cook with.
“And returning to my clan is out of the question” her voice had dropped to a low murmur, “If that were to happen I would be no better than dead” Natane doubted whether her pavilion would even take her back. Why would they considering the way she had behaved. The runaway, the embarrassment of the Skytears pavilion.
Perhaps it was the ignorance of youth that made her blind to the true horrors that dwelled in the tall grasses, or maybe she had turned away any thoughts of their vicious claws and terrible fangs so to keep her fear at bay. This fear after all was what had kept her virtually a prisoner in her home for so many years, petrified of what lay beyond the safety of her tent. She was not willing for it to take control of her again.
“If my actions are so misguided...” the young woman’s tone had turned sharp once more. Heat and hunger did not make for a polite nor tolerant spirit. She dropped her bow to her side and faced the man. It was almost a challenge when she continued, “Then please, tell me what I must do to make ends meet”