The Great Hunt

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A SCREAM ECHOED through the hilltop and forest around it.

The gray haired woman looked up at the birds flying away from the tall trees around them, startled by the sound.

The Great mother sighs "My grandson and the protector are uphill already"

"My legs are too weak for a climb that high, I may be able to hold myself for walks but I'm too old to climb, that leaves me one option" her gray eyes stared up.

"If we can't climb, we have to go around the hill, on quick foot, we could somehow get to the other end before they descend, remember we must get to the village entrance before nightfall"

Ruffles originating from the crowded bushes around them alerted the hunting party, spears aimed by hunters in direction as the ruffles closed in, a pair of giggling children stumbling out of the bush just as the spear was slipping off the hunter's grasp.

Two almost identical youngsters, a male and female around the same age as Cher and Sher stared up at the hunting group around like a pair of stowaways would.

The Great mother sighs in annoyance "how long have you two been following us?"

"Since the start?" the male quizzed, blinking at his sister who confirmed "exactly two days and two nights ago"

"Nuer and Yuer, what are you children doing so far from the village's borders, did your parents do nothing to enlighten you two of the dangers going too deep into the forest holds?"

"And no one under fifteen years of age is supposed to compete in the Great Hunt, you stowaways broke the rules"

"But Keshi is under fifteen and he's allowed into the forest!" Nuer whined in defense, pointing an accusing finger in direction of the young, brown haired boy holding the gray spear, bow and quiver of arrows. The perm haired, Keshi innocently turned at the accusation, blankly staring back at them and shrugging his shoulders, recoiling with a shy smile when Yue'r mockingly stuck her tongue out at him, blush creeping up his neck and cheeks.

"Keshi is my arm bearer, he holds my weapons!"

"Bring them along!" the Great mother frowns, walking ahead, her cane clearing the bushy path, she grumbled.

"I am here on a mission, an important one, and that mission does not include.." she digs her walk stick into the soft soil startling the teenagers, she points the crooked tip at their faces "...picking up stragglers that will do nothing but slow me down"

"In my defense, I am young and quick footed" Nue'r argues, gulping when sharp, old eyes turned to glare at him.

"You should all go ahead, get to the entrance and wait with the others. I'll make sure to bring the prince and the protector before sunset"

When the hunters hesitated, she brushed them off "don't worry, this old woman can survive a few hours in the wild with her arm bearer and escort".

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A sharp hiss slipped past her pursed lips, face skin twitching up in pain and discomfort as she sucked in a breath.

His perfectly sculpted face hovered above her neck, long fingers proceeding to part her hair, pushing it to the other side of her neck and tucking the stray strands behind her ear as he left tickling trails along the exposed tan, freckled, sun kissed skin of her neck and left shoulder.

She tilts her head further to the side, his braided hair tickling her face as they held un breaking eye contact as his fingers circled around the red, bruising skin already taking a purple tint. She sighed at the soothing touch, relaxing into it with her face pressing against his momentarily, hissing in pain and flinching away when he pressed closer to the bruising skin around the injured shoulder.

"The bone is dislocated" he whispered into her ear over her shoulder, sitting back as his fingers ran through the tattooed ink trailing down the spine line on her neck and cutting over her back shoulder blades. He continuously traced the flowers on her skin, eyes flitting between the tattoo and the dislocated shoulder.

"For a protector you do fear a lot of things only I am aware of" he leaned closer to her ear, voice husky as he gathered her long brown hair from both sides, neatly tying it at the back with some cloth cuts and braiding a few ends.

"Name a few" the protector, A'yin rasped.

"Heights, water"

"That's two" she cut off

"I could go on if you'd like" he smiles, completing the braids and combing his fingers through the front locks, chirps beside them drawing their attention.

They eyed the nest of chicks laid out beside them "I was this close to death's door because of these feather filled balls" she chuckles lightly.

"Fighting and hunting may be your thing but climbing is mine" the Fuelhr, A'yang breathes in "how would you like to get to the highest branch?" he drops his head on her good shoulder, staring at her face.

"I'm never going up there again"

"You won't be alone, you might be good at protecting the tribe, but I'm pretty skilled at protecting my betrothed, you" he leans closer to her neck as his hands found their way above her injured shoulder.

"Betrothed by birth, not by choice" A'yin argues.

"We never had a thought against it though" the Fuelhr defends "I can say that is one good thing our parents we never knew did for us, betrothing two children who grew up loving the decisions made in their stead"

"You'll never be able to get rid of me, not in this lifetime, not in any, you are the saviour of our people but I'll always save you, come to your rescue, just like I've done twice in this hunt, that you can rely on"

A sickening crack drowned by a shocked shout and moan of pain sounded through the hilltop.

Yang rubbing her clothed back to soothe the coursing pain as she cradled her bruise littered shoulder, the dislocated bone repaired in a quick second through her momentary distraction.

A'yin turns to her betrothed with a glare, an amused smirk playing on his lips

"You sly bastard!"