The Girl

The sun was just starting to rise as the young girl grabbed her bow and set out on her daily hunt. The town she lived in, the town in which she'd been raised in for the past fifteen years was small, but she knew every inch of it like the back of her hand - every tree, every trail, every animal. Her love for hunting began when she was just a little girl, just a few mere years ago, but now she was determined to turn her passion into a lifetime career as a ranger. As she walked through the forest, the crisp morning sir filled her lungs, and the sound of the leaves crunching beneath her feet was both calming and invigorating. She focused, determined and ready to take on the challenges that came with becoming a ranger.

The young teenagers hair was still mussed from her sleep, but her sharp hazel eyes were bright with excitement. she checked her bow and then grabbed the leather strap, slipping it over one shoulder and walked deeper into the woods. Despite her small frame, she carried herself with confidence of a seasoned hunter, she'd gained a few scars on her arms and legs in the past, proof of her many challenges she faced in the pursuit of her goals, yet, the determination in her eyes meant she was ready for whatever lied ahead on her quest.

As the girl continued her trek into the woods, the forest came to life around her. The chirping of birds and the rustling of leaves are like a symphony playing just for her. She smiled softly, happy to be able to enjoy the natural beauty of the world before her. She approached a clearing and crouched down, her eyes scanning the area for any signs of animal activity. Suddenly, she heard a faint rustling in the bushes ahead of her. She slips the bow off her shoulder, steadies it, knocks the arrow and takes aim, hands steady and confident. The rustling grew louder, a moment later a majestic buck emerges from the underbrush. She took a deep breath, drew back the string and released her fingers, exhaling as she let go. The crack of the arrow echoes through the woods, and the deer falls to the ground with a thud. She let out a little cry of excitement knowing that with each successful kill, she was one step closer to achieving her dream of becoming a ranger. She approached the fallen deer, offering a prayer of thanks for the sacrifice it has made and prepares to take it back to town to share with the locals and her friends. With a sense of achievement filling her heart, she sets off on the journey back home, eager to see what other adventures lie ahead of her.

The girl's name was Avery, something that had stuck with her, the only thing she ever had memory of her parents calling her, that name over and over, now her parents were gone, she could have changed her name when she found herself in this town, but why diminish her parents memory. Her thoughts were pulled from her a few minutes into her quiet walk when she heard a loud snap, like the sound of a branch breaking. She turned around and saw a group of older kids who had been watching her from afar, they were bullies, she knew who they were, and Avery knew the situation coming wasn't a good one. They were eyeing her deer hungrily, making their way towards her. Avery could see that they were looking at her with malice, and that they were not interested in friendly chit-chat. Avery's heart started racing as she realised that the bullies were going to try take her hard-earned kill. Fearful, but determined, Avery grasped her bow tightly and stood defensively in front of the deer. "Leave me alone" she said as polite as she could, not yet threatening to use her bow. They kept advancing slowly towards her. "I said back off!" she yelled sternly, that didn't work either, they sneered and kept walking. Avery knew she had to act fast so she knocked an arrow and aimed her bow at the ground in front of the bullies, she then released her grip. The crack of sound startled the bullies briefly, the metal tipped arrow planted in the ground inches before one of the bullies foot made them start to back away. "this isn't over!" the leader of the pack yelled, he narrowed his eyes and turned on the spot, turning to walk out of the woods with his mates. She took a deep breath and started to walk away in a different direction, with her deer in tow, she knew this wasn't the end of it, but she was proud of herself for standing up to them and protecting her prize.

Avery couldn't help but think about how she could better prepare herself for similar situations in the future, should they arise.