The Great Hunt

THE WIND BREEZED over the rounded hill, deep brown, partly braided locks floating behind her figure standing tall at the edge of the hill.

The morning rays seeped into the tan skin of her exposed neck and shoulders, the tallies on her sword sheathe clinking as she stared down at the forest at the foot of the hill.

The colored paint lines along her face quickly fading as that around her eyes remained as clear as ever as she breathed in, letting her long strands tingle her skin.

"We are less than a day's walk from the village's entrance" her betrothed settled down beside her. Long, masculine fingers brushing along the tips of the greeny grasses around them.

"If we leave now, with a steady pace, we could get there not too long after noon and long before sunset"

"It is easy to spot the village from up here, you get the most clear line of view of the village square up here than anywhere else" she mutters.

"The view and target is even better if you are perched up there" her betrothed gestures to the gigantic tree behind them "that branch up there" he points "that is my favorite spot, the view of the forest and village is perfect up there" he continues.

"One time, I tried firing at the top of the granary, but my arrow failed to get there, instead. it dug right into the foot of the pear tree, did not get far from the village's entrance"

"That is only because you are a poor shot, you cannot aim for nothing" A'yin teases, settling beside him.

"No! That was because the bowstring was not strong enough to sling my arrow that far, it's a long distance from up here, I tell you, one day, I will get a perfect and clean shot from up here, even if it takes five years"

A whistle of a bird drew their attention, the Fuelher, A'yin looking up to the eagle hovering above the hill, she grunts as she gets to her feet, heading for the foot of the tree where their bows and quivers lay.

"Well" she pats her brown leather trousers with her partly gloved hands "here's a chance to prove your archery skills and show you don't completely suck at targeting Fuelhr"

She picks up his black bow, the end broken right below where the string was tied, inspecting the wooden weapon, she tosses it at him just as he stopped ahead her "it looks like it still works" she picks up the three black feathered arrows, handing him one and tucking the other two into the quiver and strapping it over his clothed back.

"Go on!" she pushed, watching attentively as he uniquely spun the arrow in his hand, the raven feathers at the hilt of the arrow nocked unto the firm string, pulling back until the arrowhead brushed against the wooden part of the curved, black bow. He aimed upwards, his line of sight aligned with the neat, visible half moon and miniature raven carved out on the bow before shifting to the gliding Great Eagle, it's large wings casting shadows over his face and where they stood.

He focused on the moving target, breathing in and letting the arrow slip from between his fingertips, swishing up and narrowly missing the eagle's spread wings as the arrow fell down the cliff in it's descent.

"A perfect shot you are A'yang" Yin teases, laughing and sharply grabbing the second arrow he took from his quiver "only two arrows left, I am not letting you waste our chances" she takes his bow, drawing out "watch and learn, Fuelhr".

She aims, pulls the string and lets go just as the string sprung off, the end narrowly slashing her face as her betrothed ducked, saving his exposed neck from it's sharp cut.

A'yang looks up, pointing and laughing at her face as it twitched, blood slowly trickling down the sharp but small cut. A'yin puffs a breath, eyeing the arrow stuck at the edge of the hill with irritation, she defended.

"I did not miss, your stupid bowstring broke off!"

"Don't be ashamed dear, learn to accept defeat, besides, failure looks great on you"

She hissed at his mockery, roughly wiping away the trail of blood down her cheek, picking up her brown bow and grabbing the last arrow in his quiver, taking her aim, the sunlight causing her to squint her eyes, she breathed in, letting the arrow fly up and smiling in satisfaction as it shot right into the Eagle and it's flying figure crash landing through the branches of the giant tree, falling meters from them.

A'yin looked to her betrothed, sticking a tongue out at him before bouncing around the fallen creature in a weird dance. She halted her movement picking up on the birdlike chirps, head tilting in sync with A'yang's as they both looked up the tree, tracking the sound.

Wordlessly, they immediately hoisted up the branches, climbing up the tree in a curious glee. After minutes of climbing, they both reached the top of the tree, too high up in the sky that the clouds seemed to hover around them, they stared at the shaken up nest barely hanging off a branch.

The pair smiled seeing the palm sized, feather puffed eagle chicks in the nest, nodding in agreement as they worked together to untangle the nest from the branch and save it from falling down.

A'yang cooed, watching the chicks stumble around, whispering to his betrothed as if scared of startling them "I think we killed their mother"

A'yin pats the feathers of the brown chick softly while her betrothed did same with the pitch black chick, cradling the nest to his chest, she frowned "we are taking them, there's no way they can survive without a mother".

She watches as Yang nods in agreement, a mischievous smile creeping up her face as she hastily swung down the branches yelling "Last one down is a rotten skunk!"

A'yin moved through branches swiftly as she struggled to reach the ground, but A'yang was a better climber and he had already covered the distance even with him holding unto the nest. Panicking as he landed on the branch beside her, she jumped unto another, her boots slipping right off the branch as she descended down the dangerously high height.

Halfway down the tree, her scream rumbled through the branches and leaves as the Fuelhr scrambled after his falling betrothed, fear crystal clear in his eyes.