7th day of Fall - TheTwin Lakes - Kanti Grassy Range
Shayth breathed slowly, steadying her hand and relaxing into her pose. Against her cheek, the knuckle of her index finger brushed lightly as she held an arrow pulled taught. Irritatingly, the breeze fluttered a strand of hair across her face, fallen loose from the tight braid she'd created. Narrowing her blue eyes, the endal watched her target. Unaware, the small deer nibbled on the remaining greens of fall, soft winter coat almost filled in. It was young, small nubs of antlers pointing from its little head. A good tender age.
Taking a breath in, the redhead focused and released. A high whistle followed the arrow as it zoomed through the air. Too late, the deer bounded off. Well....it would have been to late if Shayth's arrow had hit its mark. With a resounding crack, the wooden projectile splintered against a rocky wall just before the swiftly disappearing deer.
"Petching hell! Son of a drudge!" The redhead cursed loudly, and violently, furious at the shattered arrow. She stormed back and forth, swearing and yelling, before hurling down her bow and staring out across the lake, hands on hips. Behind her, there was a chuckle. Turning on her heel, the endal glared at the huge yellow-eyed eagle settled in the grass.
"What the petching hell do you think is so funny?!"Shayth snapped. The eagle preened her chest, watching the woman with a bemused expression.
"You. I have to say, your a really bad shot. I mean...that thing wasn't going anywhere, and you still missed it! Lucky your not the one who has to provide the meat right?" Turiska shook her head, feathers fluffing up before settling again. Jaw tense, the rider bit her tongue for a moment, before crossing her arms.
"Actually, your right." She said in a bitter tone. Sighing, she looked at the bird.
"I've been thinking about it for a few days now, and...I want to find someone to teach me." Turiska keened softly, a small laugh.
"Well, at least you do have a brain in your tiny little head." It was the eagles way of admitting she liked the idea. Shayth's temper flared again, was she really that bad an archer? Pushing the thought aside, she nodded.
"Thanks. Appreciated. Listen, so I said, I've been thinking about it. And I found a tutor. A brilliant archer, born to it. You've met him, the avora." The eagle watched her for a moment, golden eye narrowing slightly.
"You mean the one I tried to turn inside-out? Yes, I remember the avora. I remember you were fighting with him. Why would you choose that one?" Swallowing, the rider tilted her head in acknowledgement.
"It's, complicated. I fight with you Turiska, doesn't mean I don't like you. Kovac is...he's very good. I mean, the best I've seen. If you want me to get better, don't you want me to learn from the best?" The silence between them ticked over, Turiska not responding. Kicking at the soft grass, Shayth looked at her feet.
"Besides, he's a friend." There was a soft click from the bird, causing the endal to look up sharply. Turiska hadn't moved, but she looked suspicious.
"Kovac, is it? A friend. I suppose it makes sense. I saw him practising, he is good. It seems sound." There was an edge to her voice, the eagle was not impressed. Shayth was her friend, her rider. The bird was torn. She wanted Shayth to be better - needed her to be for their hunting. But at the same time, she didn't want to share her. The inarta nodded, relaxing a little. That had been the easy part. Looking at her feet again, Shayth continued.
"And, I was thinking. It probably be beneficial if we moved Kovac into the aer-" She didn't get a chance to finish her sentence, cut off suddenly as she flew through the air backwards. Landing in the shallows of the lack, flat on her back, the endal gasped as a shock ran up her spine. Spluttering, she stood up in the water, pushing hair and water out of her face and coughing. Turiska stood on the shore, wings spread slightly and advancing on the inarta, hissing slightly.
"Turiska! What the petch!?" She yelled out loud, dripping wet and slightly concerned. The bird was angry, murderously mad. And Shayth couldn't swim. Putting up her hands, she tried to calm the bird down.
"Listen to me, just listen. There is a reason for it! Please!" Watching as the eagle advanced, she swallowed hard.
"Turiska please, just hear me out." A violently angry feeling overwhelmed the woman, combined with hurt and confusion. It radiated from the wind eagle, who perched at the waters edge, all feathers and angry golden eyes. She was waiting though, listening. Shayth moved forward slightly.
"If we move him into the aerie, its going to make sense. I don't want to be down in the commons hunting for some avora every day, and I don't trust him to come up to us. Plus, its normal. Endal take avora into their homes all the time, for study and for assistance. He could help." Moving closer still, she looked at the bird, breathing hard and heart pounding. The endal wasn't afraid of death, knowing Turiska's temper might one day be her downfall - but she didn't want to hurt the bird. And she couldn't be alone any more. When did it end. Closer still, within arms reach of the eagle, she sighed.
"Besides, if he's in the aerie, you can keep an eye on him. No late nights away, no more tavern visits. Well, not as many. I'd be closer to home. With you." Reaching out, she scratched Turiska's cheek. The eagle keened slightly, allowing herself to be touched. The pair stood in silence, taking a serious moment to just exist. Rider and Mount.
"He's not just a friend, is he." The young bird said finally, her voice soft. Shayth swallowed, before shaking her head.
"No."
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There was darkness, for a moment. Shayth had her eyes open, but it was hard to see. Murky, dark. Light filtered through from above. And her lungs hurt. It came back to her suddenly. Turiska had thrown her. The redhead was in the lake, and she was sinking. Not only that, she was drowning. Kicking uselessly, the inarta felt like she was going to explode. A great black shape covered the light, just as she felt water entering her mouth. Suddenly thick talons grasped her, and in a rush of water and air the woman found herself lifted. Coughing and gasping for air, the endal looked around. They were high, moving away from the lakes. Looking up at the feathery mass above her, Shayth coughed still. She didn't know what to say, could only watch the world below her as Turiska carried her along. It was cold in the high air, and she was wet through. Shivering, the rider began to recognise the scenery. Turiska was taking them home, swinging round to swoop into her aerie and keeping Shayth firmly clenched in her talons. The endal gasped, her ribs starting to hurt.
"Turiska, please..." She groaned, before a massive head peered down at her. Turiska held her in place, staring down her beak at the red head.
"You are mine. No one else's. You belong with me. For our lives. Don't forget that, Inarta." The words rang in her mind, and suddenly Shayth knew fear. Nodding a little, she looked up at the bird.
"Turiska, I know. No one can take that away. No one, understand? I love you, I'm bonded to you. But what will you do, when I am gone? You'll be alone, and I can't come back." There was a sudden cold realisation in the emotions from the bird. Her talons released the woman and she stepped back. Taking a large gulp of air, Shayth rolled to her feet. Holding her side, dripping wet and shivering from the cold - the inarta's blue eyes stared at the confused golden ones before her. Coughing and wincing from the bruising around her torso, the endal moved towards the bird. Reaching up, she rested a hand on her massive beak.
"I need this, for me. For you. We will be eternal, Turiska. Nothing replaces what we have. But, I will grow old. And I will die. If I take a mate, I can bring new life into this world. Someone who will understand you. Care for you...when I fade. Do you understand?" Turiska stared at her, into her soul. She felt the weight of mortality, the realisation in the humans words. Softly, she keened - a sad sound.
"I understand." She said softly. The two stood in silence again, the sun gone behind the horizon and darkness taking over. There was nothing else to be said, as the rider and the eagle took comfort in each other.
