Measured Strides (Solo)

by **Aello** on June 4th, 2012, 10:23 pm

Summer 1, 512 AV

Aello lifted a single foot off the forest floor. Trampled bits of wood creaked beneath her; loosened limbs spreading. Now that they weren't being crushed, they could breath. She could almost hear them exhaling sighs of relief as the sun trickled through wounded splits. Tears. Fray in the wood. Her lips curled into a delicate smile, as her right hand slid over the sole of her boot, and she closed her eyes, doing her best not to wobble as she did so. Slowly, she drew her hand from one end of the boot to the other, concentrating on how smooth the material had once been. How torn the leather was now. Filled with indentations from the multitude of things she had tread upon. Things the fading black fabric didn't wish to lose sight of, and thus, kept ahold of by copying. She could feel her fingertips passing over the places where rocks had once become imbedded, grains of sand furthering the art of manipulation- forming tinier, almost indistinguishable crenellations that her fingertips could scarcely pick up on. And yet they tingled whenever bare skin brushed. But that was soon drawn away, washed away, whenever she passed over caked dirt. And the sensation was replaced with something new- the sense that she should take a bath, or at the very least, rinse her fingers off. Perhaps they were, whenever she ran her fingers through the areas where crushed grass had once lain; expunged from the very earth by the mars in her foot ware. The warm, green fluid, trickled through her fingers as she concentrated on her need, her very will: forming a thin membrane, a shield across the sole, which would block out all sound. Silence her as she tread in search of her prey. Food, to sustain her body, all the more emaciated from season's past. The storm that had been brewing on the horizon for many moons.

Slowly, substance seeped from her pores, from the space between her nails and finger flesh. It was a delicate lavender, a sort of paint, which Aello spread over the sole. Her fingers a brush, used to mix everything in. The darkness of the sole clouded the color, creating an image of inky obscurity she could only begin to imagine as it faded into the dark recesses. Far thicker in the areas that had become damaged over years of wear. Being the only shoe she had chosen to utilize whilst traveling, resting, or even, out hunting in the Wildlands. She could feel the warmth of the shield beneath her, as she thought about its task: creating silence, making her as stealthy as a cat when stalking a mouse. She could feel it molding against the shoe. Spilling over. Cascading off the edge, falling through the air, crashing into the ground. Or simply circling, falling along the side of the boot as she manipulated it. Bended it to her will, as a sculptor molded clay into a masterpiece. She could sense her task nearing completion. Her shield gaining strength as she kept on concentrating, as she kept on working.

Finally, Aello pulled her hand away, and glanced down at her work. She could see the last of the lavender fading away. The sole swallowing it whole. All that was left was a strange shimmering. A sort of sparkle that wasn't there before, which told her only that her magic had not failed her. It had worked, a shield now stood where one hadn't before. With wobbling knees, the other stiff from having to hold her weight for so long, Aello planted her foot back down on the ground. It felt heavy, but landed with a muffled sound. It's not perfect, but it shall do, the aurist thought to herself as she lifted her other foot off the ground, and took a few minutes to repeat the process. When she was finished, and both feet were back on the forest floor the colors sprang to life. They seemed to sprout out of the very earth, as though they were daisies. They swayed in the delicate breeze which trickled through the branches, now bursting with life. Deeply green leaves. The colors spread, fanning out all over the forest. Illuminating every edge.

Aello could only smile at the familiarity as they all danced for her. As they leapt from one tree to the next, down into the nether reaches of the forest, several steps from where she now stood. Scouting for her, searching for her, an extra set of eyes, wandering about in need of prey. Another sign of life. With sparkling eyes, the girl allowed her magic to do the work, as she pulled her bow down the length of her arm, and gripped it tightly in her left hand. As she retrieved a raven feather fletched arrow from her quiver, and laced it onto the serving with ease. The three middle fingers of her right hand slid into place. Hugging the nock, inching the string back. As it creaked, she slid the arrow's point down, directing it a place just in front of her step. Satisfied that she was prepared for the hunt, the aurist looked up at the maze of trees ahead of her. It is time, she thought, as she started forward, following the line of lights. Weaving her way in and out of the underbrush, low lying branches. Being sure not to move too swiftly, even though any sound she produced was muffled by her shields, so as not to rustle anything needlessly, and scare anything that may be about away.

As she glided along, she practically held her breath. Kept her chest from rising and falling quite so swiftly. With ease, now that she had grown used to the forest, she traveled to a single source of light. A rabbit off in the distance, which her magic had discovered. A rabbit, which was likely to become her next meal.

by **Aello** on June 5th, 2012, 5:47 pm

With bated breath, Aello made her way forward. For several chimes, simply following the flickering flame cast by the rabbit's aura. The sound of its heart pulsing rapidly, as it kept itself alert. Red eyes darting across the forest floor, ears perked, so that they may pick up any threats to the rabbit's life. At times, it'd dip its head to pluck more foliage from the undergrowth, but even in this, Aello could tell that it was alert. Ready to spring at any moment, should the need arise. Smiling to herself, she crept forward. She could hear her heart hammering in her chest; the sound constantly reverberating in her ears. It was only a matter of time before she caught up. A matter of time before she had the creature cornered, within her grasp. And then, simply, dead.

For several more chimes, Aello made her way forward, weaving in and out of the line of trees. Following the rabbit as silently as possible, as it hopped along. Finally, she came to another portion of the forest, and settled behind a tree. Now, it was not just her magic that could see. But her dark eyes as well. They settled on the rabbit. Its dark fur, rippling beneath its bunched muscles. Smiling wickedly, Aello raised her bow. The shaft of her arrow drew back as she pulled on the string, moving it behind her right ear. Her nails delicately strummed the bow as they curled around the serving all the more. The arrow's tip scraping against the grip. Her muscles flexing, and then growing as taut as the string itself as she held her position, and closed her left eye. Slowly, she took but a single, half step to the tree's side, doing her best to keep to the shadows. Slowly, she pulled on the string, wincing as it creaked, afraid that the already vigilant creature's senses may stir, causing it to bolt.

But the creature did not stir, being too engrossed in its food. Smiling all the more, her eyes sparkling, Aello drew the arrow's point over the rabbit's skull. Directing it at the space right in between its beady eyes. She sighted down the arrow for a few moments as her fingers flexed, and finally, she let go. The arrow erupted from the string, sending it into a series of violent vibrations, which produced a low humming sound. The string whacked her left arm repeatedly, just ahead of the elbow, before she'd had a chance to lower her weapon and watch the projectile fly. Slowly sinking towards the earth, the tense rabbit's skull. Within a heartbeat, a single skipped pulse, a loss of breath, the point had struck. Blood trickled out of the rabbit from a place of torn skin. Deep red matted dark brown shades as the creature fell with a silent flood. The colors fading, as the shields broke.

The aurist strung her bow up the length of her arm, and strode forward swiftly. It had been an easy kill. Too easy. She wished sometimes that things were still challenging for her, but supposed, had she still been in that place, she'd loathe it just as much as this. Sighing, she placed her left hand on the rabbit's head, wrapping her fingers around the protruding arrow. With her right hand, she gripped towards the bottom of the shaft, and twisted her weapon out. Blood came with her, as well as a shred of the creature's feeble mind. Grimacing, Aello wiped the arrow on the ground, until the grime was gone, before placing it back into her quiver with the others. As soon as she had finished, she reached for the rabbit, plucking it from the ground by its ears. With the fallen now in hand, the girl eased herself onto her feet, and was soon lost to the forest. Only a trail of blood left in her wake, signifying that she was ever there...

by **Emblem** on June 10th, 2012, 2:50 am

Congratulations!
You Get Glorious Experience!

Aello
Skills

Lores

Other Shenanigans: Nothing here.

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