Thuma | Yania | Shathisae | You
24th of Summer, 511 AV
"How far is it Thum? It feels like we've been walking for hours." Yania protested from behind Thuma, lagging behind as Thuma continued walking with purpose.
"I told you it would be far, Yani, stop whining." Thuma was getting tired of her sisters' constant complaining. The duo was going on one of the adventures that Thuma liked to go on. This time Thuma had found something extraordinary, and was hoping it hadn't disappeared since she had been there a few hours ago. Yania was not the adventurous type, like Thuma was, but Thuma knew that her sister would appreciate Thuma for showing her this.
What she had found was remarkeable, she wanted to show more people but was afraid to because too many people would be too loud and surprising in such a small frame of time. Thuma was able to get away without being noticed, and was back. She knew the animal would definitely have moved since she was there, but could not be sure how far it had gone.
"Seriously, come on we're practically at the top of the mountain now. It's summer and I'm cold, just tell me what it is." Yania was growing impatient now, Thuma could hear it in her voice. It was true though, they were in the higher regions of the mountains, the snowier regions. It wasn't snowing now but there was a light sheen of it covering the ground. Thuma recognized the area they were in and started looking around for the tree she had marked earlier. There, a small branch wrapped with a green silk.
She walked to the tree and untied the knot in the thread. This was the area she had first seen the incredibly rare ungulate. She had even almost missed it, and would have walked right past if it hadn't happened to step on a branch, making Thuma immediately duck for cover and look for the foe. She couldn't see it at first glance, it's brilliant coat blending with the environment. She had gasped in utter shock at the creature, making it look up and check it's surroundings. Thuma was afraid she would scare it away, so she stayed crouched like that for another half hour, waiting for the creature to have moved away far enough for her to make her way back to Wind Reach as fast as possible.
Now, looking around, she realized that the rare specimen was no longer in the area. Yania was beginning to voice her discontent again.
"What are we do-"
"Shut up would you?" Thuma hissed at the girl, "Now, do not make a single sound and tread as lightly as you possibly can." Yania was surprised at Thuma's interjection, but understood the girl, nodding shortly. Thuma decided to try for going the way the creature was originally heading when she was here a few hours ago. She walked with the lightest footsteps she could muster, practically tiptoeing.
It was slow progress. The air was cold and everything was white, making it hard for Thuma to focus on individual things at once. Her breath came out in a mist. They traveled a few more miles like this, and Thuma could sense Yania getting careless, stepping heavier than she should. She shot a few angry glances over her shoulder at the girl as a reminder to stay silent.
After another hour of this, when Thuma was just about to give up. She saw it.
It's coat gleamed with an almost bluish hue, and there were random speckles of black throughout it. It's antlers stood tall from it's head, at least 2 feet high. Thuma stopped in her tracks and held her arm out to stop Yania as well, and crouched low to the ground. Yania crouched too and instinctively reached for her bow, staring in awe at the beautiful creature. Thuma looked and shook her head once, trying to tell her that this creature should not be shot.
"Is that..." Yania whispered, almost too silent for Thuma to even hear. Thuma nodded and gave her signature half smile, dragging up only one corner of her mouth.
"A Likenstorm Elk." Thuma confirmed, whispering just as quietly. The two were hidden imperceptibly behind a bush, only able to look through it at the incredible elk. The creatures ears twitched as it seemingly aimlessly walked through the forest. It's steps were careful, and it was constantly watching all around it, looking and listening for any sense of danger.
Yania smiled and the two continued to watch the creature. It was a magnificent thing to behold. Something so rare and amazing could not be properly formed into words. Thuma had never seen a Likenstorm Elk, and was sure that not many others had either. This was something that she could hold in her memory for the rest of her life. The prospect of it made her so genuinely happy, she hadn't realized that her face had been lifted to a real smile. One with her teeth showing, her eyes glowing with exhiliration. It wasn't often the girl smiled, it felt good to be happy.
The elk slowly wandered away, and Thuma was okay with that. She didn't want to follow it and cause it any fear. Yania let out a breath behind her, she was smiling too. Thuma looked at her sister and joined in the reverie.
"That was incredible!" Yania gasped, and jumped up from her spot, whooping and throwing her fist in the air. Thuma stood up too and smiled. Yania was always free-spirited and easy to excite. Thuma almost didn't bring her due to the girl's sheer spontaneity. But she knew that Yania was a natural hunter, and knows how to careful around animals she means to kill.
Yania's eyes suddenly went wide with terror, and her face dropped into fear. She was looking at something behind Thuma. Thuma immediately became serious and froze in place. She heard a low growling not far from her. Yania's hand went to her bow, and she took it off from her shoulder. As she drew an arrow from the quiver she spoke slowly.
"Kougara," Yania stated in a whisper. Thuma's adrenaline picked up and she was incredibly afraid. Kougara are large felines standing up to five feet, and from her nose to the tip of their tail can grow to nine feet long. They are extremely territorial, aggresive, and could easily tear apart another human, "Big one." Yania clarified.
Thuma needed to get out of the vulnerable position she was in. Her hand moved incredibly slowly to the talon sword at her waist as she turned to face the predator. It growled once more, making her wince. Yania had finally gotten the arrow to the bow and was pulling it, making the string taut.
She was just about to let the arrow fly when a loud growl resonated from beside her and she was pounced on by another one of the large felines. She let out a surprised scream, the arrow she had shot off into the distance, missing it's target entirely. She hit the ground hard, and the Kougara immediately started slashing at her. Thuma unsheathed her Talon sword and in a fit of rage swung at it's head.
She hit it with a blowing strike, cutting a deep gouge into it's skull. The thing merely cried in loud protest and backed off to glare menacingly at Thuma. It's eyes were cold, dead. What were they doing up here so high? And why were there two of them? Kougaras don't travel in packs, or in pairs. The Kougara Thuma hit was bleeding profusely from the head. Thuma saw Yania's neck had been deeply slashed and her side was also gouged. She needed to get to the girl's aid right away.
But now she had the two felines stalking her, both of them ready to pounce in an instant. She kept swinging at them, making them back away slightly, but they kept closing the space, smaller and smaller. Thuma knew better than to deal the first strike, and waited for something to happen. She adrenaline was coursing through her so fast that she could hear nothing but her own heartbeat and her vision was tinged with red.
Suddenly, the one that hadn't been gouged pounced, Thuma was barely ready for it and only managed to get her talon sword raised before she was knocked heavily to the ground, the wind knocked out of her. She screamed as the creature tore into the flesh on her shoulder, and snapped at her with it's enormous teeth. It's friend was now coming in, to close the kill probably.
Thuma's senses shut off, and she was ready to accept her fate.
"I told you it would be far, Yani, stop whining." Thuma was getting tired of her sisters' constant complaining. The duo was going on one of the adventures that Thuma liked to go on. This time Thuma had found something extraordinary, and was hoping it hadn't disappeared since she had been there a few hours ago. Yania was not the adventurous type, like Thuma was, but Thuma knew that her sister would appreciate Thuma for showing her this.
What she had found was remarkeable, she wanted to show more people but was afraid to because too many people would be too loud and surprising in such a small frame of time. Thuma was able to get away without being noticed, and was back. She knew the animal would definitely have moved since she was there, but could not be sure how far it had gone.
"Seriously, come on we're practically at the top of the mountain now. It's summer and I'm cold, just tell me what it is." Yania was growing impatient now, Thuma could hear it in her voice. It was true though, they were in the higher regions of the mountains, the snowier regions. It wasn't snowing now but there was a light sheen of it covering the ground. Thuma recognized the area they were in and started looking around for the tree she had marked earlier. There, a small branch wrapped with a green silk.
She walked to the tree and untied the knot in the thread. This was the area she had first seen the incredibly rare ungulate. She had even almost missed it, and would have walked right past if it hadn't happened to step on a branch, making Thuma immediately duck for cover and look for the foe. She couldn't see it at first glance, it's brilliant coat blending with the environment. She had gasped in utter shock at the creature, making it look up and check it's surroundings. Thuma was afraid she would scare it away, so she stayed crouched like that for another half hour, waiting for the creature to have moved away far enough for her to make her way back to Wind Reach as fast as possible.
Now, looking around, she realized that the rare specimen was no longer in the area. Yania was beginning to voice her discontent again.
"What are we do-"
"Shut up would you?" Thuma hissed at the girl, "Now, do not make a single sound and tread as lightly as you possibly can." Yania was surprised at Thuma's interjection, but understood the girl, nodding shortly. Thuma decided to try for going the way the creature was originally heading when she was here a few hours ago. She walked with the lightest footsteps she could muster, practically tiptoeing.
It was slow progress. The air was cold and everything was white, making it hard for Thuma to focus on individual things at once. Her breath came out in a mist. They traveled a few more miles like this, and Thuma could sense Yania getting careless, stepping heavier than she should. She shot a few angry glances over her shoulder at the girl as a reminder to stay silent.
After another hour of this, when Thuma was just about to give up. She saw it.
It's coat gleamed with an almost bluish hue, and there were random speckles of black throughout it. It's antlers stood tall from it's head, at least 2 feet high. Thuma stopped in her tracks and held her arm out to stop Yania as well, and crouched low to the ground. Yania crouched too and instinctively reached for her bow, staring in awe at the beautiful creature. Thuma looked and shook her head once, trying to tell her that this creature should not be shot.
"Is that..." Yania whispered, almost too silent for Thuma to even hear. Thuma nodded and gave her signature half smile, dragging up only one corner of her mouth.
"A Likenstorm Elk." Thuma confirmed, whispering just as quietly. The two were hidden imperceptibly behind a bush, only able to look through it at the incredible elk. The creatures ears twitched as it seemingly aimlessly walked through the forest. It's steps were careful, and it was constantly watching all around it, looking and listening for any sense of danger.
Yania smiled and the two continued to watch the creature. It was a magnificent thing to behold. Something so rare and amazing could not be properly formed into words. Thuma had never seen a Likenstorm Elk, and was sure that not many others had either. This was something that she could hold in her memory for the rest of her life. The prospect of it made her so genuinely happy, she hadn't realized that her face had been lifted to a real smile. One with her teeth showing, her eyes glowing with exhiliration. It wasn't often the girl smiled, it felt good to be happy.
The elk slowly wandered away, and Thuma was okay with that. She didn't want to follow it and cause it any fear. Yania let out a breath behind her, she was smiling too. Thuma looked at her sister and joined in the reverie.
"That was incredible!" Yania gasped, and jumped up from her spot, whooping and throwing her fist in the air. Thuma stood up too and smiled. Yania was always free-spirited and easy to excite. Thuma almost didn't bring her due to the girl's sheer spontaneity. But she knew that Yania was a natural hunter, and knows how to careful around animals she means to kill.
Yania's eyes suddenly went wide with terror, and her face dropped into fear. She was looking at something behind Thuma. Thuma immediately became serious and froze in place. She heard a low growling not far from her. Yania's hand went to her bow, and she took it off from her shoulder. As she drew an arrow from the quiver she spoke slowly.
"Kougara," Yania stated in a whisper. Thuma's adrenaline picked up and she was incredibly afraid. Kougara are large felines standing up to five feet, and from her nose to the tip of their tail can grow to nine feet long. They are extremely territorial, aggresive, and could easily tear apart another human, "Big one." Yania clarified.
Thuma needed to get out of the vulnerable position she was in. Her hand moved incredibly slowly to the talon sword at her waist as she turned to face the predator. It growled once more, making her wince. Yania had finally gotten the arrow to the bow and was pulling it, making the string taut.
She was just about to let the arrow fly when a loud growl resonated from beside her and she was pounced on by another one of the large felines. She let out a surprised scream, the arrow she had shot off into the distance, missing it's target entirely. She hit the ground hard, and the Kougara immediately started slashing at her. Thuma unsheathed her Talon sword and in a fit of rage swung at it's head.
She hit it with a blowing strike, cutting a deep gouge into it's skull. The thing merely cried in loud protest and backed off to glare menacingly at Thuma. It's eyes were cold, dead. What were they doing up here so high? And why were there two of them? Kougaras don't travel in packs, or in pairs. The Kougara Thuma hit was bleeding profusely from the head. Thuma saw Yania's neck had been deeply slashed and her side was also gouged. She needed to get to the girl's aid right away.
But now she had the two felines stalking her, both of them ready to pounce in an instant. She kept swinging at them, making them back away slightly, but they kept closing the space, smaller and smaller. Thuma knew better than to deal the first strike, and waited for something to happen. She adrenaline was coursing through her so fast that she could hear nothing but her own heartbeat and her vision was tinged with red.
Suddenly, the one that hadn't been gouged pounced, Thuma was barely ready for it and only managed to get her talon sword raised before she was knocked heavily to the ground, the wind knocked out of her. She screamed as the creature tore into the flesh on her shoulder, and snapped at her with it's enormous teeth. It's friend was now coming in, to close the kill probably.
Thuma's senses shut off, and she was ready to accept her fate.
Thuma
