The first few arrows had perceivably, dug deeply into the beast's flesh and it's agony was evident. Each subsequent shot from both her and her tribekin seemed to only infuriate and invigorate it further as it's wails and thrashing grew more rebellious, more violent. Her mind had been so uncharacteristically focused on that one, single task of shooting at her target that her mind had numbed to her normally, very keen sense of awareness, so much so that K'iara's moment of struggle had gone completely unnoticed by her. It wasn't until the third or fourth shot, long after she had already verified her hunch that she managed a fragile a smirk in contentment. She was beginning to feel that familiar rush of adrenaline, the rush of a true hunt that she missed ever so dearly.
It was odd that she seemingly had to focus so hard to achieve that feeling now, to disembody herself like she did, though perhaps it was a side effect of what was to happen next.
("....!") K'nahli retracted as a sudden image had appeared before the girl's mind spontaneously, completely disarming her. She stared ahead blankly at the rampaging foe for a few seconds longer, momentarily oblivious to what was occurring around her and uncertain of what had just happened before she was suddenly revisited by yet another image, a scene from her memory a very, short while ago; when her father had her pinned down, challenging her and forcing words from her lips.
("..........!")
This time the flashbacks seemed almost too real, so intense that the girl no longer saw the dangers before her and was blinded by her own self-concern. Her jaw slacked slightly in disbelief, wordless as she was for such distracting thoughts. It were almost as though her mind were battling with her will to erase the encounter from memory, a shattering reminder that even now where she thought she could lose herself in the thrill of the hunt that nothing could shake her from the horrible sin that she had falsely confessed to her father.
("........?")
Did someone call out to her just now? She wasn't even sure anymore, though it mattered little, for it were already far, too late by the time she had finally seen it coming.
"....tch!"
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K'nahli had tilted her head in time to see another large bull that had come charging out from the darkness towards her from her flank, breaking away from the main pack with speed as it sought to help the targeted cub. Though it wasn't a full-sized adult, the animal was still quite massive in comparison to the average miqo'te, certainly large enough to easily kill anything their size were they foolish enough to stand in it's path. K'nahli's eyes shot open. There was hardly enough time for even a mere thought to cross her mind before, instinctively, the girl attempted to thrust herself back out of harm's way with all the strength that she had, propelling herself backwards with only her legs. Though evading the attack entirely was no longer a possibility, K'nahli's natural reflexes and agility served her well to throw herself as far away as she possibly could before the imminent collision.
*THUMP*
The cracking pain that smashed powerfully into her side could be felt in every bone throughout her body. The mighty collision had sent the world spinning around her as the girl was thrown aside and sent tumbling harshly across the barren floor.
"Eyaaaaagghhugh..!!" she gasped uncontrollably as her already-battered body slammed into the ground before coming to an eventual stop. Other than some small scrapes across her wrists from where her bare arms slid against the ground in a weak attempt to slow her tumble, the only wound visible was hidden beneath her hairline, a benign yet deep cut as a result of hitting the ground that was only made evident through the mapping traces of blood that were slowly painting an expanding, crimson streak above her eye.
"...Gyahh! ....agh..." K'nahli whimpered in agony as she clutched a hand against her hip where the beast's solid skull had struck her. The pain that radiated throughout her was at that moment was incredibly fierce, having left the girl feeling as though every bone in her entire body had been shattered. Most of the pain remained at the point of impact, but the weakness it seemed to roll on outward to the rest of her body was overwhelming.
"Tsss....sss-ahah.." the girl moaned weakly while writhing, face-down on the ground as she vainly attempted to return to her feet shakily. It was clear that the girl hadn't even a fraction of the strength needed to push her body more than a few ilms from the ground, even in spite of her stubborn efforts. She panted slowly but heavily, clawing her right hand that was anchored across the ground before her until her fingers dug deeply into the sand-like gravel beneath. Unable to raise her head right away, the girl gazed down into the soil with a dizzied expression. She blinked numerous times before attempting to lightly shake her head in a naive attempt to clear her vision and only serving to discomfort herself further.
Given little time to so much as fully assess her own state, a low but distinctly aggressive groan from what she assumed could only be her assailant suddenly caught the girl's attention - just as the ringing in her ears had slowly begun to subside. With great effort, the girl forced her head upwards to meet eyes with the beast's vengeful glare. K'nahli scowled angrily, fully aware of the highly, dangerous predicament she had landed herself in. Her strength was slowly returning to her as some of the pain could be felt subsiding, though it would certainly not be enough to alleviate her before the beast charged again. With no reason to hesitate, it already seemed like a hopeless situation - even with her sisters nearby. Even if she had somehow summoned the strength to do so, she certainly couldn't handle throwing herself to the ground again to dodge it's attack without seriously crippling her already defeated state. And her bow.... where was it?
Almost entirely throwing the imminent threat to the back of her mind, the girl's eyes quickly scoured the ground around her in search of her precious weapon, though not a moment later were her eyes stolen forward once again as another menacing growl announced the beginning of a second charge. K'nahi's eyes grew wide with fear as the animal came thundering toward her with unrelenting speed. Her senses were still quite dazed though she couldn't tell if anyone had even realised that she had been hit, let alone had been in peril - and most appeared to still be engaged with the first animal and even a third that had also seemingly joined the fray. K'nahli shifted against her injury one final time in a weak attempt to test her strength again, though it was no use.
"Ayah...haha..." she whimpered agitatedly with a voice that almost seemed more preoccupied with wanting to hide it's own weakness than expressing her quickly-mounting fears.
The girl's maroon eyes followed her aggressor's closely with a lingering flare of malice. Somehow, to the girl, merely refusing to allow herself to appear weak and frightened before a beast, no.. her prey..... to allow it to think that it had crushed a cowering predator was absolutely unacceptable; it was a thought that seemed to prevail above all else. That perpetual flare of rebellion that had always served as part of what carried K'nahli through such encounters was not something that even seemed to by quenched beneath the lapping waves of fear.
Her expression, however, seemed to contort strangely then; revealing something which appeared to be an odd mixture of both acceptance and disgust before at last, the girl allowed herself to flinch subtly as she took her eyes away from what was undoubtedly, her approaching death.
It was odd that she seemingly had to focus so hard to achieve that feeling now, to disembody herself like she did, though perhaps it was a side effect of what was to happen next.
("....!") K'nahli retracted as a sudden image had appeared before the girl's mind spontaneously, completely disarming her. She stared ahead blankly at the rampaging foe for a few seconds longer, momentarily oblivious to what was occurring around her and uncertain of what had just happened before she was suddenly revisited by yet another image, a scene from her memory a very, short while ago; when her father had her pinned down, challenging her and forcing words from her lips.
("..........!")
This time the flashbacks seemed almost too real, so intense that the girl no longer saw the dangers before her and was blinded by her own self-concern. Her jaw slacked slightly in disbelief, wordless as she was for such distracting thoughts. It were almost as though her mind were battling with her will to erase the encounter from memory, a shattering reminder that even now where she thought she could lose herself in the thrill of the hunt that nothing could shake her from the horrible sin that she had falsely confessed to her father.
("........?")
Did someone call out to her just now? She wasn't even sure anymore, though it mattered little, for it were already far, too late by the time she had finally seen it coming.
"....tch!"
Â
K'nahli had tilted her head in time to see another large bull that had come charging out from the darkness towards her from her flank, breaking away from the main pack with speed as it sought to help the targeted cub. Though it wasn't a full-sized adult, the animal was still quite massive in comparison to the average miqo'te, certainly large enough to easily kill anything their size were they foolish enough to stand in it's path. K'nahli's eyes shot open. There was hardly enough time for even a mere thought to cross her mind before, instinctively, the girl attempted to thrust herself back out of harm's way with all the strength that she had, propelling herself backwards with only her legs. Though evading the attack entirely was no longer a possibility, K'nahli's natural reflexes and agility served her well to throw herself as far away as she possibly could before the imminent collision.
*THUMP*
The cracking pain that smashed powerfully into her side could be felt in every bone throughout her body. The mighty collision had sent the world spinning around her as the girl was thrown aside and sent tumbling harshly across the barren floor.
"Eyaaaaagghhugh..!!" she gasped uncontrollably as her already-battered body slammed into the ground before coming to an eventual stop. Other than some small scrapes across her wrists from where her bare arms slid against the ground in a weak attempt to slow her tumble, the only wound visible was hidden beneath her hairline, a benign yet deep cut as a result of hitting the ground that was only made evident through the mapping traces of blood that were slowly painting an expanding, crimson streak above her eye.
"...Gyahh! ....agh..." K'nahli whimpered in agony as she clutched a hand against her hip where the beast's solid skull had struck her. The pain that radiated throughout her was at that moment was incredibly fierce, having left the girl feeling as though every bone in her entire body had been shattered. Most of the pain remained at the point of impact, but the weakness it seemed to roll on outward to the rest of her body was overwhelming.
"Tsss....sss-ahah.." the girl moaned weakly while writhing, face-down on the ground as she vainly attempted to return to her feet shakily. It was clear that the girl hadn't even a fraction of the strength needed to push her body more than a few ilms from the ground, even in spite of her stubborn efforts. She panted slowly but heavily, clawing her right hand that was anchored across the ground before her until her fingers dug deeply into the sand-like gravel beneath. Unable to raise her head right away, the girl gazed down into the soil with a dizzied expression. She blinked numerous times before attempting to lightly shake her head in a naive attempt to clear her vision and only serving to discomfort herself further.
Given little time to so much as fully assess her own state, a low but distinctly aggressive groan from what she assumed could only be her assailant suddenly caught the girl's attention - just as the ringing in her ears had slowly begun to subside. With great effort, the girl forced her head upwards to meet eyes with the beast's vengeful glare. K'nahli scowled angrily, fully aware of the highly, dangerous predicament she had landed herself in. Her strength was slowly returning to her as some of the pain could be felt subsiding, though it would certainly not be enough to alleviate her before the beast charged again. With no reason to hesitate, it already seemed like a hopeless situation - even with her sisters nearby. Even if she had somehow summoned the strength to do so, she certainly couldn't handle throwing herself to the ground again to dodge it's attack without seriously crippling her already defeated state. And her bow.... where was it?
Almost entirely throwing the imminent threat to the back of her mind, the girl's eyes quickly scoured the ground around her in search of her precious weapon, though not a moment later were her eyes stolen forward once again as another menacing growl announced the beginning of a second charge. K'nahi's eyes grew wide with fear as the animal came thundering toward her with unrelenting speed. Her senses were still quite dazed though she couldn't tell if anyone had even realised that she had been hit, let alone had been in peril - and most appeared to still be engaged with the first animal and even a third that had also seemingly joined the fray. K'nahli shifted against her injury one final time in a weak attempt to test her strength again, though it was no use.
"Ayah...haha..." she whimpered agitatedly with a voice that almost seemed more preoccupied with wanting to hide it's own weakness than expressing her quickly-mounting fears.
The girl's maroon eyes followed her aggressor's closely with a lingering flare of malice. Somehow, to the girl, merely refusing to allow herself to appear weak and frightened before a beast, no.. her prey..... to allow it to think that it had crushed a cowering predator was absolutely unacceptable; it was a thought that seemed to prevail above all else. That perpetual flare of rebellion that had always served as part of what carried K'nahli through such encounters was not something that even seemed to by quenched beneath the lapping waves of fear.
Her expression, however, seemed to contort strangely then; revealing something which appeared to be an odd mixture of both acceptance and disgust before at last, the girl allowed herself to flinch subtly as she took her eyes away from what was undoubtedly, her approaching death.
![[Image: ecec20e41f.png]](https://puu.sh/xvMxb/ecec20e41f.png)
Characters: Andre Winter (Hy'ur) / K'nahli Yohko (Miqo'te)
