((K’mih’s adulthood trial. Happens a few days after this scene http://ffxiv-roleplayers.com/showthread.php?tid=3295 ))
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For a long moment, all K’mih could hear was her own breathing, louder than it should be, and an inconvenient beep in her head. The enormous worm moved slowly through the sands of the desert, still unaware of the candidate for predator that watched it behind the trees. At a certain distance, also unseen, the huntress observed K’mih’s performance in her adulthood trial.
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It was alright, so she told herself. She had her sister K’nahli’s token of luck tied up to one of her arms; her other hand held the special arrow Kiht had given her. She couldn’t fail, not after their gifts—not after their trust.
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Slowly, she started tensing the bow. It was oddly hot that day, why were her arms shaking?
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“I-I can’t…â€
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Lowering the bow, the young Miqo’te grabbed her own arm, as if trying to stop the shaking. She needed to relax, she just had to breathe. Inhale, exhale, repeat. Inhale, exhale, bow raising slowly once more, inhale, exhale. Gaze focused, heart pounding. The image of K’nahli’s back with her bow tensed, precise and perfect, was drawn in her mind again. She just had to do the same, she just had to…
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The first arrow cut through the air in a matter of miliseconds, and that was all it took to perforate the wild creature’s thick skin. But K’mih wasn’t her sister, and there was no precision in her still shaking arms. Her first shot hadn’t killed her prey; it’d only served to enrage it.
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“…!!â€
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The girl's eyes opened wide when the sand worm emitted a horrifying sound, turning all its attention to the culprit who’d dared to hurt it. She wanted to run, but a strong voice reminded her that if she started doing that now, she’d have to keep running until she was far from home. Failure wasn’t an option.
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There was no time for a second arrow. The monster was over her with a bang, all teeth and drool and death, and all the little Miqo’te could do was dodge the impact of its head against the sand.  Her next step was to quickly grab her axe as her vision became blurry.
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This was no longer an adulthood trial. This was no longer about gaining her right to stay at home. All she wanted now was to live.
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For a long moment, all K’mih could hear was her own breathing, louder than it should be, and an inconvenient beep in her head. The enormous worm moved slowly through the sands of the desert, still unaware of the candidate for predator that watched it behind the trees. At a certain distance, also unseen, the huntress observed K’mih’s performance in her adulthood trial.
Â
It was alright, so she told herself. She had her sister K’nahli’s token of luck tied up to one of her arms; her other hand held the special arrow Kiht had given her. She couldn’t fail, not after their gifts—not after their trust.
Â
Slowly, she started tensing the bow. It was oddly hot that day, why were her arms shaking?
Â
“I-I can’t…â€
Â
Lowering the bow, the young Miqo’te grabbed her own arm, as if trying to stop the shaking. She needed to relax, she just had to breathe. Inhale, exhale, repeat. Inhale, exhale, bow raising slowly once more, inhale, exhale. Gaze focused, heart pounding. The image of K’nahli’s back with her bow tensed, precise and perfect, was drawn in her mind again. She just had to do the same, she just had to…
Â
The first arrow cut through the air in a matter of miliseconds, and that was all it took to perforate the wild creature’s thick skin. But K’mih wasn’t her sister, and there was no precision in her still shaking arms. Her first shot hadn’t killed her prey; it’d only served to enrage it.
Â
“…!!â€
Â
The girl's eyes opened wide when the sand worm emitted a horrifying sound, turning all its attention to the culprit who’d dared to hurt it. She wanted to run, but a strong voice reminded her that if she started doing that now, she’d have to keep running until she was far from home. Failure wasn’t an option.
Â
There was no time for a second arrow. The monster was over her with a bang, all teeth and drool and death, and all the little Miqo’te could do was dodge the impact of its head against the sand.  Her next step was to quickly grab her axe as her vision became blurry.
Â
This was no longer an adulthood trial. This was no longer about gaining her right to stay at home. All she wanted now was to live.
Clover Blake (Hyur) /Â K'mih Yohko (Miqo'te)