K'yohko Nunh [Semi closed]

[Clover]

((OOC: At the Hipparion tribe.))

 

Sometimes, when K'nahli Yohko engaged in her daily training, her sister K'mih would sit on a nearby rock to watch her. The young Miqo'te seemed to love observing her older sister's skills with the bow, even dreamed of becoming a good huntress like her someday. Her eyes would always be glued to her sister's back as she tensed the bow, movements perfect and precise, and albeit her expression remained hidden for K'mih at those moments, the girl could still picture her sister's fierce eyes.

 

Piercing, sad eyes.

 

Like in most occasions, many thoughts would dance around the young Miqo'te's head, untold. Whatever was in her mind this time, however, it gained a voice.

 

"K'nahli..."

 

K'mih spoke softly, her tone displaying that hint of melancholy that never failed to indicate how something had been worrying her.

 

"...Who do you think the next Nunh will be...?"

 

The reason behind her concern was more than evident, for the next Nunh would likely be the one they’d mate with in the future. Somehow, it wasn't something K'mih could easily picture.

[K'nahli]

A soft veil of wind-swept sand calmly whispered its way towards the blue-haired girl, gently tickling and caressing against her exposed skin as she held her bow poised and ready, string tensed back as far as it would allow and arrow carefully targeted towards a distant object before her. K'nahli blinked twice as her thoughts began accumulating in response to her sister's question, distracting the miqo'te from her target practice enough to cause her to turn on her heels to face K'mih.

 

 

"Why.... do you ask such a thing, K'mih?" K'nahli furrowed her brow slightly as she took a few steps towards her sister, lowering her bow and disarming it in the process.

 

The warm, Sagolii breeze caught against her ornament-adorned locks, causing them to sway gently across her face as she remained observant of the small figure sitting anxiously atop a rock. Her eyes of crimson narrowed slightly in focus as she tilted her head, unsure of what to expect. Afraid of what the answer would be.

[Clover]

K'mih's eyes opened in surprise at her sister interrupting her training to face her. She hadn't meant to distract K'nahli this much; when her gaze lowered to her own feet, there wasn't just melancholic concern but also guilt.

 

"Hnn..."

 

She tried to smile, albeit timidly.

 

"You know that we will have to bring children to the tribe someday... and it can only be with the next Nunh..."

[K'nahli]

K'nahli quickly recoiled her head as a disgusted grimace quickly formed across her face, not that her sister would have seen as the calamine-haired girl's gaze remained glued to her feet. The older miqo'te quickly turned on the spot, facing her back to K'mih so as to hide her otherwise obvious distaste for the subject. It was exactly what she had feared, though somehow hearing the words actually come out of K'mihs mouth sickened K'nahli to no end.

She didn't like this.... she didn't even want to acknowledge it.

 

K'nahli's eyes remained fixated on the now seemingly colourless sand before her, the miqo'te's features shifting and quivering every so often as powerful emotions continuously squirmed and writhed through her very being, tickling her stomach and mustering up a compelling feeling of utter resent.

 

"Why do you think of such things now? You are much too young" K'nahli finally spat in reply after her noticeable silence following K'mihs explanation.

 

She remained with her back to her sister. Unable to face her.

Unable to contemplate someone else taking her sister away from her. Her innocence.

 

Yet at the same time, she didn't want K'mih to see her own hatred towards the subject. She wasn't going to explain to her why she had reacted in such a way, she couldn't..

[Clover]

Her sister's sudden movement did earn a brief peek from K'mih's eyes, and the following silence only contributed to the idea that K'nahli was disgusted about the matter. Had it been worrying her as well?

 

At the question, the young Miqo'te's eyes travelled down back to her feet, which moved playful and nervously.

 

"Today, mother reminded me that I've passed my trial... therefore I should start getting my mind ready to think as adults do. She thinks I should consider the possibility as soon as a new Nunh is elected..."

 

Her shoulders sank slightly more, ears down with her mood. The thought of losing her freedom to play and explore bothered her, of course. She wasn't quite prepared to embrace the true life of an adult woman. However, that wasn't her only concern.

 

"I asked her why I couldn't mate with father... but she said it'd be strange..."

 

Bicoloured eyes raised to her sister then, seeking comfort as they always did.

 

"Is it strange, K'nahli? Isn't father the best Miqo'te we've ever met?"

[K'nahli]

"K'....K'mihgazu?" K'nahli hissed silently to herself while clenching her fists tightly by her side. The small, sharpened curvature along her bow dug painfully into her palm as she did so, though it only presented her with more reason to continue. That pain would serve as a distraction, something to focus on instead of this nightmare she found herself trapped within. A creeping, trickle of blood squeezed itself out from between her fingers as the splintering wood began to cut deeply into her skin. It rolled outwards from her fist, leaving a faint, ruby trail along the side of her trembling hand before it dropped silently away to become engulfed by the sands below, leaving only a tiny, darkened, splotch of deep crimson by her feet. The pain however, was no longer noticeable. She squeezed harder in hopes that it would return as her expression grew steadily more fierce, but to no avail.

 

 

"I asked her why I couldn't mate with father... but she said it'd be strange..."

 

 

"....."

 

K'nahli's heart immediately sank at the mention of their father. K'yohko? She wanted to mate with K'yohko?! She let out a faint whimper in disbelief as she fidgeted briefly on the spot, unsure of what to do with her one free hand as she shuffled randomly, touching against both her temple and face in light of her complete confusion inside that moment.

Suddenly dropping her bow into the sand, K'nahli quickly turned around to face K'mih who had also turned her attention to her sister.

 

"K'mih... why.... why would you...?" she tried to express her concern though struggled to form a complete sentence. She instead raised her injured hand up to her chest, clenching it tightly once more as her heartache agonizingly heaved beneath her breast. Her eyes were unable to remain focused on one spot in the sand as they darted back and forth rapidly. The dismayed girl shut her eyes firmly as she drew in a deep breath of the tepid evening air in an attempt to regain control of herself, though unfortunately for the miqo'te, her feelings would not be so easily subdued. Her hands continued to tremble moderately as her heart rate further escalated anxiously, unafflicted by the her initial attempt.

 

 

A second breath.

Why must her mother interfere? What business is it of hers what her proclaimed "adult" daughter does now? If anything she has less reason to impose in the way she already has. She knows her daughter well enough to realise that she is influential and obedient. What kind of rotten trick was that of her to implant her own ideals into her daughter like that? Strip K'mih of her own free will because she won't want to disappoint her mother? Was that the idea?

Had K'nahli's eyes been visible they'd have been burning with anger at this point. How dare that woman?

("She belongs to me..") K'nahli thought with bitter resentment. ("No-one else").

 

 

A third breath.

Why K'yohko of all people? Her father.. THEIR father. Why does it matter that K'yohko is the "best" that they know? Doesn't she understand that the existence of the second nuhn is to avoid such encounters? Does the thought of coupling with her father not revolt her? He sired her. This was wrong, so very wrong... but K'nahli couldn't explain why. Surely something she felt so passionately against should have a very, simple explanation. A clear-found argument to dispel the thought entirely. Though no matter how hard she thought about it, no answer presented itself. K'yohko... was ideal. She just couldn't consent to it.

 

 

A fourth breath.

Why wouldn't K'mih fight her own battles?

Why was she just as submissive as ever when K'nahli really needed her to fight?

Was K'mih willing to give up everything, including her sister, just to abide by her mother's wishes?

Was that really what was going to happen?

 

Such a path would change everything. It would forever distort who K'mih was in K'nahli's eyes and what she meant to her. She would change. She can't change. K'nahli could never allow it. She wouldn't.

 

 

K'nahli exhaled deeply as she unveiled her shimmering eyes and focused her glare on K'mih, knowing she was still awaiting an answer to her question. The older sister studied the younger intently in silence before finally working up the courage to look her directly in the eye. Though something was different. Suddenly, meeting her gaze didn't leave her feeling calm anymore. The once pacifying glimmer of her beautifully vibrant bi-coloured eyes had disappeared and was instead replaced by a feeling that only catalyzed her intense sense of worry and despair.

 

K'nahli's voice cracked as she opened her mouth in a vain attempt to speak once again, her eyes looking down and away from her sister to release herself from the strangling hold that the younger miqo'te's gaze had suddenly set upon her. Her mouth had grown drier than the sands which they stood upon. The steel, blue-haired girl placed a soothing palm across her temple in attempts to calm her racing thoughts and in hopes that it would prevent the tears from flowing. She was already failing to prevent herself from doing something that she had always promised herself she would never do. At the very least, she must prevent it from going any further.

 

 

"Its not.... always about who is best..." K'nahli finally managed to find the words she needed. She used everything she had left in her to prevent herself from stammering. No more weakness.

 

"You don't... want K'yohko for any other reason.. right?" she inquired carefully while slowly examining her injured palm. The pain had suddenly come upon her now. It stung her bow-wielding hand incessantly as it continued to bleed; with a few more drops quickly escaping free from the wound and falling noiselessly into the sands below.

[Twinflame]

((Aksed K'nahli before posting and she said it was fine!))

 

An omnipresent but mostly silent din, the sand moved around the desert like a tide taking decades to roll up onto a beach. The sand rode the wind, and shared the air with the sound of voices and movement, the smell of bodies and breath. The desert shimmered like a frozen ocean in the heat, and the currents carried blood to his senses. K'nahli practiced just outside of camp, her targets downwind to keep the sand out of her eyes. She was there with K'mih. It wasn't unusual.

 

"Strange is a word for it," K'ile Tia's voice broke through the breeze, coming from upwind. With his hair pulled from his face by the sand, his blue eyes -- exactly like K'thalen's had been -- looked over the two women. They did not linger on K'nahli, instead giving K'mih his best casual smile. He stood atop the sand as if he had always been there, his approach as natural and silent as a migrating stone.

 

The sensitive skin at his neck and collarbones was pink where the sand had irritated it, and where the strap that held his quiver lay over it. His longbow, a cheap and simple thing, was held in an otherwise limp hand at his side.

 

"Perhaps K'mihgazu didn't want to go into it," he continued as he took steps towards the pair. "Couplings that are too near -- family members, siblings -- are dangerous. They infect the couple with impurity and ill fate. Resulting children always perish, and must be burned to be purified. Such cannot be done for those who committed the sin and brought the impurity upon themselves. For the crime, they may have to be sent away from the tribe, or else we would have to carry the burden of their curse."

 

K'ile chuckled at a private thought, "Maybe your mother was kind to simply call it 'strange', but I think you're smart enough to deal with it. It never really comes up anyway." He lifted his bow, and looked to K'nahli. "I was hoping you could teach me a bit today. I figured out how to get the arrow in there, but my fingers are still clumsy." He pointedly did not ask about the smell of blood.

[Clover]

((OOC: Thank you very much for joining! That was awesome (*____*) ))

 

 

Silence had never been this painful, this deadly. K’mih had searched for K’nahli’s gaze trying to find comfort, trying to understand the final look her mother gave her when she realized that her daughter’s inquiry had been actually serious; one of anger and fear, as if for a moment she couldn’t recognize her own child. What she found in K’nahli, however, was even worse.

 

Her reactions, the look in her eyes and even her sudden whimper-- everything seemed to describe how ugly K’mih had painted the world with just a question. It left the young Miqo’te completely frozen on the spot, eyes well open and lips slightly parted. There was a storm inside her sister, there was disgust; K’mih could see that much.

 

“Sister…” she said with a frozen, shocked stare, her voice barely rising. “…You’re bleeding…”

 

Why did it have to happen like this? Why did it have to be so painful? How could her deep respect for her father be so wrong? K’mih had been taught that every female Miqo’te had to give herself to the Nunh, for this one was the strongest and most capable; the best man. That was what her father was to her. She’d learned to admire and love him above any other male-- he was the Nunh. Furthermore, K’mih was scared of venturing into the unknown, dark path of adulthood, and her father was the most familiar and comforting male figure she’d ever known. The more K’mih thought about it, the more difficult it was to picture herself with anyone else. Was it wrong that she could only choose him?

 

Why was K’nahli still silent? Why was she…?

 

(“You don’t… want K’yohko for any other reason… right?”)

 

“Eh…?”

 

That earned a reaction from K’mih. A blink, followed by more thoughts. Her eyes, albeit still aimed at her sister, were no longer seeing her.

 

Any other reason? Should there be…? …Could there be…?

 

(“Strange is a word for it.”)

 

Another voice resounded in the wind, ears that caught words which should have remained a secret. K’mih’s gaze turned to meet K’ile, the punisher, and it was the first time she felt pure fear about what she’d just said. Albeit her intention had been innocent, she’d had time to realize how wrong others considered her thoughts. Quickly, she lowered her gaze to the ground with guilt, eyes wide open and body tense.

 

K’ile spoke of what kind of fate awaited those who decided to take a forbidden path, his tone melting like a threat in K’mih’s ears. It hadn’t been her intention, she didn’t know. She didn’t know. She wanted to tell him that she wouldn’t do anything wrong, but a nod from her head was everything she could manage. The next thing she heard was K’ile talking to her sister about a completely different matter, leaving a silent K’mih with her own personal storm.

 

It should be alright. He wasn’t going to punish her, for she hadn’t done anything bad.

[K'nahli]

Whether or not K'nahli had not heard K'mih's initial remark or choose to remain ignorant of it was unknown. In the end, the older female placed no emphasis on the thick fluid that slowly, yet continuously dripped away from her hand. Now she had been preoccupied with what answer K'mih would have to offer in response to her question, and as it would turn out, it would not aid in her recovery from the moment.

K'mih had appeared to have been surprised by K'nahli's question in the end, an indirect answer and the source of which the next wave of emotions had spawned. Painful though much less powerful than before, or at least it had seemed. The girl retained her composure this time in spite of the forceful, tidal pulls of polar-opposite emotions that wallowed deep within her. Staggering slightly she placed a hand across her temple once more hoping that this time it would soothe the throbbing pain beneath.

 

 

It was then that both miqo'te turned to behold the tia K'ile approaching them, apparently having overheard their conversation. K'nahli's brow furrowed as she quickly returned to her typical defensive state as the man drew nearer and introduced himself to the ongoing conversation. Instead of passing judgement or scolding her sister for such thoughts however, he instead sought the chance to explain to K'mih, better than K'nahli ever could have herself, why such things were just not the way of the natural order. Regardless of his words, words that K'nahli would only have wished she could have spoken herself earlier, it brought neither girl comfort.

 

 

Having concluded with his thoughts on the matter, K'ile then raised his hand to K'nahli, presenting her with both his bow and a humble request. K'nahli blinked a few times in surprise in the revelation that he had merely come seeking her guidance. Nonetheless, the thought only further troubled the elder sibling. Her gaze momentarily broke away from the tia as she found herself sulking pitifully. She had, in fact, only been moments away from asking K'mih to come train with her before the matter even reared it's ugly head. As a result, she unintentionally presented K'ile with no initial response while her mind continued to wander further on the matter. Her sister seemed to be slipping farther and farther away with every moment that she continued lingering on the thought - and it was slowly breaking K'nahli's heart.

 

Shaking her head subtly and blinking a few more times, K'nahli returned her gaze to meet with K'iles'. Her ruby eyes glared through him fiercely in the process.

 

"I'd hate to think you were eavesdropping, K'ile, and that this 'guidance' you seek is merely your excuse for presenting yourself before us" K'nahli replied bitterly, her watch unrelenting on the male as she took a step to the side and gestured for him to take position where she had been standing previously.

 

K'nahli quickly passed a solemn glance towards K'mih to ensure the girl's well-being, fearing that K'ile's appearance and K'nahli's diverted attention may have left her feeling uncomfortable. Her lips parted as she sought to speak once again to her sister.

 

"K'mih..... do you..." she spoke hesitantly in attempts to invite K'mih to take part, though she was unable to finish her sentence. Her eyes reluctantly fell to the sand once more as a blanket of sadness slowly fell upon her.

 

No... surely she had no interest in training with K'nahli.

[Twinflame]

K'nahli was too much like her father. Put a Sand Drake before the woman and she's cool as ice, deliberate and confident. Talk to her when she's in a mood, though? She'll sprout razor spines and a shell thicker than dragonscale. It was the kind of weakness that reticent K'yohko carried like a plague and spread to his children. For all of the embers in her glare, K'nahli was just as afraid as K'mih, sometimes.

 

In those who possessed strength and will, meekness was a sin, and it dripped hideously from the down-turned gaze K'nahli offered her sister.

 

"The wind was carrying your voices toward camp," K'ile stated, settling himself in the place that K'nahli had indicated. "And my ears do not choose between sounds to hear. I do not resent your accusation, though. Wait until you've seen just how much guidance I need! It's humiliating!" He ended with a chuckle.

 

When he turned his gaze to K'mih, he saw a girl in desperate retreat as though pursued by Amal'jaa. At least her meekness was sincere. The blood of her grandfather K'thalen, even so deluded, was stronger than that of her father K'yohko, and it was easy to discern from which that honesty came.

 

"K'mih," he gave the girl a smile, "Come have your sister teach you as well! I'm afraid she's mad at me, and I wouldn't want to go into such danger alone." His red ears bounced a couple times and swiveled towards K'mih.

[Clover]

No matter how long K’mih would spend with her sister, that strong temper would never cease to surprise and amaze her. With no fear, K’nahli had dared to speak clearly to K’ile, questioning his presence and his intentions. It was something K’mih could have never been able to do, mainly because she wasn’t one to mistrust others; she had assumed that it’d been her fault if another Miqo’te had head their conversation. Her sister’s words, however, rang an alarm in the Miqo’te’s confused mind.

 

K’nahli called her name right after, getting attention from eyes that rose in a still slightly down face. Her sentence, however, was never finished. Was she mad at her?

 

In such worrisome thoughts she was when K’ile spoke again. Much to K’mih’s surprise, he proposed for K’nahli to teach the two of them. It was odd. Just a moment ago, the young Miqo’te had mistrusted the Tia; now she couldn’t help but to perceive an attempt to cheer her up, to fix things between her and her dear sister. Perhaps he didn’t mean to make her sad to start with. Perhaps K’nahli had been too harsh.

 

K’mih’s initial surprise was quickly replaced by a hopeful and thankful smile, her gaze traveling from K’ile to her sister. “Could you teach me as well, K’nahli?”

 

The thorny subject seemed to have been cast aside for now, if not from their minds, at least from their throats. K’mih believed –wanted to believe- that she’d learned a lesson.

[K'nahli]

K'nahli merely offered a nod in acceptance when K'ile gave a rather simple but reasonable explanation for overhearing their private conversation. Her eyes followed him closely while he took position before her, a more calm expression soon following across her features.

 

"Sorry" is what she wanted to say to the man. It was clear that he genuinely posed no malice with his arrival, though her burdened mind would not allow her to so easily retreat into a submissive or defeatist state. She began positioning herself next to the male, her body closely shadowing his as she prepared to steady and guide his form from the very beginning. K'ile, however, was not ready to begin just yet. Turning around to face the younger sister, he passed along an invitation to K'mih in K'nahli's stead, maintaining a passive and calm posture while he shared a sweet smile with her. K'nahli's eyes quickly widened in surprise as her head shot towards K'mih in anxious anticipation of her answer. Her hopes were hardly peaked however, surely the girl would answer with:

 

 

-"No.. I'm okay, thank you"-

-"I'm fine just watching!"-

-"I'll only get in the way!"-

 

...or anything dismissive. K'nahli should have known from the beginning. A girl like K'mih would soon lose interest in putting up with someone like her. She was totally undeserving of her friendship. She had nothing to offer her younger sister.

 

 

“Could you teach me as well, K’nahli?”

 

 

The words genuinely came as a shock to K'nahli. Blinking a few times in disbelief, the girl continued watching her younger sister with a visibly, surprised expression as she loitered in complete distrust of her own hearing.

 

After a moment of silence, K'nahli breathed out softly with relief while a gentle smile slowly creeped across her face. What was wrong with her? Of course K'mih hadn't lost interest. The girl had stuck with her faithfully even after K'yhaega's death. K'mih was not so shallow as to abandon K'nahli that easily. If anything, K'nahli was in the wrong for having less faith in her sister.

Reaching down for the bow she had dropped earlier, K'nahli gripped it lightly and discreetly attempted to wipe away the faded traces of blood that remained clinging to the wood. Then, with the company of a warm nod, she presented the bow out towards her sister gingerly in happy acceptance to her request.

 

 

 

 

"Thank you..." she finally managed to whisper quietly to the tia from the corner of her mouth.

No eye contact was made, though she felt that K'ile, perhaps, had a much keener perception than she had given him credit for. Something she, at least, was truly grateful for in that moment.

[Twinflame]

"Uhm," K'ile wasn't sure what K'nahli was thanking him for, but wasn't one to turn down credit. "No problem." He was truthfully surprised K'mih had taken his advice, but then women did respond well to a little smile every now and then, didn't they?

 

Turning to face K'nahli, the Tia said, "Keep your bow on you for a quick second," and pulled an arrow against the string of his own. Around this point K'ile was wishing he had a better idea of how to use his bow, or that he'd brought his spear. His fingers couldn't decide where to settle in the shaft as they strained against the bowstring, but his nose picked out where to aim.

 

Pointing his arrow off to one side, he said, "Try not to shoot your father."

[K'nahli]

K'nahli eyed the tia in confusion as he awkwardly drew an arrow on his own. His technique was messy at best though perhaps enough to get the job done should the situation call upon it. Regardless, in spite of his request she did not immediately note the impending danger. Instead, taking a step back, K'nahli removed herself from the tia's space. In part, her intention was to allow him more room though asked frankly, she would have replied that she feared for a drastically misfired arrow that may prematurely claim her life.

 

K'ile aiming towards a random spot in the sand had earned a little suspicion from the girl. He wasn't trying to show her something after all. Was something approaching? She certainly hadn't noticed, nor did she understand what he meant by his warning not to shoot her father unless K'yohko had learned how to morph himself into but a grain of sand. Regardless, K'nahli quickly yet nimbly slipped an arrow in place, resting it gently against the bow string as her weapon remained pointed before her feet in standby - awaiting any impending threat that may be looming.

[Lyraciilee]

[align=center][/align]

 

The sun was quickly reaching its peak in the day, casting long dark shadows across the burning sands. A head of purple, a color that stood out most profoundly against the sands, stood silent in the sun. K'yohko Nunh sniffed the stale air, his tail deadly still. For just a brief moment, the man thought he had felt the ground beneath him vibrate while he meditated. Large vibrations too, definitely a sandworm and a big one. Even for the seasoned hunted, it was difficult to tell where it would come up if it came up at all. 

 

The Nunh grabbed his long bow made of sleek light oak wood. The bow was of a good quality, as obvious by the handiwork and the light detailing down its curve. His eyes scanned the ground for his quiver, and with a swift motion he secured the quiver about his torso. He after all, never moved anywhere without a weapon these days. Although he perhaps would have preferred a lance or a sword, his bow would work equally well if there was a sandworm sneaking about. 

 

He rose to his feet quickly and followed the distant feeling of the sand's movement beneath his feet. Long had he tracked sandworms, and following the sand's vibration was no easy task even for the most skilled hunter. K'yohko focused solely on the ground in front of him, looking for the telltale signs of a tunneling sandworm. The sands shifted in front of him without anyone stepping there, and as he tracked the beast the vibrations became stronger. Just where was the beast going? 

 

K'yohko looked up again from the sand, his sharp eyes picking up three distant figures directly in the way of the sandworm's path. K'nahli and K'mih of course he recognized instantly, K'ile a quick third. The man's flaming hair was very good for picking him out in a crowd or among the sands. 

 

"Move!" the Nunh barked sharply, picking up an arrow from his quiver and readying it along his bow. He moved with precision as the worm picked up speed. The ground shook beneath them violently before the sands burst forward naught but a few feet before the trio and an enormous sand worm brought free with a roar. Sand worms were usually large, but this one in particular was larger than the rest. 

 

'An alpha?' K'yohko thought quickly. He clicked his tongue in irritation. If he let K'mih or K'nahli get hurt while he was here... It couldn't happen. He wouldn't let such a thing happen. K'yohko pulled back on the bow, lining up the arrow as he dashed forward to get a better shot. He couldn't wait to get to the front of the beast, he had to shoot now. K'yohko released the arrow, letting it fly true and straight into the weakest portion of the side of the beast's head. The arrow dug in past the jointed scales and deep into the fleshy portion. With a cry, the worm turned to its attacker, but the nunh had no sooner shot the arrow than pulled out another one and was ready. As it roared again in anger, K'yohko shot again. This time, the arrow flew straight into the beast's open mouth, puncturing its throat. The sandworm flailed and tried to roar, but the airways were flooding with blood and it began to choke on its own blood.

[Twinflame]

The worm was about one meter from his face and two meters wide, so hitting the thing with his arrow turned out to be really easy! So when the arrowhead glanced against a bit of armored hide and flipped off into the sand without doing any damage, K'ile felt somewhat robbed. With the worm towering over him and writhing in the air, small barbed legs kicking about and sand shifting beneath his feet, K'ile Tia tried to notch another arrow and spat at the thing, "Don't screw with me. I'm gonna get an arrow in you if I gotta-! Oof."

 

One of the thing's many legs struck his bow sideways and the barbs grabbed his arm, tearing at muscle and throwing him to the side. He hit the ground and rolled, loose arrows flying from his quiver and littering the ground around him. Sand in his eyes, he muttered curses and grabbed at the string of his bow again. But the string was limp, and the bow was half-broken.

 

"Bitch!" He snapped the cheap bow into two pieces and dropped it, grabbing up two handfuls of fallen arrows. "I said you're gonna take an arrow! Stop squirming!"

 

In all of his great wisdom, K'ile Tia ran at the worm with arrows clutched in his fists, shouting curses.

[Clover]

Eager to listen to her sister's lessons, K'mih stood up from the rock she'd been sitting on. For now, she limited herself to watch the other two Miqo'tes, hoping to learn something valuable from them before trying it herself. It wouldn't be the first time she used a bow, but her skills were close to non existent and she feared to perform very badly.

 

("Try not to shoot your father.")

 

There was a painful twitch in K'mih's stomach at the mention of K'yohko. Confused eyes opened wider, hands traveling up near her chest as she looked in the direction K'ile's arrow was pointing at. Was her father nearby? Could he have heard what shouldn't be pronounced again...?

 

It was then that she started noticing a strange sound accompanied by a growing temblor under their feet. The now feared K'yohko's voice had just registered in her mind when the sands seemed to implode right next to them, making K'mih clumsily fall back onto the ground.

 

"Ah!"

 

For one, two seconds, her eyes remained shut from the fall and the first wave of sand, arms in front of her head to protect herself. Shock filled her features when she finally rose her gaze, just to meet with a monstrous figure towering over them, so enormous to K'mih's perception that she could have sworn that the creature's shadow was covering the sun itself. Traumatic images from her adulthood trial reappeared in her mind, albeit this time she happened to be completely unarmed, unable to have predicted that the daily training would meet such an outcome.

 

"K'ile!" She helplessly shouted when the worm managed to grab the Tia and toss him away with no effort. One of his arrows landed somewhere near her; using the chance that she was already on the ground, K'mih threw herself towards it and grabbed it as fast as possible. Perhaps there wasn't much she could do with such a petite edge, but she wanted to have claws in case of being grabbed as well.

 

Her wide open eyes travelled then around the scene. To K'ile who ran towards the giant worm with surprising and outstanding courage. To the monster which turned its head, furious, towards her father. Her lips parted widely as if they wanted to shout a name, but no voice came out of them. Instead, it was the sound of a deadly arrow impacting inside the monster's throat.

[K'nahli]

"Confound it..." K'nahli growled to herself as she retreated towards K'mih, placing herself between her sister and the beast to serve as the best line of defence should the creature strike. K'yohko's call from afar was beyond reassuring. Despite the discomforting topic held not too long ago about the man, his presence was a welcomed relief to the blue-haired miqo'te who stood solid and defensive in protection of her little sister. The creature was much larger than regular sand worms and could easily withstand a number of strikes from an archer of her standard, even from close range.

K'yohko had wasted no time in coming to the trio's aid, though he was still too far off to strike the beast cleanly before it would launch itself at K'ile and toss him aside as if he were nothing.

 

"...tch" K'nahli grunted aggressively. She wanted to help, she wanted to subdue the beast and protect K'ile but.. she couldn't. K'mih was unarmed and she dared not risk aggravate the beast unless it were necessary. Her conscious screamed at her, tore at her from the inside.

 

-"Shoot! K'ile is in trouble!"- the voice of reason and moral resounded painfully within her skull. She couldn't just stand there and do nothing, and she had no intention to... but...

 

-"You would put his life at risk just in case K'mih gets hurt? She is not helpless!"-

Doubt quickly clouded her mind as her conscience urged her to help her brother. Why wouldn't her body follow?

 

-"NOW!"-

 

".................."

 

It was no use. She couldn't bring herself to take the initiative, she was too afraid to so much as call out for K'mih to run should it garner too much attention.

 

 

Suddenly, K'nahli's ears perked up straight as they picked up on that familiar, piercing sound of both wood and bone slicing through the air with kinetic intensity before hastily greeting it's target, puncturing cleanly through the thick hide of the colossal alpha that towered dauntingly before them. A magnificent spray of ruby escaped into the cerulean sky above, bathing and glistening beautifully in the sun's rays before softly cascading downwards, discipating partly into the wind while the remainder lightly stained the sun-baked, tangerine sands below.

 

K'nahli blinked twice in awe. It was almost scary how beautiful such a barbarous sight could appear to the beholder, though there was no time for her to remain but a spectator. In ignorance of her sister's sudden movement, K'nahli sought to utilize the chance that K'yohko had presented her. Now that the worm had turned its attention away from them, she quickly rearmed her weapon, targeting the back of the creature's skull with determined vehemence as another arrow soared cleanly from K'yohko's oaken bow into it's throat, causing it to gargle abhorrently as it choked on its own blood.

K'ile had quickly returned to his feet and had began charging towards their common target with an arrow in hand to serve as a replacement for his broken weapon. Studying his position closely from the corner of her eye, K'nahli furrowed her brow intently, her pupils constricting in absolute focus as she waited for the precise moment to release her arrow, choosing to delay it just enough so that K'ile would make contact at the same time it would only begin recoiling in pain from her shot.

 

It would give him ample time to assault it longer should it prove resilient in spite of its current condition.

[Lyraciilee]

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Despite having already killed the beast, it still had to die. Sandworms were notoriously dangerous for their capacity to slowly die and take things out with them. Namely cocky Miq'ote hunters that got too close. What Sandworm would be complete without a few death throes?

 

K'yohko was not surprised that K'mih tripped over herself, nor that K'nahli stood in front of her sister to protect. The only thing that really surprised K'yohko, was the fact that K'ile actually managed to hit something with his bow before being knocked aside uselessly. Somehow, K'yohko hadn't expected K'ile to be so foolish as to charge back in demanding the beast take arrows either. Experience told K'yohko that K'ile was going to be crushed beneath the worm's massive weight as it fell, and that punching arrows into his thick hide was much harder than it looked. 

 

"Move away from it!" The Nunh called loudly, furrowing his brow ever so slightly in a particularly unusually opaque display of emotion. K'yohko racked his brain. What could he do to stop K'ile from being crushed? Tackle him? Shove him out of the way? But if he was thinking of the bigger picture, he was more valuable to the tribe as it's established Nunh. The loss of a Tia was far more recoverable than to loose the only present Nunh. Still, it wasn't as if he could simply let K'ile be crushed. 

 

K'yohko darted forward, moving effortlessly through the sand without kicking up dust clouds behind him. He had walked through this sand all his life. Running through it was only second nature to him. Bringing his bow up once again, he pulled arrows from his quiver and shot them true and straight to the fleshy and less protected hide of the Sandworm's back end. Despite most of the Sandworm's attention going to what was in front of it, if K'yohko could only redirect that attention to another direction he might get the wurm to shift weight and fall without crushing the Tia. 

 

One, two, three, and four arrows all pierced through the hide sharply in stinging succession. But the beast was completely focused on the threats in front of it. It flailed forward at K'ile, crying out loudly as the Tia stabbed it with arrows and K'nahli pierced through his head, sending a rain of crimson blood down upon K'ile. The wurm was dying now surely, as great globs of blood began dropping from his many toothed mouth at its front, once again raining down on K'ile. But it's flailing sent the droplets everywhere, including at K'mih and K'nahli. 

 

By this time K'yohko had made it through the sands, dodging raining blobs of blood to a position between K'mih, K'nahli, and K'ile. He maintained a position so that he might not be crushed by the wurm should it fall, but in range that he might try to save anyone who could be in danger.

[Twinflame]

The worm seemed to have five hundred legs that were undulating in a sick rhythm, away from its body and back, swinging up and down, like a mass of sickles organized to harvest his flesh from his bones. They all worked as one and failed as one, while K'ile ducked in between them to stick the arrows between the rigid plates on the worm's sides and into its gut. The task was mostly symbolic at this point. K'ile's efforts had never been required to kill it.

That did not mean this wasn't worthwhile.

 

As the worm's legs and body spasmed, growing gradually weaker, K'ile chose to stab his arrows into increasingly difficult places. The guts and sides were easy. The pits of flesh where its legs attached to its body were more difficult. As it fell and weakened, its maw and eyes remained risky targets, which he went for. It came with disappointing ease, but the exertion and the violence were satisfying enough to make up for his ruined archery lesson.

 

When its body hit the dirt with a loud thud, and did not rise again, K'ile finally danced away from it on nimble feet. He ended up standing two meters from the things twitching head, the smell of its failing breath not quite enough to sicken him, as wrapped as he was in an aura of pungent gore. Spitefully, he cast his last arrow into the things open mouth, and spat at it, "Bitch worm. Annoying piece of shit."

 

He cast his gaze towards K'mih and K'nahli, bypassing K'yohko completely. Everyone seemed alright.

[Clover]

With the colossal worm dead on the ground, the peaceful song of the wind could be heard again. For K’mih, however, a new battle seemed to commence when she raised her eyes to the distant figure of her father, stoic and victorious after the fall of the giant.

 

It was odd.

 

It was…

 

… like seeing him for the first time.

 

Her eyelids opened wide, only to quickly fall down to the ground. She didn’t quite know what was wrong or why his image was making her so nervous now; it was fear, maybe. Fear for his eyes to look at her in the same way her mother and K’nahli had. K’ile would likely tell him, or he’d find out just by looking at her. Ah, but what was he going to find out? What had she done wrong? Why was she suddenly feeling so guilty?

 

She gripped the piece of arrow she was holding.

 

“T-thank you, f-father…”

 

Her voice trembled, her gaze still on the ground. The world was spinning around her and there seemed to be no way to make it stop. It wouldn’t stop, she just didn’t know yet.

 

“I… E-excuse me!”

 

Without waiting for any reply, the young Miqo’te started running away, as fast and as far as she could. Whatever was wrong inside her, her father would find out; she didn’t want to be there when that happened.

[K'nahli]

K'nahli breathed a soft, sigh of relief as the two men succeeded in subduing the persistent beast. Her ruby eyes rose to glance upon K'yohko, studying him intently as thoughts of appreciation briefly crossed her mind. Her initial reluctance towards jumping in to aid K'ile had been concealed by his valiant efforts at least, and hopefully the tia hadn't noticed. It wasn't long before her expression had quickly grown into something more of discontentment, however. She had not forgotten about the brief conversation she had shared with her younger sister before both men had intruded upon their secluded spot; of course not, how could she? With that in mind, she removed her gaze from her father and instead turned it upon the small and silent form that had seemingly had at some point strayed from behind the protective barrier that her older sister's body had provided.

 

K'nahli's lips parted as if to address her sister. However, she was stopped in her tracks by K'mih herself.

 

".....!"

 

Before she had the chance to speak, K'mih had nervously spluttered her words of thanks to K'yohko right before excusing herself and speeding off into the distance in the direction of their camp.

 

"K'mih..!"

 

K'nahli called out towards her sister while extending an arm out as if to grab her. Her glimmering eyes revealed nothing short of worry for her fleeting sister, though there seemed to be little point in pursuing her - as would otherwise be her natural reaction. She simply needed to get away from the uncomfortable situation that K'yohko's presence had imparted upon them both. The young archer's hand slowly dropped back down by her side reluctantly. She watched as her sister's small form slowly fleeted further and further from the group while remaining lost in her own world of eternal concern for the pink-haired miqo'te.

 

K'nahli blinked a number of times before turning her focus back on K'yohko; her expression had grown noticeably more agitated as she looked upon his athletic form. She glared at him fiercely, her piercing eyes of deep crimson glowing alight with that rather common, fiery gaze which she was never shy to display when someone had successfully earned her agitation.

 

"I would thank you not to chase your quarry so mindlessly in our direction in the future, K'yohko" the girl spoke sharply as she folded her arms across her chest, running her eyes over his form in distaste before snapping head head away to face off into the distance.

[Lyraciilee]

[align=center][/align]

 

Well. K'ile was an idiot, but at least he was a dexterous idiot. With a surprising amount of dexterity, K'yohko watched the older Tia stab arrows across the might beast only to gracefully remove himself from being crushed as it fell. 

 

K'yohko lowered his bow and carefully slung it around his torso. That had ended better than expected. K'nahli, K'mih, and even K'ile were all alright. He was satisfied with this. Not to mention the dead worm. It would make a good meal for the next few nights. All sorts of things could be made from the beast's carcass, and the prospects of a bit of ease to the tribe gave him a quiet happiness. Of course, he would have to have some of the others help him pull it apart and take it back to camp. But that shouldn't be such a difficult thing to get help with. Even the young kits could help with that. 

 

Silent violent eyes glance towards the young pink-haired miq'ote as she spoke. K'mih was always so timid, he was not surprised that she stammered or had fallen to begin with. She somehow seemed more nervous than usual today though. K'yohko wondered if it had something to do with the interruption of their... gathering. Although, running was not something he usually saw her do. At least not from himself or especially not K'nahli. He wondered what it was that scared her away. K'yohko decided to speak with her at a later time. Perhaps learn some of those fears she was harboring to run like that. 

 

His gaze moved next to his elder daughter as she moved to give chase, only to remain still. Strange. Normally K'nahli would give chase to the ends of the earth for her beloved sister. Why was it that she did not do so this day? 

 

K'yohko tried to appraise what it was she was thinking. He could see worry for K'mih and agitation. Perhaps not initially with K'yohko himself, but at something else she simply was taking it out on him. No doubt if she were to grow angry and yell at him, K'ile would join in on the harassment. 

 

The Nunh closed his eyes for a moment, letting a soft breeze cool his skin. 

 

"I do not decide where my pray goes." K'yohko said finally, opening his eyes to look at  K'nahli. There was no anger or irritation, only calm and soothing quiet. He did not need to explain himself to K'nahli. He did not feel the need to defend himself for only wishing to follow the vibrations as they traveled through the camp. "Go after her." he urged after a moment of quiet. "She needs you, as she always has. It would be beneficial if you were to inform some of the huntresses that the carcass is here while you are in camp."

[Twinflame]

K'mih running off was somewhat less than surprising, even if inexplicable. That K'nahli did not immediately fly into a (composed) panic and chase after her was notable, but forgettable. K'yohko's monotone muttering was as boring as ever. The man spoke with the voice of a stone and had far less to say than even the dullest of pebbles.

 

"Hey K'yohko," K'ile said, walking over to the worm's corpse. "Just say that you're sorry and next time you'll kill it sooner. Have some grace, Nunh! And anyway," he stomped one of the arrows deeper intot he body of the monster. "I got more arrows in it than you did. My prey. I claim this worm!"

[K'nahli]

A cocked eyebrow was K'nahli's response to the nuhn's intuitive proposal. Her brow furrowed as she turned to face toward K'yohko, unsure of what to discern from his words.

 

"She needs me?" K'nahli retorted mockingly; her stance displayed no subtlety towards her defensive state.

 

"If my sister needed me then I would not still be standing here to hear you suggest so, nuhn" she scoffed while allowing her arms to fall free by her sides before making her towards K'yohko.

 

The sound of the soft, sun-baked sand displacing underfoot was the only noise that could be heard for the brief moment it took for the young archer to make her way as far as the target of her harsh words. Her maroon eyes locked with her fathers' for a brief moment, her features failing to conceal her agitation while K'yohko's on the other hand, remained emotionless and neutral... as they always had.

 

Her lips parted slightly as though she had something further to say, though as he continued to retain his gaze upon her she soon found herself defeated and instead directed her eyes toward the ground submissively, almost as if they had shared in a sudden, unarranged staring competition. K'nahli could often display her fierce personality and she certainly wasn't one to back down when challenged, though Kyohko, her father; he was one of very few people who could drive her into a state of surrender. It was neither because he was intimidating nor because he could be just as stubborn as her, but rather because: when those magneta eyes peered into hers, it was as though he could see her as she truly was, where she was weak and helpless. The longer she tried try to persevere, the more she would feel as though she had been in the wrong.

 

 

Vibrant eyes hesitantly turned upon K'ile now as his earlier request returned to mind. He seemed naturally disinterested in her and more affixed upon her father whom he had always displayed some form of envy toward.

 

"Mayhap another day, K'ile..." she finally spoke, watching him for a moment before returning her glance towards the camp and proceeding forward.

 

"I'll inform the rest to come and help salvage the carcass" she added gloomily as she slowly departed the scene, leaving the two men alone to their business.