Heinous Omens [K-Tribe]

[Twinflame]

"I don't want to be Nunh. Other people want me to be Nunh, and the tribe needs me to challenge Yohko either way. That's a pretty big difference." The meat K'ile cooked was mostly not salted. He kept the cooking platter hot by occasionally adding a new coal, letting the meat sizzle and brown thoroughly -- likely far too thoroughly for Xha'li's taste -- before putting that meat in a covered urn that would keep it warm and preserved until the hunters returned to eat it. Occasionally he shuffled a piece of meat off to Xha'li for salting, which would dry and preserve the meat so that it lasted longer. Those would be eaten later in the evening or saved to be packed in pouches and eaten throughout the next day.

 

As K'ile worked, he occasionally glanced at the Elder, but he didn't engage her in conversation. He didn't know how. He did say to the air around him, however, "If I do win, I'm expecting the other Tia to get uncomfortable about it and start challenging me. Frequently."

[Clover]

K'mih was a bit late joining the group of huntresses, but she still managed to be there on time not to miss the actual hunt. She followed closely like just another huntress, holding her axe with both hands in an eternally nervous position. In such an unknown and potentially dangerous land, she found comfort in the fact that the best huntresses were coming along, led by K'iara herself. Nothing bad should happen, right? No animal would hurt her as much as her own sister did.

 

[...]

 

As K'tahjha left and K'nahli thought she was completely alone, a familiar male voice could be heard from the darkness behind.

 

"One of them is mine."

 

K'rahto Tia seemed to emerge from nowhere, stopping his steps at a certain distance beside the lone huntress. He placed the non pointy extreme of his lance on the ground, holding his favourite weapon with one hand. His eyes were fixed on the sight of their preys; they'd been there from the moment he appeared.

 

It was obvious that the Tia hadn't joined the main group. He didn't want his elder sister to give him orders; he didn't want to be the anyone's shadow, an useless Tia among the best huntresses. So there he was, walking freely, following no one.

 

His head didn't move, nor did his focused and serious expression change. Only his eyes took a glance to the side, where the female was. A challenge, perhaps.

[K'nahli]

K'nahli's chest suddenly seemed to tighten. It were even as though such a reaction came faster than her ears - already standing tall in vigilance -  would prick up in alarm as a voice suddenly carried toward her from a very short distance away. She couldn't fight against her expressive features as her eyes came to suddenly grow much wider from their previously, narrowed and focused position, resulting in her surprise to become more than evident had her face been visible to this person who intruded on her moment of solace and thought.

 

K'rahto Tia. The unique and recently unnerving voice of a particular miqo'te, and one that K'nahli herself had become far, more accustomed to identifying than she'd have truly liked.

 

Little did the girl have to deal with this particular boy as of late, at least directly, and had she been the type of person to count her blessings then truly she'd have at least acknowledged that one, single, silver lining against what seemed to her as a perpetual fleet of ever-darkening, storm clouds. Though avoiding his presence forever would not be something that she could reasonably hope for, but even so... "why here and now?" she found herself asking with a hint of frustration as her eyes pressed down into the ground before her, removing themselves from the beasts as though they had suddenly stopped being important, stopped existing.

His arrival was preceded by the closest thing that she had to a good mood in several days... why was it that timing was always something that was decided upon so terribly for those who chose to consort with the girl?

 

The miqo'te's brief yet simple statement had yet to sink in with the girl. Her mind was too consumed with identifying the source of his highly discomforting feeling that she still found herself struggling against even now, that feeling that just seemed to writhe and twist through her very being - like an unwelcomed and discomforting parasite that simply would not relent with it's barbaric intent to make it's presence there as distressing as possible for the host.

 

 

"What...." K'nahli finally spluttered out before stalling in hesitation as she struggled to find any appropriate words to respond with.

Even had she still retained the capacity to be emotional, false anger might not have even been something she could muster against this particular miqo'te right now.... not while he was in this position where he commanded such a strange power over her. It was, in a way, infuriating that this pest could actually make her feel so horribly inside, but even while thinking that, the girl could simply not bring this feeling out of herself to fuel her usual, venomous flare of spite and anger to both dismiss and vengefully condemn him in the only way that she could. No, it was something far more than such a convenient reason, but still something that she struggled vehemently with so much as coming to understand.

 

He held the lance to her throat in such encounters, and she was but a disarmed fledgling whom knew not what to do.

 

 

"..if you were signalled as an additional scout then you would have best served us searching untrodden ground..." the girl finally muttered in response.

 

Though it was, in part, condemning his presence here, it was delivered with neither a scolding nor totally, disapproving tone, as much as she'd like to have given him any reason to move elsewhere; anywhere. Though in retrospect, it would not be as though such a manner would likely sway the tia in any case.

[Clover]

The Tia's eyes travelled back to the front after she spoke, unfazed.

 

"This was untrodden ground until I saw you," he explained. "No one sent me."

 

His head turned then, taking a look to the darkness behind them with cold eyes. No one had come yet; perhaps it might take a while for the clumsy kid to reach the other huntresses, if she ever did.

 

"Well, then..." he added later in almost a breath, and his eyes slowly moved to the female's figure. His spear abandoned its relaxed position, getting visibly ready.

 

"How many do you think you can take down before the others arrive?"

 

There was a smirk in his features as he said that; a dangerous one. Whatever it was she decided to do, K'rahto wasn't going to wait for the huntresses.

[K'nahli]

"Take....." K'nahli responded almost immediately, though her sentence quickly trailed off as she withheld herself from speaking any further, her eyes revealing all but her complete disbelief with the lancer's suggestive words. Surely he wasn't serious? It was true that K'rahto had always struck her as the arrogant type of person, but surely he was not so reckless, so foolish as to engage such large and alien giants without the rest of the party there to support them?

Regardless of how weak this game could doubtfully, yet still potentially prove to be, there was at least one, wretched beast lurking not very far away, out in the barren plains of Thanalan that would surely tear him - and maybe even her by association - asunder should they so boldly move to act on their own.

 

K'nahli blinked hard as she studied the male's body language. Everything about him suggested that there was no mindless jest behind his words,but mayhap he was only seeking K'nahli's approval - any voice at all to egg him and be the tipping point that would push him on to commit along to his eager intent.

 

"K'rahto, wait... you can't be..." K'nahli suddenly spoke again as she attempted to reason with the male and steal him away from this seemingly, sudden over-excitement which he was experiencing. The anxiety that had poisoned the tone of her voice moments ago had subsided for now as this unforeseen matter took precedence and distracted both her and surely, she believed, K'rahto too, from the memories of their last intimate encounter out on the dunes days previous.

Instead, however, it was replaced with a look of complete shock, a gasp accompanying her dramatic change in expression as she helplessly watched the tia quickly press on down the hill in ill-heed of her hesitation, with a pace that's stealth was equally as impressive as it's unrestrained speed.

 

K'nahli's eyes quickly grew large with sheer disbelief as the suddenness of the situation took her completely off-guard.

 

"Wait!" she quickly called after him despairingly, her voice coming a little too loudly in the process - though luckily not compromising their presence.

 

K'nahli grimaced with apprehension as she watched the silhouette of the male flee far and beyond the reluctant hand that reached out toward him, before she too, after a few seconds of hesitation that left her glued to the spot, quickly brought herself back to her feet and decisively raced after K'rahto.

Instinctively reaching back across her shoulder as she continued to nimbly hop and scurry her way downhill, the girl proceeded to remove her bow that had been resting across her body until now, bringing it now before her in readiment as she tried her best to quickly close the distance between her and that suicidal idiot.

[Clover]

Words wouldn't stop him. They barely registered in his mind. All his focused eyes saw were the prey he was rapidly yet silently approaching, spear in both hands. Against an unknown enemy, his determination -perhaps his reckless nature- was strong. If K'nahli didn't want to play the same game, he'd dance alone, like he'd always had.

 

A few seconds separated him from the imminent shower of blood, but then...

[K'nahli]

K'nahli's natural agility proved to be much in her favour. The addition of the natural difficulties that came with running at such speeds over this uneven terrain while armed with a lance as opposed to a simple bow certainly had proved it's merits too. Against all expectations, K'nahli had quickly managed to close the distance that had been put between her and the hastily, fleeting K'rahto, despite the youthful tia's own rather impressive speed and the head start he had so readily offered himself.

 

It all happened so quickly that the girl hardly had time to think; against all preservative instincts which she had for her own, precious bow, the girl quickly cast her weapon aside into some nearby shrubs before pushing forward with all that she had and closing in for the final few yalms.

Bringing herself into a very, brief alignment with the tia's flank, the girl wasted no time and suddenly leapt toward him with all of her strength, wrapping her arms around his body and successfully tackling the rogue fool down toward the ground.

Together, the two miqo'te hit the arid ground with a hard landing, though their momentum was not so easily lost. K'nahli was forced to embrace to the male more tightly as they were both thrown into a harsh roll that violently carried them across the rocky ground a fair distance away from where they had started, before they finally came to an eventual stop.

 

Despite some inevitably acquired cuts and bruises the girl - at least - was perfectly fine, and with that unhindered state, she made sure not to give the tia so much as an ilm of room that he may quickly recover himself and resume with his reckless intent to prematurely assail their prey. Sitting on top of him now, K'nahli gripped K'rahto firmly by his exposed shoulders and shoved him hard into the ground with all of her strength, uninterested in any wounds his exposed back may have already acquired from their tumble across the floor, until he was successfully pinned down to the best of K'nahli's ability.

 

"What in the seven hells is the matter with you, you arrogant fool?" K'nahli suddenly hissed lowly, bringing her face in a little more closely to his than would normally have been comfortable in an effort to keep their so-far, bumbling presence discreet from the nearby herd... assuming they hadn't already detected the pair's scuffle. 

 

"Even if you had landed one while it was yet unawares, what would you have done had the others grouped up and charged?" 

 

Her vibrant glare seemed to glow in the darkness of the night as they narrowed sharply in greeting with K'rahto's, momentarily dazed expression. The girl's previous discomfort with his mere presence still remained forgotten to her, even with this proximity as the sudden rush of adrenaline had forced meaningless thoughts from her mind. Though her eyes remained fixed upon the tia's as though expectant of a reasonable answer, she knew none could possibly come.

K'rahto, as always, had merely sought new means to irrefutably prove himself as an incompetent fool.

[Lyraciilee]

K'yohko was easy to find. He lingered within his tent, the fabric serving as a door tacked lightly open. He had hoped he speak with K'ile, but it seemed that K'ile would not come. He supposed it should not surprise him. K'luha had not made up her mind either. K'yohko tried to silence his pensive mind with meditation. If he could not hunt, perhaps the winds would tell him about those who were hunting. His ears flicked up to the full height, taking in the sounds of the wind just outside the tent, and his tail wrapped around his waist to settle in his lap.

 

_____________________________________________________________________________________

 

K'iara breathed out lowly, climbing to a small raise in the rocky outcropping to survey the land. And, to look for her scouts. K'nahli was a competent huntress, if not the largest ball of depression and angst in the tribe. K'iara inhaled the air softly, tasting it for their scent. They were slow to report back today...

 

The sound of feet running hard against the dirt caught K'iara's attention. She turned and slid back down the hill, stepping forward to meet with K'tajhta. She hadn't realized the little one was going along with them on the hunt. Her ears perked forward and she knelt down to be on the same face level as Tahj as she spoke. K'iara gave a small nod of understanding and whistled to catch the rest of the group's attention.

 

"Herd grazing. Let's go." she barked briefly, starting to step forward lightly. "Tahj, can you lead us back in that direction?" She didn't wait for a response from Tahj to continue walking. If Tahj couldn't do it, K'iara's nose could find it.

[Izmina]

K'zhumi approached the Nuhn's tent quietly. Her ears flickering actively. The new smells and sounds had her on edge, the place felt different. As she reached the tent opening, she saw K'yohko in meditation. She paused uncertainly outside the tent, unsure if she should interrupt.

 

K'tahjha nods proudly as K'iara asks if she can lead the way back to where she left K'nahli.  Weaving as silently as she can through the shrubs and thorns. Tahj backtracks to where she last saw her sister as swiftly as she can.

[Clover]

It was odd, how the world could change so quickly in a matter of seconds. As the Tia ran and his heart beat with thirst for blood, an unexpected force pushed him down with sheer violence; it was almost as if Azeyma herself had hit him with thunder. When he managed to understand what the hell was happening, the slight pain on his back was swallowed with a sharp inhalation.

 

K'nahli was sitting on top of him, breaking the invisible barrier of physical contact in ways only the huntress could: violent and raw, like she'd always been. But she was also closer than she -and anyone- had ever been to him; warmer than she'd ever wanted to be. For a moment, all K'rahto could do was stare up into those burning eyes, his own wide. The meaning in her words barely registered. The hunt hardly mattered. Animals killing animals; that was all they were that night. That was how he felt the next moment.

 

His eyes narrowed dangerously under a deep frown. His teeth bared right before a violent impulse took control of his senses. Abruptly, Krahto grabbed the female's arms and forced her to roll to the side until it was her underneath him. This time, it was his hands pinning her down to the ground, to the new land they had almost tasted. No words happened at first, but neither did silence; his own breath rang into his ears like a storm he couldn’t control. The Tia stared down to the huntress like a predator did to his prey, a prey he’d been forbidden to bite. He couldn’t, he wouldn’t. So he just tightened his grip on the girls arm with shaking hands, and spoke in half a whisper, half a growl.

 

“Wouldn't you rather... see me devoured by the beasts…? K’nahli Yohko…”

 

At that moment, when restrain and hatred seemed to consume his very soul, different sounds came to his ears. The huntresses had arrived.

[Lyraciilee]

K'yohko breathed out slowly. He could feel K'zhumi's approach, stepping awkwardly through the dirt and grass. It felt so different than the warm sands of the Sagoli. It was... uncomfortable. But K'yohko was trying to make his peace with it all.

 

"K'zhumi." he called out breathlessly. He opened his eyes, still a stormy violet color as they ever were and motioned for her to enter. "Close the flap as you enter." His instructions were brief, and more of a request than a real instruction.

 

 

K'iara nodded back at K'tahjha, her body slinking down naturally and following only a pace or two behind Tahj. Her burning blue eyes following every small movement of her girl's, keeping up with her easily and surveying the lands. For such a young and inexperienced hunter, K'iara was mildly impressed at her ability to move quietly. She was not silent as K'iara was, but she was quiet and quick. That was the most important thing.

 

They moved swiftly and silently, all of the huntresses, through their new homeland. The awkward terrain and strange dirt only served to slow them down shortly. K'iara found the dirt over in this area turned to mostly mud due to recent rains, and shortly found herself covered in more mud than she liked. It was a strange sensation, as she had never seen or been in mud before. But it as an unimportant sensation for the time. Her focus remained on the hunt, and on Tahj leading them to the hunting grounds. As they rounded up towards the last hill, K'iara sniffed the air gently. She could smell K'nhali, but the woman was at the top of the hill like a huntress ought to be. There was another smell besides the overwhelming mud and the scent of prey. K'rahto? What was that useless boy doing her? K'iara narrowed her gaze and motioned for the huntresses to pause just behind the crest of the hill. K'iara clambered to the top of it herself and peered over its edge.

 

First, she noticed the large grazing heard. All the animals seemed thick and juicy with delicious meat. And their furs were thick and heavy. Perfect for keeping warm. Her ears perked up lightly. She desired a blanket made of their furs foremost. But mostly, the elders would appreciate something so warm in their strange new weather. But there was something more alarming to be noticed, and that was her foolish younger brother pinning K'nahli to the floor. A thick angry rage boiled through her blood and she pushed her hand down to her axe. There was no time for their idiocy. She snapped her head back to the others and motioned them silently forward. She pointed out the largest bull she could that linger on the edge of herd somewhat near K'nahli and K'rahto.

 

"On my signal." K'iara muttered angrily, clambering over the edge of the hill and carefully stalking down it towards K'nahli and K'rahto. She sidled down as close as she could, her movement fluid and never ceasing. Her hand reach out to grab at the back of K'rahto's neck, moving sharply behind she could make a motion to throw his entire body at their prey. She didn't care if he ran away or if he fell short of the target, she would deal with him more firmly later. She only waited another brief moment before roaring loudly, lion-like, and springing forward to jump on the back of the beast, digging her hatchet into its back. K'iara held onto her hatchet, almost riding the beast like some sort of chocobo. The other huntresses well knew the routine now. Those with bows pushed forward to the edge of the cliff and rain arrows down. K'iara twisted herself to the side of the beast who now raged and bucket violently in pain. Arrows dug into its soft flesh easily, but its thick coat made it hard for some of the arrows to bite into flesh. Its thick coat was indeed, so thick, that even the arrows that bit into the flesh fell out shortly after.

[Izmina]

K'zhumi enters the tent and lets the flap shut behind her as requested. Having no need to enter the nunh's tent before, she let her eyes roam around curiously, eventually settling on K'yohko. "Forgive me for intruding on your meditation, but I wanted to examine you to be sure your wounds have healed properly."

 

 

Having backtracked to where she last saw K'nahli, K'tahjha was puzzled to find the place empty, her heart momentarily dropping. Did she take a wrong turn? She sniffs the air, no this is definately where her sister was. Tahj waited quietly with the group as K'iara went to the top of the hill to scout. Then, as the lead huntress gave the signal, Tahj crawled to the edge of the hill on her belly to watch the hunt.

 

Her eyes widen as she sees K'rahto apparently attacking K'nahli, then she cringes as K'iara seizes the male. Well that was going to hurt later, Tahj just hoped he didn't get trampled.

[K'nahli]

A small gasp escaped from the girl's lips as K'rahto quickly rolled his weight over the girl until it was now him on top of her. Though she had yet to realise it, this was the second time tonight that she found herself in such an uncomfortable situation, and lucky she was for it, for being reminded of what she had made herself tell her father just a short while ago was something she did not want returning to mind no sooner than it had been momentarily pushed aside.

 

K'nahli squirmed a little beneath the tia's grip but ultimately she made little effort to escape. Aggravating though she found it, he was only behaving as she would have done had it been he who initiated such an assault.... and, more likely than not, he did so because it were now he whom had something to say to her in response. As her moment's worth of surprise drained away with her expression to be replaced by a narrow frown with which she returned the tia's venomous glare, she could feel her tall and slender ears drawing low and closer forward, tuning in near to the tia's voice as he began speaking, short as his response would be.

 

("...huh?") the thought echoed in the girl's head. Though her confusion were unheard, the thought was reflected clearly in her expression.

 

The girl blinked steadily as she stared deeply into the tia's amber eyes; her curiosity and intrigue to find the meaning of his words stealing her from what should be her attributed discomfort with such an encounter.

 

("Why..... why would you say such a thing?") the girl's inward thoughts were complimented by a slow appearing, yet lightly drawn frown.

("Is that all you see when you look at me too? An unloving monster whom knows naught but venom?").

K'nahli bit her lip as though preventing the words from slipping past her lips as the tia took himself back to his feet. Her gaze had turned away from him as though she were fearful of him discovering her sadness from this realisation, as she saw it. A couple of seconds of silence followed as neither miqo'te would appear to find the nerve or the intention to speak further, as much as curiosity and anxiety would plague the female in particular. Perhaps it was a blessing in K'nahli's favour that their scene was interrupted there and then.

 

 

When K'iara finally showed up and, seemingly, physically scolded K'rahto in the only way that an older sibling could, K'nahli took back to her feet almost too casually. Though in part she had actually hoped for an answer to the question that she had come very close to voicing aloud, she couldn't deny that she also felt some sense of relief now that the encounter had come to a close and there was no longer a danger of her saying more than she'd have forgiven herself for later. K'rahto always had a way to make her heart beat just as quickly as he would make her blood boil. It was almost amusing to imagine that he were not doing so intentionally.

 

Thankfully the unusual sight, as it must have been perceived, was not questioned in that moment and K'iara had already thrown herself into the midst of their quarry, signalling the true beginning of the hunt. With her back turned to the events that were suddenly transpiring, K'nahli merely passed a fleeting, yet seemingly, lonely glance over her shoulder in the direction of K'rahto before she quickly retraced her steps to salvage her bow from the shrubs in which she had earlier thrown it. Unscathed, as any rational person would have predicted, though for K'nahli it was enough to warrant a tiny smile of relief. Taking a moment to glance upon it in reflection, the girl turned to join her sisters in their attempt to fell the first beast that K'iara so recklessly clung to. Instead of accompanying them in the same fashion however, K'nahli decided it best to test her previous observations. The girl dashed in closer than her fellow archers and took a knee a short distance away from the beast. With a deep breath and a swiftly drawn arrow, the girl aimed precisely, and from there, patiently awaited for the right moment, one that K'iara's presence upon the beast would almost certainly create.

[Lyraciilee]

K'luha's small form slipped through camp with minor difficulties. Despite the permanent limp, she made quick progress through the more difficult terrain to the center of tent. The stink of salted cooking meat assaulted her senses the closer she got. K'luha wasn't sure why it smelt so foul to her, perhaps it was the salt. Yes, that was probably it, she reasoned with herself. The meat smelt like someone was pouring salt on it. Luha tugged her shirt up, exposing her tummy so she could cover her face with the fabric.

 

At least the fires revealed the mop of red hair she was looking forward. K'luha shuffled forward from the shadows of the fire, barely exposing her sorry form to the light. Her eyes strayed to her grandmother for a moment, before reaffixing to K'ile with purpose. For once in the last few weeks, her form seemed strengthened with purpose. It invigorated her form, livened her face, and brightened her eyes.

 

"K'ile..." K'luha called out softly, her voice muffled by the fabric. Her eyes narrowed somewhat at Xha'li for a moment. "Are you trying to kill us with all that salt? Smells like K'yohko's cooking, Azyema..." Luha mumbled quietly to herself before limping forward again, closing what distance she could between herself and the Tia. "K'ile, we need to talk... " her eyes darted from Xha'li to K'deiki, and then once more back to K'ile. "Privately."

 

K'yohko watched the fabric wave shut, closing out the noise and thicken smell of cooking meat. He would not admit it to himself, much less another, but his body ached for the food that would eaten. Whatever portions of food he could give to others during the famine, he had given. It would be pleasurable to finally allow himself to eat to satisfaction.

 

Like K'yohko, his tent was plain and quiet. There was nothing there that was unneeded, or unused. A bed roll, two blankets, a change of clothing, a collection of herbs and soapweed, and of course his weapons. Everything was neatly tucked away, nothing even an inch out of place. The Nuhn gave a brief nod to K'zhumi and motioned for her to set next to him. He reached over to his arm and gently untied what small bandaging was left about it.

[Izmina]

K'zhumi sits in the indicated spot and watches with interest as the remaining bandages were unwound. She places her satchel and tome in front of her in case it was needed."This new land feels odd. If the hunt goes well I think it will accept us. How are you finding it?" Not really much of a conversationalist, her attempts at small talk are akward at best, but she has little enough reason to sit with the nuhn alone in his tent.

[Clover]

As soon as he heard the huntresses arriving, K'rahto abandoned his position on top of K'nahli and quickly stood up. His eyes glued themselves to the figure of his older sister K'iara, a perfect mix of surprise, annoyance, and fear reflected in them as she approached dangerously.

 

"Wha--"

 

Before he could say much, his strong sister was grabbing and sending him to the ground with the great force she'd always possessed, making him land near one of the beasts. The impact of K'rahto's body against the terrain alerted the animal, as expected; its front legs started raising defensively, a loud and menacing cry coming out from its throat. Unarmed and without much of a choice, the Tia's hand grabbed a handful of soil and threw it to the beast, if anything to obscure its vision for a moment. That gave him a few seconds to stand up and retreat as fast as possible, searching for his lance. He found it not too far from the spot, in the middle of the chaos the huntresses were creating. K'rahto frowned deeply, spear now in hand, and took a last glance at K'nahli. She seemed to have joined the rest already, prepared to hunt their new preys down.

 

"......"

 

A few more seconds and K'rahto quickly left the scene. He would find his own prey that night.

 

[...]

 

The sight of one of the Tias trapping K'nahli against the ground made K'mih's eyes open wide. Her mind was suddenly filled by questions. What were they doing...? Furthermore, was K'rahto related to the secrets K'nahli had been hiding under her cold behaviour?

 

Even when the hunt started and her sisters attacked the beasts, K'mih remained on the spot for a bit longer, staring at K'nahli, unable to understand or fully recognize her dear sister. She felt uncomfortable.

[Twinflame]

Without looking, K'ile tossed another piece of cooked meat at Xha'li's salt. His eyes were on K'luha's eyes, watching the way the firelight flicked about differently in them. Her features seemed somewhat gaunt, but she was more awake than she had been last time he'd seen her. That was good. As her scent pressed forward through the oppressive stink of salted meat, the aching concussion receded to the base of his skull. One corner of his mouth plucked upward, and his ears shook. "Definitely. One second."

 

K'ile took a chunk of raw meat and set it to cooking, then turned to Xha'li. "Okay, time to cook like a grown-up for a few minutes. Just stick half of what you cook in that pot over there so it stays warm and juicy for tonight and then salt the other half so we can keep it around longer. Easy." K'ile's blue eyes flicked to K'deiki. "If he lights himself on fire, it was probably Azeyma's will."

 

Then K'ile stepped towards K'luha, reaching out to take one of her hands and leave with her. "Okay. I'm all yours. Well, at least as much as I'm allowed to be for now."

[Lyraciilee]

K'yohko gingerly set aside his remaining bandages and shifted closer towards K'zhumi so she might better examine his arm. The skin was all but healed at this point, and only the telling blotched tones of his flesh remained of what had been his wound.

 

"It is different." K'yohko replied quietly, matter of factly. He breathed out heavily, his brow faintly furrowing. He realized that was perhaps the most obvious statement he'd ever made but, his options about their new home were still forming. He couldn't say much else about it yet.

 

K'iara could have killed her brother, but instead she would kill the beast she was riding on top of. Her ears flicked up, hearing her kin move about behind her. She would need to move for any of their arrows to hit a better spot on the beast. K'iara grasped at the beast's main, digging her fingers into its dirty coat and dragging herself up the beast's thrashing body. But the coat proved not to be as sturdy as she had thought, and it broke in her fingers, sending K'iara tumbling to the ground. With a heavy thud, K'iara knew better than to remain still when she'd hit the floor. She rolled herself away rapidly, getting away from the beast's crushing hooves and scrambling to her feet, axe in hand.

 

K'luha suppressed a small laugh at the mention of 'Azymea's Will'. Although she suppressed her laughter, she couldn't suppress the smile the crept onto her face as K'ile stepped forward, reaching to take a hand. She in turn, reached forward as well, grasped it loosely to lead him away from the oppressive smell of the salt and meat. If she could have her way, she would have dragged him all the way out to the edge of camp, but leading him to the edge of her tent would be good enough.

 

K'luha lightly gripped K'ile's hand a bit harder as they stopped walking, narrowing her gaze at the floor before she finally found the strength to look back up at K'ile's eyes.

 

"K'yohko thinks I should mate with him tonight. He thinks I should try to have another kit. That this one would be different." K'luha tried to hold K'ile's gaze. Her expression seemed both yearning and confused. "I think he might be right that trying once more could be... a good thing." K'luha reached her free hand back to rub at her ears. "But... I'd want it to be yours. Not his. It would... be asking too much... if I asked for something like that tonight, wouldn't it?" K'luha tried to catch his gaze once more. She found it difficult not to run or look away, but at the same time she felt it was important to look at K'ile when she spoke about this.

[Izmina]

K'zhumi leans forward to examine the arm, feeling and prodding along the now healed edges of the wounds. Finally satisfied with what she sees, she asks Yohko to make some range of motion movements and flex the arm for her. "Does it feel strong? Is there any residual pain?" she asks him.

 

K'tahjaha is still laying flat on her belly at the top of the hill overlooking the huntresses as they struggle to take down the large, hairy beast. She cringes as K'iara is thrown, but exhales in relief as she scrambles clear of the deadly hooves. Tahj, reaches instinctively for an arrow before frowning and placing it back in her quiver. She is only to observe, and likely very lucky her usually taciturn older sister is allowing her to do that. She sighs and settles back against the ground to watch anxiously.

[Xha'li Moui]

Xha'li eye'd the fire nervously as K'ile turned his attention towards K'luha before sighing and lifting his shirt up exposing his slightly tanned skin and toned muscle from the swimming in Limsa Lolimsa.  Quickly wrapping his tail around his torso he let the shirt drop back down before turning his attention to the meat and carefully starting to fry it.

[Lyraciilee]

RP'd in Skype.

 

K'yohko shifted his limbs as K'zhumi asked him, allowing the healer to do her work in feeling it. There was some pain when she pressed too hard along the underside, but otherwise it was healed. He rolled his shoulder as she questioned him before tensing the muscle to test its strength. "Some pain deep beneath my arm, but fine others. Feels a little weaker than before, but not much." He answered gruffly.

 

K'zhumi nods in satisfaction, "Not much more I can do for it. Just needs time and exercise. Be sure to stretch it and use those muscles some every day."

 

K'yohko gave another nod and shifted to leave his arm in his lap again. "Thank you for your hard work K'zhumi... I apologize that I caused you so much grief."

 

A faint smile twitches Zhumi's lips, "If you want I can give you the lecture you gave me when I wandered off to gather herbs alone and got hurt. But I suspect you can give yourself that speech."

 

K'yohko found a small smile twitching to his own lips and he nodded his head, humbled by her. "I would have earned such a lecture by my actions."

 

Zhumi actually finds a proper smile on her lips, "Well if you realize you deserve one than you don't really need one after all." she starts to gather her things, "Get a good feed tonight so you'll be ready to put that foolish Tia in his place should he be stupid enough to try a challenge."

 

K'yohko's lips twitched into another smile, something earnest. He gave K'zhumi a small nod of his head and stood to help her gather her things. "K'zhumi... have you ever thought of having a child?" he asked lightly, handing her over some of her things.

 

She stares at him for several moments, then her eyes widen and she blushes faintly. "I suppose I have, I'm sure I will, sometime." she stumbles over her words.

 

"K'takka thinks now would be a good time." K'yohko returned, glancing up to catch her eyes with his own stormy violent orbs. "This new land is fertile. Plenty of game and good weather. Good trade to the north...."

 

K'zhumi looks nonplussed, "Now? But the hunt, what if someone gets injured?"

 

K'yohko shook his head faintly. "Our huntresses are excellent. They will not be so easily hurt. K'takka is sure that all will be well."

 

She tilts her head studying K'yohko, "Perhaps it would be well to have a daughter to pass my shaman skills to."

 

"It would be an honor if I could provide you with that daughter, K'zhumi." K'yohko smiled warmly to the shaman. It could almost be a strange sight to see the Nunh smile so genuinely, or much less, smile at all for longer than a twitch. When he did not look so serious and stoic, he was almost handsome.

 

Zhumi smiles, lowering her lashes, almost flirting, "Perhaps it could be a celebration of our new home?"

 

K'yohko gave a short not of his head, setting down what things of K'zhumi's that he held and shifted to take her hand instead. Never would he force her hand if she did not want it, but he aimed to take it and hold it gently between his own rough fingers.

 

She allows him to take her hand, her ears lowering shyly. Unsure what to do.

 

K'yohko continued to smile warmly to K'zhumi as she allowed him her hand. He gently pulled her closer, bringing his head towards her face, gently leaning in to kiss the corner of her lips. "If there is anything you desire, or wish me to stop, you need only say the word and I will abide by it..."

 

*ahem* Nothing to read here people.

 

K'zhumi stretches sensually, her head laying on K'yohko's chest. Her bare skin gleams in what moonlight filters into the tent. Her tail is swishing lazily and a smile stretches across her face.

 

K'yohko warmly rested his hands around K'zhumi's thin waist, shifting his head to nuzzle K'zhumi's neck affectionately.

 

She leans into his touch, rolling onto her side to nestle up against him, resting her head on his shoulder.

 

K'yohko lightly kissed at her jawline, shifting his tail to wrap around her leg. "Was it well, Zhumi? It has been some time, I profess, since I have engaged in such a thing..."

 

K'zhumi smiles shyly, "It was my first. But it was gently done and I am well pleased." she blushes.

 

K'yohko beamed slightly, kissing at her cheek this time instead. "I am pleased as well then. I hope this union will give us a child as well." he nodded faintly and nuzzled her neck again. "I would be pleased to keep your company again in any manner K'zhumi."

 

She smiles, "The timing was good and this new land does indeed seem welcoming. Perhaps we will. For now I should return to my tent. Your youngest daughter is out with the hunt, her inexperience may be a hindrance."

 

"Tahj is with the hunt?" K'yohko blinked faintly, feeling a small swelling of pride in his chest for his youngest daughter. "Tahj is strong. She will be alright. The huntresses will look after her well." He gave a small nod and released his grip on K'zhumi so she might move if she desired to. "We should not tardy however. The huntresses shouldn't be gone too much longer."

 

Zhumi stands, gathering her robes around her but not putting them on, she picks up her satchel and tomes and looks back with a smile, before slipping out of the tent quietly.

 

K'yohko stood with K'zhumi, smiling back gently at her. He stepped out lightly as she left, giving a soft wave before re-entering his tent and pulling back on his clothing.

[Twinflame]

It was good to have K'luha's eyes on him again. K'ile hadn't thought about that before. She'd been around, but she hadn't really looked at him like this since he'd left her on their way back from Gridania. Like the sun had been shining, but there had always been a shadow on him.

 

"K'yohko doesn't know anything about kids." K'ile's statement was a quick snip into the silence that K'luha had left for him. The Tia watched K'luha's eyes and leaned close to her, speaking softly and trusting K'luha's ears to hear him. "But this child would be different, because they would have a /father/, not just a Nunh."

 

"K'yohko knows how to make children." K'luha corrected lightly, a small smile curling onto her pale lips. Her tail flicked upwards cheerfully behind her. It wasn't a no. It sounded very much like a yes, actually. "But I can teach you that." The former huntress kept her gaze steadily onto K'ile's eyes, feeling warmer than she had in quite some time, despie the cold breeze of the night.

 

K'ile leaned his head slightly back. His ears twitched. "All men know how to make children. There's nothing special about that."

 

K'luha frowned faintly. What sort of response was that anyway? Her ears flicked downwards a bit, but she shifted forwards closer to K'ile. "Then show me that you can."

 

Breaking his gaze from K'luha long enough to glance back in the direction of the cooking meat, K'ile said, "I'm preapring the feast for tonight." Then he looked back to K'luha, trying to catch her eyes again. "I'm going to do this right, and beat K'yohko. Tonight. Then I'm all yours."

 

K'luha watched his gaze shift away back towards the feast, and clawed back the desire to throw K'ile on the ground. She pressed a hand back to her chest and clutched at her shirt. Her lips twitched, unable to decide if they should hold a scowl or a smile. Her mismatched eyes locked back onto K'ile's eyes as soon as he turned his head again. "Tonight?" K'luha muttered. "You're still hurt. And K'yohko is just recovered." She let out an aggravated click of her tongue, her eyes glancing in the direction of K'yohko's tent. "If you don't win, I'm taking you anyway." K'luha shifted her eyes back to K'ile with a narrowed gaze. "So don't get too hurt."

 

At that, K'ile couldn't help a small, nervous chuckle. The way she made it a threat, it sounded like something he should be afraid of. And maybe he would be, if it were someone other than Luha. Someone he were afraid of hurting or being hurt by. But he wasn't afraid of that with Luha. Except maybe her hips.

 

Still, her agression pushed against him. So he pressed back against it. "I don't plan on losing, so you just plan whatever you want." Then he lifted hs hands to her neck, holding her head still while he kissed her.

 

K'luha smirked faintly. She couldn't help but think K'ile shouldn't be encouraging her. The woman relented and eased into his touch, into his kiss. Her ears and tail perked up visibly, pleased with the show of affection. Although it pained her to do so, she lightly pulled her head to the side, breaking the kiss after a moment. "Well if you're going to do that, I'll take you now..." she muttered quietly, glancing up to catch his eyes this time.

 

K'ile pulled himself back at that, though K'luha's scent followed him, and he could smell the mood about them both. He felt like he should be smiling, but an intimidated frown forced its way onto his face. His ears stood up on his head, directed towards K'luha. "That wouldn't be... No, after is definitely better."

 

K'luha scoffed lightly, following forward with a gentle glide of her body. Her tail shifting behind her, moving in a strangely sultry manner. "Then you'd better run, because I'm not a very patient woman right now. Tahj is with the other huntresses and my tent is empty." The woman raised her brow at K'ile, licking her lips and observing him like one might observe their prey.

 

His eyes distracted by her tail, K'ile stepped back the way he had come. he couldn't smell the fires, meat, or even the salt over K'luha's enveloping scent. "You wouldn't want to tire me out before my fight." K'ile managed, weakly.

 

K'luha chuckled deeply in her thoart, stepping forward again so she might reach out to gently grasp one of the straps K'ile so pitifully wore like a shirt. "Oh, but I would."

 

"No you wouldn't. We need to do this right." K'ile backpedaled further, trying to win his way free of the woman's enveloping scent so he could make his escape.

 

K'luha stepped forward after K'ile, her hips swaying widely with every step. She smirked just as wide as her hips swayed, sharpened teeth peering lightly back at K'ile's retreating form. "You're tempting me K'ile."

 

"That's now what I think I'm doing." K'ile turned his eyes away. His ears twitched. "It's not what it sounds like I'm doing. I don't think."

 

"K'ile~" K'luha called softly, slinking forward again. "You'd better run."

 

Wait, did she want him to? Wouldn't that be rude? But she'd said... And he really did need to finish the... And the fight was going to...

 

"Uhm. Okay." K'ile bolted.

 

K'luha sighed lightly as he ran off, flicking her tail backwards. "Shit... I better not have fucked that up for myself..." she grumbled a bit and stepped back towards her tent.

 

Once K'ile was a good ways away from K'luha, but not quite back to the fire yet, he slowed. Once he went back and started cooking, it was probably all he would be able to do for the rest of the night. Meanwhile, K'yohko had wanted to talk to him.

 

Standing in the camp as new stars began to spread thorugh the sky above him, K'ile smirked. K'yohko thought he was going to mate with Luha that evening. He probably wanted to talk to K'ile to let him know that his woman would no longer be supporting the challenge. But things weren't going to go how K'yohko expected them to.

 

K'ile turned his gaze around the tribe. Then he turned to start towards K'yohko's tent. He might as well let the Nunh make a fool of himself. It wouldn't take long.

 

K'yohko stood heavily, holding the fabric of the makeshift door open to let K'zhumi out. He gave a small nod of his head to her as she left before once more retreating back into the dark cool emptiness of within. It was a small tent, large enough for three at most. The inside was mostly empty, almost sterile looking. Only a few things lay about its confines; K'yohko's weapons, a few different pieces of clothing that had been givne to him, and of course a large bedroll. He sat alone with his back to the entrance, closing his eyes once more in his usual deep meditation.

 

K'ile could smell K'zhumi's passage, but it made sense to him. The Nunh would have to be at his strongest. Otherwise, K'ile's victory wouldn't mean anything. Having little concern for whatever K'yohko was doing inside, K'ile positioned himself directly in front of the man's tent. Hands on his sides, K'ile bent forward and shouted, "Hey K'yohko! You busy? Bet you're not!" His tail swished back and forth behind him.

 

"You may come in, if that is what you are asking, K'ile Tia." K'yohko's voice called back strongly. It seemed to have returned to its ever deadened and monotone call, ringing through the quiet of the night like a courel's call.

 

"That's not what I was asking." K'ile pushed his way into the man's drab tent regardless. "I was just saying that I suspected there were no women in the fruitless Nunh's tent."

 

"You just missed K'zhumi, and the rest are on the hunt." K'yohko replied smoothly, keeping his back to the other Tia.

 

"K'zhumi doesn't count when she's just hear to lick your wounds." K'ile flicked his ears at that. He stopped just inside of K'yohko's tent and dropped into a crouch.

 

K'yohko held a response on his tongue for a moment before giving out a long breath. Words that needed not to be said should be given to the wind. The nunh took another moment before he finally glanced behind him at the Tia. "I am surprised you came. You certainly took your time getting here."

 

K'ile's brow dropped, "Unlike some people in this tent, I have things that I do for this tribe. I was busy. And I'm not like those daughters of yours, terrified by any syllable of sound you make."

 

"It is a daughter of mine I wished to speak about." K'yoho turned his entire body around finally, facing K'ile squarely and keeping his hands in his lap. "How well is it that you know K'nahli? Has she ever confessed anything to you?"

 

K'ile leaned away, his ears laying back on his head. That hadn't been what he'd expected. "She's spent some time trying to teach me how to use a bow. I don't think she's ever formally confessed anything to me." K'ile leaned forward again, sniffing the air for some indication of K'yohko's concealed mood. "Are you worried I won't make a very good Nunh for her?"

 

"I worry for her, and for K'mih. I think you will be a fine nunh for them however. But I worry K'nahli and K'mih will never mate. K'nahli is too willful and K'mih lacks a will entirely." He sighed a bit, revealing a faint touch of frustration with the girls. "But K'nahli confessed to me something tonight that vexes me beyond all else. It makes me believe that... you have been right. That I am a poor Nunh." He frowned a bit, wrinkles forming heavily on his forehead.

 

"Girls with bad fathers are going to have problems." K'ile spoke completely without pity for the man. He didn't need any. "But I don't think you need to worry about their wills. K'nahli will figure herself out, and K'mih's got plenty of will when people are coddling her."

 

"K'ile Tia. I wish to entrust you with something, but I must know that you will not speak of it outside of this tent. Is that something you can do for me? If you never did a single thing for me again, that would be alright so long as this knowledge I wish to say is kept secret." K'yohko leaned forward, narrowing his gaze sharply at K'ile.

 

K'ile frowned, letting his head lilt to one side. "I can't promise to do something before I know what it is, but I'm not a gossip. I don't run around talking about people."

 

K'yohko seemed vexed by his lack of an answer. His ears twitched incessently atop his head, and his tail curled up around his side. "I cannot tell you if you cannot promise this for me."

 

The Tia rolled his eyes. "Okay, little Yohko. I promise not to tell anyone your secret."

 

"K'nahli said she was in love with me." He frowned deeply, his ears pressing to the top of his head. "I do not know how or why or even if it is true, but she professed it as truth to me."

 

K'ile snapped his head back. "What? Uhm. In what way?"

 

"Not the way a daughter should care for a father." He shook his head roughly and reached back to rub at the back of his neck. "In an incestual way."

 

"Oh." K'ile's ears turned sideways on his head, and his tail flipped back and forth behind him. He laughed at that, eyes on the ceiling. "You are so... Well." He dropped his gaze back to the man. "So what are you going to do about it?"

 

"I..." he gripped roughly at the back of his neck and forced himself to breath out. He slowly released his neck and set his hands back into his lap. "If I loose to you, then... she could not care for me anymore. Could she? I must do something to spare her... "

 

K'ile shook his head. "That won't change anything." Then he thrust a finger at the man, pointing violently at his face. "And don't you DARE think about losing to me on purpose. If you don't give this fight everything you have then being Nunh means nothing. Not to you, not to me, not to this tribe and not to your daughters."

 

K'yohko recoiled slightly, for the first time seemingly affected by anything K'ile had done or said. "I realize that K'ile and yet... I would do anything to save K'nahli from myself." He stood impatiently and paced back and forth in front of his uncle. "And yet if you were nunh, would not much be fixed? K'nahli would be forced to give up on me, K'mih would have a mate, K'luha would be happy, perhaps even K'rahto would begin challenging you..." K'yohko grunted before forcing himself to sit still again. "I will... give this fight my all. For your sake. And the tribe's sake. But please, you must help me figure out how to convince K'nahli to care for someone else."

 

Watching the Nunh with a vexed expression, K'ile shook his head. "My being Nunh isn't going to fix anything. I can help K'luha put herself back together, but that's still going to be hard. I'll help the tribe and the women by giving them more children, but it's still going to be hard. I don't think K'nahli and K'mih will accept me as their Nunh."

 

"If you beat me fairly, would they not be impressed enough to do so?" K'yohko asked almost nervously. The idea that they would still not accept K'ile if he defeated K'yohko seemed to be a concept utterly beyond the Nunh.

 

"That's not how it works. They're young. They can wait for another Nunh. Decades if they want. Or just never mate." K'ile brushed at his face with the back of his hand. His ehadache was beginning to come back. "K'mih doesn't like me."

 

K'yohko resumed his vexted expression and scratched at the back of his head again. He didn't have a headache, but he was beginning to develop the urge to go find K'zhumi again. "Why doesn't K'mih like you? Can we make her like you?"

 

"She doesn't like me because she likes you, and I don't like you, so she doesn't like me." K'ile shrugged. "We could make out at the feast. Then she'd know we're okay."

 

 "... Would that really help?" he leaned forward, unable to discern if K'ile was serious or not. "I'll do it if it would help."

 

"No that won't help." K'ile shook his head, but chuckled. "By Azeyma's eternal light, Yohko, you really don't have any idea, do you?"

 

"I don't." K'yohko frowned again and sat back, clenching his hands together in order to remain as still as possible. "My daughters elude my ability to reason. They have ever been whispers in the wind and leave me grasping at nothingness." He grunted somewhat irritably and pulled his ears back. "I am not too proud to admit when I am floundering."

 

"You shouldn't have any pride around me. I've never respected anything you've done, and I'm not surprised to hear you admit that you have no idea how to be a parent to the children you probably should've never had." K'ile spoke sternly, but it was both untrue and overly cruel. There were, in fact, some things he respected about K'yohko. None of them came into play here, though. "Listen. Get over K'mih. She's not a problem. If she doesn't want to mate, she doesn't have to mate. That's her own business."

 

K'yohko kept his face still, although he wanted to wince at K'ile's words. Was this the truth he was meant to hear? That none respected him? That he should hever never done his duty as a Nunh? His expression was schooled and firm. He couldn't allow his own doubt to betray him. This conversation wasn't supposed to be about himself. It was about K'mih. But mostly, K'nahli. "Fine, then K'mih is not the problem. It is K'nahli. How do I get her to give up her feelings and give them to someone else?" he snapped back towards the Tia, impatient for an answer it seemed K'ile was so ready and knowledgable to give.

 

"I don't know." K'ile shook his head. "Losing the challenge to me won't change her mind if that's honestly how she feels about you. She's young, though. Kids her age, even those as careful as K'nahli, say a lot of things about their feelings that just aren't true."

 

K'yohko's ears perked up lightly, but he was careful not to let his face betray his hope. "You think she was lying? Or just confused?"

 

K'ile looked to one side, and then back at K'yohko. "Maybe."

 

K'yohko inhaled deeply, letting his ears return to a more normal position. "I could believe such a thing...." After a moment's pause he looked back to K'ile. "I will hope as much for now."

 

"I'll have a talk with her." Kile pushed himself up, standing. "But you need to promise you're going to do your best to win."

 

I've already promised that much, K'ile." K'yohko seated himself more comfortably and rolled his shoulders a bit to ease some tension that had settled there. "I will fight you with all of my strength."

 

"Fine then. Are we done?" K'ile found a certain bitterness weighing down his words. Perhaps just out of habit. "I have a feast to prepare."

 

"We are." K'yohko called back stiffly, turning his back to the tia once again in order to take up a comfortable position to meditate in.

 

K'ile stepped towards the door, and there stopped, glancing back to K'yohko. "If you helped prepare the feast, it could go a long way to reminding people that Nunh challenges are normal and important, not about conflict."

 

K'yohko paused and glanced back towards K'ile, a bit surprised but keeping the look of surprise from his face. "I thought you wanted nothing to do with me."

 

Rolling his eyes, K'ile flicked his tail. "Oh, don't give me that pouty kid act. I'd thought you'd grown out of it."

 

K'yohko's ears twitched faintly, his tail sweeping around to settle into his lap. "You also don't remember the trouble I had cooking the feast for my challenge."

 

K'ile shrugged. "You can be lazy if you want." He walked out of K'yohko's tent.

 

K'yohko narrowed his gaze a bit as K'ile left. "Asking me to cook his own feast for him and he calls me lazy..." he muttered faintly, shaking his head and returning to his meditation.

[K'nahli]

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!"

 

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.

[Izmina]

K'tahjha still lay flattened on the overlooking hill. She is so engrossed in the battle, and trying to absorb everything she can so she would be able to help next time, that she only becomes aware of the new bull charging in to the fight seconds before K'nahli herself. Tahj's eyes widen and her mouth hangs open soundlessly. Somehow even over the din of the battle and the thundering hooves of the massive animals, the sickening crunch of the animal hitting the huntress reaches Tahj's ears.

 

Her panicked gaze seeks out the rest of the hunting party only to find them engaged with multiple foes. She turns back to K'nahli to find her still down with the animal targeting her with it's fury. Tahj closes her eyes, whispering, "I'm only supposed to watch, I'm not supposed to interfere." Finally her eyes snap open and she pushes herself erect with a snarl of challenge to the beast, drawing her bow and taking careful aim. She knew from watching that targeting the massive bone filled skull would do her no good, so she targets the reletively softer parts, aiming for the flank and undersides. She releases arrows as fast as she can seeking to distract the beast from it's intended target.

 

Tahj grins in triumph as she beast gives an angry cry, turning it's head to seek the source of it's torment. As it spots her and turns her way her ears flatten, she hadn't thought this far,"Now what?"

[Clover]

"K'nahli!"

 

As the beast seemed ready to attack the fallen huntress, a slightly younger female ran towards her as fast as she could. K'mih hadn't witnessed the moment K'nahli became injured, but suddenly finding her on the ground, whimpering and broken, set all kinds of alarms in both her head and stomach.

 

K'mih positioned herself right in front of K'nahli, facing the beast. Nervousness, fear and determination decorated the young girl's expression as she clung to her axe; she was there to save her sister, but she was no saviour. K'nahli had always been a much better huntress than her; how did K'mih actually expect to do well where K'nahli had not?

 

Salvation appeared in the shape of a stray arrow. In the midst of the battle's chaos, it seemed to come from nowhere. Albeit it hadn't succeeded in killing the beast, it did manage to steal its attention; more than enough at that moment. Quickly, K'mih bent down towards K'nahli and tried to pass one of the injured girl's arms around her neck. She needed to take her sister out of the way as soon as possible, before any other animal decided to crash against them.

 

"K-K'nahli, we must leave!"