A Hunter's Curse

chapter 1: the arrival

Across the vast dusty plains of the south lands, past the water springs and into a clearing filled with promise, a tribe of tepees encircled The Great Fire, the Chemboor tribe's bonfire and by this fire sat a young girl by the name of Mileena.

Mileena was no ordinary girl and many a time the women of the tribe would gossip amongst each other, whispering loud enough for her to hear the crude comments made against her whenever she passed.

She never really cared about what they said about her because she knew that if they had any idea what she and her family were they would be trembling in terror, too paralysed with fear to gossip about her.

But she was not one to enforce fear on others unless necessary so she kept to herself and grew up as a reserved, brave huntress of the tribe, her rough and tough exterior hiding a soft, gentle and passionate Mileena that could easily be missed if you did not know her well and don't pay close enough attention.

One afternoon as she watched the little boys of the tribe play with their small spears and pretend that they were warriors, she heard shouts from the tribesman.

She rushed to the edge of the village expecting the male hunters to have returned from the planes with that night's meal of buffalo but what she saw made her heart stop in her chest.

There sitting atop their horses were the Myakas, the Chemboor's most hated enemy tribe. Immediately she drew her spear and readied for attack, others immitating her swift move.

Instead of the much anticipated attack, the young man in charge of the little party jumped down from his horse and marched towards Mileena taking her as the leader of the group of people currently pointing their poison tipped spears at him.

"I wish to speak to your chief", the young man addressed Mileena. "What business do you have with my chief" was Mileena's reply. "I come in peace to discuss a very important situation with your chief, i swear by my ancestors." He lowered his eyes to the ground in a small bow. " I will take you to our chief but your men are forbidden from entering and if you so much as try to harm anybody in my tribe i swear on the ancestors that i will make you pay severly." Mileena said with much menace filled in her voice that the man could not help but flinch at the tone of her voice.

She lead him through the little village to The Chief's tepee which sat in the middle of the clearing, next to The Great Fire. After informing The Chief of the arrival of the enemy who wished to discuss important things, both Mileena and the man entered the tepee.

The young man's name was Manak, the son of the chief of the Myakas and he had come with grave news of their village being attacked by a strange breed of creatures whom sucked the blood of their victims and only came by night. He described their teeth as long sharp daggers, human appearences yet not human at all.

He had come in desperate need of support to fight these creatures and was willing to put aside both tribes differences and try and be as one. The Chief was not really concerned in the matter until Manak brought up the possibility of these deadly monsters entering the Chemboor tribe and draining everyone.

After further discussion into this matter The Chief made a promise to send along a band of the tribes best warriors with Mileena included to take down a new terror of the south lands.