Fang's Heart 🐉 | Rayaari

Chapter Two: Fire and Blades

"Love goes by haps;
Some Cupid kills with
arrows, some with
traps."

- William Shakespeare,
Much Ado About Nothing - Act 3, Scene 2)

🐲

The luminescent skies rumbled from a far off distance, clouds of greys tailing on the south like armadas. The breeze cold and moist, signifying an onslaught of downpour will be arriving in an hour or two. With squinted eyes, Raya tucked her hair behind her back, securing the corners of her bangs in her salakot. Chief Benja's sword, or rather her's, was neatly strapped on her left hip, patting the scabbard inside her red cloak in habit.

The Tail district was not as crowded like the other lands. It was a dessert with dry soil and little crops and food was scarce around the Eastern part of the aforementioned Land of Tail. The place was small and the houses were made from clay and stone. People wouldn't stay far too long in this area during the infestation of Druun. But after those monsters gone, few people would visit here for deliveries. Some continued their lives in the main city while others migrated to other Kingdoms.

It felt nostalgic to the Princess of Heart being in this region, it brought back both happy and painful memories.

Most of her six years journeying and tracking the mighty Sisudatu was spent in the slums and alleys - discarded and alone. She relied on her skills, her wit, and her strength. But she was a child, without any supervision, stripped from her land with her Ba and people frozen. A twelve year old could only do so much.

Of course, she met few families who took her in, from one land after another. Directed her to a path she thought she lost track and nudged her to continue her mission. She lost count how many times she was on the brink of surrendering but her Ba's words would always creep at the corners of her mind.

'Don't give up on them.'

She didn't. She was thankful she listened to that voice. If anything else, her Ba was one of the little reasons of the driving motivation that led her to the present.

What were the other forces that induced her to go further?

"Are you nervous?"

Raya peered beside her and paused to see her previous rival staring off at a distance.

Raya was at lost for words for this woman. She was crass, sharp-tongued, fierce, and skilled, like a noble heir to the throne of Fang would look like. But deep inside, she was also kind, considerate, and passionate. Namaari may never admit it, but she adores to be surrounded by children. Her walls are hard to break but when she values camaraderie, she makes sure she upholds to that even on the battlefield.

Maybe that's one of the reasons Raya fought her way through life all those years. The chase, the thrill, the pain and betrayal. At the end of the day, it always ended with the two of them, side by side. From a land of Heart and Fang.

"No. Worried seems to be more appropriate." Raya states, smiling.

Namaari quirked a brow at her direction, humming. "Never knew that the notorious Princess of Heart is intimidated by a mere existing force."

She rolled her eyes but decided to play along. "You're only saying that because you're conscious of my wellbeing, dep la."

Namaari's expression changed but it was gone the moment Raya could decipher what it was. Teasing and small banters were normal for the both of them, but the result was unlikely. For starters, if Raya has to be the one to start poking on Namaari's buttons, the Fang warrior would stay quiet and be in denial. In Namaari's terms, Raya would reply with a witty epithet and Namaari was pushed in a corner, like a cat finding ways to escape.