Adria: A Sarah J Maas Fancfic

Chapter Four

Cool air filled my lungs and I started gulping it in. I couldn't believe it. I was through. I made it, I survived, and I... was now falling towards the ground at suicidal speeds. Shit. The ground was seconds away. I could now make out the tiny details of the shrubs and trees below me.

I twisted in midair, trying to right myself. At the last second, my wings flared out, pulling me into the sky and away from the ground. After a few more powerful sweeps with my wings I managed to steady myself and get back into the air.

So... what now?

I had been so angry and focused on escaping that I hadn't really thought of what to do afterward.

I glanced around at my surroundings. It seemed like I was still in a forest... but which forest I wasn't sure. I flew for another half hour, but nothing made sense. I had absolutely no idea where I was.

I flew over a few lakes and streams, watching the birds and deer wander around the edges of the water. It seemed like a safe enough spot to stop. I slowly circled the lake while trying to determine if there were any signs of danger. Once it looked as if everything was "all clear", I glided down towards the edge of the forest.

Once I landed, I leaned against a tree and scanned the area around the lake. Be safe rather than sorry I thought to myself. I confirmed one final time that nothing was a danger to me, then I began stalking through the trees, silent as a wolf. It was nearly nightfall so that gave me additional cover, but it also limited the timeframe for me to collect food.

After searching for about 20 minutes I determined that there weren't any kinds of berries or nuts for me to gather nearby. I returned to the riverbed and watched the water very carefully. There - a ripple. I silently reached for the dagger still sheathed to my thigh.
I wrapped my hand around the beautifully carved handle and extended my arm backward. I waited for the fish to swim closer to the surface. Here it comes... just a little closer... and... now! My arm shot forward and the dagger flew from my hand, faster than an arrow. The immediate stillness of the water told me I had found my mark.

I snatched the fish out of the water before it floated away. I smiled to myself - my aim had been perfect. The dagger had sliced cleanly through the fish's heart without damaging the flesh or anything else.

I easily pulled my dagger out of the fish's body and rinsed it in the lake. Blood and dirt floated off of my dagger into the water and I carefully sheathed it back to my thigh. I carried the fish back over to the tree I had declared my campsite. Its limp body was already beginning to give off a "fishy" odor.

I picked up a wide flat stone I had found nearby and brushed the leaves off of it. I laid the fish down on the rock and took my dagger back out. After making sure the fish was laying completely flat, I placed my hand on the lower half of the body to hold it in place and brought my dagger down on its neck.

After the head was removed, I made quick work of the rest of the body. I peeled off the rest of the fish's skin, cut off the fins, and cleaned its body in the lake. Since I had caught a tuna fish, all I needed to do was thinly slice it, then I could eat it raw. I couldn't risk making a fire right now - it could draw unnecessary attention.

I sat down on the ground and lifted a slice of the fish to my lips. I chewed slowly for a few seconds.

Not bad.

I stared out at the lake. Now that I wasn't focused on finding dinner, the day's events slammed into me. I missed the comfort of my room and I missed Finnigan. But I wasn't going to go back there - not unless it was my choice.

The stars twinkled above me in the night sky. Something about the dark and the sight of the stars always comforted me. They seemed like a constant presence that would always be there to protect me.