Tribal Tattoos & Darker Tides

Too Close

The scent of the jungle dew filled my nostrils, a scent I had grown to love. The sweet sounds of chirping birds and the very waterfall that poured into the murky water of the large pool we stood beside on the bank. I had chosen a tree nearby for our target practice in which I will teach her how to shoot. She stood patiently as I grabbed a piece of natural clay from the bank's edge and I marked a target into the wood.
I threw the clay back into the pool and turned to face Sofia, she smiled lightly, I however did not return it. She was not to be trusted just yet, she might had proven herself, but after our conversation earlier I would no go easy on her because her family is dead. I stripped my bow from my torso and I held it out in front of her.
"Think of your bow as an extension of your body, when you let it go exhale, when you pull it back inhale." I mimicked what I said, holding the grip of my bow and pulling the drawstring back with an arrow between my fingers. I sucked my abdominal in as I took a deep breath, pulling the bow back raising my elbow and aiming at the target. "Keep your chest tight, aim... And release." I released the arrow, it hit straight at the center of the target. I nodded my head with approval of my shot, I smirked sticking my tongue between my teeth for a moment of glory before turning to Sofia. "Got it?" She gulped before nodding her head, she held her bow now tightly in her hand, two of the three arrows on the ground, the third in her opposite hand. "Okay, go ahead then." I crossed my arms and took a step back leaning against a nearby tree, she readied the arrow at the drawstring before taking in a deep breath and pulling it back. She raised her elbow a bit to far and her abdominal wasn't tight, plus her feet were to close together, I sighed. "Stop! Stay where you are." I came up behind her, placing my hand on her hip, I heard her breath go ragged when my rough hand touched her smooth skin. She tried to keep focus on the target, but it must have been hard, I placed my hand on her stomach from behind slapping the area she bit her bottom lip to keep from yelping, her stomach tightened just right. I pushed her legs further apart with my foot and I took a step back to check my work, I held my chin with my hand, my arms crossed. "Lower your elbow just a bit." She did as I said, I smiled. "Perfect." It was only seconds after when she released the arrow and to my surprise it hit it's target, by calculations only an inch from my arrow.
"Again." She grabbed another arrow and continued on with to he same movements as before, she was in a much better stance this time. She was quicker to, releasing the arrow and to my surprise shooting it right through mine. I stepped up to stand beside her staring at the three arrows stuck to the tree. "Your not so bad at this Soph. Next."
We left the pool so I could start teaching her how to hunt, when we returned the sun was about to fall and she hadn't captured any animals whatsoever. I was thoroughly disappointed, she missed a shot on what was meant to be her first kill and she lost the tracks of a second hunt. I decided to ignore her as we sat by the small pool, relaxing in the shade, and basking in the calming peace that made this island the best home to have.
She pulled her legs to her chest and wrapped her arms around her knees staring out into the water. I laid back on my elbows and stared at the waterfall, closing my eyes every so often to just listen to the sound of the water hitting the water... So simple. I remember as a child my father brought me here and taught me how to swim, he taught me how to fight here, how to shoot a bow here, and how to survive the jungle. It was such a sacred place to me that I didn't understand why I brought her here.
She meant nothing to me, she might be attractive but she was... I don't know she just wasn't right in the head, you know?
"Vaas."
"What?" I snapped at her, my eyes finding hers without issue, I did kind of like how they glimmered in the moonlight, her skin was as soft as a baby's bottom to. Despite the fact that we have been out here all this time, she smelled good, like a simple perfume that emanated from her skin. I shook the thought out of my head, a simple native like her will never get sexual attention from a prince like me.
"I apologize... I have failed you." She said softly, her voice was so gentle, so kind and sincere. Not even my sister's voice could match that sweet sound that emanated from Sofia's lips, it sent shivers down my spine.
"You have." I agreed, then a thought came to my head. I shall train her on her own, what she had learned in that cave did not need to be spoken of, I had learned it and many other warriors have. Perhaps she will have to learn on her own, when I am not around. "In order to gain my respect you will have to do something for me." I laid back placing my hands under my head and staring up at the sky that peaked through the branches above us.
"Like what?"
"Only the greatest warriors do this." Lies, maybe lying to her was a good idea. She wanted to prove herself to me, then she could. "You haven't hunted until you have become the predator. You are still so weak that you are still the pray and in time I will fix that. Go out into the jungle and kill a tiger, skin it and bring it's head and fur back to me."
"By tomorrow?"
"When else?"
"Where can I find a tiger?" I chuckled and shook my head.
"What do you think hunting is Sofie?"
"And if I come back to the temple empty handed?"
"If you come back at all empty handed, I promise you that my father won't show the same respect for you now as he does then." She stood up hesitantly and stared down at me before looking up at the sky. The sun was almost behind the mountain.
"Then I better get started." I snorted, she was seriously going to go out there and do this... She really is a foolish woman.
"I will tell my sister to pray to those false gods for you tonight." I teased back, getting no answer as she turned and started towards the jungle. I turned onto my stomach, watching as she fearlessly disappeared beyond the branches and large leaves of the jungle. She will have my prayers to, she had survived one night in a cave, she hasn't yet survived one night in the jungle.