A Court of Death and Shadows

Chapter 2: Kill or be Killed

                                                                      Chapter 2: Kill or be Killed

                                                                                         Nyah

                The very forest itself seemed to hold its breath as the eyes inched towards the doe and an enormous wolf began to show itself in the light. My arm shifted towards the predator as I took in the threat the wolf posed. It was larger then ponies that I had ridden as a child, not a chance this was a normal wolf, it had to be fae. Long gone were the days that we humans worshipped them but the danger was still a harsh reality. It had to be a faerie of some form, it didn't have the deadly beauty of a high fae, looking like us but not. I sensed Feyre quietly switching her plain arrow for an ash one. My eyes widened and I dared another glance at her before a twig snapping shot my attention back towards the wolf stalking my deer. The does head shot up and I hissed even as the doe ran, and the wolf jumped. He landed on her, jaws ripping away precious meat and I heard the snap of a bowstring and watched the blood spray from the wolf's side as her arrow found it's mark in the beasts side. I dropped my own arrow and my pale hands flew as an ash one took it's place. I sucked in a breath as I released my own arrow, and my teeth ground as it landed in his ribcage, taunting me from it's useless place. At worst I had wounded and angered it, at best, paired with Feyre's ash arrow, I had helped weaken it enough that we could get away. Losing my last ash arrow was a hardness I would gladly bare if we made it home alive. The wolf didn't, flinch, didn't even blink as it laid there, it's blood slowly staining the pristine snow beneath it.

                "End it." I gasped at Feyre as she drew her last ash arrow and released it, the arrow flew towards the beast. Time seemed to slow as the wolf stared at us, not flinching. It almost looked human, the way it stared at us, it's yellow eyes calm and aware as the arrow found it's mark and drove directly through the wolf's eye before my next heartbeat had passed. A sorrowful whine cut through the air and I drew my knife. My knees felt locked into place as my mind spun, there was no possible way a normal wolf would still be alive after that. His breath slowed as I watched the light leave his eyes before going unseeing. He was gone. My breath was coming quick as my fingers clutched tighter around my knife but I forced myself to look away and towards the doe. A small hand gripped my free one and squeezed. I looked into Feyre's eyes, as uneasy as my own.

                "The hide will sell for more than the doe" Was all her small voice said and I gathered my wits.

                "I'll take the hind off the doe, along with the hide. The wolf was your kill, you skin it quickly before it gets dark" I didn't need to voice my concerns of the wolf having a pack nearby, if I was thinking it, so was she.

                 "It was a team effort. Your arrow weakened it enough so it couldn't fight back" A grim nod. I suddenly regretted not practicing more with my bow. My skill lay more in tracking and trap setting than archery. I was a decent enough shot but nothing like my youngest sister, it came naturally to her, as did painting. Her mind put together colours and pictures in a way that mine never could. I wouldn't dare call myself an artist, no matter how much Feyre argued. My mind couldn't bring colours to life no matter how many times I tried, instead I sketched my memories. Black and white taking shape in the form of shadows and harsh lines. More of a pastime than an art, but it brought me a small amount of joy instead, but charcoal pencils were unfortunately almost as hard to find as paint in these times.

                Together we made quick work of our kills. The sticky warmth of the does blood warmed the stiffness of my hands as I severed the hind quarters from the mostly ruined deer. By the time I was done, Feyre had rolled the hide into a bundle that was easier to manage than the weight of meat and bones. She started down the path, glancing back only once at the remains of the wolf, slight regret shone in her eyes before steeling her spine and setting her face towards home. I had no such sympathies, kill or be killed, that was the law of life and one I lived by. I had learned it the hard way from a young age as I set my snares and traps for helpless animals to care for my family until Feyre grew bold enough to help me. The shadows peaked out from beneath the trees and just for a moment, I could have sworn one moved.