Avenger's Pathe

Chapter Two- Secret Wager

The taciturn forest was disturbed by the eruption of birds taking flight from the underbrush; their multicolored wings -carrying their bright green bodies to the skies, fluttering like little panicked hearts. Seconds later a young woman scrambled from the underbrush, a young woman armed to the teeth. A full quiver was slung across her back and a longbow was grasped in her left hand. Her long hair was pinned in place with six throwing darts disguised as hairpins. She was the cause of all the commotion, disturbing the once-tranquil forest with her loud footsteps and harsh breathing.

She stopped for a few seconds in order to catch her breath. Her right hand pressed against her chest in an effort to calm her fiercely palpitating heart. Sweat ran down her face in little rivulets; little beads that dropped from her face with the tattoo of her heart.

Turning her head to and fro, keen eyes flicked over the scenery seeking her pursuers. Small prickly bushes of Dragon scales and Baby Briars obscured her view and did nothing but sullen her mood, grumbling in annoyance she picked the small thorns from her legs. The numbing sensation told her she had been pricked one too many times by the thin needles crowning the Dragon's scales bush.

Soon faint sounds of snapping twigs and rustling dry leaves filled the silent air and she knew that her pursuers were just beyond the underbrush. Her countenance was distorted with a combination of annoyance and thought; annoyance because her legs were falling asleep and thought because she was out of ideas.

She flicked a coffee-colored curl from her pale face and contemplated what to do next. She no longer had the energy to maintain a constant distance between her and her pursuers; short of running, her options were diminishing at a startling pace. Besides, if she ran any longer, she felt as though her legs would fall off and her lungs and heart would explode. Not on her top list of ways she wanted to die.

Searching desperately, she spotted not a hiding place but a patch of stinkweed and her thoughts strayed back to the great black Bour hound she had spotted tethered to a Feyan tree as its owners went in search of her tracks. She thanked the Dyu's the wind was blowing in the opposite direction and she had been able to sneak past them. Unfortunately, her luck had not lasted long, for the winds had shifted and the hound had caught her scent and thus, she had to resume her tiring task of outrunning her pursuers.

Trotting quietly over to the small patch of stinkweed, she kneeled beside the large plant. Its pumpkin orange leaves were as large as fans and swept upwards praying to the sky. She grasped a large leaf in her hand and gently turned it over as to not disrupt the swelling bulbs attached to its underside and in one fluid motion, swept the voluminous bulbs into her palm. They broke as soon as they touched human skin, releasing fetid puss. Dear Dyu's, I'm going to smell for days, pray that this works.

Rubbing the puss on her trousers, she gagged and turned her head aside attempting to gasp full, clean breaths of air but to no avail. The horrid-smelling stench accosted her olfactory senses and her stomach heaved with the onslaught. Retching her breakfast into the center of the bright upswept leaves with great mighty heaves, she emptied her stomach and then concealed the mess as well as she could. Though no one person or animal in their right mind would ever willingly disturb a bush of stinkweed, it could never hurt to be safe.

A faint bark animated her to keep moving.

Her small form made not a sound as she ran to the boundary of the small clearing, keen eyes always searching for her next possible hiding spot as she stepped into the safety of the trees once more. Bringing her eyes skyward she gasped in awe.

It was beautiful this time of year. The Feyan trees swayed in the light breeze, their deep gold leaves danced about as they fell lightly to the earth. The smaller Currath trees mingled in between their taller cousins, their scarlet leaves intertwining with the golden leaves of the Feyan. The breeze picked up strength and turned into a playful warm wind. The fluttering leaves twisted and danced about her, caressing her body before making their home on the ground. The elegant beauty portrayed peace and tranquility and the young woman could not help but once again sigh.