Trotting through the undergrowth, Byleth's eyes remain locked on the back of the man ahead of him, a hunter - judging by his gear and familiarity with the untamed wilderness.
A supposed hunter and yet he's hardly stopped to examine any tracks, instead moving confidently deeper with each silent footfall.
Inwardly, the youth wishes he had simply been left alone, but since his father requested that he hunt, hunt he will.
'At least he hasn't hurt me yet...' The youth's fingers nervously fiddle with the pommel of his azure-sheathed dagger, contrasting his stony expression.
He also notes that his head finally stopped pounding. Not from the earlier blows exactly, but rather from Sothis hammering away at her restraints. It seems she's no longer trying to curse at him and instead settled down, though he's still not going to remove that fog that he somehow placed between them, fearful of the result.
Thoughts beginning to stray, his wandering consciousness reintroduces itself to reality as their pace finally crawls to a stop.
His temporary partner peers through the brush before turning back with a slight smile, strands of his graying dark blue hair cascading across his face.
"All right boy, show me how well you can hunt."
He then passes a small well-used bow to the silentious youth who accepts it with a simple nod and steps forward. Perhaps it's his somber emotions but even the vibrant jungle surrounding them seems devoid of colors in his dulled vision.
Despite that, he manages to spot their quarry.
It's a large wild boar with mottled brown fur and two large tusks sniffing around the lush vegetation, probably looking for food. Byleth takes a few moments to examine it.
Although not adverse to hunting, he never enjoyed killing animals, especially since he seems to have a certain affinity with them. However, it's his current duty to gather food, so he dutifully quells those minor stirrings in his chest.
Looking down, he fiddles with the bow, getting a feel for it. Then, taking in a deep breath, he nocks an arrow on the string, pulling it taut with a serene motion. Pausing a moment to aim, he focuses his sight on the cluelessly digging animal, then lets the arrow fly.
With great vigor the projectile pierces the air, making straight for its target unimpeded as though guided by invisible winds.
With no extra fanfare, the arrow digs deep into flesh, the animal falling to the ground dead with a quiet thud in the distance.
Byleth turns, reaching out to give the man his bow back, apathetic to his accomplishment. The islander accepts it with slightly widened eyes that quickly melt into something warmer.
"Good aim," he remarks.
Once again not saying anything, the teal-haired merc makes his way to his fallen prey before sitting nearby. The older hunter following in his wake walks close to the felled swine, crouching down to examine the wound.
The arrow had gone straight through the animal's eye and killed it instantly, an impressive feat even for experienced hunters. He had expected the child to get closer before going for the kill, but it seems he's more special than previously thought.
Nodding in appreciation, he pulls out the arrow and cleans it of blood, only returning it to his quiver when he's satisfactorily removed all of the grime.
"Boy, come here."
Listening, the perpetually stoic merc walks closer and crouches next to him, receiving a pair of warm yet serious indigo orbs on his person.
YOU ARE READING
The Fell Star's Return
FanfictionA young boy with a strange demeanor suddenly finds himself dealing with a beautiful green haired girl stuck in his mind. She doesn't remember much of anything, and loves to sleep, however it's clear that there is a deep connection between the two of...
