Blood And Stone

Chapter 25: Life in Sitharu

Birds chirped happily, hidden in the dense branches of the trees surrounding Sitharu. The woods around the city were the most dense woods you could ever find. The trees were so intertwined in places that it was hard to tell exactly how many trees you were looking at. This of course made a few things difficult like hunting and gathering wood but, it hid the city safely from the world around it. The outside wall of the city was not made from stone and brick like it was in every other city but instead, was a massive knit of trees and shrubs, so thick that most would see it and turn back without even thinking of trying to pass through. Every now and again, someone would try and get through, only a few managed to make it but they were instantly met with a bee.

Eryn, the beast maker of Sitharu, had made a new species of bee that could be controlled with telepathy to sting and knock a person unconscious. If drastic measures were needed, the bees could kill as well but, the Sithaurians did not like to impose such an order unless completely necessary. The bees were one of the more humane and less painful ways the Sithaurians could kill. The NeedleFly, for example, was a much more drawn-out and frightening way to die. Luckily, it was a very rare occurrence, Lyric being the first to try and enter in hundreds of years.

Lyric now sat crouched in some bushes with a bow in her hand. An arrow rested lightly on the string, its feathers moving ever so slightly in the mid-morning breeze. It had been a few weeks since she had arrived and she spent most of her days training in one way or another, whether it be cooking, hunting, or swordsmanship. She kept herself busy and was surprised to see that her arms and stomach were beginning to look more toned. The tasks were becoming easier as her muscle mass grew and changed, filling her out to become a more useful soldier than before.

Lyric held herself as still as possible, keeping the bow string slack and waiting. She watched as her target, a fairly large rabbit, hopped into a clearer area. It bent its head to the ground and began to pull up blades of grass to chew and swallow peacefully. As slowly as she possibly could, Lyric raised her bow and pulled the string back. She took several deep breaths as she aimed at the poor creature. She truly hated to kill these innocent little beasts but she recognized that her life had become more of a survival adventure than a luxurious royal one. She didn't mind, she enjoyed everything other than hunting but, it was necessary so she did her best. She took aim, steadied her hand, and loosed the arrow. It buried itself deeply inside the rabbit's neck, forcing it to fall on its side and succumb to death in an instant.

Lyric smiled as she came out of the bush to retrieve her score. With three squirrels and two rabbits, Wybe would be happy. Wybe was the main cook for the Sithaurians, with several others under him. There was a group of cooks who cooked for the entire city every night, though not everyone ate it every night. You were free to have your supper in the privacy of your own home or even one of the pubs in the market. Wybe relied on hunters every day to bring him meats for the stews. Once in a while, they were able to get a hog or a larger animal and they would prepare a feast. The Sithaurians always celebrated the life of the animals they consumed, saving every pelt to make various items like bags, quivers, rugs, and clothing. They would use the bones to make little tools or handles for daggers, depending on the creature, the Sithaurians specialized in making bone bows and arrows as well. They were a unique people with new and wild ideas that Lyric couldn't help but love.

She tied a leather strap around the rabbit's feet and hung it from her belt along with the others she had managed to kill. Looking up in the sky, it was easy to see that the noon hour was approaching and she needed to gather a few herbs before heading home. She walked along quietly, making sure to keep her eyes pointed down to find the herbs. She toddled along, picking what she needed and humming songs from her childhood. After about 20 minutes, she entered the city once more and made her way through the streets to Wybe's kitchens.