𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐀𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍, bellamy blake ¹

13; second

"It was impossible, of course. But when did that ever stop any dreamer from dreaming."

― Laini Taylor, Strange the Dreamer

➳ ➳ ➳

"COME," SERENA SAID, AND WALKED TOWARDS ONE OF THE VILLAGE GATES. The village was surrounded by a wall that was about as high as Naomi, with large sliding wooden gates to keep out intruders. This one was guarded by a man with a long black beard, peppered with streaks of grey. He had a snake tattoo wrapping around the back of his neck and turned from his post when he heard us approaching.

"Fine day, isn't it, Village Chief?"

Serena smiled. "Open the gate, Kamek. We will go hunting."

"As you wish." He and another man moved to pull open the large gates. "Safe travels," he said.

Naomi was oblivious to most of what they were saying, many words she hadn't yet grasped. Before walking through the gate, Serena moved to the side where a rack of swords lay. Serena already had her own sword and a bow slung over her shoulder, however, she threw Naomi a longsword.

Naomi caught it in surprise, and held it up to eye-level, inspecting the grooves carved into the edges after many years of battle.

"Can you hunt?" Serena asked her.

Naomi turned her head to the side. "I can kill, if that's any worth," she said.

The dark-skinned woman pursed her lips and furrowed her eyebrows. "Hunting and killing are not the same thing." Her expression was soft and confused: questioning.

"It's a long story."

Serena sighed. "Well, if you ever want to share it, I have plenty of time." She sighed and waved a hand at Kamek. "Let us go." In doing so, she pulled her bow from where it was strung over her shoulder. Naomi held the sword in her hand, weapon hanging heavy. She hated the weight of the longsword, it felt foreign in her grip.

She followed Serena down the overgrown path, boot-clad legs brushing through long ferns. Water-drops clung to them like small beings. She crushed them beneath her feet.

"What are we hunting?"

"What ever unfortunate animal comes across our path."

➳ ➳ ➳

"There," said Naomi, from her position in the bushes. She extended a finger to point at the buck wandering in front of them.

Serena already had the string of her bow pulled back, peering down the shaft of the handcrafted arrow. She shuffled to the right to get a better position and narrowed her eyes. Her finger left the drawstring and the arrow flew into the deer's leg. It wailed, flailing to run and falling in its haste. "Now!" cried Serena.

Naomi launched from the undergrowth, sword held tightly in one hand. The buck kicked out and Naomi avoided being struck by its hind legs. She tried to grab a hold of its head, so she could slit its neck quickly. It slid from her grip and she lunged forward, catching it by the back legs. It screamed, kicking at her as she gripped onto it.

An arrow imbedded itself in the side of the buck's head and it stopped moving. Naomi panted, looking up to see Serena approaching.

"Sloppy," she said, "But promising." She pulled the arrow from the young buck's head. "This will feed many, tonight. I will tell them you contributed to much of the food." She pulled the sack full of fresh game from her shoulder. "Unless, of course, you would like to join us?" The question sounded hopeful more than anything.