Sakura Eyes

Chapter 15

I stomped away, ignoring Tristan's calls after me. When I reached the hill, I started to run up the steep trail. Breathless, I reached the top and ran into the forest. I collapsed underneath my tired legs as tears began to form around my eyes.

Why was I crying again? Why did I always end up alone? We argued because of me and now—

I covered my mouth as a sob escaped. I shut my eyes and let the tears fall. Before I knew it, I had fallen asleep due to my exhaustion after crying. When I awoke, the sun was just beginning to set. I tenderly touched my swollen eyes as my stomach growled while staring blankly at the trees around me.

That night, I declined to eat dinner when Yuri found me and asked. He tried to get me to go back, but I refused, saying I needed some time alone. 

Eventually, Yuri and Tristan stopped coming back to get me and left a chunk of cooked meat for me to eat on a leaf. 

As I sat sitting in the dark, my conversation with Justin kept resurfacing to my mind, no matter how hard I tried to push it to the back of my mind. Consequently, I decided to take my mind somewhere else: swordsmanship. 

I jabbed at imaginary objects and sometimes at animals that crossed my path. I trained my accuracy by standing a few feet away from a tree and aiming for the tree's trunk. When rabbits or birds came across me, I would try to aim for them, but in the end I still wouldn't have hit a single target.

When the sun rose again, I could throw my dagger and it would hit the trunk every time, but I felt that wasn't enough. I groaned and fell on the ground as my dagger missed a passing rabbit again.

Just give up.

Right when I felt like quitting, Justin's words rang in my head.

You're weak without us.

Those four words were enough for me to keep going. By the time the sun went down, my arm was aching, my back was dead tired, and I was sweating from head to toe. I hadn't even realized I had practiced the whole day.

I sighed and touched my arm gingerly. Looking up at the blue sky, I flipped my hair to a side and fanned myself with my hand. I spotted a low tree and reached my arms up to grab the branch when I realized they were shaking hard.

My eyes widened when I realized that my hands were covered in cuts. It must've been from the splinters in the tree and the blade of the dagger. Sometimes I would accidentally grab the tip of the blade or place my hand on the tree trunk in frustration when I missed my target.

Turning my eyes back to the branch, I knew there was no way I would be able to grab the branch without screaming in pain. Frowning, I leaned against the branch and closed my eyes. I steadied my breathing and listened to the wind.

Suddenly, I heard something rustle. My eyes flashed opened and spotted an oblivious deer munching on some plants towards my right. Judging by its incredibly small and petite size, I guessed that it was still a baby fawn.

Adrenaline and excitement filled me up. My fatigue disappeared as I slowly raised my arm back. The fawn's ears twitched, and it suddenly looked up at me. I cursed as it dashed away and started after it.

I knew that it was only a matter of a few seconds before the fawn would disappear from my sight. Right now, I was about three or four feet away from the deer. I skidded to a stop.

Breathe. My arm backed up, the dagger right next to my cheek. Inhale. I threw the blade hard and straight. In those few seconds the dagger was in the air, the blade turned from hilt to point through the air until it hit with a sickening crunch. I watched, breathless, as the deer fell.