A Life of War...

Chapter 1: A Rival to be Found

The mornings air was crisp and nipped at my neck. The wooden bow slung over my shoulder added weight that tipped me on the edge. I watch and listen as fire burns in the clearing. it is gentle and contained. A girl runs silently and swiftly through some ferns. They swish and rustle but they make no noise. She runs past me looking straight forward and passes me without noticing i am hunting for some game in the tree. A boy follows her a dagger in his hand. He has a long fast pace, which easily gains on the small girl. I watch in silence and my poisonous king cobra slithers from my shoulders down to my hips. His tongue slides in and out of his mouth. I can tell he smells other animals. I look around and spot a tiger and a lion fighting against each other. Their moaning and groaning is suddenly an out roar. the tiger is much stronger and quicker and was winning the battle. Blood was dripping from the lions wound as the tiger knocked him across his head. The lion got knocked underneath the tiger as the tiger grasped onto his neck. i turned away to find the girl bleeding out onto the ground. Several wounds pierced her torso and her face was pale without oxygen flowing through her body. I look closely at her face and recognize her from a different tribal clan. She never even had a chance to scream, but screaming would reveal yourself to others. I have learned to never scream. Even in pain.

I look for the boy but he is nowhere to be seen. the lion runs from the tiger, sniffs the girl and growls. He licks her face gently and runs away.

I look around and see the boy walking away. Blood stains his clothes and his face is darkened with hatred. his tiger followed his master. i watch as he disappears of back to his home. i don't like how close he is to mine though. I gently grasp Jhaaronku (jar-on-koo) and wrap him around my arm. He settles on my arm and i let a smile grow on my face. i slowly climb down limb from limb on the branches. my bow slices into my skin and burns. i am used to pain since i am finally a warrior. training took me through enough pain that i encountered throughout the nine years of training. i continue down the tree. i grasp a loose piece of wood and my hand slices open. i wince ever so slightly. The drop is only a foot or too from here. I release my grip and fall to the ground. Jhaaronku slithered around my body and gently slid into his pocket i made in my dress. i walk gracefully over to the girl on the floor. I know she was a Drunstaw tribal member. I stand up, walk away and I don't look back.