New moon

Waxing gibbous

A few weeks had passed, the training only getting harder. Preparations for the assassins' first missions had begun and... Ethari was worried.

He has begun to fall behind the others and relied more on crafting things such as traps to succeed, which only worked half of the time. If Runaan practically being his test subject was anything to go off of....

The moonshadow elf sighed and looked up at his bedroom ceiling. The sounds of his grandfather working downstairs just barely audible. Every time hammer struck hot metal, Ethari felt like he was going insane. Like he was drowning in a troubled sea of anxiety and doubt.

"Just laying here will do me no good." He sighed, throwing the sheets off of his legs and getting out of bed. The wood floors creaked softly under his feet as the elf grabbed his bow, quiver, and boots.

Ethari looked at his desk, one hand on the doorframe as he hesitated for a moment, debating if he wanted to bring his journal. However, he decided agaisnt it with a small shake of his head.

"New ideas can wait. I don't have time for a stupid hobby... not now." Ethari mumbled to nobody but himself.

The moonshadow elf snuck out and into the night air, the village being illuminated by the moonlight and small lanterns that glowed a soft white.

Nobody was awake, or at least nobody was outside, which was surprising. Most moonshadow elves enjoyed the night, but still, the streets and pathways were empty.

Ethari crossed the creek, hopping from one stone to the next and finally disappearing into the woods.

He grabbed his bow and knocked an arrow, aiming it at a mysterious purple and yellow spotted fruit.

Ethari pulled his arm back, took a deep breath and locked his eyes onto the makeshift target. Then...

BAM!

He missed.

"Are you kiddin' me?" Ethari groaned, arms falling to his sides and head going back, his gaze now at the dark sky above.

He walked towards the tree his arrow was lodged in, and pulled it out with a huff. Then kicked the stump and immediately regretted it.

"Fuck!" He cried, grabbing his toes and hopping on one foot.

"Language. You wouldn't want anyone to hear you say such vile words, no?" A voice hummed.

"Come to gloat?" Ethari hissed, lowering his foot and picking back up his bow and arrow.

"Of course not! What do you take me for?"

"Well, apparently a stalker." Ethari joked, turning around to see Runaan leaning against a tree. His hair was tied back into a messy bun, and the elf was certainly in his pajamas.

Runaan clicked his tongue and walked closer, arms crossed over his chest, "I am no such thing."

"You always manage to find me, no matter where I go." Ethari said, rolling his eyes and slinging his quiver back over his shoulder.

"I could say the same about you." Runaan chuckled, tailing behind his salty friend with a sort of half smile.

Ethari shook his head, mumbling something under his breath about how stupidly perfect Runaan always had to be.