Shards of Silver

TWO

The stiff feel of the ferrowgrass was cooling and welcoming, the small blades of grass scratching at her skin and the soles of her bare feet. Isren had disposed of the uncomfortable boots long before her hunt. She still had yet to change out of the tight dress and the only comfort from the cold was the warmth from her cloak.

Isren dropped her wooden staff and clutched her trembling, bleeding hands against her chest to wipe away the blood at her knuckles against her dirty cloak. Crouching low against the edge of the forest, she let her ears stretch for the small sounds surrounding her, quietly searching for her prey. Leaves stirred under the touch of the breeze, and fallen branches from the trees snapped or groaned under her weight as she treads carefully into the bushes. Twilight watched over her, providing her a cover of darkness as she finished nocking the arrow against her bow and stilled.

Although the winter solstice had ended several moon phases ago, the birth of spring had not yet touched the tendrils of warm sun that rose each day with cold air. The buds of new flowers and herbs were weak and closed, refusing to open unless the winter decided to move on. Spring was late and was getting later each year. The animals that the Eysatixes preyed upon were refusing to step out of their sleeping burrows, but perhaps not some.

Isren took a deep breath as she locked her eyes on her target. The animal was quite handsome with rich blue fur and ivory thorns sitting elegantly atop its head in a crown. Isren pulled the string tighter, the sound too loud in her ears as the wooden bow groaned. The creature didn't sense her presence yet. Instead, it bowed its head to eat the few grasses that was poking out of the muddy ground. It's eyes glowed, no pupils or anything. Only a solid glow of orange were its eyes were supposed to be.

Isren crouched forward, tensing when the bushes around her rustled. The creature lifted its head in alert, sniffing at the air with its snout. It couldn't sense anything but it lifted his haunches to get ready to run. Isren let the arrow go, piercing its eye with a swift blow. It toppled over, life leaving the body and leaving behind a scared and hurt expression. Isren didn't look into his eyes after that. Her sensitive Eysatix heart would only guilt her.

Isren strapped the bow against her back and gently pulled the arrow out of its eye without looking. As soon as it was released, she cleaned it against the grass that it had been eating and stored it back into her quiver of arrows. She would leave her hunting tools after this. She probably won't touch them again so she decided to leave them as parting gifts for Jakru.

Isren hauled the creatures body onto her shoulders, ignoring the trickle of blood that dripped behind her. The walk back to her house wore her bones, but she had to keep walking despite the dead weight dragging her down.

She was still angry, although not as angry as before. It had been a long time since she had been properly friends with Axel--an event causing her to try and cut their friendship. However, it didn't work and Axel always found her no matter where she tried to hide so she pushed him away. Only, Isren didn't expect him to have feelings for her, feelings she did not reciprocate and didn't ever want to. He was just a childhood friend and that was that. Isren didn't want to see him anymore.

"Took you long enough," Jakru retorted as he stood from his spot on the stairs of the house. Isren glared at him but there was no harshness in her gaze. She dropped the creature at her brother's feet.

"It's my last gift," Isren said as she unstrapped the bow and arrows and dropped them beside the staff on the ground. "It'll be your responsibility now."

"I know," Jakru whispered, crouching beside the body and reaching a finger out to touch the soft fur. "Was this how it was when Soren was leaving?"

Isren let herself trace back memories from years ago of the last meeting she had with their elder brother. She couldn't remember exactly how his face looked like. She was too young back then. Isren nodded, answering Jakru's question silently. She sat on the grass and leaned against the palms of her hands that supported her aching body. Jakru studied her.