Below the Peak (Sola)(73)
“Have you ever hunted before?” he asked seriously, ignoring Finn’s gaze on him. Calemir was sure to find questions in his friend’s eyes if he turned to him. Was he seriously considering her to join them?
“I have” her reply was confident. Calemir searched her eyes for lies, and he got none. The girl must have hunted here and there, but they weren’t just going to hunt rabbits to skew later as they sat around a friendly fire. Besides, he wanted to see if she really had skills and the dagger she carried wasn’t only for show.
“Fine. Go choose your weapon. You have one minute” Calemir said finally. His reply was met with a wide smile. He couldn’t help feeling a little proud of himself for putting that beautiful smile on her face.
“Thank you,” Nara said before twisting on her heels and racing to the weaponry room.
“Don’t worry, I have my eyes on her” Calemir beat Finn to it before he voiced his concern. Finn walked beside him as he went to get his horse. Shortly after, Nara barged in the stables, breathing heavily.
That was quite fast, Calemir mused, his gaze drifting to the quiver in her hand and bow.
“I am ready” Nara panted.
“Saddle up” Calemir mounted his horse. Nara strapped the quiver unto her chest, holding the bow tightly she swung on the horse. Finn followed suit, and soon they were racing down the hill to the middle of the town.
Nara’s eyes wandered briefly over the stilted houses with flowers winding around their stairs windows and rooves. They carried a charm to them, looking cozy and warm just from the exterior.
Apparently, they weren’t the only ones going for a hunt, elves some on foot and others on horses carried spears, bows and swords and huddled into various teams. Their eyes raised to her entourage as she rode in the middle between her husband and Finn. Calemir titled his head toward them as they rode past them. They continued farther, leaving houses in their rear. Nara’s eyes twinkled when she noted the blue tree several feet in front of them. Beside it, lady Leena posed, seated on her ride. Nara stared with amazement when they drew near it. From the highest branch to its roots meeting the ground, it was covered by large blue moths, their wings fluttering and glowing.
“We ride north” Calemir’s instructed after greeting Leena. Leena glanced over at Nara, their eyes meeting briefly and then pulled the reins, maneuvering her horse.
Calemir broke from her side and rode ahead of them. They galloped away from the town, through the long green grass and into the woodlands. A cool breeze whispered over Nara’s face, causing her skin to break with goosebumps. They rode stealthily, ears and eyes sharp to their surroundings. Nara was going to ask what they are hunting when a thick bush not more than three paces away from her rustled. She turned her head toward it, her fingers gripping around the curve of her bow. She withdrew an arrow and strung it when the bush shook and rustled again. A very large white hare sprung forth from the bush. She shot, the arrow flew toward the furry creature and missed it by few inches. Terrified, the creature hopped away quickly and disappeared into the woods.
That would have made a good stew, Nara thought ruefully. She dismounted and picked up the arrow the ground. She didn’t know the three elves were watching her until she saddled back up.
“What, you don’t hunt rabbits?” she asked when they stared at her.
“No, we don’t eat such vermin” Leena replied and made a face. “They taste terrible.”
Nara huffed with surprise. “Impossible” How could a rabbit taste awful.
“Humans eat the weirdest things” Finn added, his shoulders shuddering.
Nara lifted her chin, affronted a little with his comment. “Actually, it tastes fantastic when cooked well with spices.”
Finn shuddered again, imagining what she just said. Nara turned to the prince, finding the same look of unpleasantness on his face.
Nara shook her head with disbelief.
The party resumed the search. The air grew quieter, as they delved deeper into the woods. They continued with the same stealthy pace. Other rabbits, squirrels popped up at a point, but she restrained herself from shooting them in consideration of their eating choices. At another point, weird little creatures with scaly red skin, big eyes and pointy horns scurried past them. Even a hog barreled behind a fallen tree and Leena just chased it away.
Nara was beginning to wonder in frustration what exactly they were hunting when Calemir spoke low. “Halt.”
Including himself, Nara, Leena and Finn stopped. There, not more than twenty paces in the clearing, two large mammals grazed. The two wild creatures were big and large as a stag if not more, yet had no fur but their tight gray skin against thick muscles had violet stripes that run across their faces to their backs, shoulders and ribs. The structure of their faces broad and angular, boring long majestic antlers shaped like uneven spades.
“What are they?” Nara whispered.
“Ireklus” Calemir replied.
“Are those our target?” she asked again, feeling her heart picking up and nerves twisting her gut.
“Yes,” Calemir took an arrow from his quiver and cocked it on his bow. “We do this fast. Be careful.” He said the last two words in elvish and sent her a warning look over his shoulder then looked back forward.
“Now!” Calemir shouted, digging his heels and galloping toward the two beasts while firing on one arrow after another in their direction. The two ireklus reared back when some of the arrows sank into their skin. Lifting their heads, the two creatures gnarled loudly and charged. Drawing her bow, Nara shot fiercely toward them. Her fingers never slowing, reached for one arrow after another from the quiver on her hip, cocking it on the string then releasing to find its target. Nara found herself with Calemir shooting at one of the beasts as the other one kept Leena and Finn busy. The animals cleverly divided them to the opposite sides of the woods.