Tooth and Nail [Druidic Trial]

[OhBlossom 65]

Spoiler

Aura farming music

 

Silver light shone through the trees; it was quite late in the evening. The smell of wet grass, dampened by the mist, leaves letting out a slight crunch beneath her feet.

 

Lutunia held up her hand, watching as the light shone between her fingers. She played with the light, moving her hand as though she was weaving with it. She’d always been calmed by the light of the moon. Something about the way the night sky glimmered brought her peace while she had been preparing herself for The Hunt.

 

A trial, given to her by her mentor. She had spent most of her time reading, practicing her aim, searching for the perfect hunt. She had thought boars and foxes to be too large. She wasn’t confident in hunting; something that could hunt her first. She continued to ponder as she walked. What should her first hunt be?

The cherished Woadbow, created for her by her mentor, was strapped to her back, quiver on her side. The rapier, made for her by a friend, rests between her kimono's obi and her kimono.

 

Her ears perk up as she hears rustling; something is near. She slows, unable to locate the sound of the rustling. Lutunia turns to one of the smaller trees, climbing up to get a better view. She’d only needed to climb up a couple of feet before seeing the fur of a rabbit, glistening in the moonlight, perfect.

 

Lutunia started with a prayer as she began to reach into her quiver.

 

“Mother, Cerridwen, thank you for blessing me with this creature.”

 

She pulled out a bolt, admiring the rabbit's glistening fur. It looks so.. peaceful..

She sat bolt upright in her lap as she reached back, pulling out her bow.

 

“Father, Cernunnos, please give me the strength to end this creature's life painlessly.”

 

She began to load the bolt quietly so as not to scare the poor thing.

 

“I’ll make this swift.”

 

She’d say, aiming towards the rabbit.

She watched as it continued to munch on the forest greenery. She took a deep breath before releasing her bolt. "THHGHHK"  The bolt sounded, hitting ground beside the rabbit. “Ah..”  Lutunia groaned as she watched the rabbit escape.

 

“I missed...”

 

Lutunia turned to climb down the tree, disappointed. Yet, before she could grumble anymore about her aim, she was swept off her feet. “W-Wait!”  She cried, closing her eyes as she was practically thrown from the tree, falling through the thicket of branches before hitting the ground with a thud. She gasps deeply, struggling; her lungs burning from the loss of air. She let out a sharp cry as her eyes watered.

 

Lutunia forced herself up, slightly disoriented from the fall. Her eyes met the fur of a larger creature; the first thing she noticed was its paws. They were huge; much larger than the average cat. As her vision cleared, she eyed its claws, digging into the bark as it slowly made its way down the tree. Lutunia reached for her bow. It was gone.

 

She looked around in a panic; it had landed out of her reach. She must’ve dropped it before she fell. She turned back towards the cat, noting its black spots, tufted ears, and knob-like tail; a bobcat. Lutunia would stand, adrenaline pumping through her veins.

She takes a step back as the big cat reaches the ground, reaching for her sword. The bobcat lurks towards her as she pulls out the rapier from its scabbard, forged of slayersteel, aurum, and adfectio stones. The veins of adfectio stone shone a dark gray.

 

“Doku-Doku.. give me the strength I need, don’t let your descendant die like this!”

 

She cried out as she and the bobcat lunged towards one another. She thrusted her rapier, just as she was shown. Lutunia dared not open her eyes as she prayed and waited, waited... but her death didn’t come. Lutunia opened her eyes, adjusting them to the moonlight as it shone upon her. There lay the bobcat, dead. She won, she lives to see another day.

 

She collapsed to the ground, leaning over the large cat as she began to pray shakily.

 

“Crone, Nemissae, lest I leave anything for you to take care of, thank you for taking care of it.”

 

 

Once she had finished her prayer, the musin would rise to her feet, gathering her things.

I suppose she must inform her mentor.

Spoiler

First Light by Stuart Dunkel

 

Spoiler

With that, the trial, one in which she wasn’t quite sure she’d manage, had been completed.

 

Spoiler

 Hunting Olive by Stuart Dunkel