Calliope scanned the forest surrounding her, her ears listening to the sound of the forest as it breathed, the birds chirping in the trees surrounding her, the meadow sprawled out before her. She and a few of the other women from her tribe were out hunting. One of her fellow amazons Addison softly moved next to her in silence.
"what do you see?"
"Nothing, the deer appear to be moving higher into the mountains this year. It could be a tough hunting year for us. "
Addison nodded.
"Well what do you say we go after a boar?"
"Boar hunting grounds are farther away, and for the festival tonight it would be a good idea."
Addison grinned.
"Well come on then amazon, lets go."
Callie laughed and taking her bow she slung it over her back and cupping her hands made a bird call into the early morning air. Three more amazons appeared, dropping out of the trees. Cristina smiled, Meredith was quiet and Lexie had her head cocked to the side. Callie chuckled, they were young and inexperienced but they did their best, she and Addy had taken them out on a four day hunting trip to bring back meat for the spring festival.
"we need to move into boar country."
Cristina's eyes glinted, the boars were here favorite.
"How many?"
Callie smiled.
"Actually Cris I would like to capture some boars, take them back to the village and breed them. It will allow us the ability to have a bit more of a sustained food source over the winter. Think you're up for it ladies?"
Addison smiled.
"I am."
"Mer? Lex?"
"Yeah, the male will be the challenge."
"Cris and I will take it, capture me four young ones, two male two femal, one large female and Cris and I will capture the male."
Meredith leaning on her spear smiled.
"Sounds good. Cal don't cut off his tusks, that's a big deal to the males. Makes their sex drive greater."
Callie nodded.
"Sounds good."
"Come on Cris, lets go."
Cristina nodded, she was the master of the double hooks, Meredith was the master of the double spears, Addison the master of the katanas, Cris the master of the bow, and Callie was the master of many weapons. Lexie was trying to decided what she wanted to master. Together they moved towards boar country, stopping only long enough to pick fruit and roast a rabbit. When they reached boar country they scouted together until they found a family of boars. Callie smiled, the hunt was her favorite part of the day. Addison next to her looked at her.
"How are we going to get them to separate."
Callie grinned wolfishly and grabbing a nearby stick took her long knife and began working a point.
"Take branches, we'll throw them in a certain path, test each of our skills, until they separate and then Cris and I will go after the male, Addi and Mer go after the female and Lex, the wee ones are all yours."
Lexie smiled.
"Consider em in the bag."
They quickly sharpened the sticks into a point, being as quiet as possible, then throwing them they formed a circle around one side of the family of boars and then throwing them down a line to form a funnel callie grinned it was her favorite part. She jumped carefully down from the tree and startled the boars , the male immediately taking the defense. Cristina stood in the trees and immedialty began throwing the spears they had made surrounding him and stopping him from following the female and the babies. In the meantime Addison separated the female from the babies, their trap working perfectly. Lex, caught the young boars quickly tying string around their bodies, she knew it would be hard to 'walk them" so to speak but she knew it was needed. Addison growled as she and Meredith worked to catch the female. She had big teeth and Addison wasn't a fan.
"Mer if I tackle it can you get string around it?"
Meredith nodded.
"Of course."
Addison circled the boar and then timing it perfectly she Leapt forward and tackled it, the animal squealed and tried to get away but Addison wrapped her strong arms around the mouth and her legs around the body, grunting as she received several kicks from the hoofs.
"Come on Mer."
Meredith moved closer and quickly tied off the boars mouth and wrapped rope around the animals body. As soon as it was done Addison released the animal and is screeched in anger at being caught. Callie and Cris were having a harder time getting the male boar to cooperate.
Callie growled as she used her sword to keep the animal at bay.
"Cris what are we doing?"
Cristina waited until the boar moved over the rope then using her hook she pulled up eefectively tripping the animal and quickly with a deft flick of her wrist tied it once around the boar, and Callie grunted as she held the boar and Cristinia quickly tied off the mouth and several other ropes quickly were put around the strong animal. As soon as it was done the five of them brought the boar family back together tying the various ropes together and effectively "walked" them back to the village. When they reached the village Callie immediately began giving orders as to how to build a secure compound. It took twenty of the amazons an hour or two to build and when it was done they released the boars giving them plenty of room and respect to move and live freely. Callie stood at the edge of the compound a smile on her face, it would provide sustainability for awhile. A teasing voice behind her brought her out of her musings.
"I see how it is, we just get a deer you just solve the problems of the world."
Callie laughed and turned to see Bailey.
"hey Bailey, hows it going?"
"Allright thanks. We got a deer for the festival, nice to see you using your brain though, it was looking pretty slim out there."
"Yeah its gona be a rough winter. To bad we can't do this with deer."
Callie nodded.
"Indeed."
Eirana, the queen of the amazons came down and smiled at her regent and weapons master.
"Cal you never cease to amaze me. Well done. This will provide us with a little bit of a sure food source, with that and the crops we've planted we may be able to survive. Come I need to speak with you."
Callie followed their queen into her office in the palace on the hillside and took a seat.
"Whats up?"
"You know we have guests tonight."
"ah yes, the Persian princess."
"We need this treaty Cal."
"No we don't Rain."
"It will be better for us if we have her on our side."
"She's a warlord Rain. She's dangerous and could harm our nation."
"Or she could be a great asset we don't know Cal. That's apart of what we need to determine."
"And the defenses?"
"Bailey has put them in place."
"And you want me to do what?"
"You are her bodyguard, as well as one of her own. Her caravan will come in, we've given the men in her caravan leave to camp on our lands and the women will join us for the spring festival."
Callie nodded.
"Of course."
"cal be careful."
"I will."
"Good. She'll be here within the hour, I want you to pick a small escort amd wait for her at the border. Masks and all."
Callie nodded.
"yes your majesty."
Callie stood and was hugged by her queen and then headed to her hut. There she grabbed her sword, her mask, her bow and all the weapons she would need. She changed int her longer leathers and quickly ran out of her hut.
"Addie, Cris, Mer, Lets go. Masks and all, stables five minutes."
"Yes regent."
The three women quickly grabbed the necessities and headed out of the village. Calliope smiled as she walked into the stables. Her black horse niggered. She reached out and ran her hand along his nose speaking softly in ancient amazon to him. He was a beautiful black stallion with a silver mane and a crescent moon adorned his nose. Addison came in and quickly saddled her mare, and Cristina did as well. Soon the three warriors were off the dust coming up from the cloud of the horses feet. As soon as they reached the border Callie told them to branch off into the trees. She pulled her mask down over her face. She was an imposing figure on moonbeam, who was also adorned in the amazon way. She was wearing a long leather sirt with high slits so she could move easily and a leather shirt that came about midriff, her longsword was on her back, her bow slung across her shoulders and her black hair pulled half back to accommodate her mask. She saw a small caravan approaching, about five women, and ten male warriors, they flanked a women whom Callie assumed was the princess of Persia, as well as the warlord of Persia. As they approached horses were brought to a stop. Callie introduced herself, pulling off her mask, brown met blue eyes and she struggled to gather her voice. This woman was gorgeous. The blue eyes seemed to search her soul. Callie quickly regaining her equilibrium spoke.
"My name is Callie Torres, the regent of the entire amazon nation, and princess of the four corners of the wind. I am your escort into our nation."
The Persian princess smiled taking Callie's breath away and she spoke.
"My name is Arizona Robbins, Princess, warlord and conqueror of the five lands of the sea, earth and fire. I am honored that you would invite me to your festival as well as I look forward to negotiations."
