AN: This is my first try at writing fan fiction so any comments would be appreciated. Also, I'm a college student. Unfortunately, that means I might not be able to write very often; I apologize if it takes me a while to update. And finally, a huge shout and thanks to my beta reader, autumnxwinds! Without her none of this would have been possible.
The air north of Velaris was crisp yet refreshing as Navi checked the tracks in the snow one last time before joining her brother Saiph and their friend Riandur. Standing by the wall of pines at the edge of the clearing, they shared enthusiastic looks, ready for the day's hunt. Navi and Saiph's parents, the High Lord and Lady of the Night Court, were away on business and the three had decided to take a hunting trip in their absence. It wasn't often that the three of them could make time to escape to the woods because, though young by their parent's standards, all three were old enough to be involved in court politics and participate in training.
The youngest of the group, Navi, had decided to join Saiph and Riandur's hunt to prove herself to her brother. And, with Diarmuid in training with his father Lucien and their uncle Cassian, they had no problem including her.
"Riandur, if you get any closer to the trees we'll lose you in the shadows again," Navi teased.
"Good, that means I'm doing something right." As the son of Azriel and Mor, Riandur was also learning to be a shadowsinger and hoped to take his father's position one day when Saiph became High Lord. "Besides, you're colorful enough for the both of us as well as Saiph. It looks like you've still got some paint on your face from this morning."
"No kidding," Saiph joined in. "Are you sure you're my sister? Sometimes I'd swear you're more like Mor or Aunt Elain. Though, I suppose the painting does have our mother written all over it."
"You know you love me anyway," was Navi's only answer as she turned back to glance across the meadow once more. "I wish Rowlis was here."
"No you don't, she might be your best friend, but she'd never let you act as bait while hunting naga. She's far too serious; basically a copy of her mother if you think about it. Aunt Nesta wouldn't like this either."
"That's because she still thinks of me as a child, Saiph," Navi pouted, glancing at her brother over her shoulder.
"Nav, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but compared to her, you are. The war with Hybern ended decades before I was born and I have 53 years on you. Speaking of your lack of experience, why are we using your plan again? It would be safer to hunt together." At Saiph's questioning of Navi's plan Riandur felt a shadow cross his face.
The whole idea of getting the nagas' attention then leading them back to a trap seemed unnecessarily risky to him. But, unfortunately, taking the absence of Rowlis into account, the boys had accepted that they would have to play out Navi's plan, though it made them uncomfortable to leave her alone and in danger. However, this didn't mean they would stop trying to get her to change her mind before she could take off.
Even though she would never admit it, Nav could be just as stubborn as Rowlis if she really put her mind to it. The only reason the boys were willing to entertain the idea of letting her go out on her own was that she was almost as good of a fighter as her brother and could fly away from the naga if needed.
Turning her back to the boys to look over the meadow once more, she missed the fear and reluctant acceptance on their faces as she took the first couple of steps to cross the clearing, drawing her knife as she did. Halfway across the opening she stopped as though struck by a sudden thought and turned around to yell to Riandur and Saiph.
"Go to the low area by the stream we crossed to get here and wait in the trees there. That's where I'll bring them."
She then offered them one of her blinding smiles, golden brown hair floating on the breeze and violet eyes flashing, as she drew her second knife. She waited for them to turn from her to go take their spots in the forest before continuing her dance across the meadow to begin her hunt.
Once she had disappeared into the forest in the tree line opposite them, Saiph took a deep breath before nodding to Riandur and walking in the direction of the stream Navi had indicated. It took them a while to arrive at their destination by walking, but, as Saiph wasn't keen on flying there and alerting the naga to their presence, they didn't have many other options.
As Riandur and Saiph arrived at their designated hiding place, Riandur felt a sudden urge to be sick and tripped on a rock in the streambed. Catching him, Saiph gave him a concerned look before Riandur collapsed and was wracked by pain, causing his wings to flair out. This knocked Saiph away, leaving Riandur to fall into the stream bed, his white-blonde shocking against the mud. Unable to respond to Saiph or locate the source of his panic and agony, he allowed the icy stream to soothe his spasming muscles. After a couple of minutes, when he was finally able to sit up again, Riandur made eye-contact with a frightened Saiph and gasped as he took in the world around him.
It was as though something was missing, like someone had leached all of the colors from the sky and trees, though nothing had actually changed. Under Saiph's watchful eye, Riandur, still in a panic, grasped at his chest to see if the sudden emptiness he felt had come from a wound.