1
A cruel wicked smile spread across my face. I drew the arrow back, to my cheek, the nerves in my arm screaming at me.
My prey, stood beneath me, absent mindedly eating the ice-covered grass. The doe pushed the snow up and away with her nose. My breath was steady, my eyes were focused. The green of my irises burning through the flakes that flew past me. My nose was red with my handkerchief around my mouth, I took a deep breath and held it. I aimed for the doe's chest, directly to the heart.
A quick and easy kill. Before I fired, something moved in the corner of my eye. I glanced up but then back at my target. I was being watched, the hairs on the back of my neck rising up. I relaxed my arm, the bow now resting on my thigh. The wood was cold, it's freezing touch seeping through the leather of my pants.
I let my eyes inspect the trees next to me. The snow rushed past me as the wind's cold bite bit my face. I scanned through the pine branches, through every needle, but keeping a watchful eye on my prey. I looked more intently until I found them. The eyes.
They were an emerald green but they shined like a bright green flame. It looked down, I followed its gaze. The doe, she was gone, her tracks leading off into the woods to my right.
Dammit.
I looked back to the eyes, but they too disappeared. I grasped a branch above me to steady myself as I rose on shaky legs. I turned to face the trunk and began to climb down, not wasting anymore time in the cold. Guess dinner would be leftover pork again.
Suddenly pain surged through my hand. I looked up, expecting a cut or a scrape, but found an arrow in my hand. I positioned my feet on the bows below me so I wouldn't slip. How come I hadn't heard the bow drawn back? Or the arrow released?
Focus. I wrapped my other hand around the arrow's shaft and tugged. The pain was immense. I winced but pushed through it. Who knew where the hunter was. I had only a few seconds, for them to think the next move, notch an arrow, pull back, aim and fire.
I managed to pull it out, the momentum moving me back slightly. I regained my balance. I tightened my jaw in anger. I turned and undid the knives holstered on my thighs. I lept down, my landing silent like a panther.
My hand throbbed, for those arrows were not normal and neither was I. The ash poisoning was taking my physical strength, but something else….my magic.
Faebane. Bastards. I collapsed to my knees, the sudden cold waking me up slightly. Hopefully the cold would keep me awake. Hopefully.
The dark started to close into my vision. I felt a hand over my mouth. I was too weak to struggle as another hand grabbed my waist. I felt a warm breath caress my ear as a male voice whispered, "I suggest you don't move. Relax, and the poison won't reach your heart."
It was calm, reassuring, and the last thing I heard before blacking out. I felt his body come close to mine, the warmth comforting. My muscles relaxed as I felt myself being lifted. My mind understood he didn't want to hurt me, he wanted to help me.
The darkness fully devoured my vision and I fell victim to the poison.