A/N- Hey guys! I'm back from camp! So, now onto the main event. Enjoy, and please don't forget to REVIEW. Thanks!


CHAPTER THREE

Karavi ran as fast as she possibly could. Got to get away, got to hide!

The turu-grass whipped by her, stinging her skin and headtails. Her feet were pounding on the soft dirt, sending clods shooting into the air. She ducked and leapt easily around fallen logs and dead animals, looking like the epitome of ease and grace.

Inside, however, she was almost sick with fear.

She had taken a walk, as every chief must do, to clear her mind and scan the area. She was only armed with a hunting knife and a bow, with twenty arrows. Good thing I'm not wearing the dress robe today.

Karavi didn't even know how it had found her. Her tracks had been covered, she was wearing the uchil pod (it contained leaves that were too brutal on an akul's sense of smell, so they stayed far away), and she had surveyed the area before entering the wild.

A Rouge. An akul driven to madness while charge anything, no matter what precautions were taken.

Karavi leapt over a log, brandished her knife, and hid behind the log. She waited.

She didn't have to wait long. Karavi could feel the tremors it caused on the earth. She backed against the rough bark of the log and hissed, her sharp teeth showing. The tremors got stronger and stronger. Soon, Karavi could hear the uneven panting of the beast as it sniffed her out.

She was running out of time. Karavi took of the urchil pod, knocked an arrow, and dug the pod onto the tip. Mentally preparing herself, she listened to the akul through her montrals. It was facing towards her, deciding on whether or not she was there. Its spines were hackled, and the sharp claws were out. Moving her feet a tad, Karavi gained a more stable stance and waited for the right opportunity.

It sniffed at the log, and then gave its awful shriek, finally finding her. With the terrible noise filling the air, Karavi leapt up, and, pushing against the log, flew above the beast. While she was in the air, she aimed her arrow quickly and fired.

The akul screamed as the point, laden with the potent smells of the urchil pod, dug itself into the nose. As it writhed and clawed at the ground, Karavi landed lightly on her feet and reloaded, this time aiming at the soft temple area.

However, in it's pain, the akul swung out blindly and clipped Karavi on the shoulder. She yelled as the pain spread like wildfire throughout her body. Three long claw marks ran the length of her arm, and blood started to pour out. The skin curled back, as if burned, from the beast's poison. Karavi hissed and raised her hunting knife, gnashing her teeth against the fire.

The beast was still confused, and disoriented. Karavi dodged another blind sweep and leapt up on top of the beast, landing carefully around the poisoned spikes. It started to buck, and she grasped the handle of the knife, now wet with her blood. She yelled and drove it into the smooth skin of the akul's neck, slicing through the muscles.

It screamed in pain again and whipped around, succeeding in throwing her off. It faced her, black blood oozing down the bright red skin. Karavi hissed and took a fighting stance. The fire in her shoulder was still burning, and it filled Karavi with adrenaline.

The akul clawed at the ground, preparing to charge. Karavi knelt, her injured arm hanging limply at her side. The poison was spreading through her now, and her body's natural abilities started to fight back.

The akul charged her, and she screamed and ran straight at it. It opened its mouth and gave the dreaded battle cry, showing Karavi massive amounts of sharp teeth. At the last possible second, she bent over backwards and raised her knife as she slid under the akul. She slit the beast in half, hissing as she watched it in its agonizing pain.

In its last dying throes, it's hind claws caught on her back headtail. She screamed and hissed as the claw ripped through, but thankfully not taking it off. Taking her knife in both hands, she leapt at it and dug the sharp blade in the akul's neck, killing it at once.

Karavi stepped off of the beast, panting. The fire had now spread to her lekku, and the one in her shoulder was doubling, quickly. She grasped the slick handle and pulled it out of the beast. She didn't wipe it off yet. One more task, to claim her kill.

She walked around to the beast's mouth, and forced it open. The stench of rotting animals almost knocked her back, but she continued. Finding the twenty teeth she wanted, she began the grisly task of getting her tokens.

~:~:~:~:~

I just killed an akul.

Twilight was falling. Looking over the turu-grass, she could see smoke rising from her tribe. She looked at the teeth in her hands, tossing them in the air. As they fell back into her hands, the grating noise they made gave her shivers. The teeth were gold, stained with blood. After the cleaning ceremony, they would be put together in her headdress.

I just killed an akul.

The words reverberated around Karavi's numb mind. She had been gone for most of the day, she was covered in blood, and she had broken her ideals. What will they say? She looked out over the horizon, clutching her prize to her chest. They'll probably say it was about time.

Karavi knew that most of the warriors thought her weak and a coward because of her lack of desire to kill. She had ignored them over the years, standing strong with the other women who also refused to wear them. Now she would leave those ranks, and join the others.

I just killed an akul.

She was now, by traditional standards, a true woman. Picking up her knife, bows, and arrows, she stepped into the turu-grass and started walking towards her people.


A/N- To the wonderful reviewers: Zedax, alienvspredator5, Doomster345, lady gaga, Emma, and DeathGoddesses! You all rock, and you make my day when you review! Virtual hugs for everyone :)