Vulpinsula & Surroundings Call of the Hunt

[Minerva]

Minerva had great experience with hunting in the frozen tundras of her home. Her fur and clothes blended with snow well. She knew how to track whatever animals she wanted by scent or otherwise and most importantly, she was amazing with her bow. As a daughter of frost should have. She was defender of her lands, sired by the divine who enshrouded it and mothered by the greatest huntress of them all.

Most of that did not translate well into her living in the Vulpine Imperium. Hunting here was different. Land was much more densely populated, more brown and green, warmer and filled with many more scents. She could manage, but it wasn't her terrain. That was why she enrolled to the army in the first place, she understood that it would be mostly using her bow skills for the time being as she was re-learning. She was... gravely mistaken. Her life changed a lot and while she didn't like it much, one thing was true. She was using her bow a lot and her skills were valuable.

That being said, she craved the real hunt again. Meeting Marble, or Miothiyle as she was known, really got her mood up. Fellow huntress from a land so vastly different to hers was a great boon. More importantly, she too stated they were of divine following. Minerva didn't feel such connection to anyone in her life. She was a hermit after all, only knowing her mother for most of her life. She only ever spoke to any other beast after her mother have died.

Now the two huntresses arranged for a meeting in the forests outside of the bustling city. It was very early dawn, not a bother for a trained eye of a vixen huntress, gifted with nightvision. Minerva sat there at agreed spot, slowly getting accustomed to the plethora of scents this evergreen, fertile land gave. She was used to finding scarce traces of a scent through snow and blizzard. Here she had to find it buried among all the other scents. Very different task and one she was only getting ready for now. Speaking her prayers to her (alleged) father, winter itself, the Arctic vixen looked towards the road that lead from the city to this place, awaiting her hunt companion.

@Marble

 

[Marble]

The Vixen had been enjoying her time up in the Imperium so far, taking time to get used to the land and its surroundings. All said it wasn't that different from home up here, vibrant forests with plenty of life small and large with a temperature that was only slightly colder than her own home. Currently she hadn't really found a perminant place to put herself within the nation but for now she was happy.

Marble didn't have as much prestige as Minerva had. She was born to rather ordinary parents who didn't really care about the young fox and neglected her development until the day her farther died and her mother left. It was only when she joined the Huntresses of Artemis and they taught her how to live on her own, started teaching her to read and write, but most prominently they taught her how to use a bow and use it well. Tracking prey, how to properly prepare them, how to cook, make her own bow, survive in the wild and that made her happy.

So when Minerva offered to take them out hunting she was extactic to go out with someone from another culture and share skills with them. They would set out to where the other huntress said they would be and found herself wondering off the road slightly as she made her way out of the city. Eventually they would get to the agreed upon spot and would wave towards the other fox as she moved towards them, letting her bow slip off her shoulder and into her hand.
"Good morning. Seems like it's going to be a wonderful day for it. Clear day, little wind, excellent conditionds to find prey"

@Minerva

 

[Minerva]

Minerva too took her bow into the paw, raising it up towards the sun breaking the horizon. "Morning. The hunt calls, and our deities provide. Our prey will join the spirits by midnight." She offered with some reverence. For all her skill, any hunt should be blessed by the winter, even if it was not their time now. Minerva looked now at their companion, thrilled for the hunt itself and fond of the other huntress, but still not fully capable of trusting them. This outing would define their future relationship, that Minerva was sure of.

For now however, with a relaxed muzzle and excitement dancing in her eyes, Minerva closed the distance to Marble. "How do you wish to do this? Seek who can get the most? Or do we try to track something large together?" She asked while offering one of her arrows, an invitation to join from where she was. There was some will to compete here, see which huntress is better. But the idea of cooperating, just like she did with her mother before she died... that was an option Minerva preferred.

@Marble

 

[Marble]

She would take the moment to admire the early morning, with the forest starting to come to life as the sun began to rise further above the horizon, with rays slipping through the foliage, giving a nod of agreement at her words.
"Yes, we shall take only for our needs. This is my first time in this land and I would very much appreciate being with someone. Especially such an experienced companion such as yourself." Taking the arrow with a smile, she was happy to be back out in the wilds and even more so to be moving out alongside someone who would be as experienced as her if not more.
With a soft geasture of her head she began to move off towards the forest sticking for now towards the well worn path before breaking off into the dense bush.
"So I imagine the snow drifts are a much diufferent hunting experience then here in more temperate. I have heard it described as baren white expanse, would that be wrong?" She wanted to know more about this woman, since meeting them at the market during her first day, Marble felt a connection to the fellow huntress in that kinship. It would be a while before they got far enough from the well worked path for larger prey to be found.
"I have heard there are plenty of deer out here when we get further out"


@Minerva

 

[Minerva]

Minerva let out a chirp of approval and agreement as the other vixen stated to cooperate in the hunt and added to their shared prayer to two different divines. Miothiyle taking the offered arrow was exactly what the arctic vixen wished to see. But there was one thing to add before the two could depart into the wilderness Minerva had no experience of. "It is my first too in those lands. I am glad to have your paw alongside mine on this. Your experience with those 'forests' is something I will rely on and hopefully learn from."

Following the other vixen, Minerva was keeping sharp at all time. Both observing her moves and the way she navigated the lush greenery she herself had no experience with. It was both a lesson and admiration as soon Minerva caught herself staring at the strong form of her companion. Dismissing the thoughts born from loneliness however as soon as she was asked a question coming from genuine interest. Both vixens after all had vastly different experiences for sure and Minerva found the prospect of sharing them delightful.

At first the matter of the hunt came first. Minerva nodded at the mention of 'deer' whatever those were. She put an arrow onto her bow and kept herself alert, watching around already for any tracks or trails she could use.
Then Minerva elaborated further. "Ah, the north is not all snow and ice. Not all the time at least. By the coasts, where most tribes live, moss and small aajuju bushes grow. Only in the anninga... the month-day, they can be found more often than snow. In allatsiaq the month-night, the snow covers them too. It is deeper into the land that snow and ice are your only companion. White is the home of the Winter Spirit. And so white am I, to mask while seeking prey to survive and seeking enemies to destroy. His home must be protected from all who do not worship him!" Minerva spoke with rising fervour, finally reaching the end with a rise of her paw. She was proud of her heritage and her home, but there was certain look to her eyes, she sought approval, being alone in her zealotry, sometimes called insane even by other tribes. Such was the fate of huntresses, to serve as lone guardians of the Winter.

But more so she was interested in the other side of the story. Hers was bolstered with pride and faith, but known to her. "And you aalu qajaasua? What is your land? Is it like this? Are you the guardian of it like I am? Do not spare details!" She asked with genuine curiosity, one surpassing her usual lack of trust.

 

[Marble]

They would tilt her head and nod in response to Minerva's statement
"Then I guess we can learn these lands together" A bright smile as they would then lead them deeper and deeper off track, leading the pair and picking a path that wasn't as dense and difficult. Birds fluttered from tree to tree, with smaller ferals darting to cover as they pushed through. She had yet to nock her arrow, keeping her main hand free so she could more easly move through and hold up branches for her companion.

It was fascinating learning about the other woman and her home, about her own missunderstanding of the frost regions, and equal measure being right. A month of day and one of night sounded insane how the people managed was beyond her, and she presumed before and after there would be days where there was very little of either as well. The fact that she hunted alone was a little strange, huntressess usually went out in pairs, but that said back home her tasking as a warden was rather soletary. The gods of this land were also fascinating and something she would happily learn more about, even with the threat for those that did not follow him. Though it was probably rehtorical given the harshness of the weather and how quickly it would kill you. At least that's what she hopped.

Then the question of home was asked of her, taking a moment to gether her thoughts and starting at the beginning.
"My home is very different from here, The Many Isles of the Emerald Sea is quite literal, large islands close together, large enough for towns and even cities upon them. The oceans are clear and calm with reefs that you can dive down too, the weather is warm and often calm but that said there are storms that can do a lot of harm. We trade amongst ourselves, certain islands would have for instance livestock and another good clay or marble for building. A lot of what we bring up here is wine, olives, and cheese, perhaps I can buy you some to try with me another time" Smiling at the vixen and pausing for a moment to get her bearings.
"As for my life well... it was a little complicated. I found family and belonging among those in the temple of one of our gods, one of her many names is Artemis, goddess of the wilderness, hunting, archery, and other things. They took me in and gave me purpose, they trained me how to use a bow, how to hunt, how to prepare a beast for butcher and I was happy. Our forests are not too foriegn from these, though equal parts unique I suppose. I loved being among them, in my youth hoping to find mythological beasts, perhaps a dryad or forest spirit. When I was old enough to go out on my own I traveled from place to place and fell into the role of what would best be translated as road warden. I went from town to town, helping with disputes, finding vermin groupes that were harassing traders and wiping them out. Sometimes our mother, uhhh goddess would send me to find those that did wrong and bring their end." Stepping over a log and offering to help the other over out of polietness "Anything you want to know more about?"

 

[Minerva]

Minerva was happy to continue walking and get some assistance while holding her bow at ready. Marble was definitely knowledgable on how to navigate such lush terrain. While the arctic vixen was learning quickly both how to navigate and traverse this way overgrown for her tastes area, she was more focused on the other vixen. The way she described her homeland gave her an image that was never seen in the north. Minerva imagined land like the jagged western coast, aaniit, except always under the month-day and covered in cities like this Bully Harbour she came to. At the kind offer of 'olives', 'cheese' and 'wine' (whatever those were) Minerva could only give an appreciative nod. Then as the pause came, she interjected quickly.

"A beautiful land I hear. I wonder If I can ever see it. Mine sounds barren in comparison, but it is imposing. To see nothing but snow and ice as far as your sight takes... It is humbling." There was an appreciation for both places in her words. She simply wanted to potentially get Marble to see her home too. And as she continued speaking, there was... a confirmation of sorts. Miothiyle was too a servant of divine by fate, trained to be a huntress for their glory. She too was a protectress of sorts, one who travelled and defended the land and their people, even if it was in a different way. The slip at the end, calling their goddess mother, especially hit her hard. Minerva after all knew she was sired by the Frost Spirit itself. The two huntresses were truly two sides of the same snowflake.

And Minerva, believing in fate, took it as an obvious gift for her duty. She responded after a short moment. "I know those duties. Ever since I was born, my mother taught me word of my father and god. The Frost Spirit. I was taught to hunt to survive, but also to kill the diseased prey, poachers and all those who brought harm to the home of the winter. I never faltered in my duty, even if for most of my life I spoke only with my mother. And when her soul joined our god, I was alone. The tribes from the coasts are wary of us, huntresses. Only trading with us on occasion. Even if we are the ones protecting them." The arctic vixen elaborated on her own life before finally making up her mind.

Stopping for a moment, she smiled widely, blushing some, as she made her request. "I want to know... you, Miothiyle. Our lives differ not much. I assume you too know how... lonely those are. Take is as you wish, but I came to this place in search of somebeast who would understand me while not being a hermit. You do, I hear. Will... ekhm. I think our divines brought us together and I... even if I am wrong. I want to be with you more, aalu qajaasua..." She did manage finally after some moments.

 

[Marble]

It was rather easy to move through these lands, as she had said this was similar to home and as such she could move through as if the foliage wasn't even there. She had hopped that she had give her home a just description and that the other vixen had an idea of what her home was like in all its beauty.
"Perhaps you can some day. If the wind takes us back that way I would be more than happy to take you. Though I know those similar to you had to shave their fur shorter at points. Heat can get too much, yes" The idea did interest her, showing them the wonders of the Emerald Isles, a little bit of pride building as she thought about it more. It was so comfortable talking with them, everything was so familure with their ideals and the simularity in how they found the call of the hunt and in Marbles on view of the Goddess as her mother and Minerva viewing her god as their farther, seeing the way the vixen reacted slightly to her own slip.

Listening to the others story how she had protected her land from the sick ferals that could wipe out heards and those that sought to pillage more than they could ever need for the sake of a few coin. The sorrow of loosing her mother and being so alone for a good while. The way Minerva would look at them made her heart skip a beat, feeling her paw in theirs felling the other huntressess warmth. The request struck her flat footed, a slight twitch of the ear betraying her own fluster as she found a way to respond without stuttering over her own words.
"I would not know of fate. Our land has stories of noble heros tied to the whims of the gods and destined to fall into tragedy. That is not something I would like to tie myself too. In those words I realise how I came up here without reason, I wanted to see the world, to express my freedom and follow my hunt wherever it took me. To find you, a woman whos story is so close to mine, who follows the same ideals and god in different form. That is very coincidental, no? So I humour it, our gods may have sent us both here, but does it matter either way" Gently squeezing the paw and letting them see the flick of her tail.
"I would enjoy knowing you, to hunt by your side and be with you, sharing what we take down and being together. I... I would like to see where it goes, yes. If we stay as companions in the hunt or if we become more, I would enjoy it either way, yes." She was so nervous, it had been so long since she had tried to court another and even then they had been one from her own hunt and Minerva was so different in her own way and probably had different ways of doing things. Plus Miothiyle was always nervous about trying given the fact that most people weren't interested in courting their own gender on top of the fact that she was slightly different to most. Rejection scared her.

 

[Minerva]

The two vixens were lucky to be in the middle of the forest. If there was any other beast, they would see two powerful huntresses, pictures of the true mastery over nature, currently shyly holding their paws all flustered together, fawning over one another.

But Minerva didn't care much.

She was just happy to found a potential soulmate. And one at that who wished too to stick with her. Even if they were not to become mates, at least they would be close.

And that was enough to assure the arctic vixen that it was a good decision. The gods did truly watch over their favoured children today. To prove it, a mixture of morning cold breeze ruffled their fur, carrying the scent of the forest and few leaves with it. Frost and Wilderness, both blessing the two vixens.

Emboldened by this sign, Minerva moved closer and, while still holding Marble by her paw, gently nuzzled her snout with theirs. Keeping close, she spoke. Quietly and much more softly than ever before.

"I am happy you share my desire. I hope we can be more, so I can call you my Talli." She chuckled to hide her shyness, though her tail that gently touched the red vixen, as well as the visible under white fur blush spoke of the rest. Minerva was not afraid to be direct, but it still was new to her to be this vulnerable.

Leaning back slightly, she looked to Miothiyle Eyes for a moment before finally breaking the grasp of their paws. "Let us hunt then. Gods blessed us today, let our bows sing their praise as we hunt in their name. With what we will get, we can then celebrate together." She winked at those final words, offering much more than she spoke of.

 

[Marble]

Her heart felt like it was going to escape her chest, tail swishing side to side as she could not contain her excitment and joy. Watching them, her mouth going dry as they came very close to them, Marble gently pulling their hand in as they stepped giving her consent as the soft snout of the other woman brushed against hers. Words catching in her throat as Minerva spoke so close to them, feeling their tail brush aginst her and feeling the others own nervousness about the situation.

Once she broke away it took Marble a moment to catch her bearings and, giving a cough to clear her throat and mind, would turn back down the path.
"Ahem, yes let us carry on." Doing her best to calm her nerves after such an open romantic gesture with both giving as good as the other. "Local bar keeper told me there should be plenty of deer this way. Almost infesting the place so shouldn't be too much too-" Barely finishing her explination before crouching down and waving the other vixen over gesturing to a cluster of pelet like droppings.
"Speak of the gods and they shall come. This is deer droppings notice their shape and how they tend to clump together. Deers have two stomach, not much should be left in them and looks fresh." pausing for a moment to look at the plants and mud around.
"This plant is trampled and there you can just see a hoof print in the softer soil. That means our prey went that way, which is good it keeps what little wind there was in our face. Now we go slow and quiet, when we sight it do not rush, slowly bring your bow up and aim just behind the forelegs. That should drop it in one" Taking the lead and following the path, careful not to go too quickly and startle it. Judging by its droopings it was quite a big beast, so the pair would probably eat well if they could take it down

 

[Minerva]

Minerva was in her own way enjoying seeing as the other vixen got so flustered with her act. To her surprise, she found it endearing and enjoyable. She never before got to speak in such way, even less so to another beast. Now that they tried, it felt good in an intoxicating way. However, indeed it was time to return to the hunting. Their sacred duty came first after all, and there was pleasure to it too.

When Marble found the droppings, Minerva took a note of them and considered those through her knowledge. "Ah so deer are like tammut... Caribou as I hear beasts here call them." She got the gist of what they were after now and with that a good idea on what to look for. Following the clues Marble pointed out was easy, albeit she would need a moment to find them here where the ground was soft and not muddy and more importantly, rarely covered in snow.

While her advice was rather obvious, Minerva didn't mind as much. She just added her own words. "Indeed, but care. Tammut walk in herds. Where there is one, there are many and they can trample us." With that she stalked, kept herself low and navigated the foliage the same way she would stalk in low plants during the month-day.

The arctic fox however moved with grace and speed. She was following the scent more than anything as it was usually the one thing she had in the frozen north. While she was quiet, experience of hunting in the land where everything was white was much different. It relied on speed and camouflage.

As such it wasn't long before Minerva got to the place at which she could spot indeed a herd of those deer things.

And instantly, within a blink of an eye, an arrow was taken from her quiver, nocked and ready to be shot. Minerva muscles tensed and outlined under her white fur as she kept the glistering bowstring pulled and her heavy bow precisely pointed at their prey. She just waited for her hunt and maybe life partner to join.

 

[Marble]

It took a few moments for her to calm her nerves and get her emotions under control, it would be hard to take a good shot whilst her hands were shaking. The prospect of being with the other vixen was very exciting and she was happy to explore that more once the pair were successful in their hunt.

She would look up at Minerva and her ear would twitch slightly as she thought about it.
"Smaller, and yes they do move in heards but are more likely to scatter than to charge. Skittish things." A soft chuckle as she laid the other through the thuck brush, letting the other take point in the hunt, the scent fresh in the air and easy for them to follow it and with so many around it wasn't long before they did come across a herd grazing among the bush.

The arctic vixen quickly had her bow up like that day in the market, the arrow on the string and ready to go, watching the muscles flex under her fur and being distracted for but a moment before she snapped back to their task. Bringing her own bow up and focusing on another just off to the side of the one Minerva had sighted.
"On my call, three, two, one, loose." Fingers relaxing and the string snapping foward past the vixens body, twisting the bow slightly foward as it did so. The arrow zipped through the air true in its flight and striking the stag just under the shoulder and continuing through till all that remained sticking out of the beast was the flight. The stag would drop with barely a sound, slain instantly by the huntressess shot.

 

[Minerva]

On the call, Minerva loosened her paw and let the arrow fly.

Her heavy bow made for one very powerful and quick shot, combined with the skills she had, Minerva's target didn't stand a chance. The arrow went clean into the head of the beast. when trying to kill with one shot, Minerva knew that head was still larger than heart. Missing the heart would be deadly but not as instantly as damaging the head was. Especially with a bow powerful enough to pierce the skull and let the arrow fly out of the head into the ground behind.

With two stags dead, Minerva instinctively hid in the foliage again, ready to roll to the side. That was just the best and safest option in her homelands. But just as Miothiyle said, the prey here was skittish and it run away promptly after the two stags were felled. After a moment for the dust to settle, Minerva stood up and felt that excitement that burned through her each time she did her job as a predator. Pure ecstasy of it tensed her body and tail.

Coming now close to their prey, Minerva kept her yakut knife at the ready. She was careful, some prey did just get shocked and fell, only to wake a moment later. She didn't expect it from her target considering it had a clear hole through the head. Marble's one was a concern but she trusted her new... interest.

That ecstasy, once the two vixens got together to the prey, bloomed again, this time however, it also made Minerva feel the type of heat she had to assume was a result of Miothiyle's closeness. With her tail slashing and worked up body, Minerva tried her best to focus on the stags.

"You are amazing aalu qajaasua. To go for the heart is smart but to hit it proves only how great you are. Now that our blessed skills provided for us, I think we should indulge ourselves... the meat is still fresh, ripe, the best for consumption." Minerva spoke with slight pants and looking with a wide, predatory smile at the other vixen. The way she said the last sentence shown how passionate she really was at the moment.

 

[Marble]

The herd had scattered as soon as their brethren had fallen, screaching as they dissapered into the distance. Slowly the fox moved foward and out into the opening as she looked around for anything that the pair might have caught the attention of. Satisified they were safe she would move out of the crouch and wait for Minerva to join them
"Seems I have a lot to learn if I hunt in your lands. I do wonder why you went for the skull, that would be the thickest part and especially more so on the uhh Tammut, no?"

Bow at her side and watching them move with caution as they approached, Miothiyle would put her footpaw firmly on the beasts neck before drawing her blade. Quickly she drove it into the throat, stepped over and tilted the head as she would cut from side to side and ensure the kill.
"See I aim for here because this is where the heart and lungs are. You hit one of those and the beast is not long." Gripping the arrow by the shaft and slowly pulling it shuffling her hand to stay close to the body and not break inside.
"Though I understand the caution. To far foward and I hit the leg, back I get guts. Made plenty of missess in my time, the shoulder means the beast lives. Guts just takes longer but causes the beast more pain."

She would tip the beast over and begin the rather gristly task of beginning to prepare the crature, she only noticed Minerva watching her when she was done with the task, covered in blood.
"What?" She would utter rather confusedly watching the arctic fox swish her tail and feeling the heat rise up inside herself, blushing at the praise she was recieving.
"L... like I said, behind the shoulder for a good hand is all the important parts. It is simply knowing beast no grand feat" Trying to dismiss the praise and feeling her mouth dry and her throat tighten slightly as she realises she very much enjoys the way Minerva is looking at them. Marble would steady herself, flip the blade and make a quick cut into shoulder and offering the first taste her kill to Minerva, a rather intermet gesture all things considerd. Part of her did wander if she was taking things too quickly

 

[Minerva]

Minerva took the chance and used her own knife to cut into her kill, also offering the first taste to her partner in hunt. "If your prey is mine, mine is yours." She'd offered while noticing how lean prey was here, so little fat on it compared to all the beasts up north. Knowing so, she very eagerly took some of the fresh meat from the kill of her companion and savoured it. She liked the meat after all, but fresh game that was so lean was a luxury she rarely got to enjoy.

Letting now the other vixen to enjoy the spoils of their hunt, Minerva sat down and observed Miothiyle with a soft chuckle. "As for the choice of target. If I miss the head, the arrow goes to the ground and at worst I lost only the prey as it will now run. Beasts in the north have much thicker fur and bodies. If you miss and wound them, they will go after you and try to kill you first. Head is then not the worst target. Especially with heavy bow and arrows. That is why we make bows from bone, wood, glue and sinew. Takes a lot to be able to use it, but it is capable of piercing through skull, giving you a sure kill."

She then took another bite of the fresh meat. There were so many things that were intoxicating now. The rush from the hunt itself, the primal satisfaction of having meat and blood on her tongue... and the presence of the other vixen. It all made her slowly lose her usual aloof and cold demeanour and instead become beast of passion. Passion she only ever felt before while on the hunt and one that never was as strong as now.

Emboldened by her primal instincts, she didn't hesitate and moved to kiss Miothiyle. Their lips almost have touched as she could already taste both her and the blood from the meat she ate. It was so close, her body also just about to embrace Marble. But it never actually happened.

"Oi, what wer havin' 'ere?"A gruff voice of a stoat came in followed by some chuckles. The two vixens were roughly surrounded by a group of five beasts who seemed to have enjoyed what they saw too much. The stoat, carrying a crossbow, continued with a smirk. "Whata find bois. Two vixies, takin' our bounty an now 'avin sum fun? Since ye stole from us, ya gotta pay up, an' seems ye havin' an' idea t' do so."

As some of the beasts around laughed or looked at the two inappropriately, Minerva only said one word, filled with divine fury. "Poachers." She carefully observed them, not only not planning to get extorted but also ready to protect Marble. She put a paw on her bow and in an instant she moved, now positioned like an animal ready to fight. Ears low, tail stiff, she stared at their leader.

"May the winter be merciful. I won't." She said as she jumped back from the carcass into the beast behind the two vixes, hitting them with mass of her body and momentum of her muscles while drawing an arrow.

She was a hunter, a predator even. Now however, she fought with fury that would only belong to an animal protecting both her kill and her mate.

 

[Marble]

It was hard to keep any semblence of composure, her tail swishing on it's own as she moved slowly over to Minerva offering her the meat and taking the meat offered, gladly devouring it that much sweeter offered from someone who she was quickly falling for. The explination for why she went for the head was only partially heard as Marble was more interested in watching the other woman and trying to keep her heart rate under control.

A happy yip as they moved to kiss her, pulling them closer at the hip almost feeling like she could explode as she was-

Rudely interupted by a voice entering the clearing.
"I'm going to kill someone" She would bolt up and adjust themselves quickly taking stock of their surroundings and how many there were. She didn't even have time to consider the odds or attempt a negotiation before Minerva struck first, pouncing on the unfortunate soul who had gotten far too close all alone.
Miothiyle had her bow up in an instant, snapping a shot off at the stoat carrying the crossbow and sending out a second before she saw whether the first had hit. She was a daughter of Artemis and the goddess would guide her true in protecting herself from any man that dared to harm her. She kept close to the downed beasts using them as an obstical for any wanting to approach, quickly pulling three arrows from her quiver and firing in quick succession at another target, forcing them to flee or get struck. It was not good odds though with five on two and if more than one had a ranged weapon then there it was likely one of them would get hurt. All failing she could easily lose them in the forest to preserve her and Minerva's life, the hunt would be lost but they would not

 

[Minerva]

Minerva left the arrow she nocked straight into the snout of the beast she pushed to the ground. At the same time, Miothiyle's arrows ensured the stoat wouldn't say a word ever again as their heart bled onto the soft moss beneath his body. The other three assaulting beasts were trying to rush at them and yet they failed to.

When Miothiyle quickly shoot at another beast, making them fall to the ground to avoid being hit thus stopping their advance, Minerva too had a moment to take another shot. Her bow was much heavier, but she could keep up with the speed. Choosing as her target the biggest danger to her new mate, one brute of a badger who was aiming with their crossbow at the back of the red vixen. They did not get to shoot however as Minerva's bow sung true and the badger now had three holes in their chest that made him collapse.

This was a very different type of the hunt, the two huntresses fought not for food, not for gods nor for duty, but for one another. Trusting that Miothiyle will manage to take down the last opponent, Minerva pounced behind her, the two vixens now crouching back to back as they protected one another among the prey they feasted upon moments ago.

And it was a good thing, three more beasts, possibly brought closer from screams of agony came closer, all carrying crossbows and maces. Minerva was assured that those were just forest bandits and thus her vigour to fight escalated. out of four remaining beasts, two were readying their crossbows while other two charged at them.

"Take down the shooting ones!" She barked out, pulling her spear and readying for fighting in close range, protecting her newfound love with all of herself.

 

[Marble]

She would place her back against the other vixen moving with them and continuing to snap off shots towards the few remaining attackers. Focused, precise and careful. These vermin dared to try and hurt her companion, their arrogance leading to their death. The pair of vixens moving around each other in a dance of death with Minerva able to get anyone that got too close and Miothiyle able to get those staying back with bows.
"You have a large vermin problem or something. Where in hades are they coming from?"
Miothiyle realised though that she had probably not packed enough arrows, nor the right type for fighting people.
"Ah no I thought I'd give them a sporting chance. Make it more fair fighting two godchildren you know" Letting one lose straight through the skull of one.
"Seriously though if there are more we would be better off running than fighting. I don't know what has them so lusted for just two deer." It was rather worrying that they were so willing to die for such a pointless flight. Considering the ambush was lost this was just pointless

 

[Minerva]

Minerva stabbed a coming rat through with her spear and pulled it out just in time to parry the next attack, with Miothiyle's shooting, quickly there were only three opponents left. One by them and two at a distance. The red Vixen was right, this land had a lot more beasts living in it and as Minerva did learn, a lot of them lived off of hurting others. Her words however about two godchildren and the latter comment, made Minerva let out a small chuckle as she parried another attach and found an opening, pushing her spear into the incoming weasel's crouch.

"Those are bandits aalu qajaasua. They are not after just deer. They thought they could rob or take us and with nothing to lose they didn't know two daughters of gods to bring them divine wrath." She twisted her spear and pulled it back, making the weasel spill onto the ground. Being back to back in combat with Miothiyle made her feel much safer than she would be on any hunt or in any situation like this. It further reinforced her belief that no matter what, the two were made mates by the gods.

Dropping the spear, Minerva picked up her bow again and readied an arrow, in the last moment, as her instincts told her, she broke the shot and tilted herself to the side as a bolt narrowly missed her side. With a curse, she started shooting at the one who almost harmed her, slaying them with two arrows going through their back as they have tried to escape.

 

[Marble]

Covered in blood, standing on the stag and focusing on the shots going out. It was hard to tell how many there were coming and she was more focused on just taking them out and protecting Minerva. It was not often that she had to send off so many shots in such quick succession prefering to take her time and strike from the shadows, as such her shots began to slip as she got tired with the string occasionally slapping against her arm guard. Still the stirng slid across the leather and her shot went out with just as much lethality.

"I'll be dead before I'll let them!" That scared her, the idea that these vermin would take them as slaves or worse and Miothiyle was going to fight to prevent her for crossing the styx was a much better fate. As notched her last arrow, trying to keep her breath steady and her grip firm as exhaustion was setting in. But there was nothing left, with those around them dead or dying. She drops her bow, lets the shot into the dirt and just falls onto the deer below her.

Staring up at the sky waiting, taking a moment to find her breath. Adrenilin wearing off and her hands starting to shake and ache. It wasn't the first time she had killed but goddess did it never get easier, and normally bandits would run after the first two dropped not continued to charge at their own deaths. It was unerving and made her feel sick as she lay there for a moment.

After a while she would sit up and look over to her companion.
"Can we... we should head back and report this." Slowly standing and wiping thje blood off her paw and onto her shirt. A pause. handing going back to where she wiped asnd feeling the tear in her shirt and the fresh gash across her breast.
"Shit... I worked hard for these" A nervous laugh as she just stood there between the two deer with her hands shaking trying not to look weak in front of her companion as she struggled with the weight of what just happened