Soren

Chapter One

Honest question: how many of you read paid books? Asking because I can't imagine buying coins, but also I do want to support writers on here
(Also don't worry I'm not making this a paid book 🤗)
-C
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The harsh winter winds wove through the densely packed trees hitting the shadowed figure standing hidden amongst the branches. The figure was covered in furs, guarding themselves against the extreme weather the forest provided, with a bow and arrow balanced between their fingertips. Silently the figure nocked and drew the bowstring back with grace, aiming towards where a slight rustling had been heard amongst the brush. Releasing a breath so too did the figure release the string, letting the arrow fly towards its target. It flew through the air wobbling only slightly when faced with the winds before hitting the deer's body with a dull thud. The figure wasted no time after firing, running after the animal as it staggered its last few steps in a futile attempt to flee. Bending down next to the gentle beast, the figure unsheathed its knife and pushed its hood back from its face. Blonde locks tumbling down the sides of the young girl's face she made eye contact with her prey knowing the meat would last her a good while.

"Thank you," she murmured to the animal, "and I'm sorry." She ran her knife along its neck, ending its suffering and confirming her kill. Her breathing was a tad ragged and all she wanted to do was lay down and rest for the remainder of the day, but she knew that was not an option - there was lots left to do.

The animal was heavy, and her camp was not nearby by any means, so she started the task of ridding it of what she could not use. She left behind the organs and rid the deer of most of its blood before cutting it into pieces, shoving what she could into the pack on her back and dragging the rest behind her. Breaths getting harsher and harsher with every step she took, she did not let the exhaustion get to her. Surviving she found, was only half physical, the rest was mental fortitude, nothing out here had helped her as much as her perseverance and dedication. There had been times when the only reason she had not given up had been her will to live and she was sure that without her unwavering resolve she would have long since been dead.

Getting as close as she dared to the small camp she called home, she dropped the deer. Leaving it by the water's edge, she walked along the narrow river and up the rock face, into the crevice she had turned into her own. Emptying the rucksack and putting her bow and quiver back into its spot at the back of the enclosure, she went to go retrieve the rest of the deer. Stepping towards the cave's entrance, she stilled,

Danger

The winds whispered frantically, and the trees tensed up - something was close. She had never ignored the warnings from the winds, they were loyal and honest, and they looked out for her, as they had since she was a child.

Treading softly, she left the safety of her home and back out into the trees, conscious of the way the trees bent and swayed to keep her hidden from whatever posed a threat to her. The forest hadn't always been her home, but it treated her as its own child, sheltering her as well as it could from the dangers the world provided. Kneeling down she peered out from a gap among the branches to confirm what she had suspected, wolves.

She had begun noticing them as she grew better and better with her bow, it seemed the more she killed, the more they came around, attracted by the blood of her kill. As per usual the two wolves did nothing more than sniff at the carcass lying haphazardly on the ground, not even motioning as if to eat it.

She had known for a while they could not be normal wolves, they were not the wild ones she came by every once and awhile on her journeys throughout the forest. The winds never warned her against the normal ones, as if they knew they would not pose a threat to her and her reflexes with her bow, but these ones they did - these ones were deadly. She watched as the wolves stepped away from the body and towards the river, trying to catch her scent, but the winds blew in her favour, stopping them from finding a trail. She didn't dare to move from her spot until they left, slinking away and blending in once more with the forest around them, true creatures of the night. Once they disappeared, she waited a few minutes before leaving the safety of her hiding spot and retreating back into her enclosure, alone with her thoughts once more.