Dragon Heart (Being rewritten)

Chapter One

Thwip. Shink. Thunk. The rabbit fell, the one arrow sticking out of it as a beacon for where it was located on the leafy floor. Light shimmered through the branches, casting speckles of dancing yellow. It was peaceful. That is, until the hunter interrupted it.

    "Ouch," one murmured, as they carefully stood back up after tripping over a root. She rose to her full height, one that towers over every other girl in her village. Something she sometimes prided over and something that she sometimes hated. She carefully rolled her ankles, making sure that she wasn't idiotic and sprained either ankle, as this was an important day for her brothers. Seeing that all was okay, she went back to running through the forest she was so familiar with, the rabbit now in a satchel on her side. The trees blurred past her, her feet never staying far long on the ground as she sped. It was a little over mid morning, the hunter having spent much of it setting up simple small traps for rodents or hares. It didn't take long for her to enter a man-made clearing where a cottage stood. It was small, covered with vines and bushes, overflowing with multiple flowers her sister had collected over the years. She didn't slow much as she headed straight for the front door, banging it open.

    "Honey, I'm home," she cheered, covered in sticks and leaves. Her siblings, who were waiting for her, looked up with clear amusement.

    "Welcome home, you're late." She had her hands on her hips, a scolding expression painted on her features that were practically identical to the girl standing with a basket of flowers behind her. The hunter sheepishly shook her hair, some of the braids slowly falling out. She handed the satchel over, the two rabbits for the stew that the resident cook of the family planned for dinner later that evening. She watched Louise set it aside in the cold box, a recent invention that another noble came up with at the academy. He had become highly acclaimed for his achievement of keeping meat longer than having to make it jerky. Indigo ran her hand threw her hair, another few leaves falling out of the mess it had become.

    Finally, she looked at the one scolding her, avoiding eye contact. She put her hands behind her back, rocking as innocently as she could on her feet, "Sorry, Lou. I didn't realize how quick time was passing as I was setting up traps."

    Her brother snorted, standing and stretching. He was shorter than her by a few inches, something she constantly reminded him of in all good fun. He walked by her, patting her shoulder, "Yeah, Ini. Sure. Come on, we need to head to the plaza." Vlad led the way, Ellen quickly followed. She adjusted her flower crown, the flowers she had told her older sister, meaning something along the lines of congratulations, good luck, admiration, and strength for those who were chosen by an aerolith to go to the academy. It was the hope for the family that the brothers wouldn't be accepted, as Vlad is quite happy with his blacksmith's apprenticeship and Laurence with his apprenticeship at the townhall.

    Does this mean that Laurence, the cocky idiot that he is, won't be strutting his way with all the confidence of a man who knew his power? Of course not, he will own up if he's chosen and rub it in Indigo's face for all the time that she's ribbed at him for his height.

    "Ini, come here so I can at least brush your mess of hair," Louise, ever the mother hen of her siblings, commanded. The hunter eyed her sister with a look of unease, remembering how in the past of the aggressive way she brushed her own hair.

    "I can do it myself, Lou. Hand me the brush," she held out her hand, expectant. Louise eyed the black-indigo looking hair with a critical eye, then her older sister's own gaze before sighing and doing as asked. She adjusted her own small satchel filled with a few things in general, like medicinal herbs and bandages in case of emergencies. As she watched Indigo carefully card the brush through her tangled mess, she smoothed out her dress in nervousness. She eyed her brothers, watching as Vlad started to poke Ellen's flower crown, and Laurence who was watching in small amusement. Her eyes narrowed but before she could scold her oldest brother, a brush suddenly hit his forehead. She blinked in bewilderment for just a second, before she sighed in amusement.