Ternion Souls

Simple Test

Keira treds on, jumping over rocks and dodging low branches as she picks up speed. She spots dinner just straight ahead, a lone doe picking at the tall grass in the clearing. Keira hides amongst the bushes, eyeing her prey causiously.

The 14 year old knew she could not let this chance get away. She had to be better than her sister; quicker and swifter. A fool of a huntswoman, as Athena would say, she wanted to be no more.

Keira was not one to end another creatures life, even if it was to be their life source. She wanted the animals to be wild and free, but she knew what's at stake if there was no food on the table.

Her stomach growled slightly at the thought of deer meat smoking over an open fire. With that to bring her back to her sences, she angled her bow towards the doe, drawing the arrow to her cheek and breathing ever so steadily.

Her focus was unbreakable, until the crack of a branch drew the does head up. Forcing her eyes towards the sound, Keira notices a dark figure emerge form the other side of the clearing. But before she can register what it was, it vanished out of sight.

What the heck was that? Keira thought to herself. It looked like a man coaxed in ... Darkness?

With the shake of her head, she draws her attention back to the doe, who's eyes were now planted on its predator. In a swift movement, she readies the arrow and let's it fly.

The sharp metal edge pierces the hindquarters of the animal and it collapses to the floor. As it wails in pain and struggles to stand, Keira jumps out of the bushes. Flinging her bow over her shoulder, she steadily walks towards the die and crouches over its head.

" Sorry old girl, but a girl like me has gotta eat. " She whispers as her hand claps around a small dagger hidden in her left boot.

Athena climbs out of the dense underbrush and lands her panicked eyes on her sister, who was now humming a song and petting the doe softly. Will she be able to do it? The eldest asks her self as she notices her sisters trembling hands.

Athena leans against an old oak tree with her arms crossed against her breasts, studying her sister, for what she was about to do was a test she did not want to take.

As her fingers glided over the does throat, Keiras body began to tense up. This was it, the moment of truth. If she is able to slice the does throat on her own, a true hunts woman she would become. Like her sister before her, Athena drew blood by cutting a bucks head clean off with her twin blades. Exaggerated you might say? Whatever you might think, the story is true.

Keira glanced at the does brown, fading eyes. An emotion on dread soon filled the young girl, seeing the life she was about to take from an innocent animal. She caught her breath and tightened her grip on the daggers handle. Feeling the blood of the animal pulsing through its neck, and her own pulsing though her body caused her to take a low step back, drawing her attention away from the deer, creating a sudden silence.

"Do it." Athenas voice commanded, drawing her sisters eyes to her stern expression. "Put it out of its misery." Keira flinched at her words, for she knew she had no choice. With a deep breath to refill her lungs, she forces her hand ontop of the seers neck. "...Sorry" With a drop of her shoulder, the blade went through, spewing blood all over the soft green grass.

Letting the blade fall to the ground and hearing the does one last breath of life fade away, Keira stands to her feet, about to wipe the blood off her hand when Athena grips it softly.

"Uh uh. You don't wipe the blood of your official first kill, you wear it. " To her confusion, Keira allows Athena to paint small markings on her face with the deers blood. "There." Athena says through a smile. "Congratulations."

Keira glances down at the animal, the sorrow mess never leaving her, yet she still managed a smile. "My first kill. You were my first kill. " She chuckles lightly and kicks up the dagger, wiping the blood off before putting it back in its place.

"Yes she was." Athena says while grabbing the does back legs. "Now help me bring dinner back home, hunts woman. " Oh how Keira liked the sound of that. No longer a pathetic child who can't kill, but one who can kill alongside her sister. This will certainly be a day the young woman will never forget. As she let the words run through her mind, she picked up the rest of the deer and started home.

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Hey guys, listen I'm truly sorry for not continuing to update this book. I just kinda lost the feeling for it.

But now I'm back and I hope you guys keep reading, Cuz I have some new ideas and such coming along!! :)