Starlight of a Moonbeam

The Hunt, One - Age 11 (Elena POV)

AN:
New sub story! Let's do it!
It's been a while since we've been inside Elena's head. I hope you like it!

I'd been looking forward to it for weeks! Counting down the days!! This was going to be one hell of an event!

The Hunt: a game located through the mountain range surrounding the castle of Orynth, you enter in pairs of two. One of you is the hunter: chasing and tracking the other through the woods and mountains. The other is the pray: leading with a head start of half an hour, you dart as fast and far as your feet can carry you (in whatever form you might possess) running and then hiding in whatever way you can to mask your scent for as long as possible.

After the half an hour is up, your hunter will chase you down, and once finding you, escort you back to the starting point. Whichever hunter finds their partner first wins, and whichever prey stays hidden the longest wins, meaning there are two winners but not from the same team.

Though the game can last for hours without end, and many become victim to thirst and hunger, it's one of the most thrilling, and cherished games in all of Orynth. Particularly because there are so many fae around these days.

This year I've been training extra hard, working on new ways of masking my scent, losing trackers, and instantly dropping my heartbeat to nearly silent. You never can know who your opponent will be, but since I've grown up with most of the participants, I don't have to look far to see what my challenges will be.

Though it may be a very popular game in Orynth (for participants and viewers) this year's games are going to be exceptionally entertaining, seeing as my cousin Tuuli and her parents Endymion, and Haeddu are visiting from Wendlyn.

I smile back at the memory of when they first arrived here to spend the summer. The grand parade was enchanting: music, ribbons, and flowers thrown into the air. Next was the feast and ball... I mindlessly pat my stomach while thinking back to gorging on the delicious treats! Ohh!! The ball was a great deal of fun! Especially since Tuuli isn't afraid to have a bit of fun if you know what I mean!

Tuuli, like our father's, was silver-haired with green eyes. She was also gifted with the elements of wind but had little ice. Not to mention a full-blooded fae like me, and was extremely funny once she warmed up to you, and since our initial meeting a few years back, we've really gotten to be quite close despite the ocean between us.

She was also incredibly fond of teasing older males (the main foundation of our relationship) hence, the unrelenting teasing of the old overbearing brutes around us. Almuru also got along wonderfully well with her, so we three were able to do some real mischief together. Well, four if you count Veru: Aunt Lysandra, and Uncle Aedion's son. However, Veru seemed to have the slightest crush on the visiting fae.

Born only two years after Almuru, Veru spends quite a lot of time up in Orynth with us, since Evangeline is fulfilling her role as heir by taking endless classes, back in Caraverre. The event of the birth of their first child was an event to remember: Everyone had come to support the shifter, Almuru and I were even allowed to come, but I think that was mostly to be there for Evangeline. It was a long, painful process of waiting and waiting some more. But when I was finally allowed in to see the new child... Dark brown hair, sculpted chin, and sapphire eyes...

Lysandra had sobbed. He looked like Falkan. Like part of her old self. That is if you made it a him and added pointed ears. But, it had been perfect. Now older, Veru had developed shifting gifts, though not as strong as his mother's. But nonetheless entertaining.

Indeed, his ability to shift into small animals was immensely useful when we were trying to get behind a locked door. Or how he could change his features to look like another court member, and start a massive confusion between the adults. Which made for a good friend.