Meghan McMinn

The Hunt

Kiana crouches in the brush listening to the sounds of the forest. In her hand she has a strung bow, her arrows at easy reach just on her back. She peers through the undergrowth, a small breeze stirs which brings the scent of flowers, rain, and soil. The forest continues on as if she is not there, bugs chirping, birds flying from branch to branch. The air hangs heavy with moisture, it had just rained a couple hours ago. Her clothes are bits and pieces of patched green cloth, a shirt with a vest and some breeches, her leather boots the color of the dark soil she treads on. Her skin has a light tan complexion, but with her clothes she can watch the forest unseen by many eyes that live among the trees. The breeze stirs again the leaves shaking slightly around her. This was her first hunt on her own, and for her, it felt important. She knew her initiation to an order was just days away. She needed to do this, on her own, no one watching her. She needed it to feel ready. She had seen no good prey, as of yet, but a stream lies only a little way off and game will eventually go to drink, she must just wait.