RP:The Woods Were Made for the Hunter of Dreams

Synopsis: Mikaia does some target practice at the abandoned archery range in only to be watched by Aira who sets her on a challenge in order to earn a spot in her next hunt.

Abandoned Archery Range

Mikaia was tired of hunting as the poor lycan decided to just do some silly target practice. Getting out her own hand-crafted bow she'd look it over for flaws. Making sure the string was nice and tight, the feathers on her arrows straight, and her arrowheads nice and sharp. Each one was looked over in the quiver of hers. Taking her bow off from her waistline she'd take an arrow and draw back to aim at the strange target in a tree. Those mad wolf green eyes peering hard at it before she let her arrow fly. Soaring straight as it smacked right into the target's center. She was a hunter. She always aimed to kill and kill clean. Mik was the main supplier of meat for the butcher of Larket. The wolf worked hard at getting the game meat. It was basically her only source of income and it was truly starting to dim her shine. The wolf let out a bored sigh as she just put her back against one of the training dummies. Poor wolf.

Aira is stretched out in one of the trees, back pressed against the trunk and long legs extended out in front of her, ankles crossed. The huntress would never admit it, but she enjoyed coming here and watching the small elven children take turns practicing with their small bows and aiming at the targets. It reminded her of when she was young and would steal her brother’s bow in the middle of the night and sneak out into the woods to practice. Aira was dozing, her copper eyes half closed when the familiar thunk of an arrow making contact startled her from her restfulness. Peering down, Aira spotted the form of an unfamiliar girl. She notes the target, perfect shot, and gives an appreciative nod. Suddenly an idea strikes her and Aira is moving, silently climbing further into the tree and managing to not even rustle a leaf. Eventually, she finds her target, a slumbering bird. Quickly, she shoos it from the branch, causing it to squak and take flight. Would the girl below take the bait?

Mikaia heard the call of a bird and watched it fly to the heavens. The wolf loved the challenge and quickly Mik put an arrow in her bow, pulled back and aimed. Letting the bird fly for a few seconds before aiming her bow in front of the bird's path. The thick woman let go, and WOOSH, there it flew through the air. Making way to smack right into that little bird's lungs. Double lung shot to be exact. It’s once beautiful form tucked its wings around itself and began to fall. The woman chased after the bird, reaching a hand out to try and catch it before it fell. Doing just that, she smirked as she looked over its beautiful self. Waving a hand over its head so gently she whispers to it, "May you rest in peace. Leave your dying body and be free. Thank you.." Softly and sweetly spoke the woman to the dying bird. A true hunter gave thanks to its prey. Every wolf knew that.

Aira peers at Mikaia through the leaves of the tree, smirking as she makes a shot with her arrow, intercepting with the bird’s body. Not bad, the huntress thinks to herself, silently thinking about how she would have made to shoot the eye herself. But then again, each hunter had their own style. Aira gracefully slides back down to her branch, grasping her own bow and knocking an arrow into place. As the taut string is drawn back, the huntress sights down the shaft of the arrow and lets it fly. To the untrained eye, she was aiming for Mikaia herself. However, the arrow would simply breeze past her locks of hair before sticking solidly in the bullseye of the target behind the wolf. Now that she had given up her location, Aira merely steps off the branch, her quiver of arrows secured on her back. Landing in her signature crouch, she stands and saunters over to the woman. “Nice shot,” is all she offers, the smile gone from her face.

Mikaia blinked to herself as she thought she heard something then THWAP. The woman didn't move fast as she slowly brought her eyes over to spot the arrow. Instantly she grew angry as if someone was hunting her, but strangely enough it was just a fancy-prancy high elf. She could tell by the ears. A small smirk came across her face as she shrugged, "Elves aren't the only ones good with a bow.." Commented the lycan as she looked the woman over more. "Am I in the way of your target practice? I'll be on my way if so.." Spoke the wolf quite coldly. It seemed she wasn't amused and in quite the defensive mood. It didn't take long to make that switch from human to wolf form, and wolf form liked to paint everything in blood. Mik would go ahead and put her bow behind herself on her waist against her butt. Her quiver staying attached to her hip as she patted it lightly, making sure she had all of them.

Aira snorts, crossing Mikaia’s path to the target where she withdraws her arrow, examining the head to ensure there was no damage. “Never said we were,” is her cold retort back. Aira opts to knock her arrow back into place as a rustling in the bushes nearby could be heard. The poor rabbit only made it two hops out before the huntress’s arrow connected with it’s eye, dead before it even hit the ground. “I prefer moving targets,” she sneeres at the lycan. Aira wasn’t particularly thrilled with this woman’s attitude, and not being a friendly person to begin with, it was a rather prickly interaction. “Tell me, do you butcher your prey yourself after you have made a kill?” She asks with a raised brow as she moves to her fallen rabbit.

Mikaia smirked with delight to hear the woman's stern reply. She was a rough one and Mik enjoyed women just like that. Not fake. Straight to it. Someone she could respect. Attention was drawn to the rabbit, but that crafty high elf beat her to it! "What a shot." Complimented the wolf as she saw where she hit. Right through the eyes. A bit cruel for the afterlife, but everyone had a struggle. "Depends on the prey. Generally I bring it to the Larket Butcher. He buys my kills. If I'm going to eat it, of course I strip it myself." Spoke the thick woman with a nod of her head. "Can't be squeamish in this line of work. To hunt is to survive." Simply put Mikaia as she looked over to the woman. She offered out her right hand to her, "Mikaia Lyall. Just a simple hunter. Nothing special." Teased the humble wolf.

Aira merely hmm’s at Mikaia’s compliment, neither accepting it nor rejecting it neither. The huntress crouches down and grasps her arrow and yanks it out, wiping the gore off the head on her leggings. “His skull will make a nice trophy,” she muses, picking up the furry body. At the lycan’s explanation of her butchering skills, Aira nods in approval. The runaway stares at the offered hand longer than was socially acceptable before complying and grasping it with her own. “Aira,” is the only introduction she gives. Quickly withdrawing her hand, the huntress drops her rabbit at her feet and crosses her arms over her chest. “What’s the largest prey you have shot?”

Mikaia watched the woman wipe the bunny brains on her leg. The talk of its skull being a nice trophy made her raise a brow, "Do... You collect skulls?" Curiously asked Mik as she watched the rabbit flop to Aira's feet. "Oh easily a stag.. Boars.. Anything that can be eaten. I've killed a Hoo-oo, though... Attacked me." Spoke Mik as she shrugged her shoulders and put a hand on her hip. Signature stance as usual. The handshake was a bit of a downer, but whatever. Maybe it was a high elf thing. Were they germaphobes? Hm. "How about yourself? You sure are quiet in the trees. I didn't even see or smell you." Spoke the wolf as she looked at her closer now, sniffing at her even which may be really weird to some people, but the brunette didn't care. Mik wasn't a very... Prized person? She wasn't normal. Not hygienic, nor having too many manners. She just got what she wanted. The way she dressed was completely dirty. Leathers, armor and blouse just as dirty as ever. Torn here and there. Hair was a dreaded, matted mess. Yet, people still called her beautiful. Weirdos. The wolf reached a hand up to scratch at her head, plucking out a strange little feather that she just let fall to the ground.

Aira considers Mikaia’s answer silently, whether she was impressed with her fellow hunter or not she didn’t let on. “Don’t you?” she asks in response to the lycan’s own question of collecting skulls. Aira really didn’t, at least not with small prey like this. And when she did, it was a learned habit from Orikahn. The huntress tilts her head to the side, her longer locks of platinum hair spilling across her right shoulder, her hand coming up to brush the sheared away tresses above her left tapered ear. Copper eyes narrow slightly. “A mammoth.” Aira was not very talkative, being social made her anxious; she had a few select friends and maybe a few more she simply tolerated. As the lycan inclines her head towards the runaway to sniff, her metallic irises flare, leaning back and pressing her arrowhead into the lycan’s shoulder to push her away. Aira valued her personal space. “No,” she grumbles between clenched teeth.

Mikaia shook her head from left to right almost instantly in a slow wave, "No. Never." Replied Mik to the talk about the skulls. "Spirits are still in there. Sometimes they get trapped thinking they have to stay in their body." Hearing that the high elf had killed a mammoth before made her brows go up, "Really? That's impressive." However, with the arrowhead touching at her she'd instantly narrow her eyes, "Take your metal off of me..." Snarled Mik as she would move a hand up to swipe the arrow away from her body. Not caring if she was cut or not. The wolf was done here. Insulted by her approach and shortness of words, the thick woman gave her a look over before making her way to the trees. A goodbye wasn't even given, nor did she look over her shoulder to her. Cold - but wasn't every hunter?

Aira surprisingly smirks at Mikaia’s retort to the arrow being pressed against her shoulder. “For a hunter I would expect you to know the difference between metal and stone.” Aira clicks her tongue against the roof her mouth, speaking in a disappointed tone. The huntress wasn’t phased by the lycan’s sudden and harsh departure. “Shame,” Aira calls out before Mikaia could get too far. “Thought I would ask you to come on a hunt with me. Don’t think I didn’t notice that sigh and morose look you gave before I made my presence known.” Sliding her soiled arrow into the quiver at her back, she slips her bow over her body before bending down to pick up her slain rabbit.

Mikaia listened to her talk about the difference between the heads. The wolf didn't realize, but assumed. Perhaps she could learn something, but.. Well, the high elf was well... A high elf, on a really high horse. Super high horse. The curvy woman stopped as she heard her talk about having a hunting partner. Aira's mocking words of Mik's depression really pissed her off. Why would she want to hunt with someone like her? She would turn on her heel as she looked her over once more, "And why would you want to hunt with me, Mammoth Slayer?"

Aira’s hands are upon the trunk of the tree about to scale it to her typical branch when Mikaia halts, turning to face the huntress. She steps back and studies the lycan for a moment. “Why do we stalk our prey, hm? Why do we remain hidden and quiet until we want to make a statement?” Aira doesn’t wait for an answer, her questions were rhetorical. “We do not wish to chase our target away lest we ruin our intended outcome. In hunting, it is to take down our prey. In this…” Aira points back and forth between her and the lycan. “It was simply observation. Who do you think coaxed that bird out of the tree to test your skills?” She asks with a smirk and raised eyebrow. “I can help you hone your skills. I was once erratic and impatient, rash and impulsive.” Okay, she still was but Mikaia didn’t need to know that just yet. “You want to come on a hunt with me? I am more than willing. But first, bring me an impressive kill.”

Mikaia listened to the woman with a rather stern look. The wolf wasn't good at all when it came to hiding her emotions. She wasn't about to answer her until she stopped talking. A small smirk came from the woman as she shook her head, "Got me in a box here..." Spoke the woman as she crossed her arms under her plump chest. "Fine, I'll bring you something to gawk at... Where can I bring it to?" Curiously questioned the wolf. She was always up for a challenge. A little game to play. Someone to impress wasn't really her cup of tea though. "I'll have you know I make my own bows and arrows.. I can always make you something useful. Keep that in mind, Aira." Taking one of her arrows out from her quiver and giving it a good toss into the air. The arrow would easily tumble in a circle before landing in front of the high elf's feet. "I'll come back for that with your kill."

Aira bows her head dramatically, her whole upper body bending at the waist and arms extended out to her sides. Aira made her own arrows, Kahn was supposed to show her how to make a bow but then there was the whole mess with him becoming a traitor and all. But the high elf remains mum on that. She blinks down at the arrow that comes to a stop at her booted feet, reaching down to pluck it up after Mikaia tossed it her way. “You can bring it here,” Aira answers before tapping the newly gifted arrow to her brow and saluting the lycan. “I can’t wait to be dazzled,” she drawls, plopping the arrow in her quiver to clatter against her other ones. Without further salutations, the huntress moves to the tree once more and climbs up to her favored branch to rest for the evening.

Mikaia watched the overly exaggerated bow and she could only snortle. The wolf cleared her throat and kicked at the grass some. Once she was told to bring the kill here, she just nodded her head. "May your arrow fly straight and true..." Spoke the wolf to the woman quite coldly. There was a challenge to be taken care of now. The wolf didn't say goodbye either as she just made her way to find something worthy to awe Aira with.