Blood of the Alpha

Despite its large size, Gökçe knew it wasn't an adult, but rather a large fawn on the cusp of adulthood, judging from the behavior of its silhouette. It still had traces of curiosity and wonder in its step and stride, Gökçe observed.

The lady ranger was noteworthy herself in her movements through the trees and foliage. She wasn't swift, fluid, or even completely quiet. She figured it wasn't called for. Not now at least. She was one with the forrest with every breathe she took. Bow hovering low, arrow nocked, arms as light as a feather, eyes & ears finely attuned, and every step sure, the stalking portion of a hunt always gave her a sense of peculiar calmness.

It wasn't likely that the fawn knew where she stood, but if it did, it thought little of her. She was no different than the trees and rocks.

As the fawn canters in and out of partial moonlight, a pair of tiny red dots flash in the distance. It was faint and fast, but didn't escape Gökçe's notice.

Gökçe catches 3 more sets of luminous eyes just behind the trees adjacent to where she noticed the first pair.

"Closer if you please." She mouths without making a sound.

A paw barely sets foot into view when shades of grey shoot out from the shadows darting towards the fawn. Not what the ranger was expecting, but she was more than prepared.

Gökçe raises her bow, expands her chest, draws back, and releases, all in a quick instant. She nocks a second arrow, draws back, and pauses for a moment before releasing.

ffft!

The first arrow embeds itself in the earth infront of the lead wolf. The wolf being caught off guard, turns to change direction, and is stationary for a moment as it turns on its axis.

ffft!

As its broadside begins to reveal itself to Gökçe, the fletching of her second arrow appears so suddenly, its as if it sprouted out from within the wolf's body. The wolf had turned into the shot. Its broadside meeting the arrow in its course, effectively embedding itself almost fully.

Without so much as a whimper, the wolf is a carcass even before fully collapsing to the ground.

Gökçe counted three other wolves running off into the night.

After a short trek, Gökçe is somewhat disappointed to find that the fawn hadn't run too far off.

The ranger stows away her bow and makes her presence known by humming. She casually circles the beast until she's but an arms length from it.

Still humming she reaches out with one hand and gently strokes the beast on its neck. "Aren't we a trusting one..." Her voice so low and soothing the fawn barely minds the interruption in the melody.

Distracted by the humming and the gentle strokes from the stranger, the fawn hadn't noticed the blade Gökçe has pressed up against its neck.

Gökçe presses down on her dagger giving the fawn a quick short cut. Far from fatal, but very much felt. The fawn rears up, and sprints away, kicking up earth and dust in the process.

"That oughta instill some vigilance in you."

Dawn breaks behind Gökçe as the cabin finally comes into view. She's met by the old man and his two sons. The old man sees the wolf carcass resting on Gökçe's shoulders.

"Just one my lady?"

"Just this one." she answers.

"Begging your pardon my lady but with all the killings, I could've sworn there be more than just one."

"There were four in fact."

"Begging your pardon again my lady, but I don't think we can pay you the gold for just this one. The killings are..."

"..no longer a problem." she finishes.

She walks up to the old man, takes one of his hands and wipes her thumb across his palm leaving a streak of red.

"Blood of the alpha."

Momentarily puzzled, the old man blinks a few times before shifting his gaze to the wolf on Gökçe's shoulders. A smile creeps beneath the old man's beard.

She kneels down and carefully places the wolf carcass on the grass.

"Save the piss and the blood. Get creative. Use the hide to make yourself a coat, or a scarecrow."

She rises to her feet and dusts her hands. "As for my payment, I shall require a bath, a bed, and then a banquet when I wake." she says while indicating the wolf carcass.

"I shall be with my animals. Tell me when my bath has been drawn."

- Edge of Worlds: Year Unknown