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A gentle breeze rustled through the vibrant green leaves, causing a number to break free from their respective branches and pirouette down toward the ground. Bare feet carefully picked their way through the undergrowth, a slender figure drifting through the trees with inaudible foot falls. A long, rustic looking spear grasped in one hand, the figure paused at the riverbank and there seemed to freeze in place, barely seeming to move for ten minutes or so. Then suddenly it struck, spear launched into the water so swiftly one would miss it in the blink of an eye.
There were several splashes before the figure slipped a bare foot into the water and retrieved the spear, a fish squirming upon the end. A successful hunt, and those careful feet began to pick their way back through the undergrowth, disappearing in the direction it had arrived.
~~~~~
Araiel sat at the fire's edge, slowly turning the sharpened stick above the flames, a fish hissed and sizzled upon it as it cooked. A gentle sigh passed the female's lips, pale blue eyes drifting around her surroundings languidly. She sat at the base of ancient tree, its powerful branches stretching out over her head and providing shelter with the dense number of leaves lining them. Nestled upon a number of these branches and against the thick trunk, a small tree house had been constructed - a suitable dwelling place for an individual such as herself.
This island had been her home for many years; lost, isolated, trapped. The inhabitants of this land were superstitious and fearful, her presence unnerved them. An occasional villager or curious child approached her humble dwelling, sometimes with offerings or simply due to pure inquisitiveness. From what she could gather they believed her to be a spirit of the forest, and as the years had passed, the elven woman could see why that might be the case.
Her body had adapted to the terrain; any extra fat had been burnt away, feet had hardened and grown quicker allowing Araiel to pick her way through the jungle with ease and speed. Snowy hair had grown long and untamed, flowing behind her wild and free as she ran along the familiar trails that she had committed to memory. Pale green eyes observed all about her in hawk-like detail, and slender limbs allowed for agile movement across land and up trees.
"My thanks, Mother Jungle, for your provision..." Her voice sounded alien to her, for after all she had little cause to use it these days. A faint smile drifted across the female's lips, shaking her head a touch as she lifted the fish from the flames.
There were several splashes before the figure slipped a bare foot into the water and retrieved the spear, a fish squirming upon the end. A successful hunt, and those careful feet began to pick their way back through the undergrowth, disappearing in the direction it had arrived.
~~~~~
Araiel sat at the fire's edge, slowly turning the sharpened stick above the flames, a fish hissed and sizzled upon it as it cooked. A gentle sigh passed the female's lips, pale blue eyes drifting around her surroundings languidly. She sat at the base of ancient tree, its powerful branches stretching out over her head and providing shelter with the dense number of leaves lining them. Nestled upon a number of these branches and against the thick trunk, a small tree house had been constructed - a suitable dwelling place for an individual such as herself.
This island had been her home for many years; lost, isolated, trapped. The inhabitants of this land were superstitious and fearful, her presence unnerved them. An occasional villager or curious child approached her humble dwelling, sometimes with offerings or simply due to pure inquisitiveness. From what she could gather they believed her to be a spirit of the forest, and as the years had passed, the elven woman could see why that might be the case.
Her body had adapted to the terrain; any extra fat had been burnt away, feet had hardened and grown quicker allowing Araiel to pick her way through the jungle with ease and speed. Snowy hair had grown long and untamed, flowing behind her wild and free as she ran along the familiar trails that she had committed to memory. Pale green eyes observed all about her in hawk-like detail, and slender limbs allowed for agile movement across land and up trees.
"My thanks, Mother Jungle, for your provision..." Her voice sounded alien to her, for after all she had little cause to use it these days. A faint smile drifted across the female's lips, shaking her head a touch as she lifted the fish from the flames.