Teamwork Makes The Dream Work

Fern gives Serenity and Sota a bright smile as they take the lead, allowing her to fall back to where Lia and Emile follow after. Shifting over toward the nervous male, she offers him a warm, reassuring smile as she whispers, “It’s okay, nothing bad will happen. I promise.” She had brought her sword along for that particular reason, if anything start to go sideways, she will not hesitate to use. While they are here to learn how to hunt, she will not allow anyone to get hurt. Giving Emile a gentle, reassuring bump to his shoulder/leg, Fern then moves over toward Lia. The fiery pelted woman has been kind to her since the moment they met and, knowing how nervous she gets being off Hallowed land, Fern whispers, “We’ll be back home soon. Promise. Thanks for being prepared too.” She tosses the taller woman a wink before offering her a similar shoulder/leg bump as she had to Emile and she realizes just how tall most of her group is.

Soon enough, they arrive at the hunting grounds and Serenity and Sota share a knowing look. A proud smile is on Fern’s lips when Serenity looks back toward her and a firm dip of her gray head silently shares her agreement. With that, she hunkers her body down in the tall dry grass while her blue eyes look over her hunting team, offering them all confident smiles and reassuring winks. The sound of hundreds of buffalo on the move soon fills the air. Their hooves sound like rolling thunder as they filter into the valley, their loud calls leaving the wolves ears ringing. Eyes dart around to her group as she shakes her head to signal that it is not the right time. Hunting is a waiting game and they are about to learn that. Many of the buffalo stop to quench their thirst at the creeks edge, the heat actually aiding the waiting group. When the first group is satisfied, they break off to move toward where the wolves lay in wait and Fern slowly begins to shift.

Staying low, the gray girl repositions her body for the chase that is about to happen. Coiling her muscles and shifting her weight to her back legs, Fern is a spring, ready to be launched forward at any moment. Sparing glances to each of her group, she dips her head in acknowledgement when she finds them mirroring her movements. The buffalo near them and she allows two strong, healthy males to pass by their ambush spot, opting to go for the third male that has a slight hitch in his gait. Without a word, Fern suddenly releases all the energy that is stored in her back legs and rockets out of their hiding place. She barrels toward the large creature without a sound, hoping to catch it by surprise. They work as a team and, when the large male does spot them, it doesn’t have many options for escapes. Hesitation causes it turn too late, to flee too slowly and the rag-tag team is swift in overrunning it.

It runs a few steps before Fern snatches a back hoof in her mouth and she throws her body sideways, twisting the leg at unnatural angle until it snaps. The creature bellows in alarm but the cows are too busy forming protective circles around their children and the males cannot be bothered to help. With a mighty thud, the beast is laid low. Looking to the group, Fern pants, “Serenity, Emile. Pin the back legs. Lia, Sota. Pin the front. Be careful!” The hurt, thrashing creature is quickly pinned and, not wanting to let the beast suffer any further, Fern steps up to the neck and ends its life. As blood pools around the dead buffalo’s neck, the gray girl steps back, licking the blood from her lips and says, “Good job everyone! Now, what do you say we get this back home and have a small feast? You guys deserve it!” A bright smile is on her lips as she happily grabs a leg and begins to trot back toward the castle.

"Fern Lark"