Content Warning: This chapter contains a scene involving the mercy killing of an injured animal.
°❀⋆.ೃ࿔*:･
Crouching behind the reeds and tall grass of the marshlands, ignoring the ickiness of mud squelching between her toes, Nova watched in awe as Atia's usual light-hearted grins and charm fell away, eyes sharpening on the hunt before them. It was like a storm passing over a sunny field as his eyes locked on his target. His focus was so steely that not even the loose strands of his plaited hair brushing against his cheeks could pull his attention away from his prey.
Nova had stopped breathing. The air was still, broken only by the chirr of crickets and the wind stirring the leaves. Atia's bow was drawn, the curve of the string held steady between his fingers as he slowly pulled it back, the arrow glinting like vapour's fang under the sunlight. His lean frame was coiled and taut. Not even a tremor passed through him as he took aim at the prey grazing ahead.
