#larkiniel

*fistbump!* (( I assume this is a request for the “Hunt with Me” drabble thing, so here we go! ))

Their footsteps were silent, almost impossibly so. Through the undergrowth of the jungle the two hunters prowled, both armed with loaded bows and a deadly prowess about them. Larkiniel and Wolf were hunting a challenging beast today, one that most people in their right mind would stay far away from; the two were after the fearsome devilsaur.

The massive reptile was native to these jungles and could even be said to own them. It was, after all, the largest beast out here, and it was most certainly the deadliest as well. However, that notion did little to stop the pair of incognito predators that stalked through the wilderness now, moving at a pace little faster than a slow crawl and keeping their gazes forward towards their target.

Lark and Wolf had tracked the beast across the verdant terrain, trekking through marshes, shallow streams, and even the occasional gorloc or wolvar encampment, all while using their eyes, ears, and nose to follow the massive reptile to a place optimal for engaging it in combat.

Finally, the perfect area was found. It was a stretch of land with minimal tree coverage that was near the circular mountain range that surrounded this land teeming with life. The devilsaur had begun to move towards the mountains, likely where its nest was; the two hunters knew they had to act quickly.

And so, with a nod to the other, Larkiniel and Eldricc split off in two separate directions – one hunter going right, the other going left. Even while running their footsteps were light and quiet across the bright green grass beneath them, seemingly so quiet that the devilsaur was not aware of their presence before it was too late…

Each hunter had found coverage behind a boulder before they started firing, but once their first arrows were loosed, the rest came like a hailstorm. From both sides the devilsaur was assailed, rapidly fired projectiles repeatedly piercing into its neck and occasionally into its softer, less protected underbelly.

The beast, not knowing what to do in response to the sudden assault, whirled around suddenly and released a strident roar. Its focus flicked between the two smaller creatures attacking it from either side before, in a sudden shift, the devilsaur decided to charge left – towards Larkiniel.

This sudden change prompted even swifter reaction from the two deadly predators, who both sprung into action with a level of deftness that, to the untrained eye, almost would have seemed like it was planned.

Both hunters sprung over their boulders in an explosion of motion, and both proceeded to charge towards the devilsaur; Larkiniel, of course, ran directly at the beast while Wolf dashed up to it from behind. Risky? Of course it was risky to run towards a gargantuan predatory lizard, but risk was an everyday factor in the life of a hunter. Having a plan, incidentally, was another factor.

Just as the jaws of the colossal devilsaur were about to snap down upon her, Lark suddenly hit the ground in a flattened slide, very narrowly avoiding the chomp that followed. Then, as soon as she was under the creature, the Kaldorei raised her already loaded bow up above her and fired not one, but three simultaneous arrows into the soft belly of the beast.

Meanwhile, Eld was working on executing a plan of his own. While the devilsaur had been so focused on taking down Larkiniel, the hunter had ran up to the creature from behind in a full out sprint. He’d barely managed to catch up to the beast, but when he did, Wolf lunged upwards and slammed the spikes that protruded from the shaft of his bow into the backside of the creature.

The attack from the rear and the attack from below both struck the devilsaur at roughly the same time, and another ferocious roar escaped its throat. Figuring that what had struck it came from behind, the lizard slowed in its charge and whirled around once again, only to see a certain elf standing there with an arrow aimed directly in the beast’s own direction.

And so the beast charged again, roaring with fury and setting its sights on Lark. In its utter rage, the devilsaur didn’t even seem to notice the spikes that slammed into its back over and over again as Eldricc slowly inched his way towards the beast’s head, moving slower than he’d have liked yet keeping his balance all the same.

Instead of rolling underneath the beast this time, Larkiniel waited until the last moment before lunging to her right and once again escaping the maw that had awaited her. However, a simple dodge was not enough; as soon as she had regained her balance, the huntress stood and whipped around to face the slowing creature, sending two succinct arrows into its side.

Another deft avoidance of the devilsaur’s charge on the Kaldorei’s part was not needed. As the beast had been slowing and preparing to launch another onslaught upon Larkiniel after its second failed charge, it suddenly released a cry of agony, rearing its head back in the process.

Eldricc, who was repeatedly stabbing the creature in the skull with the larger spikes at either end of his bow, nearly fell off of the devilsaur with its last ditch effort at survival, yet somehow managed to keep his balance.

The struggle, which was punctuated sporadically by more of Larkiniel’s arrows, lasted for a short time before, with one final roar of defiance, the beast collapsed onto its side. Eld barely managed to free his bow in time to lunge off of the creature as it fell, landing not-so-gracefully in the grass close to where Larkiniel was now standing.

“Fuckin’ ‘ell…” Wolf rumbled out in between heavy breaths, dropping his bow and plopping down on his rear with a sigh. “What a ploughin’ fight that was… See, told ya this’d…be more fun than huntin’…fuckin’ -Ogres-.” With that, he promptly fell down onto his back and tossed his arms back behind him, eyes shutting for the moment.

Larkiniel snickered quietly at Eld’s words, and even though she was breathing fairly deeply as well, the huntress already moved over towards the felled devilsaur. Then, with a glance over her shoulder back at her companion, the elf grinned and said:

“Come, let us begin skinning our kill, yes?”

Swipe. Swipe. Swipe.

The sound of cutting. Larkiniel’s eyes peered downwards in confusion as locks of silver would pool at her feet. Demetrius had lopped off large chunks of her once long and curly hair. The kaldorei peered back at him in wonder. The man himself, wielding his ritualistic knife would merely speak with cryptic words.

"A new start. For a new beginning."

Thank you! Though honestly it was not planned by me. Through some good ol’ roleplay, Larkiniel’s character and appearance has come a long way.This is what she looked like before she went through her transformation!