Chapter Text
‘Let them follow for a time, they've realized the ache of not having a place to call theirs. Our hunters will go and set some rules for them. If they want to follow then they keep their distance until a new city rises on the horizon. Our clan will do as we have always done; keep a vigilant eye, and steer swiftly from trouble. Do not interact with the shemlen.’
The weight of the clan knife is in her hands, slipped in secret by the halla keeper. Her first time with the blade laid bare. Her first kill.
A strong, scarred human, Ferelden runner from the Blight, with a small life and a smaller mind. He had a bone in his beard and a terrible row of teeth that shone like knives in the night.
She moved first. Her legs wrapped around him and he grinned stupidly as she pressed the knife inside his heart and shoved electricity through the metal. His hair charred black, from gold to black, like the pits of his pupils boring into her. Anger and agony made his hold lock around her, making sharp nails cut lines against her skin, as she felt his flesh convulse and burn and melt. His mouth parted but too many sounds beat against her skull. Any pain on her skin, forgotten for later. The smell of boiled metal hung heavy in the air. Choke on your stupid silver teeth. With an angry red fist, she drove the knife deeper. Like a large tree cut down by a flash of the skies, the big man staggered in death, then fell slow and hard on his back and she on top of him. The impact of hitting the ground made leftover air escape from his lungs and through already parted, black lips; a thin, shrill sound, like wind howling through a tiny hole inside a hollow ruin. Made it too ugly, even for the Owl.
And cruel, Miko suddenly shivered, this death was cruel. He had no home and she had no affairs with humans. No orders, just to watch the camp from the trees, the Fereldans so far away from home.
When the wide watery eyes met hers as she crawled away from the dead man, the little doubts vanished. His prey was cowering in front of the tree the beast had slammed her against, her only shield her trembling knees, and moonlight was upon her skin, revealing violet veins, tree roots born of violence. There were bites, circles where his silver teeth pressed on the girl’s pale milky skin, and the thought of this human never feeling the heat of the sun or the tedium of living on society’s edge set something off in Miko’s chest. Let her go, even if it causes more trouble later. The human trembled terribly the nearer Miko walked to her, whimpering like a mouse, and for a second she couldn't understand why.
“Go home,” she ordered, her voice hoarse and foreign.
“My f-family's,” the girl squeaked and Miko fisted her hands. Stared at the glowing pearls sliding off the torn necklace offered up to her. Reflected by the moonlight, they looked like eyes.
“A beast attacked you,” she tried again. “I killed it. Go home.” Then hid her sticky hands behind her back and waited. The pain was returning with vengeance. A fine line of blood burnt and tickled the back of her thigh.
She will twist the tale. Kill her.
“Go!” she screamed, voice breaking but loud. “GO HOME!”
A sharp whistle of warning rang from up the trees. Fury and shame coursed through the air. Not breaking her stare with the human, her feet obeyed the hunter's call, and began backing away under the dark ceiling of the forest. Everything else went dark too, after that.