Post by Ruby on Jan 18, 2013 15:28:51 GMT -5
Ruby's nerves were not but tattered, frayed strands, her emotions ran wild within her, anger, hopelessness, depression, tenseness... and then the cycle repeated, she couldn't sleep, had difficulties eating and finally after a week of this nonsense, Granny had handed her, her bow and enough arrows to kill a month's supply of meet before pointing in the direction of the forest. For the first time that week, Red had smiled, kissed the woman plainly on the cheek and vanished. She did not usually take her horse into the blackness of the forest, but even the company of an animal was preferable to the sound of her own thoughts. The horse was no stallion or prized possession, a simple dappled grey mare who had grown up with Red and trusted her beyond a doubt. No saddle or bridle had ever been placed on the mare, Ruby preferred to ride bare back, it also made stealing the creature a great more difficult... she had caught more than one would be thief thanks to the horse.
She came upon a familiar break in the trees, an area of the forest that she had made her encampment a thousand times, without all of the people, all of the sounds she felt better. Swinging from the back of her mare, she stroked its mane and she nickered softly, nudging her shoulder with her nose and Red bit back the laugh.
"Wait here. For the last time you cannot kill a deer." The horse snorted as though offended and Ruby rolled her eyes, reaching into the small pack she had brought with her and withdrew a sugar cube, the mare seemed to have forgotten its anger and crunched it happily. Ruby tore the cloak from her body and set down her things. The hunting outfit was simple, pants to move around in, and a form fitting top that covered her arms from the bitter cold. Snow had fashioned it for her, knowing her tendency for hunting. "You guard these supplies with your life and this time... try not to get distracted by the wild stallions? I had bruises for weeks trying to tame that colt." Red would swear upon her grave that the horse grinned.
She vanished into the thicket of the trees, moving with both silence and stealth, her heightened senses caught the smell of the elk, long before they were in range and Red forced her heart to slow, her muscles to relax, perhaps this was exactly what she needed, just a little time and space to herself. She crouched low in the bushes grinning as she came upon the large herd... that buck would make a nice meal... along with plenty to take back to the Inn, it had been awhile since she got to put Elk on the menu.
She knocked the arrow, in the bow, drawing it back with quick precision, aimed and let the arrow fly. He whizzed through the air, startling the rest of the herd and scattering them to the winds, it mattered little, Red could track them easily and she didn't intend to return to the village for a couple weeks, possibly even longer. The beast let out a cry, a scream of pain from the ground, and Ruby raced to its side, she would kill, but she wasn't cruel, driving the arrow the rest of the way through the beasts chest it heaved one last time and fell still. She careened back on the balls of her feet, she had the sudden urge to run... to unleash the wolf within her and now she could, She chewed her bottom lip until it turned raw. Her time with Dorian had made her weak and in that weaknesses she had done something stupid. She had made an agreement with Rumple. Trading one demon for another Red that's real smart. And while he had held true to his side of the bargain... she still owed him and hers was an open ended deal.
She growled, cursing herself for her stupidity and got to work on skinning the elk.
She came upon a familiar break in the trees, an area of the forest that she had made her encampment a thousand times, without all of the people, all of the sounds she felt better. Swinging from the back of her mare, she stroked its mane and she nickered softly, nudging her shoulder with her nose and Red bit back the laugh.
"Wait here. For the last time you cannot kill a deer." The horse snorted as though offended and Ruby rolled her eyes, reaching into the small pack she had brought with her and withdrew a sugar cube, the mare seemed to have forgotten its anger and crunched it happily. Ruby tore the cloak from her body and set down her things. The hunting outfit was simple, pants to move around in, and a form fitting top that covered her arms from the bitter cold. Snow had fashioned it for her, knowing her tendency for hunting. "You guard these supplies with your life and this time... try not to get distracted by the wild stallions? I had bruises for weeks trying to tame that colt." Red would swear upon her grave that the horse grinned.
She vanished into the thicket of the trees, moving with both silence and stealth, her heightened senses caught the smell of the elk, long before they were in range and Red forced her heart to slow, her muscles to relax, perhaps this was exactly what she needed, just a little time and space to herself. She crouched low in the bushes grinning as she came upon the large herd... that buck would make a nice meal... along with plenty to take back to the Inn, it had been awhile since she got to put Elk on the menu.
She knocked the arrow, in the bow, drawing it back with quick precision, aimed and let the arrow fly. He whizzed through the air, startling the rest of the herd and scattering them to the winds, it mattered little, Red could track them easily and she didn't intend to return to the village for a couple weeks, possibly even longer. The beast let out a cry, a scream of pain from the ground, and Ruby raced to its side, she would kill, but she wasn't cruel, driving the arrow the rest of the way through the beasts chest it heaved one last time and fell still. She careened back on the balls of her feet, she had the sudden urge to run... to unleash the wolf within her and now she could, She chewed her bottom lip until it turned raw. Her time with Dorian had made her weak and in that weaknesses she had done something stupid. She had made an agreement with Rumple. Trading one demon for another Red that's real smart. And while he had held true to his side of the bargain... she still owed him and hers was an open ended deal.
She growled, cursing herself for her stupidity and got to work on skinning the elk.