[PRP] Hunter and Hunted [Dyre/Artemis]

[Ruriska]

He was disgraced, he supposed. Driven out of his temple and home by a worthier male. Dyre had never expected anything like this would ever happen. When Vesira had courted him, he had accepted her proposal for what he had assumed would be eternity. Now another was in his place.

It was a strange feeling, to be free once more, without the tie to another and the extra strength that came with being connected to a god. Now he was once again just Dyre, not the Goddess of Zamphir’s mate. The role had never felt like a burden but even he had not been immune to the feeling of needing to act a certain way. He didn’t have the drive to kill vampires that came with being Zamphir but he had hunted them because hunting was what he was good at and it was what Vesira had wanted.

There had always been those that probably didn’t approve of him, be they devout followers and Vesira’s older children. And so they had found someone to take his place. Dyre had given the fight his all and he had lost, fair and square.

In the time between then and now, Dyre had considered going back to visit his children but they were a part of the temple in a way that he wasn’t anymore. He had said his goodbyes in his mind as he walked away and that would be that. It was time to forget and move on.

At first he had bumbled his way into the life of Faetasia, sought something to soothe the strange disquiet that filled his soul, a fling or two, mortals whose lives were as bright and short as fireflies, something he could instantly let go of. But now...

... now he was tired of it all.

So he returned to his true home - the forest.

The great forests where he could stalk through the treetops, bow in hand, seeking prey and the thrill of the hunt. An arrow soaring home, the perfect killing shot. That was where he was now, crouched on a branch, his breathing slow and quiet, watching a solitary stag meander along a forest trail, blissfully unaware of the hunter above but ever wary as all prey were.

It was good to be back.  

[Artymus]

Artemis, daughter of the Succubus goddess Aeval, Patron God of the clans Venin and Euphoria, was more at home in the forest than anywhere else. While she loved her clans and their respective members, she loved the sights and sounds and freedom that came with dwelling where few dared tread. She didn't live with the Venin clan, but stayed within flying distance in case there was an intruder upon the clan's terrritory.

On this day, she'd been observing the forest from a branch in the tree she had built her home in, and had smelled a stag nearby. With a quirk of her lips, she quickly grabbed her bow and quietly moved into the lower branches to see if she could spot it. She stopped behind a veil of leaves, watching the beautiful animal come into view. With deliberate and slow motions, Artemis nocked an arrow and quietly drew her bow, aiming at her newest target.

Ruriska

I'm THE worst, and I'm so sorry about how long it's taken me to reply <3

 

[Ruriska]

The stag was magnificent. A true prince of the forest, antlers massive and heavy, neck thick and strong. It would take a lot to pierce through. Only a very well-placed arrow would make it an instant kill. Perhaps through the eye. That would certainly do the job.

Dyre raised his bow, focused, steady. His arrow nocked, string pulled back, taut. He wasn’t aware that he wasn’t the only one aiming for this particular target. He held his breath, 3, 2, 1. Release.

The arrow flew.  

[Artymus]

Artemis' arrow left her bow, flying fast at her prey...but oh! WHAT THE HEMLOCK WAS THIS?! Her arrow had bounced off of the stag's antlers as he fell...toward her?!?!?! Who else was in these woods? Looking up, she scanned the trees opposite hers, but saw nothing. The interloper must blend in well with the foliage. That would also mean they were a seasoned hunter. Looking back down at the buck, she noticed (with no small amount of appreciation) that the arrow had hit directly in the eye, burrowing into the brain. Artemis appreciated a clean kill; she did much the same, making sure that there was never any unnecessary suffering. She watched intently, waiting for her opposition to show themselves. Artemis wanted to be angry, to seethe and rage at the being who dared steal her prey. But, as angry as she wanted to be, she was much more intrigued. Usually the only other sentient beings were members of her patron clan Venin, but they typically stayed out of her personal territory unless they needed something, which was rare. When a Venin did come calling, they had a signal horn to identify themselves to her.

Eyes never leaving the stag, she began a slow descent from her current perch, until she was only a couple branches above where it was felled. Her heart beat so hard in her chest, she felt as if it could be heard for miles. Who was this mysterious hunter? She could scarcely breathe, fearing her breath would rustle the leaves around her too much and give away her position. Every muscle in her body sang with tension as she waited for them to make an appearance.

 

[Ruriska]

The very last thing anyone could expect when releasing an arrow in a forest, was that another arrow would come from a different direction. His own arrow hit true, dropping the beast in an instant. A quick kill, well-executed, perfection. Dyre would have liked to spend some time admiring it but he was now on high alert, as that second mystery arrow bounced off the antlers and clattered to the ground alongside the now fallen beast.

He held himself rigid, camouflaged within the branches, listening and looking intently. He wasn’t afraid. Dyre had never been afraid, but he was wary. A powerful competitor could have laid claim to these forests in his absence and would not be keen to share the bounty. Not that much could challenge him but he had a feeling, somewhere in his gut, that this wasn’t some mere mortal.

Time ticked by, as both hunter’s waited.

And then Dyre chose to claim his prize.

He descended, dropping from his perch to the ground, without even a glance to the surrounding branches. Out in the open, he was a prime target. But he rolled his shoulders and stalked forward, confident in his approach. He reached the stag, gripped one of the massive antlers and held the head steady as he pulled his arrow free.

He patted the stag's head gratefully and let go of the antler.

No arrow in his back yet.

So he shifted slightly to bend and pick up the second mystery arrow from the ground.

He twirled it thoughtfully in his fingers, and said, clear enough to be heard,

“You lost something.”  

[Artymus]

A male?! She watched him drop out of the tree opposite her own, lithe and strong. An intense curiosity came over her, so strong that it left her no choice but to drop down as this stranger spoke. Fanning her wings to slow her fall, she landed at the base of her tree, bending her knees to cushion her landing. She came forward into the light slowly, bow gripped loosely in her hand.

"I suppose I did", she replied. She studied him thoughtfully, and determined he was no mere mortal. He had scars, which suggested to her that he was no stranger to a fight, but the way he carried himself made it seem as though he rarely, if ever, lost. She could appreciate a survivor. Artemis also noticed his bow, which looked to be specially made, as the ornamentation matched his horns. Staring at him, she made the decision to introduce herself. It wouldn't do her any good to not know who he was, or his purpose in her forest.

"I am Artemis, Patron Goddess of the clans Venin and Euphoria, and this is my territory."

She wasn't entirely sure what else to say. This was usually the part where she either said too much, or not enough. Her sisters had tried to help coach her in how to speak to males, but it had been a failure. Whenever she'd tried to put their advice into action, she'd always flubbed miserably, and in spectacular fashion. It had never felt genuine, never felt like her. But somehow, this felt different. This was no forced interaction, no attempt at seduction gone wrong. She didn't feel so much nervous as....excited? Was that what that feeling was? Yes, this must be it. She was excited to meet this stranger who could fell such an impressive stag with a single shot to the eye, and who showed respect to such a prince of the forest.  

[Ruriska]

A goddess.

As soon as she revealed herself, he knew. It was the aura they gave off, of power, of might. For an angelic, it was like catnip. He’d felt it once before, with Vesira. He hadn’t expected it again, not so soon. Not when he was actively trying to avoid that world. And yet here she was, bow in hand, clearly just at home in the deep forest as he was.

And beautiful too.

He wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or not.

She introduced herself, named clans he was familiar with only vaguely. He’d never cared much for politics. Then she waited, giving him time to fill the space. Which he did so, slowly. First with a deep rumbling ‘hmmm’. If he’d wanted to, he could have simply left, darting away as quick as he’d come. But she deserved more than that. If his shot hadn’t interrupted hers, the stag would have been felled by her hand.

“My name is Dyre.” His voice was rough.

He twirled her arrow again, his gaze shifting ponderously around the clearing. Technically he was trespassing. Some respect would not go amiss but he wouldn’t apologize for being here, or for stealing her kill.

“I used to hunt here a long time ago.” He gave a half smile, just a quirk of his lips. “I missed it. So I came back.” And then, “am I no longer welcome?”

It was an intense question and he would abide by her decision, though they’d just met.  

[Artymus]

Dyre....something about his voice made her feel...strange. Like her ribs caged a thousand butterflies. She took a deep breath and steadied herself. Her eyes shifted to his hand with her arrow in it, twirling it around his nimble fingers. She caught herself as she began to wonder what his hands would feel like on her. That was startling, and before she could catch herself, she shivered. Was this what her sisters had tried to describe to her? She'd always been so awkward, but now she felt an irresistible pull, instinct guiding her actions.

"Then it seems I am the newcomer. As you are no stranger to the forest here, then you may remain welcome."

Artemis didn't want him to leave, which was a new feeling for her. She had identified most with the Venin clan, and their independence from needing a male. She never suspected that she would want one. Yes, that's what this was. She wanted this male. Wanted him so strongly, it defied reason. They'd just met. He'd only just learned her name, and she his, but she wanted him in no way she'd wanted any other being before. The intensity of it almost scared her. But she reminded herself that she was a patient hunter, and Dyre would be her new prey.

She needed a reason to make him stay. Artemis took a few steps closer, closing some of the distance between them. Now only the stag lay between them, a feeling more intimate than anything she'd experienced before.

"Would you like assistance in field dressing our friend here?", she asked cocking an eyebrow, a sly smile playing across her lips.