Tavern of Witchita

12 | A Bit of Interest

When the dim shadows of the night mix with rays of day, the grass of the forest return to its usual green as the sun awakens. That's when the warren empties and the rabbits are out to forage and play. They move slowly, lolloping in their ungainly way. At the slightest noise, they're up on their hinds and legs, that's why Dhara must stay mute for now.

Sitting among the leaves of a nearby tree, one twitch would alert the rabbits. She watches them for a while. Just because she needs income and food, doesn't mean she doesn't appreciate nature.

Then she gradually pulls back an arrow from her bow, breathing steadily in focus of aiming at the bunnies and not alerting them before fire. Then off it goes, one arrow, one fat rabbit to sell. Job done.

The other rabbits scatter after that and Dhara doesn't have enough patience to wait for more. Yes, traps are more useful in times like this but she's in the mood for archery.

Adjusting her hold on the wooden bow, her gaze move to the ground, gripping the cracks of the tree, Dhara leaps down, almost losing her balance halfway.

‘It needs more practice,’ she thinks to herself.

“It needs more practice,” a familiar voice remarks from a distance.

Turning her head in the direction of the source, maroon eyes meet with vibrant green ones. Dhara grimaces at the blonde male brightly smiling at her.

“Good morning miss,” the gentleman greets.

Dhara dismisses the guy and strolls over to the rabbit carcass, picking it up by its leg as she spoke.

“You're Caiden, right? Sorry I haven't made a price for this little guy yet. How about thirty copper?” she bargains, gesturing to the rabbit.

Caiden waves his hand in denial, chuckling.

“Oh, no I'm not here to purchase early.”

Dhara turns her heel from the guy, scoffing as she adjusts the bow attaches it to the quiver. She looks at the rabbit and grumbles.

“Good, I have a better trade with someone else anyway.”

Another chuckle comes out of the blonde guy. Dhara walks towards Caiden only to pass by him. The blonde male merely shrugs at her demeanor and walks along with the girl, much to her annoyance.

His green eyes land on the wooden longbow hoisted on her hip with a sack of arrows. In curiosity, he speaks the female hunter.

“I like your bow. Where did you buy it?”

“I made it.” She mumbles, earning a smile from Caiden that she dismisses.

“I don't earn a lot of money from my job but it's a lifestyle I chose and I'm glad I chose it. It suits me.”

Her eyes trail over to the sky of the woods and its accompanying trees.

This place had always served as her home. It's comforting to work here every day. In this forest, she is with her tribe of wood and leaf, among thin giants whose roots hug the earth.

Although it may not be as majestic as Narra's forest, it's still a place where Dhara enjoys. A place of souls, of creatures, moving water, and bird song.

Caiden's smile gets warmer after hearing her talk more openly. Their meeting is purely a coincidence but the blonde is glad to have someone to talk to other than squealing girls.

“I actually work as a teacher, not as a ‘tamer’. I meant that as a joke but you all believed me, ” He snickers at the last bit, earning an amused smirk and eyebrow raise from Dhara.

“You calmed down a griffin, ” She emphasizes and Caiden shrugs, radiating another chuckle.

The guy doesn't seem so bad.

There aren't a lot of hunters in this area and if there are, it's most likely old scruffy men who like kicking animals: Bawbags –  as she calls them. Caiden, as blinding as his personality is, he's significantly better to hang out with other than those guys.

“You're charming, mister prince, but I'm afraid you've got some idiocy inside your brain, ” Dhara jokes, sneaking in a compliment into an insult.

“So does everyone. We all act foolishly sometimes,” Caiden counters with ease, and Dhara's smirk deflating into a frown at his philosophical answer.

Caiden notices her expression, inserting another sentence to lighten the girl's mood.

“But I'm glad you think I'm charming, fair maiden.” His lips tug into a princely smile as his eyes meet with hers.

Dhara jolts, turning her head in the opposite direction as soon as their eyes met. She feels the heat getting to her, which is strange since they are walking in a forest in the early morning. Her eyebrows knit in annoyance. She hears Caiden chuckle softly.

He isn't usually the kind of guy Dhara would hang with, she's never even thought of liking someone. For starters, Caiden is blonde and Dhara prefers the darker haired bunch. Also, he's kind and optimistic, which is the exact opposite of what she is.

And unbeknownst to Dhara, Caiden is currently trying his hardest to stifle laughter. His features dust with pink, a fluttering feeling overcoming him enough to make the guy laugh.

“Sorry, that must've been sudden, ” He apologizes, still stifling a laugh.

Grimacing at his actions, Dhara merely grumbles.

“No matter, I'm going to the capital now.”

Stone pavements enter their view as they exit the forest, just then, a grab takes hold of her wrist pulling the hunter back a bit too harshly.

“Dhara.”

“Ow- what?”

A small group of guards stands by a distance, brown rugged pants, and silver armor serving as their uniform. Muttering a few words to the other troops, they trudge along without making much of a sound.

The mood immediately drops; a glum aura surrounding the two. Just mere minutes ago they joke.

‘Off for another silent abduction’ – Dhara thinks to herself.

As unlikely as it seems, Chrono isn't such a perfect place. The king is a rouge of a tyrant, acting as if he's a saint, giving the citizens wealth and ‘peace’. They operate in silent kidnappings as far as Dhara knows.

It isn't a known fact for the kingdom prefers to keep a low profile when it comes to topics such as this. Yet it's confusing why the citizens never wonder how the criminals just suddenly vanish. And it looks like Caiden knows too.

“Let's get going,” Caiden says, his fingers intertwining with hers.

Usually, she'd jerk her hand off and bark but with the current situation, it's better to just walk away from the guards for now. Caiden himself is bringing a sense of comfort to her and Dhara found that foolish.

Maybe both of them carry some resentment for the king. As Dhara grew up in the wilderness, she's aware of the predators hiding behind those castle walls. Wolves that slowly and silently eliminate rabbit after rabbit.

Allowing Caiden to guide her away, she mutters.
“Okay…”