AZRIEL

CHAPTER ONE

I tried to steady my hands as I reached for the bow tied to my spine. Making minimal noise was my top priority at this moment. The thankfully oblivious fawn a couple feet in front of me continued to graze at what was left of the grass as I positioned the bow and took aim.

The fawn, although small and scrawny, could possibly feed my small family for a few days. We could sell the skin and even manage to freeze half of the meat for the following week. My mouth watered at the mere thought after having not eaten for almost three days now- the dreadful consequences of this severe famine which had struck my village.

I took a steadying breath and double checked my aim, the forest silent.

Come on, Adeline. Just shoot.

I pulled back the arrow, mentally marking the centre of the fawn's body as my target and was just about to shoot when-

"Adeline!" I heard a female voice shout from behind me, "Have you caught us anything yet?!"

I watched in nothing but pain as the deer's head snapped up, it's russet eyes widening and staring deep into my own. Before I could gather my thoughts, it was gone.

"Are you crazy?!" I growled, throwing my crossbow to the ground as both an angry and surrendering gesture. Turning, I met the bored face of my younger sister, who was merely sixteen at the time.

"What?" She frowned, obviously unaware of the fawn I had under perfect target. If only I'd just shot my arrow - if only.

I rolled my eyes, shoving her chest, "We could've eaten tonight if you didn't have such a big mouth. We could've even had new cloaks weaved!"

Elena turned to look over my shoulder in an attempt to find the animal I was preying upon. When she didn't find anything, she looked back to me.

"What was it?"

"A fawn. The size of a miniature pony too!"

"No way," she whined, tilting her head back, "Why couldn't you just shoot it?"

My facial expression reflected my confusion, "I was about to, if you hadn't spoken so goddamn loudly!"

Elena threw up her hands, "Well, you're supposed to be one of the best archers in our village. No - you are the best archer in our village. A minor inconvenience like me shouldn't have thrown you off."

I snorted, "You're being too nice to yourself with the 'minor'. Try major, maybe". I bent down to retrieve my crossbow from the ground, sliding it into its sheath across my back.

Elena directed a sarcastic smile my way, ignoring my remark, "Besides, we aren't even meant to be in the west of the wood. You know what the people back in the village say about this place, plus Papa would kill us. It was you who was dying to come hunt in here."

I started to walk back out of the forest, following the path I had laid out for myself on the way here by tying red handkerchiefs to trees, "You really believe the people back in the village when they say there's immortal creatures in here?" I rolled my eyes, my tone skeptical, "Come on. Let's get out of here."

Elena followed close behind as she let out a huff,

"Yet another lovely night without food."

"You can thank yourself for that."

******

Approaching back to the house, I could see papa waiting outside from a distance. His aging face was twisted in anxiousness as he watched villagers pass by the road, searching for myself and Elena's familiar faces.

Elena remained a step behind me, "You're going to come up with an excuse to save our asses, not me."

We neared the house, Papa's coral eyes meeting my own emerald ones. He and Elena shared eye colours, however I had my mother's eyes. Papa would often say he saw mother in me - something I found to be a compliment. Based on Papa's description, the image I had conjured in my head of her was truly a beautiful sight.

"Where were you?!" Papa let out a sigh of relief as we made our way up the steps of the porch, the elderly wood creaking beneath the strain of Elena and I's combined weight. She nudged me in my rib - a gesture to signal me to reply.

"We were trying to hunt, Papa," I replied, indicating to the crossbow strapped onto my back.

He tutted, shaking his head. His eyebrows were furrowed in worry, his eyes glistening, "It's past sunset. You know I don't like it when you are out past sunset. Who knows what sort of...sort of things roam the outskirts of the village at this time. Where did you go?"

Both Elena and I fell silent. I hated lying to Papa but he took my word over anyone else's and Elena knew that, probably why she was relying on me to form an excuse.

"I..." I began, chewing the inside of my lip. Goddamn it, Adeline. Pull yourself together and say something!, "We were just-"

"We were using Uncle Howard's hunting fields down the road, Papa," Elena quickly interjected, "We lost track of time though. We're sorry."

Nice save. Useful for something at least.

Papa sighed and ran a creased hand over his face, nodding slowly, "Very well. Just make sure it doesn't happen again." He then gestured for us to enter the house.

Elena gave me a smug look - a sort that said 'thank me later' - before entering the house ahead of the rest of us. I was just about to follow her in before Papa blocked my way with his walking cane. Confused, I looked at him for an explanation.

He avoided eye contact as he spoke slowly in a low tone, "You didn't really go to Howard's hunting field, did you?"

I chewed the inside of my cheek - a habit for whenever I was anxious or under pressure. I didn't know what to say, but it was clear he had doubted us from the start.

I sighed, my eyes flickering towards the wood of the porch beneath us, "No, Papa."

"Then where did you go?"

I hesitated for a couple seconds.

"The west wood."

My voice was just beyond a whisper. I noticed Papa's body stiffen and before I knew it two large hands were on each of my shoulders, shaking me into reality, "How many times have I told you not to go in there?! You took your sister too! I didn't expect this from you, Adeline!"

"How else were we to find food?!" I placed my hands on his own in an attempt to calm him down, "The famine has sent all the animals west ways - that wood was the only shot we had to have a decent meal in three days!"

He shook his head frantically, "No! You know what the legend of this town says, daughter. That wood is somewhere us humans should never tread or tamper with."

I rolled my eyes, throwing my hands into the air in frustration, "How do we even know this stupid legend is true? Do you really believe that forest connects the human world to an immortal realm?" I scoffed, "It sounds ridiculous, father, and you know it. Old folks here just make up every other story to stop their children from going into that forest and getting lost."

Instead of shooting back with a response in his defense, Papa sighed - perhaps in defeat. He pushed the door to the house open and entered without another word.

I followed behind him almost as quietly.

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hi!! i hope u enjoyed this first chapter .. i haven't written in ages so i feel like i'm a bit rusty, but whatever!

i'm looking to update this book 2x a week, maybe even 3 x if possible, so you guys don't have to wait so long! 

if you enjoyed it, please leave a vote and comment perhaps?

thank u & lots of love!!

- jen <3