Golden Storms | #Wattys2020

29. S N A K E

Do not think about this right now

Her mind chastised her. She could only pray God would bring them together.

A cracking noise caught her attention. Slowly turning her head, she could not believe her eyes. It was a small cluster of gazelle, not ten feet away, roaming through the forest in search of food. Their seemed not to have spotted her yet, and her heart began to pound. Those creatures were beautiful. Their eyes were huge and doe-like, a deep dark brown that reminded her of Ishtar. The white streaks on their faces melded perfectly with the smokey brown pigmentation around the mouth. Bodies rippling with coarse, healthy coats, and dainty legs ready to spring into flight.

SubhanAllah.

Placing an arrow ever so quietly onto the bow, Falaq strung it into place. She raised the bow with perfect form, golden eyes unflinchingly fixed on the nearest gazelle. A handsome male, the protector of his clan.

Why was it so difficult to release the arrow?

They'd been eating countless hunted creatures for the duration of their journey. Why was it so much easier to do so when she wasn't the one committing the kill?

Do it.

She had to. This was sustenance.

Taking a deep breath, she stretched the bowstring back. The arrow was poised perfectly, her aim was unquestionable. She just had to let it go.

"Do it"

Falaq did not move, even though her heart skipped a beat. She should have known he followed. Every fibre in her body was now aware of his presence, short of having eyes at the back of her head.

Hudayfa moved closer, and Falaq felt her heart could not beat faster. She felt like the gazelle, instead of the huntress. One calloused hand closed around the bow, arm stretching out over hers, the other lightly touched her elbow. His proximity was causing nerves to explode in her stomach.

"You cannot become a warrior if you cannot finish what you started"

"You mean what you started" Falaq snapped angrily, finally finding her voice.

The noise caused the gazelles heads' to shoot up. Their heads turned in unison, unblinking eyes fixated on the two humans. In an instant the male bolted, leading the rest with him.

"NOW!" Hudayfa growled, pulling her elbow back. Squeezing her eyes shut, Falaq let the arrow go.

A crash and a thump indicated she hit her target. The squealing animal writhed on the ground as his peers disappeared through the trees, their hooves pattering over the forest ground.

Falaq gasped as blood stained that beautiful coat. Her eyes were wide with horror. She felt sick inside. Hudayfa watched her with an unreadable expression. His gaze was soft. He was not angry at her, but she was angry at herself for listening to him.

"Finish what you started" she said to him coldly, throwing Nuh's bow onto the ground.

"And your Highness?" she turned to the assassin, "a warrior is not a killer"

A ghost of a smile graced Hudayfa's features.

"Sometimes Falaq," he said gently, "they are one and the same".