Ouroboros Spine kinaalda

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third day rolled for 1 otter, 1 rabbit, 2 squirrel, 1 weasel, 1 frog, 1 fish, 1 bird, 8 crayfish. So long!

On the third day, Ajei must hunt alone. She knew she would never be able to hunt anything large on her own. But she wondered if with determination, luck and her mothers good spirit. She could hunt many small things. She had to feed whole village after all.

1.Otter
She had run as fast as she could. Only two times today. She remembered heart brother Rodyn speaking of brother otter. And she loved Otters had told herself she would never hunt one. And yet here she was. Green eyes locked on the otters at play.

A pained feeling in her heart. So she seeked and searched for one that was old and infirm. One that had lived long. And she found him. Greying whiskers along sharp teeth, claws blunted from years of work. And she gave chase. Red body sluicing through the river foliage. Surprise was key and not to let them in the water.

Loud chattering and suddenly she was set upon by the old man otter. Teeth gnashing. She struck and then he struck bloodying her shoulder. A soft cry, but she countered. Another claw sliced into her shoulder until finally she was able to find his throat. He lay limp beside her. A soft gasping sob, but she had done it. She had won.

2. Rabbit

Ajei found a place to store the soft body of father otter. She clapped cobwebs and mud on her bitten and clawed shoulder. Wincing at the pain she wasn't used too. Her muscles screaming from the torment she had put them through. She whimpered but lifted downy head. Remembering her mothers face. The pride. She would make her mother proud.

She limped towards the wide meadow. Pert nose twitching at the scent of rabbit. She saw  rabbits, nibbling at greens and she gave chase. Pain radiating up into her shoulder and causing her to stumble. Where there had been 5 or 7 suddenly they were gone, but one who wasn't quite fast enough. She caught it quickly.

The scream that it let loose made her ears fold to her head. A hard quick kick to her nose and mouth, but she bit down hard on paw, breaking bone. Blood sliding into mouth. The creature handicapped and trying to crawl away. She struck again, behind downy ears of brown fur. And sighed when the tortured screams grew quiet.

She frowned wondering if she was truly cut out for this. She had a torn shoulder. She licked along seam of her mouth a bitter taste of metal and salt on her taste buds. Torn edges of frayed lip. Would she get through this day whole? Could she even be counted a hunter. Or was she worthless at her mother's legacy. And she still had more to catch this would barely feed the children.

3. 2 squirrels

Ajei lay the rabbit near the otter. And sat down. Head hung low. For a minute. The midday sun was coming up fast and she only had caught two things. She needed more.

Suddenly the chattering in the nearby grove caught her attention. She lifted head and spied 2 squirrels screeching at each other. So close together if she snuck? Maybe.

Ajei went long around the grove keeping the two quarreling tree rats in her line of vision. She broke cover and struck. But they struck too. Tearing at her ear as she bent head to grasp them. A sharp pain and blood sprayed across her eye momentarily obscuring her vision as her ear bled. But she managed to get both heads into her maw amd crunch down.

The feel of broken bones made her stomach roll, and her mouth momentarily felt numb, but two more prizes to be added to her cache.

4. Weasel

Ajei also settled the squirrels near her other prizes. She looked over them and felt a little disgusted. Her mother could have done so much better. And she mentally reprimanded herself for not paying better attention to hunting and only relying on fishing.

Feeling nostalgic she traced a path down the trail she and Arrluk had passed upon. Where they had gotten a weasel for her mother. She was so lost in her daydreams and memories.  The scent of weasel even surfaced. She smiled at how strong that day lived in her memories until a breaking twig caught her attention and she froze. Turning gaze towards it.

A weasel in his summer colors moved quietly through the underbrush. She had been so quiet he hadn't determined her a threat.

She jumped forward to grasp at it when the creature reared up. Slashing a long line of cerise across downy cheek. A softly uttered oh before her teeth closed around it. And she shook her head hard. The snap of spine and neck surprising her so suddenly she dropped it. She stared at the limp creature. Shame curdling in her stomwch. She had killed it so violently after it hurt her. It felt a little bit wrong.

5. Fish, frog, 8 crayfish, bird

As Ajei placed the newest kill near the others. She decided to head towards the river. Her body ached, she was bloody. Perhaps the water would do her well and besides. She held more confidence in fishing than hunting anyway and water beasts didn't hurt her as bad.

The frogs sang as evening began to descend. The fish jumped. The loud plunks as they hit the water filled her heart. If she looked close she could almost see her mother patiently showing her how to fish.  The gentle smile that had lit up her face, the ways her eyes looked down at Ajei with pride and warmth and love.

Ajei quickly dispatched one of the frogs before the others raced away. Sometimes frogs were faster than fish. Only one large fish was caught the rest not even enough to make a meal.

Though she laughed in delight at the turnover of stone and finding 8 large, jucy crayfish. Now that they all knew how to eat them. They weren't as bad. This time she was mindful of any pinchers.

She gathered her bounty to herself. Feeling rejuvenated. she settled them at the edge. A bird landed, beady eyes locked on her kills. She raced forwards as its talons wound around her prize fish. Its beak moving lighting fast to score a divet above her right eye. She snapped back her teeth hitting long neck and the bird lay dead with her fish in its claws. A soft snort. As blood pooled down her eye. She'd fix it later.

Ajei buried her kills. Her body giving out right by the cache. For three days she had pushed her body farther than she ever had before. Her muscles ached. Her joints ached. The wounds she had gotten in pursuit of meat ached. She whined siftly and closed her eyes. Too tired to even seek out @Arrluk or @Kukutux . Her last thought of her mother. A softly murmured. I love you, I'll make you proud. Before sleep took her

Wounds i figured Ajei is not a hunter. So she is going to get hurt more than once. So far:
1. Cut/bitten right shoulder this one will scar.
2. Busted open lip
3. Split ear left
4. Cut open cheek (line of a scar)
5. A divet above her right eye from bird beak(will scar)