Hunting

The dawn broke gently over the manor, casting a golden hue over the forest that surrounded it. Virgil stood in the courtyard, his black horse, Onyx, beside him, its coat gleaming in the early light. Akita, her eyes heavy with sleep but alert with a simmering determination, approached him.

"Today," Virgil said, his voice commanding and cold, "you will hunt food for me. As my slave, you must do what you are told. I often have to hunt by myself but since you are here, I will make use of you. There are deers and bears that reside in the thick lush forest. I expect my hearty meal."

Akita nodded, her mind already racing with thoughts of escape. However, she knew she had to bide her time, waiting for the perfect moment. She followed Virgil as he mounted Onyx, and they rode into the forest. The trees loomed tall and dense, creating an almost endless maze of green. Despite the eerie quiet, Akita found a strange comfort in the familiar wilderness.

Once they reached a suitable spot deep within the woods, Virgil dismounted and handed Akita a bow and a quiver of arrows. "Let's see if my little kitten can actually hunt," he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Akita took the bow and arrows, her fingers trembling slightly. She had hunted before, but her memories of those times were fragmented and vague, lost in the haze of her turbulent past. She moved silently through the underbrush, her eyes scanning for movement, but nothing seemed familiar. The skills she once had felt like they were buried under layers of pain and survival instinct.

From atop Onyx, Virgil watched her struggle. His eyes narrowed as he observed her fumbling attempts to draw the bowstring and aim at the distant shadows that moved between the trees. After several failed attempts, he sighed and dismounted, striding towards her with a mixture of impatience and curiosity.

"For a tribal girl," he mocked, "you can't even hunt. What a disappointment. I expect more from you, you say you are a warrior but I'm not seeing that right now." He voiced his angry and disappointment at his kitten. 

Akita clenched the bow tightly, her knuckles darkening as she glared at him. Her eyes met his, a fiery defiance burning within them. "I can hunt," she insisted, though her voice betrayed her uncertainty.

Virgil's lips curled into a sardonic smile. "It's a shame that my own kitten can't even provide food. Now I'm going to starve because of you."

Before Akita could retort, Virgil snatched the bow and arrows from her. He moved with the grace and precision of a predator, his eyes locking onto a deer that had emerged from the underbrush. With a single fluid motion, he nocked an arrow, drew the bowstring back, and released. The arrow flew true, striking the deer in the heart. It fell instantly, its body crumpling to the forest floor.

Akita stood stunned, watching as Virgil's expression softened momentarily, pride evident in his eyes. For a brief second, she saw a different side of him, one that was capable of something more than cruelty and domination.

"That's how it's done," he said, handing the bow back to her. "Perhaps you can learn something from watching me. It could use you some good to hone and relearn your skills since you claim you are a warrior."

Akita took the bow, her hands still shaking, but now with a mixture of anger and awe. She hated the way he belittled her, but she couldn't deny his skill. As she stared at the fallen deer, she felt a surge of determination. She would learn, she would survive, and she would find a way to escape this life.

As they prepared to head back to the manor, Virgil mounted Onyx and looked down at her. "You'll try again tomorrow," he said, his voice less harsh than before. "And the day after, until you get it right."

Akita nodded silently, her resolve hardening. She would endure this humiliation and use it to fuel her inner fire. One day, she would be free, and when that day came, she would no longer be anyone's kitten not even Virgil's.

The morning sun barely crested the horizon when Virgil and Akita returned to the forest. The air was crisp and cool, the forest bathed in a silvery mist. Virgil, mounted on Onyx, led the way with an air of casual authority, while Akita followed on foot, her mind teeming with determination and apprehension.

Virgil dismounted and handed her the bow and quiver of arrows once more. "Today, we try again," he said, his voice softer but no less commanding. "Remember what you saw yesterday. Learn from it."

Akita took the bow, her hands steady. She moved silently through the forest, her eyes sharper, more focused. She remembered the way Virgil had moved, the confidence in his every action. She needed to channel that same confidence.

As she stalked through the underbrush, she saw a flicker of movement in the distance. A small deer, grazing quietly. Akita took a deep breath, nocked an arrow, and drew the bowstring back. Her arms ached from the unfamiliar strain, but she held her position, aiming carefully.

From behind her, Virgil watched, his eyes narrowed with critical attention. He saw the tension in her stance, the focus in her eyes. This time, she seemed more in tune with the bow, more at ease with the hunt.

Akita released the arrow. It flew through the air, striking the deer in its flank. The deer stumbled but didn't fall, bolting into the underbrush. Akita felt a pang of frustration and guilt as she watched the wounded animal disappear.

Virgil approached, his expression unreadable. "Better," he said, his tone even. "But not good enough. You need to aim for the heart."

Akita clenched her fists, anger and disappointment welling up inside her. She hated failing, especially in front of him. But she also knew she was getting better. She could feel it.

"You have potential," Virgil continued, surprising her. "But potential means nothing without practice. Again."

They spent hours in the forest, practicing. Akita's muscles burned from the effort, her fingers blistered from drawing the bowstring, but she didn't stop. Every time she missed, Virgil corrected her form, his instructions sharp but effective. Gradually, she began to understand the rhythm of the hunt, the delicate balance between patience and action.

As the sun climbed higher in the sky, they found another deer. Akita took her position, her body moving with a newfound grace. She drew the bowstring back, her eyes locked onto her target. This time, she didn't hesitate. She released the arrow, and it flew true, striking the deer in the heart. The animal fell instantly, its life ending swiftly.

Virgil's lips curled into a rare smile. "Well done," he said, a hint of pride in his voice. "You see? You are capable of more than you think."

Akita nodded, a sense of accomplishment washing over her. She had done it. She had hunted, and she had succeeded. For the first time since her capture, she felt a spark of confidence.

As they prepared to leave, Virgil mounted Onyx and looked down at her. "You will continue to practice," he said. "You are my slave, but that doesn't mean you can't have skills. In fact, I expect it."

Akita looked up at him, her eyes meeting his. There was still a coldness in his gaze, but also a grudging respect. She nodded silently, her resolve hardening even further. She would continue to learn, to grow stronger. And one day, she would use those skills to escape.

As they rode back to the manor, the forest fading into the distance, Akita couldn't help but feel a small sense of triumph. She was no longer just a helpless slave. She was becoming a hunter, a survivor. And with each passing day, she was one step closer to her freedom.