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This is a WIP, NaNoWriMo 2015, Forest Wed. Adann and Kaie (who was engaged), are married as symbols of their gods, and 2 weeks into their marriage, the gods’ blessing and the town are suffering, so they are sent on a hunting trip with two experienced hunters (Rui and Corliss). Kaie and Adann set traps, loafed for a while, fished, returned to camp, and were sent out to check on the traps.
Most of the traps weren’t sprung, one was sprung and empty, which she reset, and then she found one that now contained a squealing, writhing ball of fur, an animal as long as two of her spread hands.
The creature was too agitated to see clearly, so she whacked at it with the butt of her spear, trying to stun it into temporary immobility. Instead, it latched its jaw on the branch, which had the same result. This was a monster, a cursed animal, with patchy, short fur, a wide snout, and a mouthful of overlarge, sharp teeth currently gnashing at the wood.
Adann shook the spear, and then shook it harder, until the beast let go, and smoothly flipping the spear in her hands, she jabbed at it with the point, scoring a gash that made the monster give an ugly squeal, and then a second stab resulted in it going limp.
“Do you mind checking?” She asked, flicking her fingers at the large knife hanging at Kaie’s side.
He nodded, so she shifted out of the way, holding the spear ready to throw, if the animal should show signs of life. It didn’t twitch as he slit its throat, but it was far better safe than sorry, when it came to killing monsters. Their viciousness was only equaled by their appetite, and more than one had come alive to savage an unwary hunter before dying for good.
* * *
Beikife is a small town in something like the Amazon rain forest, protected by a pair of married gods. The gods are represented by human avatars, two young people chosen and married by divine power. The strength of the marriage represents the bond between the gods’ blessing, so the new forest wed must find a way to connect to each other, or the crops will fail, the rivers will flood, and the cursed monsters that live in the forest will claim many lives.
caitlinsternwrites 
Oh, I like this! I just discovered this Weekend Writing Warriors thing, and I’ve realized I have a new favorite tag to follow!
Welcome and enjoy!
Thank you so much!
Nasty little critter!
Adann seems much more ready to engage than Kaie. I like her, a lot.
Adann has more trapping experience than Kaie. Glad to hear it! 🙂
That is one intense scene! Love it! Great writing as always.
Thank you!
Terrific scene. She is a strong fearless woman.
Well, not quite fearless. But pretty brave! 🙂
Teamwork! At first I was aww, furry–but by the end I was glad it was dead. 🙂
It isn’t a cute furry critter, after all, but a cursed, bloodthirsty monster. I’d be glad, too.
She can catch fish, and now she downed the monster. Good for Adann! 🙂
It was a small monster. Bigger ones are coming!
Quite a change in pace from fishing! But she’s clearly very good at everything…enjoyed the snippet. I just have this feeling of something BIG impending for them, so well done!
There will be less easy to dispatch monsters coming their way. 😉
Ew, vicious little bugger. Sounds like a wolverine on steroids. Great snippet.
The monsters all are very aggressive, regardless of what creatures they come from. That’s what makes them so dangerous.
Nasty little creature!
Yep!
Good descriptions, I could just see that little beast snapping at them both. Glad nobody got hurt!
Marcia
This time. *evil laugh*
If this is a little one, I’d hate to see the big ones. (Actually, that’s a lie. I’m looking forward to it!)
I have all kinds of thoughts. Monster-making is fun!
Wow, she’s a brave girl.
Yeah, she is–not too brave, though. She didn’t try to finish it off herself, after all.
Adann definitely does what she has to, your description is great, sent a few chills my way. I think she turned to Kaie, not out of necessity, but to give him the opportunity to kill the monster.
I thought of it as caution, but she could very well have been trying to include him.
Nasty little critter and she sure handled th situation like a warrior.
I’d probably run away, myself. 😉
With every post, I love her more and more. 🙂 Great writing!
Glad you’re enjoying reading about Adann. 😀
So they’re going to eat the monster? I wonder if it tastes good.
I hadn’t thought of it… This one is rather unappetizing and small, and they have a bunch of fish.
I wonder if the monsters are edible, or if being cursed makes them bad to eat… Hmm…
Good post. I like the thought process and the lack of emotion in the scene. Killing animals tends to evoke strong emotion in we humans who shop at a market for our meat. 🙂 Adann’s matter-of-fact approach to dispensing of the animal is fitting for a people who live by their hands.
I don’t think I could do it, being one of those market-shopping humans. But Adann’s made of stronger stuff. 🙂