A Time of Tigers - From Peasant to Emperor
Chapter 1367 - 1367: Change - Part 4

"I was already wet before then," Lasha pouted.

"Maybe," Nila admitted, "but you didn't have to go and make it worse. Now you're going to be miserable. You ought to have brought a coat with you as well."

Lasha figidity mutely, her emotionless mask of a face somehow managing to project an image of the utmost sadness. It was almost enough to get Nila to feel sorry for her again. Almost.

The huntress turned away, knowing that if she looked any longer, she would be lured in by the girl's quiet charms. "Once you start moving, you'll be okay," Nila said. "We're going to be moving a good bit from here, once we find the tracks, that'll get you sorted in no time."

It wasn't much later that Nila found herself the evidence of a rabbit, in the form of fresh droppings. Rabbits were the goal for that day's hunting. Nila had her bow slung over her shoulder, and her quiver.

She'd thought that she would be fine with sharing the two of them with Lasha, but after seeing how clumsy the girl had been up until that point, she had to admit that she was growing increasingly nervous.

They paused around the evidence of the last rabbit sighting, and listening. At least the part of being quiet Lasha could do better than any other when she put her mind to it. Though, Nila had to note that the girl was shivering as she crouched down, nice and still. It made her feel more than a little bad.

The ruffling of leaves in the undergrowth crashed through those thoughts. Nila's eyes pinpointed the target in a second, despite the destiny of the vegetation, with the old branches that had fallen, and the thickness of the bramble bushes.

She tapped Blackthorn gently on the shoulder and pointed. The girl nodded in turn. Then, slowly but surely, Nila handed her a bow, and an arrow to slide in its string. Lasha had told her – as had Oliver – that practice with a bow was a regular part of Academy training. So at that, at least, she supposed that the girl would have no problems.

She put a finger to her lips, reminding Lasha to remain quiet, as she lined up her shot. Lasha obliged. She took the bow like it was a foreign object to her, but she was able to move quietly enough that even Nila right next to her could hear naught but her breathing.

The rabbit was unaware. It was busy at its attempts at foraging, and the wind was blowing their scent away from it. It was the best opportunity that they could hope for, especially for a beginner like Lasha. Better still was the fact that they were reasonably close to it. It made the shot all the easier to land.

With the bowstring back behind her ear, Lasha steadied herself. From looking over her shoulder, Nila had to nod her approval at the angle of the bow. It seemed to be good. It was on line to be a perfectly sensible shot. She gave the single for release.

THWACKKKK!

Followed by a prompt "owwwww," of complaint.

The rabbit took off from all the noise, and with all the dense bushes in the way of them, there was no chance of following it. Nila watched it go sadly.

"Are you okay?" She asked Blackthorn. The girl was even more upset than she had been earlier. She was cradling her thigh as if she'd lost some flesh from it. Nila hadn't been able to tell what had happened in the moment. She'd been far too focused on the rabbit. The least she could tell was that the arrow had gone flying past its target, without even managing to threaten it.

"My leg," Lasha said unhappily. "We don't shoot our bows crouched down like this in the Academy."

"Ah…" Nila said, nodding to herself, as she finally understood. There were a few more nods there than normal, as she tried to fight against something else along with that understanding. That resistance didn't last long, however, for with a "pfffft!" the dam soon broke, and Nila was unable to help her laughter. She held her belly, as it shook her dangerously.

"What?" Lasha said unhappily.

"It's just… You're such a mess," Nila giggled.

"I'm just unlucky today, is all," Lasha said defensively.

"At least that's something we can't blame on your boots," Nila said.

"You seem far too happy about that…" Lasha said. The shivers from her cold returned, and she looked a rather pitiful sight indeed, hugging her leg, and shivering about her shoulders.

"Oh, dear sweet Lasha," Nila said, sparing her a hug, though even that didn't do much to stop the relentlessness of her laughter. "Today, it would seem, is just not your day. Do not worry. I shall look after you. We'll still return with something worthwhile in hand."

…

…

The door to the Patrick living room swung open loudly, and the clopping of boots were soon enough heard in the hallway. Oliver stirred briefly from his desk, and squinted at the window. The light seemed to have grown far dimmer than the last time had had looked.

"Is it evening already?" He asked of the serving woman next to him.

"It is, Lord Patrick," the woman said.

"I expect that's Nila and Blackthorn. Fetch some hot water for tea, would you?" Oliver said.

The woman gave a bow, and went to fulfil her duty. As if on cue, Nila and Blackthorn came storming in, just as she left. The first thing that Oliver noticed was the rabbits that they had hanging from their hands. Nila was carrying one, and Lasha was carrying the other.

"Hoh, so you actually managed to catch something, Lasha? Colour me surprised," Oliver said.

"…I didn't," Lasha said quietly, and unhappily.

"Ah… Oliver, probably don't tease her right now…" Nila said.

"What? It went that badly?" Oliver said. Seeing how miserable Blackthorn looked only made him all the more curious. "Hoh, you've got mud everywhere, Lasha. And I can see you were quick to bring it in the house. The servants are going to delight in needing to scrub the floor again, I am sure."