The Thrill of the Hunt (Cherry and Siobahn SL)

There are many ways a person could die in this world. The most obvious way would be by the hands of a demon, but basic human needs didn't just disappear when those fiends came to earth. A single cut could prove to be fatal if it get's infected, clean drinking water was important and was a very painful way to go if you do not have enough of it. And of course who could forget food? Which was also high up on the list of things that your body could not live without. Cherry was all to used to the feeling of a empty stomach, and she also never really enjoy the feeling all that much. So she had to learn how to hunt. Although maybe the word 'hunt' was a bit too strong. She couldn't use a bow or anything like that, but she had her ways. Those ways normally being trying to catch a animal off guard, throw a rock at it, or out run it.

Today Cherry was lurking around the Rive Gauche Menagerie. The best place for hunting in Paris, a fact Cherry learned years ago. Today Cherry was after a fawn. It was small and had small white dots on it's fur. It wouldn't give as much meat as a fully grown doe, but for a frail girl like Cherry it would be quite enough. Somehow the girl had gone unnoticed to the animal, the wind blowing away from the deer so it couldn't catch her scent. And the young doe was currently eating grass. Cherry took a deep breath and got ready to run after her. Deer's could run fast and long, but Cherry was never the type to avoid a challenge. Well when the challenge would be rewarded with food anyways. The girl would suddenly perform a dead sprint towards the fawn, which quickly scared the animal. Causing it to leap and run away.

It was going to be rough for the teen, but all she had to do was to either outlast her prey or hope she got close enough to be able to strike at it. Of course this was all assuming that there was no third party around here that could affect the outcome.

To which Siobahn would directly interfere, for the swift thrashing of the bush indicated something heading directly in her way. With no time but to react on instinct, she swung her trusted carbine to fire a semi-automatic shot. Despite having a silencer equipped on her firearm, its discharged sound was loud and noticeable enough to echo through the forest, downing the fawn roughly ten meters away.

Immediately she regretted her instincts.

Cursing to herself Siobahn quickly ducked behind a tree large enough to hide her svelte frame. Relying on pure instinct instead of waiting could easily prove to be a fatal and amateur mistake. For starters firing nearly blind without a good visual on the target was incredibly foolish. If she was lucky her hair trigger shot alerted a fellow human hunter to her presence. If she was luckier she scared away the predator that was chasing after the fawn.

If she had no fortune whatsoever, a demon could have been pursuing its prey.

So Siobahn held her breath in, and slowly angled a mirror from around the tree’s bend. Any moment she’d test her fate and find out if she’d live to learn this brutal lesson.

As Cherry was chasing the fawn through the foggy area, she thought about how much energy this little thing had, it kept running and bouncing away! It was very unlikely that Cherry was actually going to get close enough to this animal to swipe at it, however suddenly it seemed as if a outside force took care of that problem for her. Upon hearing the loud noise echo throughout the forest, the teen would toss herself on the ground. Trying to avoid whatever it was that just attack. However the worry she felt soon went away as she saw that the doe also fell down. "I guess this works out for me in the end." Cherry muttered under her breath as she slowly stood back up on her feet. Grabbing the fawn by it's two hind legs, the teen would begin to drag the dead deer. The sound of bones cracking, and after a few seconds, collapsing would sound out as the girl tighten her wooden grip on it.

Cherry was walking and dragging the fallen animal towards the direction she heard the gun fire off. By no means would this tell her the exact location of the mysterious person, but it was a start. Now this could be pretty risky for the girl, after all the person who shot may have not been aimming for the deer, but instead may have been trying to take her down. People already thought she was a demon normally, it would only be even easier for somebody to make that mistake because of all the fog. But still. This person did help her out, gave her some food that would last a while. She wanted to thank them. Once she went futher into the forest Cherry would cup her right hand next to her mouth. Trying to make her voice echo echo out louder as she spoke.

"Hello! Is anybody here!? Did you shoot this?" Despite how scary her silhouette may have been. What with her unhealthy, and frankly slighty creepy skinny frame and her large wooden arm that gave the young woman the ability to drag this dead deer like a person would drag a golf club. Her voice was rather high pitch and curious. Like a child trying to learn something new. "Um, if you did then thank you. I was having trouble chasing the deer when you took care of it. If you want we could spilt it? I mean you where a big help, you should get some of the meat." The blonde felt rather silly, she really hoped the person who shot at the doe was around and heard her, other wise this would have been really embarssing and a waste of time.

A young woman’s voice was a bit of a relief.  However that relief turned into dread when Siobahn saw the figure behind the voice.  Although the majority of the girl was indeed one, albeit emaciated, one of her limbs was a massive tree trunk, dragging along the deer as if it were nothing.  Yet the demonic child called out in gratitude, even going so far as to split the kill with her.

Despite her worries Siobahn’s stomach growled and rumbled something fierce.  It had been a couple days since her last full meal, especially one of protein.  That was why she committed a grave error like shooting almost blind and in reaction instead of waiting.  Her mind and body were faltering- and fast- she wasn't sure if she could even evade the demon if it came down to it.  

“...I spoiled your hunt.”  Siobahn calmly called out from behind the tree.  Against her better judgment and in the extreme off chance that this arboreal demon had indeed been sincere and thankful, she had to take it.  She wasn’t going to survive without a proper meal at this rate, especially when she was making fatal blunders like that.  Slowly she stepped around the bend of the tree.

“...You’re free to take more than half.”

It seems as if the person who had helped Cherry take down the deer was around the area and did in fact hear her! It was hard to see because of all the fog in the way, but the blonde could make out that the woman who had shot down the fawn was much taller than Cherry herself was. Not to the levels that Helanna was of course, but Cherry hadn't ever met anybody, woman or not, as tall as Helanna was. Even if she wasn't as tall as Helanna however, this lady was still pretty tall. "Hm?" The teen would tilt her head slighty as the woman made told her that she 'spoiled her hunt.' Something that confused the girl quite a bit. "What do you mean ma'am? You didn't spoil anything, you helped me! I didn't have to spend nearly as much energy to get this thing since you shot it!"

Cherry moved over to the other side of the deer, showing her back to the elder huntress, not wanting her to fully see the brutal act she was about to perform. "Nonsense. You deserve this deer just as much as I do." With that, the girl raised her left arm up and slammed it down on to the deer's mid section. The bone chilling sound of the dead doe being crushed would soon fill both of there's ears. The meat and the bones in the middle of the fawn being rendered useless because of how hard she swung her fist. But she wasn't just done with a single strike, oh no she had to cut this thing in half after all. Digging her large, fat, wooden fingers deeper into the deer's stomach. She would let out a low grunt as she began to pull on it. More disgusting sounds would ring out in the area as the teen soon ripped the animal in two. Mostly with one hand, her flesh one mainly being used to help keep the deer steady while she pulled it off.

Cherry would scoop up the deer's body and would slide it over to the woman. The thing was in pretty bad shape. Cherry was by no means a huntress, and she didn't know how to cut open a deer without wasting meat. The poor thing was ripped in half, so some of the meat fell out of it. The lower part of her half and the upper part of the half Cherry kept to herself where both not edible because of how roughly she handed it. Despite all this however, there was still useable meat left on both halfs of a deer. "I-I uh, hope you enjoy it." She said. Nervousness shinning through her thick french accent. The young teen couldn't help but worry that the older woman would think that she was some sort of freak because if what she just did. "My name is Cherry. Cherry Clear. And what would your name be ma'am?"

The young girl’s tiny frame would not conceal her actions; Siobahn held a palm out, about to stop the demon, then reflexively flinched the moment the monstrous girl slammed her gargantuan arm into the deer. This was no butchering of the poor animal, this was a gruesome display veiled in a childlike kindness. And yet, Siobahn couldn’t avert her gaze from the spectacle, nor take the opportunity to run away before she ended up like that brutalized fawn.

The moment the other half landed at her feet, Siobahn instantly took to the remnants of the mangled deer, her knife quickly skinning and set to work. Regardless of the demon standing before her, hunger ruled above all else. Besides, the quicker she carved her meal the faster she could get away from the child.

“...Thank you, Cherry.” Siobahn said in a faint Irish accent, her voice husky and deep, still working on her half of the deer. Even Cherry’s name was bizarrely childlike; she must have chosen it for herself. “I’m Siobahn, but you can call me ‘Shiv’ if you’d like.”

The most bizarre thing of all was sharing a meal with a demon of all things, the very monsters that threatened her life, and separated her from her lover Joachim. As it turned out, even they were as different as humans, despite their monstrous outer appearance. So to appeal to the younger girl (and avoid the wrath of that deadly tree limb) Siobahn briefly looked up to Cherry and flashed a smile.

“...That’s a pretty name, Cherry. One of my favorite fruits.”

"Shiv it is then!" Cherry said simply, happy that the woman didn't seem scared of her. And if she was, then she was hidding it very well. "And you're welcome." The blonde added as she squated down next to the lower half of the doe she spilt in half. She would just poke and prod at it. Trying to feel which part had the most fat. She would use that knowledge when it was time to actually eat her meal. Although as she was focusing on this task, the woman told her something that forced a smile on to the younger's face. "Awww, thank you! You have a pretty name too. It's also really fancy." She would say before going back to poking the dead animal. However unlike before she wasn't nearly as focused on this task, instead her eyes where locked on to the vague form of Shiv that Cherry was able to make out through the thick fog.

"I never had a actual cherry before, but I heard they where nice. But I wasn't name after the fruit though. My mom said I was named after a tree." The wide smile on her face would grow softer as she began to go into more detail about her name. "Cherry blossoms. My mom told me that they where her favorite of tree. She said they had pretty flowers growing on the branches instead of leaves, and that they came in all sorts of colors. I've haven't seen any of those yet either. But I hope I will one day." The girl would continue to ramble on and on about the subject, before she would suddenly stop and let out a poorly muffled snicker. Even though she disliked her overgrown limb, even she couldn't help but find the irony in the fact the she of all people ended up with a wooden arm.

After she finished her snickering, the girl would toss a question at Siobahn. "What about you miss Shiv? Where you named after anything?

“...Cherries are delightful fruit, sweet and tart, a bit like you.” Siobahn took the moment to crack a joke, in order to lighten the mood, and giggled.  “I’ve never seen a cherry blossom like the one you described before either.  I too hope one day you get to see how wonderful they are, Cherry.”

All the while Siobahn was cleaning whatever meat she could gather from the mutilated carcass.  The way it was sheared made it quite difficult, however.  All the more reason to keep the small talk going and not try to infuriate the cheerful demon before her.

“...My name means ‘God’s grace.’  I suppose my parents were grateful for my birth, but given the kind of world we live in… I find it almost laughably ironic.  Still, I also find it a pretty fancy name like you said Cherry.”  There was one thing that was graceful about Siobahn, and that it was how she managed to survive so long.  Perhaps a God somehow was out there amidst the demons and quite possibly favored her.  Doubtful.

The blonde cheeks flushed a bright pink as she let out a embarssed little chuckle. "Heheheheh! You are very sweet too you know that? I don't really know what tart means, but I'll have to thank you for that compliment aswell!" She assumed it was a compliment anyways, there was always the underline chance that Siobahn could have just tried to slip a rare insult right after a compliment. But she didn't seem like that type of woman. "I hope we'll see one someday too. Maybe when all the demons are gone more beauty will spread in the world." Cherry mused out loud. There was still beauty in this world, but not nearly enough of it in the teen's options.

"Oh I don't know. Sure they're demons but you can still have a nice life. It's easier if you have a vault to live in but you can make out a living up here in the surface if you know what you're doing. That has been my life for a long time. Just traveling Paris with my mom, or doing it alone. Anyways I am getting off track here, I guess what I am trying to say is that even though life is hard up here, you can still be happy and miracles can still happen Y'know? Like you being here, alive. And me also being here, speaking to you right now, it's kinda a miracle itself isn't it?" Maybe it was due to how young she was, or maybe she was just a natural chatty cathy. Just going on and on with her rambling. Adding more things to her little 'speech' as it hit her. But there was a message of hope in there somewhere. Even if she wasn't getting it across the best way. "And that isn't the only way either. There is many miracles in life, you just have to look for them. And when you do find them, you just need to focus on those nice miracles, instead of focusing in on all of that negative stuff. But, meaning aside I still think it is a lovely name for you miss Shiv."

Once she was done talking Cherry would go straight back to poking at the deer. This time focusing in on it's stomach. Although the young woman was quick to start tossing out more questions once more. "Do you have a vault to stay miss Shiv? If not I could bring you to one. I know a vault that will let pretty much anybody in."

Siobahn simply nodded with a smile at Cherry thanking her for the compliment; although she definitely didn’t find herself sweet by any means, it was somewhat nice to hear.  The tart bit flew over Cherry’s head but it was a joke anyway, so no harm no foul.  Before Siobahn could adjust her thoughts about Cherry being a paradoxical demon that wished other demons gone, the real details came from the talkative and positively idealistic youth.

“...Yes, having the right mindset is very important out here.  You’ve got a good head on your shoulders, Cherry.” Siobahn continued to warmly smile, despite her thoughts wandering.  Sure there were always bright moments of joy to be had in life, but in this world, there seemed to be more negatives than that.  However she wouldn’t crush the child’s views with harsh realism- Cherry would find that sooner or later, especially with a demonic tree limb for an arm.  Besides, the young girl seemed to be doing just fine for herself at the moment.

“...I came from a Vault too, far far away.”  And would prefer to stay away from one for a while.  “I don’t need to go the Vault you mentioned just yet.  I’d appreciate you showing me where it is though, for future reference.”

The girl would reply with a simple nod and a eager little "thank you!" To the huntresses praise. Many people found her bright outlook on life to be very annoying and would set the teen up for nothing but disappointment in her life. So it was nice to hear some praise about her positive attitude. Even if what the strangers had to say did have some truth to them.

Cherry let out a little hum. "Really? Where do you come from?" by the sound of it Siobahn did not come from Paris. And if that was the case then she would love to hear more about her homeland. Other then a few passing comments from her mother, the teen didn't know much about other countries, or even other city's in france! "The vault is a little ways away from here. In the Field of Glass. The quickest way to the Fields is going straight north, but I would not recommend that path though. It's super dangerous. There is a forest called the cradle up there with spores that will kill you, and you go north east you'll end up going near the slave camps. The longer route is just going far west. You're going to want to keep going until you find yourself in the Dryrange. Once you're in the Dryrange head up north and you'll end up in the Fields of Glass. A really pretty place. Just don't try to break the glass, trust me it won't end well." Painful memories of Cherry trying to slam her fist into the glass filled her mind as she gave her advice to the woman. The teen would shudder a moment before she git back on track. "A-anyways. You should look for a place called vault Olympia. The doors are closed but they'll open if you press on them. They also glow blue when you are close to them for......... Some reason, I haven't found out quite yet."

“...I came from across the ocean, through a tunnel.  And yourself?” Siobahn returned the inquiry with another.  She then listened carefully to the thorough details Cherry gave of the land.  Immeasurably helpful information to soak in, especially concerning a dangerous forest of spores to avoid.

“...Thank you, Cherry.  You saved my life not once, but twice.”  By now Siobahn had finished skinning her half of the fawn and gathered what remains of the grisly butchered organs she could salvage.  The taller woman rose to her feet and this time, offered a genuine and sincere smile.

“...You should eat away from a fresh kill, so as not to attract any predators and scavengers.  That is what I aim to do- if you’d like I can clean your carcass and cook your meal so I can pay you back.”

The girl's eye widen as Siobahn told Cherry about how she came to Paris. "Really? Wow! That's so cool, I knew that there was tunnel's but I had no idea that they crossed the ocean! That must have been quite the long trip, what was it like?" Cherry wasn't aware of just how large the oceans where but she was pretty sure they where much bigger then the lakes she had stumbled across in the past. "I was born here in Paris, and I have been traveling around the surface almost my whole life. Other then a few brief trips to vault Olympia every now and again." She left out a certain saga of her life. Which she didn't even like to remember it on her own time, she didn't wish to bring down the mood by bringing up her time as a lab rat to the woman.

"Really? Wow, I guess you must have been really hungry huh? Heheh." After her short giggle she waved her hand in the air dismissively "It was really no problem though. I always enjoy helping people, it is a really rewarding feeling. And yeah trust me I found that out when me and my mom tried to eat some bunnies, and a butch of big vultures tried to steal our food!" The thief actually snagged Cherry's food, leaving her to go hungry that night. But that did teach the girl a very important lesson about protecting her food and where to eat it. After she told her story, the teen would stand up and pick the lower half of the fawn up and throw it over her left shoulder. "That is a really kind offer miss Shiv, but I will have to turn it down. If you a really hungry I don't wanna take more time away from you, besides I know how to cook a meal. But um, if you do want to pay me back, you could do one thing. Stay safe out there okay? You seem really nice, and I'd hate to find you hurt, or worse. So just, promise me you'll be careful okay?" A few of the kind strangers she had met, has ended up either dead of just disappearing, and she didn't want that happening to her. Which very well could happen since she clearly didn't know her way around Paris all too well.

"I hope to see you again soon miss Shiv, enjoy your meal!" With that the girl turned around and began to walk south of the area. Traveling for a good half a hour before she finally settled down and began to cook her meal. Still in quite the happy mood from her quick, but lovely chat with Siobahn.

[Exit]

“...My journey here wasn’t as nice as it sounds. Claustrophobic, those tunnels. Nowhere to run and hide, the fear of the tunnels themselves collapsing. I wouldn’t recommend.” Siobahn shook her head of the memory. “Being a local isn’t so bad either. Your knowledge of the area told me a lot.”

A very loud and distinct growl came from Siobahn’s stomach at the mention of her hunger. With a sheepish smile Siobahn said, “...I’m famished. Also be grateful that it was vultures and not a pack of wolves that came for your meal.”

Cherry then proceeded to graciously deny Siobahn’s offer while proposing her own way of pay back. That youthful optimism shone through again, almost blinding the realistic Siobahn. All she could do was nod with a confident grin. “...I made a similar promise to someone special to me. So don’t worry about me and look after yourself. Be good; you’ll run into me sooner or later.”

With that the two parted ways, Siobahn thankful for a non-demonic child to grace her with a meal.

[ Cherry Clear, Aeon | Siobahn, The Magus | Rank 1 ]