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Post by ivory on Jun 6, 2009 16:29:15 GMT -5
She glared at him before taking the stance again and firing. She did so three times before beginning to roll again. Her arrows gradually made themselves closer to the target and as the sun began to set, so an arrow hit the outer layer of the target. She was breathing heavily, her arms were tired, her body hurting from all the rolls, and her lips pulled in a slight smile of satisfaction.
She wiped the sweat off her brow after lowering her bow and jogged out to grab her arrows. It took her a while to find them, especially with the light dwindling, but there was no way, she'd ask him to help her.
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Post by JezusBagels on Jun 6, 2009 16:32:03 GMT -5
Monkuta, now having finished scrubbing down Jaeado, had been sitting on his stump for a long time, watching her shoot without any particular expression on his face. She doesn't know her own limits, he thought. She's very likely going to die before she decides to admit how tired she is.
He stood, walking over to her and placing a hand on her shoulder, holding out an apple in the other.
"Dinner time."
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Post by ivory on Jun 6, 2009 16:41:03 GMT -5
Too tired to shrug him off, she accepted the apple and bit into it hungrily. She straightened with the now-full quiver and bow in her hands before heading for the cabin.
"And it darn well better be good," she grumbled as she crossed the threshold and went into the kitchen, sitting down expectantly at the table.
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Post by JezusBagels on Jun 6, 2009 16:44:57 GMT -5
Monkuta followed her into the cabin, reaching into the cabinet and pulling out some bread, cheese and carrots. He quickly prepared two sandwiches, paying little attention to the task, and sat down at the table with Marina.
"So in case you didn't already know, I've been told a lot about you, but you haven't really told me much about yourself... Want to talk as long as were sitting down? I mean, unless you want to prove to me that you can eat better than boys too."
He grinned, leaning on the table, cross-armed.
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Post by ivory on Jun 6, 2009 16:47:44 GMT -5
She glared at him, but didn't comment that she in fact could eat better than guys. They were pigs.
Instead, she grabbed at the chance to ask questions. "What's a Ranger? What do they do? Can they shoot from trees? How come I've never heard of them? Are you guys supposed to be a secret or something? How did you hear about me in the first place?"
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Post by JezusBagels on Jun 6, 2009 16:52:57 GMT -5
Monkuta leaned back in his chair, smiling. He liked questions like these.
"In order? A ranger is like a soldier. We protect the land from... anything the poses a threat. We also go on scouting missions and act as spies for the King when needed. Yes, we can shoot from trees. You've never heard of us because the less people know about us, the less conspicuous we are. If they don't know we exist, they have no reason to look for us. Not that that stops some information from being leaked out every now and then..." he trailed off for a moment, looking at the floor, then looked back up as though he'd forgotten and remembered that she was sitting there. "...and we heard about you because you start fights and shoot arrows.... Is that all of your questions?"
He sat in silence, waiting for a reply.
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Post by ivory on Jun 6, 2009 16:56:57 GMT -5
Her glare, though still a glare, was now pulled in concentration. "But someone had to tell you about me right? I mean..." she trailed off, not wanting to ask him what she'd been asking herself these past three years.
She loved her parents regardless that they didn't understand her and she loved her sisters, but she couldn't help the nagging thought in the back of her mind that she didn't belong with them. She'd ignored it for three years, but now...
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Post by JezusBagels on Jun 6, 2009 17:15:20 GMT -5
Monkuta raises a curious brow. Did she know more than people thought? He had to explore this.
"Finish the question," he said in as stoic a voice as he could muster. "It's why we're here."
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Post by ivory on Jun 6, 2009 17:22:40 GMT -5
She swallowed, her throat suddenly dry and her appetite gone despite her hunger all day. "Was I - do I - my family-" She wrung her hands uncomfortable beneath the table. She licked her lips as her stomach tightened in fear. Now that the answer was within reach, she wasn't sure that she wanted to hear it. But she had to. She had to know. Before she lost her courage, she blurted, "Am I really a McOwen?"
(OOC: McOwen's her last name)
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Post by JezusBagels on Jun 6, 2009 17:35:10 GMT -5
Monkuta sighed, scratching the back of his head. So she suspected. "No. The people you call mom and dad are not your parents," he said quietly. He stood and lit some candles around the room. It was getting dark.
He sat back down and looked Marina in the eyes. "Talk."
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Post by ivory on Jun 6, 2009 18:02:45 GMT -5
Talk? How could she talk? He just told her - he just said - he
"You're lying!" she yelled as she jerked back from the table, flipping the chair backwards as she did. Her hands tightened into fists at her side. "I'm a McOwen! Penelope and Fletcher are my mom and dad! I have four sisters, two older and two younger!" Tears were streaming down her face now and she brushed them angerily away. Boys didn't cry and neither was she, but she just couldn't seem to stop. So she did the next typical male thing she could thing of. She aimed a fist to his face.
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Post by JezusBagels on Jun 6, 2009 18:07:29 GMT -5
Monkuta could have dodged the punch. He didn't. She needed to punch something so it might as well be him if that's what she was aiming for. Her knuckles connected with his face and sent him tumbling out of his chair to the ground. Well, if he was truly honest with himself, the punch would only have turned his head and he added the fall for her benefit.
He stood up, rubbing his cheek. "You asked," he said calmly. "Would you prefer I lie to you?"
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Post by ivory on Jun 6, 2009 18:10:53 GMT -5
"You did lie." She wiped the back of her hand across her fast before storming out of the house, making sure to slam the door behind her.
"He did lie," she repeated to herself like a mantra as she dashed into the woods. They'd been a haven to her, a place that accepted her as she was. And they accepted her now. She swallowed back the next wave of tears as she sprinted through the trees in a random direction, ducking here, jumping there. Anywhere but there.
Tired and heaving heavily, she laid down for the night and fell into a desperate sleep. Tomorrow she'd face the truth, but tonight she'd let it lie. She wasn't ready and for once, she didn't hate herself for her weakness.
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Post by JezusBagels on Jun 6, 2009 18:16:18 GMT -5
The next morning, Monkuta went into the woods and found Marina quite easily. The heavy tracks of angry, distracted people were never difficult to follow. He found her still asleep so, not wanting to leave her there alone, he climbed a tree and sat on a low branch, watching the sky and whistling a quiet tune.
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Post by ivory on Jun 6, 2009 18:25:28 GMT -5
Marina woke, but kept her eyes closed and her body still. She waited until the pain eased away before sitting up and looking around her. She winced at the unknown surroundings before noticing her crushed path from last night. She figured that if she followed it, she'd find herself back at the cabin, but did she really want to go back?
The answer wasn't immediate, but it was definite. She needed answers and he seemed to know them. She picked herself up and took a step toward the trail, head held high though there was no one to see her. She had to be strong for herself right now, regardless who saw her act or not.
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