Lions in the snow

It was like tracking a wounded animal. The blood had left a vibrant trail on the pale snow, followed by deep and staggered prints. He was close, hopefully face down in a a berm as it was never easy tracking or fighting those of his family. His older brother the worst of them all. 

The hunter's lips peeled back in a sickly smile and shouted across the windswept tundra. "They left you behind! I saw the tracks just as clear as you did! Do not make this harder than it has to be! I can ensure it'll be quick, which is more than I can say in regards to what happened to your brother!" He paused as he waited to see any sort of movement or rifle, but to no avail. He continued on his path with a scoff and shake of his head.


The pale feathers of the bolt seemed to glide on the air as if it was a bird in flight, a faint whistling in the air before it made impact on the young man's ribcade and sent him hurdling forward and landing in a heap. The hunter's laughter filling the woods as he paused to pull the string for the crossbow back for yet another shot, watching his helpess quary as he did. Ioranir stirred for a moment before standing up and wobbling for a moment, his head looking back over his shoulders to the Dom before turning to charge him. 

The Hunter's eyes grew wide for several moments, shocked that feign of his prey that now had launched himself into a sprint fueled off of adrenaline and willpower towards the very one who had hunted him all this way. Yanking the string harder in an attempt to find its home, instead growing impatient and tossing the weapon aside and reaching to draw his blade but being hefted off the ground by the man before being slammed into the damp snow only to be stunned. 

The struggle only lasted for but a few moments, as the brutal flurry of strikes and punches to the hunter's face and ribs while his fingers found the blade tucked across his hips and sunk it deep into Ioranir's side twice before the man  raised his head and pummeled Domdrudis' face with his own in a headbutt that sent the young hunter's body almost lifelessly into the snow. 


His squinted open, barely being able to see from the swelling and bruising as he laid in the snow. There was no sign of his prey, he had simply vanished into the forest and most likely made his way to safe haven and was well beyond his reach. The bounty on the mans head would simply have to wait another day. Rolling over to his side, he pushed himself off the ground with a pained grunt, only to find his crossbow snapped into pieces beside where he laid. He couldn't help but smile. The Lion was merciful, a weakness that will be exploited.