A delicious aroma tickled Shui Yi's nose, and the rumble in her stomach woke her up. When her eyes fluttered open, she was greeted by the sight of a campfire crackling softly. The scent of grilled fish — something unfamiliar to her — drifted through the air.
Ling Yue sat cross-legged beside the fire, a fish impaled on a stick, which she happily munched.
Long Fei, nearby, turned another fish on a stick over the fire. He looked up when the mermaid stirred, his eyes softening slightly as she rubbed her eyes.
"You must be starved..." He offered her the impaled fish in his hand, the tender flesh flaky, straight off the fire.
She held the stick, momentarily confused by the sight of cooked fish. She hesitated, sniffing the food carefully. It smelled delicious, different from the salty raw fish she usually eats. The sensation of hunger gnawed at her, and without thinking, she eagerly took the food.
"Chew, seriously! I'm not going to steal your food..." Ling Yue's playful tone broke the silence.
Shui Yi coughed, choking on a mouthful of fish, her eyes wide in embarrassment.
She brushed her chest, smiling awkwardly, before lowering her gaze.
Long Fei offered her a small cup of herbal tea.
"Drink this. It'll help you calm down. Are you feeling better?"
She took the cup, fingers trembling as she lifted it to her lips. The taste was earthy, yet sweet, and it left a gentle warmth in her chest — another new taste, something she could never have imagined in the deep sea. She closed her eyes, savoring the unfamiliar sensation. It was a world away from the cool, briny ocean.
"You've been living on sea salt for far too long," Ling Yue teased, watching her with an amused expression.
"Seems like you needed a little land luxury."
Shui Yi glanced at her, a small smile tugging at her lips.
"Thank you," she said softly, her voice sincere. She no longer felt the need to compete with the guardian.
Long Fei nodded and gazed at her in his usual, no-nonsense tone.
"We'll need to find more sustenance for the journey ahead. You must learn how to hunt, Shui Yi."
The mermaid's eyes widened, covering her mouth as she finished chewing.
"Hunt?" she repeated, her voice uncertain. The idea of hunting was foreign, and the thought of personally taking a life, even for food, unsettled her. In the palace, everything was handed to her.
The guardian seemed to take this in stride.
"Don't worry, I've got just the thing for you."
She reached into her mystical satchel with a sly wink. She pulled out a set of hunting equipment: a bow, arrows, and a small quiver.
"It's easy enough once you get the hang of it. You kinda broke my crossbow when you dropped it in the ancient cave... here," she handed her the bow and arrows.
"Try not to shoot me, this time."
The mermaid took the bow hesitantly, her fingers brushing the smooth wood as she felt its weight. But then, she paused, her face scrunched.
"Wait... are these arrows laden with poison?"
Ling Yue raised an eyebrow, she rubbed the back of her neck.
"Oh, right. Good point. I think we've had enough poison for a while. Better not make it part of lunch."
She swiftly swapped out the arrows with ones that do not have green tips.
Long Fei nodded, stood up, and headed for the door, he glanced back.
"We'll head out once you've freshened up."
After breakfast, the three of them made their way toward an enchanted forest. A gentle breeze brushed against them as they walked through whispering trees.
Birds sang from the treetops, and the ground was soft beneath their feet. But there was an undercurrent of something ancient ahead, something untamed.
A short while later, a one-horned stallion came into view. Its majestic, silvery coat gleamed in the sunlight as it grazed peacefully under a canopy of trees, unaware of the trio watching.
The mermaid raised her bow, tension tight in her chest. She hesitantly aimed, taking in the unicorn's delicate form, its horn a shining beacon. Her fingers brushed the string.
"Wait," said the guardian, shaking her head.
"I can't eat something I respect."
Shui Yi paused, lowering the bow. The stallion looked straight into her eyes, she felt that this creature was not meant to be harmed. She nodded, understanding more of her companion's moral code than before.
They continued on, deeper into the forest until they stumbled upon a two-headed rabbit, its odd but harmless appearance amused her companions.
She took another careful aim, her brow furrowing as she focused on her target.
"I'll leave you two to hunt. I can smell some ripe fruit nearby. I'll be back. Don't miss me too much."
With that, the guardian vanished into the trees, her energy as bright and chirpy as ever.
Now alone with the bow, she took a deep breath.
She set her sights on the two-headed rabbit again and pulled the string back.
Then she heard a twig snap behind her so she instinctively turned, but slipped, firing the arrow as she fell.
To her surprise, Long Fei remained close, catching the arrow mid-flight between his fingers.
Standing a few paces behind her, he shook his head.
He studied the tip of the arrow.
"Good, looks like this arrow is not laced with poison."
She bit her lower lip, eyes cast to the ground, knowing that her clumsiness could have killed him.
"Perhaps, give it another shot. At your intended target that is."
She felt a flush of embarrassment creep up her neck.
She picked up another arrow, nocked it, and aimed at the rabbit again.
But once more she missed, the bowstring vibrating sharply in her hands.
He stepped closer, his presence soothing.
"Let me help," he said softly.
Her heart quickened at the thought of him approaching her without her having to ask. She had butterflies at the prospect of him wanting to be close to her.
She had watched how the merfolk guard captain trained the archers and they had no qualms about using their hands to adjust the soldiers' stance.
Without a word, he used the shaft of the arrow in his hand to guide her hands, adjusting how she held the bow, and showing her the proper stance.
To her disappointment, there was no physical contact between them.
He managed to maintain his distance in the archery lesson.
"Patience. You'll get it soon enough."
She nodded, her grip on the bow firming as she tried again.
This time, the arrow flew true, landing just short of the rabbit's feet. It wasn't a kill, but it was progress.
Ling Yue returned, humming softly as she cradled her collection of fruits.
As she neared them, her melody faltered.
The fruits slipped from her hands, rolling to the ground.
Her gaze moved past Shui Yi and Long Fei, her expression unreadable until a quiet gasp escaped her lips.