What have you done Xyliana. A tall Bosmer woman said holding her bow her eyes widened in a mixture of fear, disappointment and disgust. This woman was Xlyia's mother and the only person to ever call her by her full name. How she hated when her mother called her that, why couldn't she be like everyone else and call her by the shortened version but no her mother just had to be different or rather she wanted her to know that she was still the one who birthed her just in case she had forgotten. However this time was different...Xylia had broken the sacred Green Pact a crime against her tribes own religion as she had broken a branch while tree hopping one of the various things her mother greatly disapproved off. I-I'm sorry mother..It was an accide- Xylia began to say before she was cut off by a sharp backhand from her mother causing her to fall to the floor her left hand holding the side of her face which her mother had struck.
Accident? Accident? How dare you call this an accident. I have warned you time and time again to stop that habit of yours and now look what you have done you broken the most sacred of all pacts. Her mother said as the fear was washed away only replaced with even more disgust and disappointment. How could her daughter do such a thing now their name would be stained and they would be forever dishonored. Unless...she covered it up..perhaps her daughter was murdered while high up in a tree shot by a Nord Archer causing her to fall and break a branch as her lifeless corpse hit the ground. Indeed what she had done was punishable with death after all she had committed a crime against their God. Mother?...What are you doing? Xylia said as she looked up and saw her mother drawing back her bow and immediately realized what she intended to do. Her body reacted quickly and that saved her life as the arrow was fired off and if not that she had quickly moved it would of been lodged deep into her heart rather than her shoulder. Xylia cried out in pain and threw a straight at her mother fueled by pain, betrayal and anger and her other fist quickly followed when her mother was knocked off balance and after a few moments she had beaten the woman to a state of unconsciousness. But now she had gotten the attention of the others and needed to flee as if he mother could be willing to end her life the others would be just as willing if not even more inclined to see to her death now that they had seen her strike down her parent. She quickly climbed and began to move along the trees with about four Bosmer archers close on her trail and arrows being fired mere inches from where she was just moments before.
She needed to run, to hide anything to get away from them as tears ran down her cheeks, all of this just for a stupid tree why what was so important that they needed to uphold this pact, where was this God that they held in such high esteem she for one had never physically seen...It wasn't time for this she thought to herself shaking her head and gritting her teeth because of the pain from her still arrow clad shoulder for now their was nothing she could do and it seems like her luck was running out that is until she saw some ruins ahead and decided to go with the lesser of too evils. As she jumped her leg was clipped by another arrow causing her to hit the ground hard a painful cry escaping her lips as she struggled to get up her captors quickly advancing upon her. However by a turn of luck they were suddenly attacked by a Spriggan which summoned a black bear and both of them began attacking the group while Xylia used that time to limp into the ruins. She was slightly safe but the ruins were dark and known for housing traps so as soon as she was out of view she didn't dare to go any farther and sat on the floor with her back against the wall as she worked up her courage. When she was fully psyched up she clenched her teeth and pulled the arrow out of her shoulder while trying her best not to make a sound however she did cry while she dragged it out and when it was fully removed she slumped to the floor and began to sob silently to herself and not before long she had passed out. She awoke to something licking at her and almost screamed when she saw that a massive rat was licking the blood that had been dripping from her shoulder and attempted to run away however she was weak from blood loss and only made it out of the cave before slumping down and collapsing. She thought all was lost however a Dunmer explorers found her and rescued her from the rat healing her injuries but couldn't take her with her so they left her there.
My...injuries? Xylia said looking at her shoulder and seeing that it had healed and a bow with about 50 arrows had been left beside her body. She silently thanked whoever had given her these items and was on her way to get as far away from her village as possible as she knew staying here was a bad idea. During the following days that past she survived by hunting deer and eating edible plants as well as protected herself with the bow getting more accustomed to it as the days went by however one day she wasn't so lucky and met her match in the form of a Mountain Lion which had pounced while she was in the middle of running to her latest deer kill. She was slashed in her mid section and rolled away quickly pulling back her bow and send an arrow right in between the creatures leg causing it to roar and lunge at her Xylia managing to fire another arrow which hit the creatures eye partially blinding it however since she hadn't been able to pull the bow back before launching the arrow it lacked power... Something that cost her as the beast was enraged and swiped at her breaking her bow and closed its fangs over her arm. She screamed in pain as she could feel her arm break and desperately brought her elbow on the mountain lions neck. She was once again lucky as that proved to be the deciding blow as she had broken the creatures neck allowing her to get free and hold her arm close to her body as she walked towards the nearest down... She didn't get far however and collapsed about 20 meters from a Nord Town luckily a mage found her and brought her to be healed at the chapel a mage that she would later become fast friends with...
Word Count: 1193
Raising Marksmanship to Journeyman
