The forest of Feltogora spread before them like a green ocean, sunlight filtering through the dense canopy, casting flickering patterns on the mossy ground. The air smelled of damp earth and pine, sharp and invigorating, and somewhere in the distance, a babbling brook added a gentle soundtrack to the quiet tension of the hunt.
Princess Zuleika walked confidently, musket slung over her shoulder, boots crunching lightly on fallen leaves. Captain Rhys stayed a few paces behind, his posture rigid, eyes scanning the surroundings, ever vigilant. Princess Aquila followed, dressed in her sleek hunting suit, her personal servant trailing closely with her musket in hand.
"Are you ready to get embarrassed today?" Zuleika teased, eyes flicking toward Aquila with a playful glint.
Aquila shot her a glare sharp enough to cut through the morning light. "Embarrassed? Don't flatter yourself, Princess. You'll see who's teaching whom by the end of this."
Zuleika snorted. "We'll see, indeed."
As they ventured deeper into the forest, the sunlight grew dappled and the shadows longer. They paused in a small clearing where wildflowers dotted the floor and ferns curled around the base of ancient oaks. Zuleika pointed toward Aquila.
"Alright, get your musket. Show me your form." Her voice was sharp, commanding, and Aquila stiffened, exhaling through her nose in frustration. She waved her gloved hand at her servant, who handed over the musket and backed away quietly.
Zuleika motioned for the servant and Captain Rhys to stay further back. "Stay a few paces behind; don't scare anything away. We're not here to play tag." Both nodded obediently. Zuleika's crimson eyes remained fixed on Aquila, amusement and challenge sparkling in them.
Aquila tightened her grip on the musket, her posture elegant as ever, but her eyebrows furrowed at Zuleika's unrelenting stare.
"Why are you always so grumpy?" Zuleika asked with a teasing laugh. "Is there even a day when you're not scowling?"
"Yes, there would be," Aquila shot back, her tone dripping with sarcasm, "if Princess Zuleika were to leave Feltogora immediately."
Zuleika's smirk widened, but she held her tongue, letting the forest noises fill the brief silence before the next challenge.
A rustle in the underbrush drew their attention. A deer, alert and graceful, emerged into the clearing, delicate hooves brushing the forest floor. Zuleika leaned against a tree, watching intently.
"You. Try it," she ordered. "Go ahead and take the shot."
Aquila's hands tensed around the musket. She raised it, her posture flawless at first glance—shoulders back, chin level, her arms steady. But Zuleika's sharp eyes immediately caught the flaw.
Her feet were misaligned. One foot too far forward, the other angled wrong. The recoil would tilt her aim upward when the musket discharged.
BANG! The deer bolted, disappearing into the thicket.
Aquila's silver eyes twitched in frustration, her jaw tightening as she glared at Zuleika. "Shut your mouth!"
Zuleika pressed her lips together, barely holding back laughter. The perfect Princess of Feltogora, missing her first shot. Hilarious. She tilted her head, eyes gleaming with mockery.
Another rustle, another target: a small hare darted across the forest floor. Aquila raised her musket, focused, but the misalignment in her stance caused her shot to miss by inches. Zuleika laughed openly this time, the sound ringing through the clearing like a bell.
Aquila's hands clenched around the musket, and she hissed, "Next shot goes straight into your head!" A faint twitch appeared at the corner of her lips—not a smile, but a warning.
Zuleika grinned, stepping closer. "Your problem is simple. Foot placement, angle of your body, and how you grip the musket. Let me show you." She crouched slightly beside Aquila, tracing the imaginary line of the musket along the hare.
"See here," Zuleika explained, pointing at Aquila's right foot. "Step forward just slightly, pivot your left foot to stabilize your weight. Keep your knees soft, don't lock them. Lean your upper body just a touch forward to balance the recoil. Now grip the musket with your dominant hand tight around the stock, supporting hand relaxed but firm beneath. Exhale slowly, aim, and don't anticipate the kick of the musket—it will follow naturally."
"Now," Zuleika said, stepping back, crimson eyes bright with challenge, "try again. And remember—this isn't just a game of strength, it's precision."
Aquila took a slow breath, adjusted her stance as Zuleika instructed, and aimed at the next movement in the brush.
The forest around them seemed to hold its breath, leaves rustling in the wind, the scent of pine thick in the air. Sunlight scattered through the branches, painting the ground in shifting patterns of gold and green. Birds called from high in the canopy, watching silently as the two princesses—so different in so many ways—stood in quiet competition, their breaths synchronized with the rhythm of the forest.
They crouched low behind a thick bush, the scent of earth and pine heavy in the afternoon air. The rustling of leaves and the occasional chirp of a bird were the only sounds. Aquila leaned forward slightly, her silver eyes scanning the clearing ahead.
"What's the point of waiting like this?" she whispered, her voice sharp, clearly irritated by the slow pace.
Zuleika tilted her head, her crimson eyes glinting with amusement. "The Art of Hunting, Princess. In Nexus terms… it's like fishing. You don't just dive in and strike blindly—you study, you predict, and you strike when the time is right. A good fisherman doesn't just throw the net randomly; he watches the water, reads the currents, and anticipates where the fish will move."
Aquila blinked, her brows furrowing. "You… just made that up, didn't you?" she hissed quietly, but a hint of curiosity crept into her tone.
"Nope. Completely factual," Zuleika replied, her lips twitching with a mischievous smirk. "The Ocean is like this forest. Both full of life, both full of surprises. You just need to learn to read them."
Aquila muttered under her breath, "Sounds like some nonsense kingdom story to me…"
Before Zuleika could retort, two deer cautiously entered the clearing, sniffing the air and nibbling on the grass. Zuleika's eyes glimmered.
"Alright," she whispered, pointing subtly. "We take both down. But I'll show you something else first—Predicting Lesson Number 2 in the Art of Hunting."
Aquila raised a single brow, her expression deadpan. "Predicting? You mean guessing where they'll go? I'm impressed." Her tone was mocking, but Zuleika didn't flinch.
"I'm serious," Zuleika said, voice low and confident. "I'll shoot first. You watch where the other one runs and try to guess its path."
Aquila crossed her arms, unimpressed, but followed her instructions. Zuleika exhaled, adjusted her stance, and whispered, "Three… two… one…"
BANG! The first deer dropped instantly, its graceful form collapsing to the ground.
Aquila's eyes flicked to the second deer. She guessed instinctively, pointing her musket to where she thought it would flee.
BANG! The shot rang out, but the deer didn't go where she expected—it stumbled, missing the mark.
Zuleika crouched low, adjusting her aim. "Wrong. Look carefully. See the angle of its legs, how its weight shifts forward? That means it'll veer to the left, near that thicket. Anticipate momentum, not direction. Always predict by movement, not by sight alone."
Aquila's silver eyes narrowed, her lips pressed into a thin line. "So… hunting isn't just about pulling the trigger?"
"Exactly," Zuleika whispered, a playful glint in her crimson eyes. "It's like fishing—you can't just throw a net and expect everything to fall in. You follow the rhythm, anticipate the movement, feel the flow. Once you get hooked, it's… strangely addictive."
Aquila's expression didn't change, but her fingers twitched slightly around the musket, betraying her intrigue. "Addictive, huh? I find that hard to believe."
Zuleika counted quietly once more. "Three… two… one…"
BANG! The second deer bolted exactly where Zuleika predicted. BANG! Another shot and it dropped. Both animals lay motionless.
Zuleika rose, brushing herself off, a triumphant smile lighting up her face. "See? Told you it's all about prediction."
Aquila followed more slowly, her silver eyes lingering on the second deer. For the briefest moment, a small, unguarded smile tugged at her lips as she lowered her musket, though she quickly pushed it back down, hiding it as Zuleika approached.
"So… how was that?" Zuleika asked, her crimson eyes sparkling with mischief. "Exciting? Fun? Or did you just enjoy missing like a pro?"
Aquila's silver eyes met hers, brows raised, her face carefully neutral—but Zuleika noticed a tiny twitch at the corner of her lips. "I… suppose it was… okay," she said, her voice flat but carrying the faintest trace of reluctant amusement.
Zuleika grinned, leaning back against a tree. "Okay? That's all I get? After I practically taught you the secret of hunting supremacy?"
Aquila let out a small sigh, rolling her eyes in exasperation. "Please. Don't flatter yourself. I'm sure even a blind squirrel could have done that."
"Blind squirrel?" Zuleika snorted. "I'll take that as a compliment! Clearly, you don't appreciate my genius yet."
Aquila quirked a brow, her lips twitching. "Genius? More like a loud, overexcited loudmouth with a musket."
Zuleika laughed, tossing a leaf at her. "Hey, that's my official title, thank you very much. Loudmouth with a musket, Master of Predicting Animal Movements. Got it memorized?"
Aquila brushed the leaf with her hand gracefully and irritated, "Ugh… I swear, one of these days, your face is going to get shot instead of the deer."
Zuleika adjusted the strap of her musket, glancing over at Aquila as they walked. "You know… next time you visit the Nexus Kingdom, I'll teach you how to fish properly."
Aquila groaned, her silver eyes narrowing. "Fish? Why on earth would I want to get wet, stink like them, and wrestle with slimy things? No, thank you."
Zuleika laughed, a teasing glint in her crimson eyes. "Oh, come on. It's an art! Plus, you might actually enjoy it if you try. You just don't know yet."
"I highly doubt that," Aquila muttered, shoving her gloved hands into her pockets, her tone deadpan. "I have better ways to spend my time than flopping around in a river."
Zuleika grinned wider. "You'll regret saying that once I show you the proper technique. By the end of the day, you'll be the most notorious fisherwoman in the Kingdom of Nexus!"
Aquila rolled her eyes, lips twitching at the corner. "Notorious? I'd rather be known as the princess who avoided fish at all costs."
They walked on in a mixture of laughter and bickering, the autumn leaves crunching beneath their boots. A few paces behind, Captain Rhys and Aquila's servant carefully carried the two deer, exchanging quiet remarks about the princesses' antics but keeping a respectful distance.
Zuleika leaned closer, lowering her voice conspiratorially. "Don't worry, Your Imperial Highness. I'll make sure the next hunt is just as fun… but with fish."
Aquila groaned again, muttering, "I'm going to start avoiding your 'fun' from now on."
Zuleika just laughed, her crimson eyes sparkling mischievously.
The forest rustled around them as the sun dipped lower, casting long shadows over the clearing. Birds chirped lazily, leaves swayed gently, and for a fleeting moment, the rivalry between them felt less like a competition and more like an absurd, ongoing game.