"What do we do, my love? Do we leave?" Celine asked in a whisper as they watched the three gorillas sitting in the water.
As luck would have it, the gorillas didn't seem to notice their approach; they were too busy splashing water at one another or lounging in the shallow pool. The water looked cold and clear, and the thought of it made Blanc lick his lips, imagining how refreshing it would feel if they camped in a place like this.
Unplanned as it was, and despite the difficulty, this could be a good first hunt. One that would not only strengthen them, but also provide water and a safe place to stay for a few days while they continued hunting.
"No. We fight," Blanc said confidently as he readied his bow. "Celine, Kael, Lune, are you confident in your aim from this distance?"
Celine nodded immediately at her husband's words, but Kael and Lune exchanged a hesitant look, uncertain.
"No matter," he said, "Loose all the arrows you can. Once they notice us and get closer, it will be easier for you to hit them, understood?"
At that, Kael and Lune nodded. Maybe because everything had happened so suddenly, neither of them had time to get nervous. But that worked in their favor; after all, the beasts in front of them could just as easily tear them apart as the Morois could.
Blanc then turned towards Miyanna, "My love, watch how the gorillas act, and only attack if you are sure you can pull back. If not, do not risk it. Let us handle them, and I will try to keep one alive for you to kill, okay?"
"O-okay," Miyanna stuttered as she unsheathed her curved sword.
"Well then," Blanc muttered, going in and kissing Celine and Miyanna one after the other and offering Kael and Lune a small peck on their foreheads before nocking up one arrow on the string, while holding another in his bow hand.
"Ready?" he asked around himself.
"Ready," replied all in unison.
"May the Vita be with you all," Blanc said before loosing the arrow.
Celine followed an instant after. Kael and Lune didn't, still unsure of their aim.
Still, Blanc and Celine's arrows found their marks.
Thud. Thud.
Two gorillas roared, jerking to their feet and spinning, trying to find the source of their pain. Unfortunately, neither arrow had struck anything vital.
No gorilla fell.
Just as one of them spotted their position, Kael and Lune finally released their shots. One arrow missed entirely, splashing into the pool, but the other struck a thigh. The last unharmed gorilla rose with a bellow at the sight of the wounded.
Blanc fired again, and his arrow hit true.
This time, the third gorilla was beating its chest in fury when the shaft buried itself deep in its forehead. A heavy crash followed as the beast toppled face-first into the pool.
One dead. Two wounded.
"Focus your arrows on the least wounded one," Blanc began barking commands as he prepared a third arrow. "Miyanna, I will distract the wounded one; follow close behind."
Celine, Kael, and Lune had their arrows ready and loosed them one after the other towards the still-searching gorilla, who finally managed to find them.
Kael and Lune's arrow missed, hitting the dead gorilla inside the pool, but Celine's arrow managed to hit it in the stomach.
A lethal wound… unfortunately, one that would take a while to kill it. So they tried to nock yet another round of arrows, but the gorilla was running towards them at a frightening speed while stomping, sending mud all around it as it got closer and closer.
In a matter of moments, Celine let go of the bow and arrow in her hands and pulled her sword while running towards the enraged gorilla.
"Celine!" screamed the twins, unaware of her plan, unable to fire the next arrows towards the gorilla. But Celine knew what she was doing as she closed the gap at high speeds.
She could not risk having the gorilla in close quarters against all three of them.
Kael and Lune could very easily get caught in the middle of their fight, so she knew this was the best choice she had.
The enraged gorilla prepared for Celine's approach, rising both hands in the air and clasping them together, ready to crash them down upon Celine and her small body.
As it began its descent, Celine waited until the last moment to dash to the side and let the gorilla hit the ground. When it did, she knew she had won.
The gorilla was now just at the right height for her.
With a dash back in, she pointed her sword straight towards the gorilla and its neck.
A gorilla that attempted to scream, but before it could, she removed the sword and slashed at its neck again, making the gorilla fall silent forever.
Two dead.
Another thud.
Another roar from the gorilla that was focused on Blanc, running at high speed.
"Miyanna, are you following?" Blanc asked with a yell.
"I'm trying to," she yelled back.
The gorilla was still standing strong, despite having four arrows planted all around its body, but it barely moved. Either it had a plan, or it was getting difficult for it to walk.
Blanc had to find out.
He loosed an arrow, planting it in the gorilla's shoulder; its roar was slowly losing its power.
Blanc had to capture it quickly.
He let go of the bow and began running towards the gorilla, who was barely out of the water. It did not move. It appeared to have straightened its back, actually.
No matter.
He pulled his sword while running, and when he was less than ten feet away, the gorilla began swinging its hands wildly, hoping it would stop Blanc's approach. But it didn't.
At the speed Blanc was moving, he managed to roll between the gorilla's swings and legs, and when he came out of the spin, with a roll and the sword pointed forward, he severed the gorilla's calcaneal tendons.
The gorilla growled in pain as it crashed to its knees.
Its death was not far, and it seemed it welcomed it. But Blanc was not the person who had to send it on its way.
"Hurry, Miyanna, now it's the time!" Blanc yelled.
And what followed was Miyanna running, curved sword pointed forward towards the giant beast's heart.
And with a battle cry that sent shivers down Blanc's spine, he took a step back from the gorilla just as Miyanna's curved sword pierced the gorilla's heart, leaving through the gorilla's back, and curving towards Blanc's neck, stopping mere inches from it.
Three dead.
They had won.