"No other person ventures out here. So I'd say so." The woman pointed towards herself with one thumb as she stared back at the suspended Miwah. Her skin was a dark shade of brown, complimenting the darker green, earthy tones of her clothing. With her hand she removed the dark green hood that covered her head. Her eyes were a deep hazel color. They narrowed in on the eyes of Miwah. Her hair was golden and wavy, with it ending just below her shoulders. As she stepped forward, the dark gold of her strands glistened from the sunlight. She placed her hands on her hips, now staring at Miwah up close from only a foot away.

Miwah's eyes took a quick scan down the woman's body. Her upper half was covered in a dark green cloak that that split in the middle. Beneath that was a tight corset-like piece held together by strings over a plain back top tucked into in a pair of brown shorts that ended just beneath her thigh. She had a quiver attached to her hip and knife in a sheath secured around her leg.

"Do you have any idea how long it took for me to set that trap up? Now I've got to start all over again!" The woman shook her head without breaking eye contact.

"What a shame," Miwah said softly. "Perhaps I could offer you my assistance in fixing it."

"It’s not a big deal," the woman replied with a wave of her hand. "It happens. Besides, it's been a productive day. I can live with one dud of a trap."

"That is good to hear," Miwah said. "I assume you will get me down from here as well, right?"

"Oh, yeah. I can do that." The woman started to climb one of the trees that kept the net suspended. She scaled it with ease, reaching the top branch in a matter of seconds as if climbing was just as natural as walking. Once next to the rope that kept Miwah suspended in the air, the woman unsheathed the small knife from the pouch strapped around her left leg. "Brace yourself," she said aloud. In a nervous hurry, Miwah's eyes darted around the ground.

"How?"

The other woman looked back at Miwah with a sarcastic gaze, pausing her slicing of the rope. "I only said it as a formality." She then returned to cutting the trap. After a few more incisions the rope snapped apart. Miwah fell to the ground on her back with a soft thud. Leaves and dirt flew up into the air from the impact. She rubbed her back as she sat up straight.

The hunter then leapt from the branch, landing in near silence on both feet. She stretched out one hand, offering to hoist Miwah back up to her feet. "Call me Tamma," she said with confidence.

Miwah place her hand in Tamma's palm. The hunter lifted Miwah up to her feet with a single tug. With some brushing from her hands, the dirt and leaves that covered her clothing skin had been mostly cleared off. "My name is Miwah," she said softly while making eye contact.

"Miwah, huh? Sounds like a name from somewhere in Xiwao," Tamma said while looking down at the rest of Miwah's clothing. "And you dress like you're from there too. Not to mention the accent."

"That's because I am," Miwah replied, pressing her hand against her back and stretching her muscles. "And judging by your appearance and voice, would it be correct to assume that I am in Bahnwa?"

Tamma shook her head. "That's where I'm from, but that's not where you are in the slightest. Do you really not know where you are right now?"

"I do not. I did not come here voluntarily."

"Ah, I see. Well, you're kinda right. Like I said, I'm from Bahnwa after all. Explains a bit, doesn't it?"

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"I suppose." After finishing her stretches, Miwah faced the hunter. She had to angle her head upwards to make her eyes meet with the other woman that stood about half a head taller than her.

"But you're on the island of Chuthford. That helps to tell me what you were doing so deep in Abbus Forrest. It makes sense if you got stranded on the western shoreline and climbed your way up. No one really comes back here except for me."

"Why is that?" Miwah turned around and looked at the seemingly never-ending expanse of trees behind the other woman.

"That's because it's dangerous!" Tamma looked at Miwah with wide eyes. "You could end up as food for all manner aggressive beasts."

"Really?" Miwah looked down and held onto the necklace's diamond.

Tamma bobbed her head up and down. "Really. It's dangerous back here. But that means less competition for me."

"A hunter I assume?"

"You got it! I'm Farrowport’s most successful hunter. Doesn't hurt that there's not too much competition in the area, but it's still a nice title to claim. I earn my living going through the forest collecting pelts and meats that I sell back in town."

Miwah's attention sharpened upon hearing the word 'meats.' "So you have food?" Miwah asked in an exasperated manner.

"So that's why you got caught in my net, eh?" Tamma said with a coy smile. She looked down at the still jittering tail that Miwah had chased earlier. The hunter reached down and pulled it out from the entanglement of branches that kept it hidden. "So far all this contraption has been good for is making the person who built it a decent chunk of coin in repairment fees every few weeks. I guess it's first successful use came in catching a human!" Tamma held the device by the long brown tail. Dangling at the very end was a series of intricate cogs and gears that kept the machine vibrating. Tamma pressed a switch at the bottom, stopping its movement entirely.

"That is a clever piece of engineering," Miwah said with awe. She lowered her head to get a closer look at the contraption.

"Clever, sure. But effective? Not so much." Tamma opened a pouch that she had strapped to the side of her hip and dropped the automated tail inside of it. "Now you were saying something about food?"

The deep and uncomfortable sensation of hunger rushed through Miwah's stomach as soon as Tamma mentioned food. She pressed one hand on her stomach as the grumbling overcame the soft sounds of the surrounding nature. "I have not eaten in a while," Miwah said with a tone of embarrassment.

"I can tell," Tamma replied. She took hold of Miwah's hand and lifted it up. The sleeve to her top slid down as she examined her arm. "Looks like you've been skipping out on more than your fair share of meals."

"In my village, being a seamstress was not the most profitable of professions. And the fact that I hid myself inside a crate for over two days did not do me any favors either."

"Two days with no food? And you were hiding away inside a chest?" Tamma pressed her hand against her heart, startled by the statement. "Come with me. I've got some spare rations back in my caravan."

Miwah couldn't stop her mouth from forming a wide grin that reached from ear to ear. "You would share your food with me?"

"I'm not going to just let you starve to death out here in the woods! Even though you did set off my trap." With a wink, Tamma headed further into the forest. Miwah followed close behind her. "Just follow my steps exactly," Tamma said as she stepped over a downed branch. "I have a few other traps scattered around here and I don't want you getting caught again."

"I'll follow your lead," Miwah said quietly, keeping her eyes focused on the hunter's trail. Tamma led her through a winding path, traversing both over and underneath a wide variety of lush plant life. Small chirps and squeaks from the animal life didn't distract Miwah from staying close behind the hunter. The length of the trek was exacerbated by Miwah's sudden hunger pangs. She came to a stop, pressing her hand against a nearby tree before stopping to take a break.

"Are you alright, Miwah?" Tamma said as she stopped in her tracks to turn around and look at her.

"Just... a bit... fatigued..." Miwah said weakly. She remained leaning on the wide oak tree.

"We're almost there," Tamma said as she took Miwah's arm and pulled her away from the tree. "And I mean it! Look!" Tamma pointed towards a clearing among the trees. With drowsy eyes, Miwah squinted in the direction Tamma's finger was angled towards. Hidden among leaves and branches, she could make out a small structure underneath.

"I... think I see it..." Miwah said as she pried herself away from her resting spot. Her steps were staggered, her entire body swaying from side to side, on the verge of toppling over after a couple of steps. Tamma rushed to her side and took Miwah's arm and stretched it across the back of her shoulders.

"Don't fall down now after you've made this far!" Tamma said. The hunter held onto Miwah, walking side by side with her along the final stretch to the caravan. "I'll get us there."