At the first light of dawn, a gentle orange hue gradually suffused the sky.
The warm sunshine lightly scattered across the river's surface, draping the sparkling water with a thin veil of gold.
A meticulous boat made its way slowly through the heart of the river.
The boat was elegantly constructed, with carved beams and painted rafters, colorful pennants fluttering in the wind, and guarded by several black-clad protectors of considerable cultivation—a clear sign of the owner's high status.
At that moment, a series of clear and piercing cries echoed from the sky.
A robust falcon, swift as an arrow loosed from a bow, cleaved through the air with urgency.
It headed straight for the boat on the river.
By the boat's railing stood a woman clad in form-fitting martial attire, her face obscured by a black mask. She raised her arm and the swiftly arriving falcon alighted upon it with precision, a startling sight.
