Prologue

I gaze across the land from my perch, taking in everything and keeping an eye out for anything out of the ordinary. It's very late; the moon stays high above my head. My mate and my family sleep soundly, peacefully, because I spy no threats to their lives. I cannot sleep tonight; I never do. I'll take a nice long catnap tomorrow after breakfast so I have my rest. But I do not sleep at night; I must protect my family from any danger. If anything happens to them, I fight for their lives, not caring if my life hangs in the balance. My bow remains strong and my quiver keeps full of obsidian-headed arrows, ready to fire at any time. I see no danger around me, and so I pause to look down at my appearance.

My clothes are simple: white pants that stop at my ankles with a hole in the back for my tail and a strapless shirt that doesn't even cover my stomach, only my chest. A white, Phrygian-like style hat rests on my head of long brown hair, currently in a braid down my back; black obsidian arrowheads decorate the outside of the hat. I touch my eyes that glitter like sapphires, but with a silver tinge. The blue of my eyes seems to carry into my equally blue skin, flawless except for the freckles on my cheeks and the tattoo on my arm, near my shoulder: a pointed petal flower with a Yin-Yang symbol in the middle. If I stood up, I would only be as tall as three apples stacked on top of each other.

My name is Archer Smurf. I am named for my impeccable skill with my bow and arrows. I protect the Smurf village and everyone in it from everyday dangers.

My story is unlike any other Smurf's. The stork never brought me to Papa Smurf as a baby Smurfette in a basket. The Smurfs didn't find me in the forest; it certainly wasn't the other way around. My story is long and complicated, filled with thrills, angst, and love.

Would you like to hear my story?

It began a long time ago, at the place where all babies are made.