Free Web NovelChapter 169: The Archers Hunt [5]
They stepped into the clearing with excitement written all over their faces. After all, it wasn’t every day that someone stumbled across meat on this scale.
The two knights accompanying the group had gone on plenty of hunts before. Some had been alongside Darion, others with Garren.
They had tracked deer through forests, hunted smaller creatures near the farmlands, and occasionally brought down larger beasts when fortune favored them. But this was different.
Killing one large animal was one thing, finding six massive creatures together and successfully bringing down every single one of them was something else entirely.
Even Seren couldn’t hide her satisfaction as she looked across the clearing. The dead Cteedles were enormous. Each one represented days of food, weeks, perhaps, depending on how carefully the meat was preserved and distributed.
The archers were smiling now. Some laughed, others walked around the fallen creatures while inspecting the arrows embedded in their bodies. A few were already boasting about their shots.
"I hit mine first."
"No, you didn’t."
"I did."
"You missed your first arrow."
"It was a warning shot."
That earned several snorts and chuckles. The tension from earlier had completely vanished. This was what success felt like.
The two knights also looked pleased. Normally, hunts were much slower affairs, a group would spend hours moving through the forest only to find a single worthwhile target. Sometimes they would return with two animals if they were lucky. Three was considered a very good day. This was something none of them had experienced before.
Eventually the excitement settled enough for practical matters to take over. The meat wasn’t going to carry itself back to Percvale.
The group began organizing who would carry what.
Each Cteedle was far too large for a single ordinary archer to drag comfortably, so they worked in teams.
Two people grabbed each Cteedle together: one at the front, one at the back, or sometimes both on the same side depending on the terrain.
The knights handled the heaviest ones with a partner as well, their strength making the work easier for whoever was paired with them. Those who lacked the physical strength to carry an entire Cteedle simply helped lift and balance while their stronger partner did most of the dragging.
Nobody complained, after all, carrying meat home was a good problem to have. It meant the hunt had succeeded.
Panett, however, wasn’t carrying anything. Neither was Seren. That wasn’t because they were unwilling to help, quite the opposite. Their role was protection.
The group was now slower than before, much slower, weighed down by their prizes. If something attacked during the return journey, the people carrying heavy loads would not be able to react quickly. That meant the best archers needed to stay free: ready and alert, able to draw their bows immediately.
Panett walked near the front of the group, Seren remained toward the middle, and another archer who had proven himself throughout the hunt stayed unburdened as well. He wasn’t quite as skilled as either woman, but he was reliable and had performed well enough throughout the day. Together, the three effectively acted as guards.
The journey back began. The mood was light, and conversations filled the forest path. People discussed their shots, talked about the Bogart, and several teased the knight who had almost become the Bogart’s lunch. The knight endured it with good humor.
"You should thank Panett again."
"I already thanked her."
"Do it again."
"Thank her every day for the rest of your life."
That earned laughter from everyone nearby.
"Hahahahaha!" fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
The forest seemed much less threatening now. The group had survived the Bogart, successfully hunted multiple Cteedles, and were carrying enough meat to make the entire trip worthwhile. Everything was going perfectly.
Until a wolf appeared.
The creature emerged from between several trees ahead of them, not a particularly large wolf, not some terrifying monster, just a normal wolf. But even a normal wolf could be dangerous, especially when people were carrying heavy loads and unable to move freely.
The conversations died instantly. Several archers froze, and the men carrying meat shifted nervously. For a brief moment, panic spread through the group, not because the wolf was unbeatable, but because surprises always created uncertainty.
The wolf lowered itself slightly, watching them, judging them. Its yellow eyes moved across the group.
Seren immediately raised her bow. So did Panett. The third archer followed suit. The others couldn’t react as quickly while carrying their burdens, which meant responsibility fell onto the three of them.
The wolf suddenly moved. Fast.
Seren released first.
THOOM! fгee𝑤ebɳoveɭ.cøm
The arrow shot forward. The wolf reacted instantly, leaping sideways. The shot missed.
Several archers cursed under their breath.
But Panett had already moved. The moment the wolf dodged Seren’s arrow, she released hers.
ZOOM!
The arrow crossed the distance almost faster than the eye could follow. The wolf landed from its leap, and the arrow struck its neck. Hard. The creature collapsed immediately, momentum carrying it forward another few feet before it rolled onto its side.
Then it stopped moving. Dead. Just like that.
The forest became quiet once more. A few moments passed, then someone exhaled, another laughed nervously. The tension disappeared almost as quickly as it had appeared.
"Good shot," one of the knights said.
Several others nodded.
Panett simply lowered her bow. She didn’t seem particularly impressed by what she had done. At this point, everyone was beginning to suspect that impossible shots were normal for her.
The wolf remained where it had fallen. Nobody bothered approaching it or collecting it either, it wasn’t worth the effort. They already had enough meat to carry, and adding a wolf would only slow them down further. Besides, most people preferred eating Cteedle over wolf.
"If Lord Darion were here," one of the archers joked, "He’d probably drag it home."
Several people laughed. If it had been Darion, he would have turned it into an undead.
After that, the group continued moving. No more creatures appeared, no more dangers emerged from the forest. The remainder of the journey passed peacefully, and by the time the familiar outline of Percvale appeared in the distance, everyone was already imagining the reaction they would receive when people saw how much meat they had brought home.
The hunt had been a success. A very successful one. And most importantly, everyone had made it back alive.
