CHAPTER SEVEN

UNDER THE MOON

It is quiet. Too quiet!

The gust of wind blows in the forest, as the leaves dance all around in a plethora of vivid colors. Inside a bush, with mud on his face and body, lies Ulric in waiting; motionless. If someone could see him, without a doubt, they would mistake him for a corpse. It has been far too long since he moved and he will not move until he gets what is due.

The sound of footsteps travels in the air as a deer comes into sight. On the ground lies a feast of acorns. What a delicious treat. Lucky.

The majestic animal stands proudly as it looks for danger; it sees none. Smells its surroundings for danger; it smells none. The wind of the forest works against it. Always hunt against the wind. Ulric knows this all too well. Feeling safe and satisfied, the deer munches on the acorns.

His hand tightens as he patiently aims his crossbow. The instrument of death looms over the deer. Watching it. No sudden moves, no noises, no scent, no nothing. Stealth, after all, is the way of the hunt and the hunt is the way of life. Ulric has made mistakes before; he knows all too well about their consequences. Days without food and growling hunger in his stomach. This is not an experience he wants to relive; if he doesn’t have to. The mark is here; there can be no better chance than this.

With a simple squeeze of a finger, a bolt flies as it hits the deer in its vitals. The bolts pass through its body as the animal instinctively runs in fear. A perfect shot!

Ulric springs out of the bush removing the stuck greenery. The large trail of blood left by the wounded animal is all too easy to follow. He takes his time. There is no reason to rush.

Barely 30 meters away, the trail of blood ends as the deer lies on the ground. Not dead... not yet. With bright eyes shining with life, it struggles to elude death, with an unwavering will it keeps holding; once noble and proud now fallen from grace. The breaths become faster and faster as it looks into the distance. Thinking about life, thinking about the pain, thinking about what it has left behind? No one can tell. Ulric draws his sword as he puts the animal out of its misery. The glow in its eyes slowly fades as it lies there in death’s icy embrace.

Ulric takes his well-hunted prey.

***

Time passes as the day turns to night. On a campfire, meat roasts. He will not know hunger today.

The meat slowly cooks over the ember changing from red to grey. Ulric takes a bite of the roasted meat as he washes it down with the deer’s fresh blood. What a delicious treat! Lucky.

“I show my gratitude to the Moon,” Ulric says as he raises his cup and the cooked meat to the sky.

“The Moon will always provide to those who are faithful to it,” Ulric adds as he smirks.

Having his fill, he lies staring in the sky with his hand extended as if trying to hold the Moon.

"What? What say you, Moon?" Ulric springs upon his feet.

“You have a quest for me? A great calamity? Tell me what is it,” Ulric asks as he silently stares at the Moon. He nods as if he is conversing.

“Yes! I understand. I shall do as you command. I always do as you command, for you are the Moon and I am a Moonchild,” Ulric says with a smile.

Tomorrow I shall embark on yet another quest. Oh the joy, oh the glory, and oh, the excitement, he grins.

I am never alone, for the Moon is my friend.

I am never lost, for it shows me the way.

The moon beckons me.