I was slowly creeping through the bushes, it was still twenty minutes of running until the opening where the deers would pass, but I wasn't going to take any chances. Everything was ready, and I had to be ready as well. I tried to calm my breath, which was easier said than done - my muffled hot breaths made the green cloth around my mouth damp and warm.

My hands blended with the darkness as I reached for a branch to move it out of my way, it was still early in the morning, and the forest was still more dark than dim. However that was the great time to get to the spot. As I made my way through the bushes, I appreciated just how much the pur-map mixed with ground coal was concealing me. Both my smell and my figure were almost invisible close to the bushes.. well - I hoped that was the case any way.

The wind rustled the leaves of my poncho, making me seem like just another shrub, I was getting closer and could feel the tension build up. I didn't know if the animals would pass here any time soon, I doubted that they had a tight schedule. Either way I was going to wait as long as it would take for them to get here.

"Relax, it's the same throw you practice every day. It's not hard at all, just throw the stick and let it fly.. " - I was sweating a bit, last night wasn't calm for me. Headaches, even though I've been off of pur-map for some time, they were getting worse.. and with that creepy noise constantly ringing in my head, I was losing it..

No, not my mind, hell no.. It'd take a lot more than such petty thing to make me lose it.. I was loosing my cool, getting angry, breaking stuff. I wasn't the most hotheaded guy, but my fuse seems to have gotten shorter. It wasn't a sudden change to be honest, since the first day, it all was grinding at it, piece by piece.. Well, I was grumpy, so what.. didn't mean anything. Fuck, besides I'd get a lot more frustrated due to lag, than this..

...

An hour passed, but there were still no sign of deer anywhere. I had my doubts now. Maybe I misjudged the stupid animals, and they had no pattern in their moving through the forest.

Rustling of leaves was like a song to my heart, I was able to see the whole herd move into the opening in the forest. It was quite large to say the least, and as they moved, I had trouble counting them. They do look almost the same, so don't judge - or fuck off if you do.

"Wait for them to get to eating.." - The herd would start chewing on the long grass in this area, that's when I was going to strike.

"Don't aim for the little ones, nor for the females, aim for the average looking ones with the horns" - I reminded myself. The last thing I'd want to do is to kill a deer, with a potential deer inside of it, or an unripe one.

My fingers were holding the atatl loaded with a spear this whole time, and I started to slowly get into position. The wind didn't into my face, but the animals couldn't tell I was there by the smell, nor their sight.. I wasn't going to spook them with sound.. they were so close, I could see the strands of their short fur.

"..." - My mind became completely blank, only the static noise and its whispering were present. Without any thought, no signal, no word or anything.. I took the shot. My blood rushed through my veins as my body shot into action. It was the best shot I had, and definitely one of the strongest so far. The leaves made a loud clapping sound, as if a whip thundered. the animals raised their heads, but the spear was already nearing it's target. It hit the animal in the side with such force that it lost balance, all of the herd rushed into the woods away from me, scared.

"... shit its getting away!" - I froze for a bit, but the animal didn't seem to die that quick. Even with a spear nearly piercing through it, the deer ran into the forest, leaving quite an obvious crimson trail sparkled on the ground. A second later I rushed after it, holding my spears in the left hand, gripping them tightly with the three fingers.

"It didn't die!" - I heard the animal run ahead of me, and I followed. Branches of small trees scraped at the bare hands as I dove into another set of bushes, only to emerge on the other side, listening to the rustling of the animal ahead of me, or - looking into the blood trail .. - the latter was a lot more difficult.

"It's not that big...that's what she said.. but it didn't die from a direct hit.. I broke my older spears when I tried throwing them like that.." - That's why I had to make stronger shafts and spearheads, making the spears more akin to a javelin in shape.. that animal, surely wanted to live.

" SH.." - As I dove out of another bush, I was barely able to jump over the deer that laid on the ground. My head was pulsating, and I was really close to throwing up because of the elevated heartbeat, but other than that - the hunt was a complete and utter success.

"Oh god it's alive!" - I thought the deer finally died.. but it was still alive, suffering, hurting, afraid.. a slight whining sound spread from it as it's chest went up and down, breathing.. with a spear protruding from it.

"Shit.." - It was painful to watch really, but I got on my knees and took out the stone knife. I wasn't sure what the best way to act would be.. but I sliced the arteries on its neck, letting the animal die... and I didn't waste time to hang it by it's legs and start gutting it.

...

"It's not all that heavy.. i think" - the still warm and gutless body was around my neck and shoulders as I carried it towards my camp. It still had some blood on it, but that was small inconveniences that I would take care of some time soon. I could live off of this deer for quite some time, only if I'd be able to preserve it somehow. And somehow - meant that I was going to dry it and smoke it, besides.. I was making preparations before this hunt, so the whole upper portion of my hut was made into one giant drying rack.

"But today I'll eat as much grilled meat as I can fit into myself" - I was happy, with little to no luck with the rat-bits, I was left with only one option - to hunt deer.

...

Deer meat was heavenly good, a bit hard to chew, as I wasn't quite the chef, but it had great taste nevertheless.

I ate so much, my stomach hurt afterward... Gluttony is a sin, bla bla bla.. but I'd overeat on deer meat any time of the day, no problem. Besides even after spoiling myself a little bit with such a feast, I still had at least two or three weeks worth of meat inside. My hut was filled with smoke, meat and herbs, but the worst thing - the mouthwatering smell was present here, every time I entered it would make me tear up a bit. But really. It smelled good, though I knew that I'd have to hunt some more if I wanted to have some meat stored. That would be two days from now, I couldn't wait for the fresh meat already, well- not like I was craving for the drugged fish meat, but you get the point.

...

"Jinxed... I jinxed it! I fucking missed.. SHIT.." - My foot landed on a small stick, sending it flying across the forest and into the nearby bushes. This time the hunt failed.. And it's not like I did anything wrong, or different from last time.

" I came there a few hours before them, Waited patiently, let them start eating, and then.. I missed." - Of course you can't throw every time with one hundred percent accuracy, but.. but one miss was all that was needed to fuck up the tree day wait for meat. At least I caught a rat-bit two days ago, maybe some more will be there today as well.. My mood wasn't the best..

A few shrieks suddenly pierced my ears, as they echoed through the forest. High pitched, they went off one after another. First two nearly at the same time, then another one, and another one shortly after. I heard that damn sound before, on the first day.. but now it was coming from the direction of my camp.

"..." - there was no thoughts to be honest, there were dangerous intruders somewhere near my house. The shrieks could mean only that they were hurt - caught in the traps.

"The spike pits.. " - the half mask dropped from my nose and revealed the black colored face underneath. I was furious, and my teeth were grinding so hard, they could crack.. I made my way around, until I was in eyesight of the closest area with the trap.. the shriek has quieted down quite a bit, but there was still wailing.. I neared the source not believing my eyes.

"Are you fucking kidding me.." - I exhaled cursing out loud as I saw the problem at my hands, and the source of the sound.. which looked right back at me and opened it's mouth. Another shriek followed.