Chapter 14: Time well spent

The two vanguards turn to the cart passenger to tell them what they just sighted. Dalene open his mouth but before Dalene has time to say anything, Belina cut in:

- Well, here I thought we were wasting our time with yet another of Dalene’s whim but for once, you’re right. (Belina)

- What do you mean for once, I’m rarely wrong. (Dalene)

- You tend to make a lot of mistakes when you get sulky and weird like you’ve been for the last few days. (Belina)

- Am I being weird? (Dalene)

- Totally! (Arc)

- Seeing you like that is a bit disturbing. (Chris)

- Let’s stop wasting time on useless banter. We can’t get ourselves detected, which mean we have to set the trap tonight or we’ll really have wasted our time. (Dalene)

- At this speed, we’ll get there one hour after dark. (Arc)

- Can you go faster? (Dalene)

Arc shakes the reins in Dalene’s direction.

- Sure, if you think breaking a wheel is a good idea, then sure, go nuts. (Arc)

- I was just asking. Why are you all so touchy? (Dalene)

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As soon as they arrive at the destination, Belina and Dalene start reassembling the weapons while the other two draw the net and put the collected greenery on it. In barely three hours, the wagon and the net thrower are ready.

The heavy crossbow ammunitions have been changed to a different type, it looks similar to those used in naval battle to destroy the enemy’s sails. Unlike ships though, they only have small weapons and cannot afford to throw multiple chains per shot.

The bolts have an unusually large head with small chains attached, due to this it lacks precision but as the combined advantage on ripping wings and getting stuck in the target.

As for the two vanguards, because Ptedon have no valuable parts they are both starting with a bow and poisoned arrows, and in case the targets come at them directly, they also have maces with long shafts as a secondary weapon.

Looking at this Dalene comment:

- You are using the mace too, Arc? I thought you’d use your favorite polearm for sure. (Dalene)

- I’d love too, but it’ll be a pain getting it out with that net over our head. (Arc)

- You’re not going to fight under it though. (Dalene)

- In theory no, but you never know what can go wrong. I’d rather have a less versatile weapon and carry no risk of getting it stuck. (Arc)

- You aren’t as hotheaded as I thought. (Dalene)

- You’re creeping me out, that’s just a backup weapon, why are you making so much out of nothing. (Arc)

- It’s just… That hunt is important for me, I… (Dalene)

He pauses, unsure.

- Want to buy a ring and ask Belina’s hand again. (Arc)

- How do you know?! (Dalene)

- Chris figured it out, and it’s not the first time you try to ask her out. (Arc)

- Does Bel Know? (Dalene)

- I doubt it, she hasn’t taken a hint in twenty years, what do you expect… I think she still wouldn’t get it if we spent half a day explaining. (Arc)

Dalene gives a desperate look, he can imagine all too easily.

- For now, just think about the hunt and go to sleep, you’ve got the third round of watch. (Arc)

- Thank you. (Dalene)

Softly, Arc tells Chris

- I bet he’s going to fail horribly again. (Arc)

- There’s not a bet when there’s only one possible outcome. (Chris)

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The first lights appear in the knight, a sign that soon the sun will rise. Belina who had the last watch leads the horse to the chosen spot and tie it up before waking up the others.

They get ready in a hurry and get in position. They know that despite their preparations, there is still always a high risk of failure when hunting flying creatures. They stay in place, barely moving for hours, waiting for their targets to come.

And a bit after noon, what they have been waiting for happens, one of the Ptedon begin circling the sky, eyeing the horse. Arc who was the first to see it make a small noise to attract the others’ attention then points his finger toward the flying lizard.

Each of them observes the animal with their field-glass, his attitude shows he’s seen the prey but is waiting for something. A few minutes later, another creature joins it, then another. The three Ptedons circle around the horse from high up, while the horse terrified do his best to break free from its restraints.

Suddenly, one of the feathered lizard dives and the hunter prepare to strike, but just as suddenly, the Ptedon interrupt its dive and regain some altitude. The horse is completely panicked now, it tries, in turn, to kick out the stakes it tied to, and cut the cords with its teeth, to no avail.

Arc, feel disgusted at himself looking at the poor animal, but keep himself sharp. The other on the other hand care nothing for the cheap draft horse, it’s bait and nothing more.

After a few more dive, the Ptedons decide to come down for real, and in an instant, the deed is done. The scene is just like a raptor hunting a small mammal, the behemoth dives from behind the poor creature and uses its powerful and razor-sharp claws at its neck.

Blood splatters, in a few seconds the animal dies, its neck lacerated multiple times. The hunters stay still, waiting for the others to come down.

The biggest of the three flying lizards dive a few times, but every time, it rises again. It’s not a common practice among animals so only Dalene who studied many books understand what the beast is doing. The one who came down is a young, and it is probably its first kill, so instead of coming down, as they would usually do, the two parents are staying up there, trying to frighten potential predators.

Dalene thinks for a while, circling may not be very tiring, but diving and regaining altitude is, there is no way they will continue doing this for long.

On the ground, the young eats voraciously, using its claws and sharp teeth to rip apart its victim. From time to time, it lets out small cries of satisfaction.

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It has been several minutes now, and finally, the two adults come down. Seeing its enormous parents dive, the young takes some distance from its prey, messing the hunters’ plan.

Right when the last adult touch ground, Belina use the net launcher while Dalene man the heavy crossbow, targeting the young. As for the two vanguards, they let arrow after arrow at the parents, indeed, with their sharp teeth and claws, there is always a risk of them damaging the net.

In ten second, the two adults are dead, and the young, his wing ripped, runs clumsily, trying to take flight. His clumsiness makes targeting him with the heavy crossbow even harder.

- Don’t bother, I have him. (Chris)

Both vanguards walk out of the camouflaged area, bow in hand, take their time to place themselves then let one arrow each, and just like that, the last Ptedon dies.

The last? Not really, the fourth one they had not seen yet dives at them from behind, and judging from its size, the couple they killed earlier was not both parents, but one and an unusually big young.

- Behind you! (Dalene)

Reflexively, both hunters jump and roll in opposite directions, and while it saves their lives. The giant flying creature having missed his first dive regains some altitude, now that it has lost the element of surprise, it has no chance to kill either of its targets. It flies around screaming angrily at the two murderers, showing its intention to dive, but never going through the motion.

It continues for a while, then suddenly it dives again. Did it lose to rage? Is it a suicidal attack to avenge its family? The two vanguards do not care, Chris uses her bow without success while Arc prepares to intercept with the mace.

- You’re crazy! (Chris)

- Like I’m going to hit him if you can’t. (Arc)

Just like earlier, Chris jumps and roll to the side, but Arc jumps backward sideways to the Ptedon path smashing his mace into the flying behemoth. The impact is violent, the wings break and Arc is knocked down while the mace is sent flying. Unable to maneuver the behemoth crash into the ground, breaking its legs.

Now an easy target, Belina and Dalene finish him while Chris runs at Arc to see if he’s still alive.

Seeing her coming he says:

- I can’t feel my arms. (Arc)

- You’re a moron (Chris)

- I won (Arc)

- We’ll see. (Chris)

She palpates both his arms then get him up.

- It doesn’t seem like you broke anything. Can you move your arm? (Chris)

- No, I can’t muster any strength. (Arc)

- I think you unhinged your shoulder, let Dalene have a look at it. (Chris)

She resolutely looks somewhere else, and a few minutes later a scream indicates that Dalene is done.

Arc is on the ground, screaming.

- It hurts. You crazy asshole, it hurts! (Arc)

- You deserve every second of this pain, don’t do that ever again. (Chris)

Tears in his eyes, Arc answers.

- It would have run away. (Arc)

- Then let it run, three out of four was enough. (Chris)

- It was enraged, but it wouldn’t have lasted, you took unnecessary risk and paid the price. (Dalene)

- Twenty-four crowns for eleven days of work, good job Dalene. (Belina)

As usual, Belina shows little interest in what the others are going through. Or maybe not, she takes something from her pouch and gives it to Arc.

- Drink that, it’s good for the pain. (Belina)

He drinks a bit then showing clear difficulty to articulate, try to say:

- You are right, I don’t feel the pain anymore.

But before he can finish the phrase, he falls asleep.

- Good, he was really too noisy. (Belina)