Chapter 21

Year 163 – Summer – Quartus Mensis – 42nd day

Velika road, Velika Forest, northern Vale

The sun was rising above the treetops. The morning dew was still fresh, and the nocturnal beasts had returned to sleep not so long ago. In complete silence, a hare emerged from his den. He was looking around at a fast pace. The little hare was suspicious of his surroundings, and he went back into his lair.

Not far from it, the well-awakened eyes of a hunter had witnessed the event. His hand slowly landed on his bow and arrows. The hunter looked around him and saw his friends sleeping. He walked step by step toward the area. Not too close, not too far, awaiting his prey. He held his bow with his left hand and his arrows with his right one. After a while, the hare came out of its den again. This time, it looked more closely at the environment. The surroundings seemed secure, so the hare left its home to apprehend the tasteful leaves under the fresh dew.

Slowly, the hunter drew his bow, making the rope creak. The prey rose upward to hear where the sound was coming from, but the hunter was waiting. The blood in his arm burned as the weight of his half-drawn bow drained his stamina. The hare wasn’t giving up. It knew it had heard something. It was looking around carefully.

The hunter’s arm was quivering from the stress on his muscles. Veins appeared on his right arm, yet he kept his breathing low and silent. The hunter then bit his lips to stay more focused on his prey as his muscles stiffened. After looking around many times, the hare gave up and continued to eat the leaves. The hunter stretched his bow even more. Hearing the creak of the rope, the hare raised its head. Two times couldn’t be a coincidence. It knew it had heard something. The fear of the unknown reached the lagomorphs, but as the will of running towards his den came through to his mind, the arrow was already piercing his skull, leaving the prey frozen in his mind of escaping.

The hunter smiled with joy and stretched himself a few times before walking toward his reward. He took the arrow stuck in the hare and carefully pulled it out. Using the fur of his prey, he wiped the blood from his arrow and grabbed the wild rabbit by the paw before bringing it to his camp. The man then restarted the fire and placed a cooking pot on top of it. He added some water and dismembered his trophy.

Half an hour later, his men were waking up from the smell, but they knew there wasn’t enough to feed them so they kept on eating their own supplies. Not far away, Mundric and his men were getting ready to march south.

Mundric – “Atilos!”

The hunter raised his head and bowed in front of the man.

Atilos – “What do I owe your presence? Are you here to join me on my meal?”

Mundric looked at the stew made from fresh meat with envy. He and his men had been eating dry meat and dry bread for the last month.

Mundric – “No, I’d rather eat what my men are eating.”

Atilos – “Honourable, as usual.”

Mundric – “I’m going south, and I’ll scout the area on the eastern side. I’ll split my group into 10 little ones to scout the area faster. I should be back at the next camp a little before evening. Be there before me this time so that Roberht can’t blame you again for your laziness, will you?”

Atilos – “I’ll think about it while savouring my meal.”

Mundric – “Just tell me you will, so I don’t rush back to avoid a bloodbath.”

Atilos – “Alright, I’ll do it. I’ll come back to the destination earlier.”

Mundric – “Roberht has already left. Don’t leave too late.”

Atilos – “Wish you a good road!”

Mundric – “I’ll be on my way.”

Once Mundric left the place with his men, Atilos told his own to listen closely.

Atilos – “We’re going in half an hour, but stay sneaky; we can’t afford to be seen.”

Silas – “You’re sure it’s going to help us?”

Atilos – “Silas, give me an honest answer. Have I been wrong in the past?”

Silas – “Not yet.”

Atilos – “The day I am wrong, you can let me down, but until then, I’d appreciate if you’d trust me a little more. I’ll make all of you rich.”