Arrow in the Dark

Jaden Ohanzee · 02-17-2011, 01:59 PM

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OOC: No need to match post length Smile Anyone and everyone are welcome to join and feel free to show up where ever. You don’t have to meet Jaden in the forest, you can stumble upon his camp if you like. He is headed back either way. Whatever works ^^

Words-1000+

His whole mind was on the hunt. A small herd of deer had been eluding the Alaskan for the better part of the evening and night now. After Sankara, the latest soul Jaden had met, killed one, the herd was so spooked they ran for hours before hitting the sea and continuing up the coast, dangerously close to packlands. When they had finally stopped a little less than an hour and a half ago, thankfully before crossing into Dahlia de Mai, Jaden went a mile back to the beach and set up a small camp. He started a fire in the sand near a few boulders that had been washed smooth when the tide came in. The water was low now, so it made a nice dry camp ground. After the fire was started, Jaden used his trusty metal bowl, which had flat spots and dings from being dropped more than once in the time Jaden had had it, and started some sea water boiling. When the camp was complete, the dark Optime disappeared into the night. He felt odd without the heavy satchel on his back to weigh him down. For the first time in months, he was not trying to go somewhere or do something. All he wanted to do was satisfy his hunger with a hot meal.

Before the dear came into sight, Jaden could smell their sent wavering toward him. He was approaching down wind, if you could call the night’s pitiful breeze wind. This atmosphere was beautiful and contributed to Jaden’s heightened awareness. He could hear the smallest animals scurry by and noticed the smallest movements of the wildlife. When he concentrated on only the hunt, instinct took over, rushing adrenalin into his body’s veins and speeding up his breathing. Jaden moved silently with practiced stealth from tree to tree until the deer came into view.

The deer in the herd stood close together and were quiet. Only a few bulls stirred, lifting their heads to look around and watch the dark forest for danger. When they did, the predator stalking them would become still, his black and dark red-dyed white fur hiding him successfully in the shadows. It would be impossible for the hunter to get within attack distance before he was seen by the sentries, if not for his short bow.

Jaden moved between glances until he was at the edge of the protective forest’s dark embrace. Stepping any further would put him in plain view against the clearing’s grass. Once this point was reached, he carefully drew his short bow from his shoulder and strung an arrow. Leveling the weapon, he took a few deep breaths to slow his heart and took aim at the nearest deer. The prey slept with its head low and body relaxed atop its four legs. When Jaden pulled the arrow back, it made a small noise as the line stretched and rubbed against the butt of his arrow. One of the bulls suddenly jerked up and peered into the forest toward him, but it was too late. Jaden held his breath and let the arrow fly. It sailed with an air splitting sound and hit his target. The target deer made an odd squeak of terror as the arrow penetrated its’ throat and it fell struggling onto its side. The male deer who had seen this made call that shattered the night’s still air and awoke all the deer. The sound was echoed a few times by the other sentries before all of the deer began to stampede in panic. Jaden grind with satisfaction at the single kill-shot he landed and doubted most archers could land one as well, but his arrogant thoughts and grin disappeared when the stampeding deer ran straight toward him. A few stumbled over their fallen comrade in panic, but they did not know where the attack had come from and hadn’t brains to determine what had occurred. They simply sprinted toward the nearest forest line, which was chosen by that reason to be Jaden’s firing spot.

As they crossed the dark threshold, Jaden jumped straight up into the trees and grabbed for the think limbs above him, pulling his body parallel to the ground and lifting his shaggy tail away from the deer’s path. Time seemed to slow incredibly as the Optime held himself flat to the limbs. His bandaged bicep and chest cried in agony from the incredible amount of strain it took to hold his weight to the trees in this position. The limbs groaned too, threatening to snap, and the only thought Jaden could muster was that of hope. He might not have gotten high enough to avoid all the deer.

A bull’s antler brushed right through his thick fur and caused Jaden to flinch. Another inch and it would have racked right into skin and muscle. Only about thirty seconds later, when the sound of hooves began to fade, Jaden finally let go of the trees and fell to the ground. He panted and stayed low for a second and processed just how close, yet again, his life had come to ending. After the shock subsided, he stood and walked into the clearing a little rattled. His deer lay dead in the grass having bled out since the time it was shot. Jaden crouched and drew his dagger. He used it to remove his arrow and began to harvest some of the meat, cutting it into long strips he could carry back to camp. His mouth watered as he did and couldn’t help but to sample the still warm venison as he sliced.

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