Shadows in the Night

Jaden Ohanzee · 03-10-2011, 05:01 PM

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Date: March 10, 2011

Setting: Eternal Eclipes

Time: Between 9:00pm and midnight

Character Form: Optime

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I hope you don’t mind, but I reused the idea for this first post. When I used it last, my posting partner just kind of disapered…

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 meeting Lilaina earlier today, Jaden had picked up the scent of the spooked deer. Whatever scared them caused them to run for hours before hitting the sea and continuing up the coast, dangerously close to pack territory. When they had finally stopped a little less than an hour and 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 once he cleared the seaweed and other debris away. After the fire was started with some dry ponderosa pine trees he found, Jaden used his trusty iron bowl, which had dings from being dropped many times in the time Jaden had had it to start some sea water boiling. After that, the camp was complete and the dark Optime disappeared into the night. He felt odd without his heavy satchel on his back to weigh him down. The lack of weight would make his stealth easier. 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 deer came into sight again, 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, melting into the forest until the herd came into view.

The deer stood close together and were silent. Only a few bulls stirred, lifting their heads to look around and watch the darkness for danger. When they did, the predator stalking them would become still, his black and dark red-dyed 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 the short bow nestled in a leather quiver on his back with five arrows.

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 and white moon light. Once this point was reached, he carefully drew his short bow 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 with a wet thud. 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 that watched this happen sounded a 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 didn’t 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 arms burned with the sudden strain it took to hold his 275 pound body 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 back fur and caused Jaden to flinch. Another inch and it would have racked right into muscle and bone. 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 rolled in mid air and landed on one knee, but didn’t rise automatically. His breathing was labored and his limbs shook as he realized just how close he had come, yet again, to meeting his end. What a stupid mistake. He cursed himself as he stood and shook his now overheated body to feel the cool air of the night on his skin. With gentle hands, he felt his bare lower back for injuries but found only a little scrap that was barely bleeding. Luckily the antlers of the deer had not impaled him and only left a small scratch. He sighed and wondered if the kill laying in the field ahead of him was worth the price he had almost paid.

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