The adrenaline that had coursed through Rayven's veins began to calm… It left behind a dull ache in his arms and some throbbing behind his eyes.
Obviously, he wasn't fit for any form of battle at all. Aside from learning how to trade or do some accounting, Rayven couldn't do anything.
'You should've at least trained your body a bit more…' Rayven complained.
As he thought of this, the scent of blood filled the surroundings… It was not a good sign as it clung to his nostrils like giving him a warning.
Even without beasts in sight, he could tell that there were movements within the forest. Predators would come with so much blood around!
He didn't have time to rest.
Rayven quickly moved around the wrecked wagons and the bodies around. Most of the items on the wagons were silk, papers, herbs, and jewelry.
However, what he needed right now was food… or maybe some money as well to survive. As long as he found a town or village nearby, he would be able to live.
As he checked a few bodies, he thought that he would actually stiffen since he wasn't used to be around dead bodies. However, it seemed that Rayven was used to it.
Anyway, it was wasteful to leave their things behind, so he hurried.
From the closest corpse, he retrieved a coin purse. He didn't have time to check how much it contained, but it was quite a lot. It could buy him food in a village… assuming he made it to one alive.
Next was a small leather pouch tied to the belt of a larger man. Inside were pieces of smoked jerky. They were still dry, edible, and with a scent that made his stomach grumble. He shoved a few into his mouth before pocketing the rest.
He also managed to gather a travel cloak. It was slightly torn at the edge, but usable. Then, there was worn water skin, still a third full.
'This is better than nothing…' Rayven mused as he found a belt knife. It seemed dull but serviceable.
As he was about to leave, he also found a flint and steel set, bundled in wax cloth. They were on the ground and were probably thrown during the battle that occurred here.
He then found a satchel and removed the worthless items inside to put his things there.
Lastly, he found a fitting right-hand glove with leather knuckles.
He was good to go…
That was all he could reasonably carry without slowing down. The rest, spare boots, rusted swords, heavy packs, were too much for his thin frame.
He also didn't have time to spare…
By the time he finished, it was already getting dark. It could become more dangerous just staying in this forest.
"No time to find a cave… no fire tonight…" he muttered as he adjusted the cloak over his shoulders.
He tried to run as far as he could, as he knew that it should only be about 20 kilometers before he could reach the end of the forest.
After a couple of hours of walking and sometimes running, he already felt exhausted… It was also getting harder and harder to move due to the darkness. Thankfully, he was already getting close to the outskirts of the forest, so he should be safer here.
Furthermore, he just found a tree with wide, low branches. It was climbable, sturdy, and with enough cover to shield him from above, even if it rained.
'Perfect…'
Rayven gritted his teeth as he climbed slowly. His arms protested with every pull, but he reached a secure crook where two thick branches met.
'I really need to work out…' He thought.
Still, he was only 14 years old, so he had a lot of room to grow…
He then settled in, wrapping the cloak tight around him. He was already tired. He could only hope that the night would pass safely…
Up here, he'd be harder to smell and harder to reach. He should be able to survive the night…
"Welcome to your new life, Rayven Holt…" He whispered into the wind…
He then let out a small, bitter laugh as he tried to sleep and relax his tired body.
***
Rayven woke up to the sound of chirping birds and the rustling leaves.
Because of his sleeping position, his neck ached, his back was sore, and he could even feel the dampness of dew clinging to his cloak.
But most importantly, he was alive…
He reached into his satchel, pulled out a strip of jerky, and chewed slowly while assessing the situation below him…
It seemed that because he was on the outskirts, there weren't any large animals around.
He then sipped what little remained from the water skin that was starting to get a bitter taste…
It was not the best drink, but it worked.
After stretching his arms, Rayven climbed down from the tree.
Then he pressed forward, following the road or the path his caravan had once taken.
Two hours later, he emerged from the forest's edge.
"Finally…"
The clear sunlight without any obstructions from the trees made him feel alive… The sight that greeted him also filled his chest with relief.
It was an open plains and a dirt road leading eastward.
It was the only main route heading toward Hesa, and as far as he could remember, the Holt Family had a merchant branch in that city.
"As long as I reach Hesa, I'll be fine," Rayven muttered as he adjusted the satchel on his shoulder.
"It's just twelve days away… by carriage."
He then laughed dryly at this realization. This would not be easy…