2 days later
Hell, where did I put it?
In his room, Gideon is looking for something he have to find... rather quck.
"GIDEONN!" A man's scream ehoed across the bulding.
"JUST A MOMENT!...HERE!
Looking under the bed, he took out a bow.
Made of the maple tree, brown handle, rather simple bulid. Gideon put the bow on his back and dashed in the direction of the man's voice.
"I'm ready grandpa Sauros!"
"Good. Now, GET ON YOUR HORSE! We don't have a whole day to wait for you boy!"
"Yes!" The boy quickly jumped on his horse.
The saddle already has the quiver full of arrows with white feathers and on the other side, a metal sword in a black sheath.
There is also a sleeping bag on the back of the saddle.
"Let's go Grandpa!"
"Finaly...WE ARE MOVING LADS!" Sauros said to the two of his men nearby, who are ending their preparations for a hunt.
Moving out of the city Gideon is riding next to the Sauros.
Behind them are riding Patrick and Daniel.
They are Intermediate lvl in all styles of Swordmaship.
"What are we hunting for Grandpa?"
"I don't have any favorites today, so baisicly anything."
"I would eat a rabbit, they are delicious!"
"Hah! If you hunt one ofcourse! This bastards are very skittish and the snow under your legs is making it difficult to come closer."
"Don't worry Grandpa, I am an expert in hunting, you know that."
Sudenly a laugh exploded in the group at the words of the boy.
"Hey! What's so funny?!" The boy barked out.
"HAHAHA, EXPERT? That was hella funny brat! You think that hunting an old deer makes you an expert? HAHA!"
"Yeah, the deer would have colapsed on his own in a day or two anyway, Lord Sauros."
One of their companions remarked.
"You see Gideon? Even Patrick knows it and he isn't an expert at all, 1:0 to me."
"Hm! Skitty Patrick would say anything to get a plus from you, so it's still draw."
Patrick is a rather average high men in his late twenties with blond, short hair and fair body.
"That's not true, you chicky brat!"
"Altright, alright, let's just focus on searching of that rabbit, I'm sooo hungry." Gideon said holding his growling stomach.
"If somone would pack his things yestarday, we would be already lighting up a fireplace and putting tents up."
"I didn't had time for that, I was busy with putting your son in his place." The boy said clearly satisfied, with lifted chin and pridefull smile.
"Right, can you tell me what was the meaning of this? I thought you guys were friends and my boy has returned home with bruised face."
"Well, after I told him I"m going to the Water God style dojo, he insulted me that a fraud like me can't handle it, so I tell him the only fraud I see is speaking nonsence right infront of my face. And after that we were argueing a bit longer and he wanted to punch, but like I said earlier, he was a fraud, so I win." He said with a usual smile on his face, not carrying about that he is talking to a father of this boy at all.
"But hey, everything came out fine."
"How is that so?"
"He apologized to me and I accepted. So we are still friends."
....
"Alright! We are camping here!" Sauros declared, standing on the small field in the middle of the forest, not so far off the Buena Village.
Gideon took out his bow, took few arrows and reatached his sword to his waist, ready to go hunt.
"Hey! Don't go too far from here Gideon!" Daniel shouted from distance as he was about to cut the tree down.
"Yeah, don't worry I'm just gonna check if there are any tracks of animals nearby"
The air in the forest is so fresh and pleasant and this damn wind finally let go, I thought I'll freeze while riding here. Ohh?
Gideon bent over on one knee to check something in the snow.
There are traces of something over here.
Deer? No, the prints are too big for a deer, something bigger, but not a boar...
Moose! I'm lucky! Thre traces look quite fresh, an hour atmost. I will go check if he is nearby.
As Gideon is moving along the tracks he is very excited to hunt such a massive animal on his own, It would be a huge test of his skills.
Dammit, he went into this stream.
He swiftly jumped on the rock stiking out of the water and in no time was already at the opposite side of the stream.
Hah? There is no tracks over here. He must have go further in the water , I will go check if he getted out nearby.
After about 50 meters.
Yes! There are tracks again!
...
"PATRIIICK!"
"Yes, Master Sauros?"
"Where is my Grandson!"
"He should have been nearby, he said that he will look around for any traces of animals."
"Go find him, it's already getting dark, we will eat our dry provisions and hunt in the morning!"
"As you wish, sir"
Patrick took his sword with him and went to the boy's last location.
Where the hell did you go brat. There are tracks, small boot size, it has to be him.
....
After about 100 more meters Gideon stopped moving as he spot him. Giant Moose, the biggest he have ever seen, probably around 700kg.
Shit, this is a big boy, I'm not sure I can kill him with only few arrows, but I don't have any spears, I have to aim in his lungs so he would bleed out, well here comes nothing.
He grabbed his bow a took out an arrow.
I will try to come a bit closer.
The animal is turned by its side to the boy, eating the tree bark, suddenly..
"SCRATCH"
The stick under his boot made a sound.
DAMN! I have to shoot now!
"SWISHHH"
The sound of the arrow cutting the wind was heard and the moose runned away.
But something went terribly wrong.
Gideons arrow missed the moose mere centimeters above him.
The sound of his arrow hitting a tree was heard
But the sound of an arrow cutting into flesh was also...
"GAHH!"
Gideon has been knocked back by the force of the hit and fell on his back.
The bolt from the cross-bow penetrated his winter jacket and is stuck in his abdomen, the metalic taste of blood fills his mouth.
"GIDEONN!!" Patrick is running towards him with the sword in his hand.
The other footsteps are rapidly approaching towards him, from the same direction the shoot camefroom.
"DON'T COME ANY CLOSER, OR I WILL KILL YOU RIGHT HERE!" Patrick let out a warning.
A person who was approaching stopped. It was a tall men with a crossbow on his back in a grey coat with a hood.
"Alright, alright! It was an accident! I didn't mean to shoot this boy! I am sorry!"
He put off his hood, revealing light blond hair, red eyes and panicked expression.
"STAY WHERE YOU ARE" Patrick shouted and came closer to the Gidoen, who already have blood comming out of his mouth, still observing the man
"Don't move Gideon! It will be okay, I swear!"
He take off his jacket and tied it around his wound, stiffening the bolt in the boys body.
"I know a healer living about an hour on foot from here. I will guide you there! It's not to late yet!"
Patrick looked at the stranger with trobuled expression.
Fuck, I can't trust him, he just shooted Gideon, it might be a trap to end me too!
But if that's true the boy will live... if we hurry up and if he die, I might me the next one.
SHIT! THERE IS NO TIME FOR THINKING!
"Leed the way, FAST!"