Jack ducked as a tangling bunch of low branches flew towards his head, missing it closely. They were approaching the deepest part of the woods.The boughs hung low, growing closer and closer to the ground each time, and scratched his face with twigs and leaves.
"Whoa..." he said to Geal, who skidded to a halt obediently, her hooves sending the dry leaves flying into the air. The mare snorted as Jack dismounted with an agile jump and grasped the reins, leading her around the dense cluster of trees and frowning slightly. They had been going like this for days, and didn't seem to be getting anywhere. It wasn't sensible to stop and make a camp, because the half elf knew that there were assassins behind him, but his horse was tired, and so was he.
They continued like this for a while, till the morning sun was beginning to slip down towards the horizon. Then Jack decided to stop. Sitting on a fallen tree trunk, he let Geal graze as he pulled the last of provisions out of his bag.
"Not much left" he said to himself, shaking his head sadly. They remained in silence, the only thing interrupting the silence being the steady sound of pulled up grass and the crunching of the horse's jaws. There wasn't much water left, either. Jack rubbed his forehead and yawned with frustration, stroking the home- made bow he had. It wasn't much, only a stick with a string tied on, and it didn't have the best aim, but he could hunt something. He stood up silently before tying the mare to an overhanging branch and walking into the woods, his feet making hardly any noise on the fallen leaves.
It wasn't long before the stealthy hunter arrived at a clearing, and caught a glimpse of a herd of deer. They grazed peacefully, not noticing the silent figure hiding behind a thick tree. Jack felt sorry for the animals. They were beautiful, and he didn't enjoy killing them, but he would need meat, skin and other useful things that they could provide. Pulling an arrow out of his quiver, the half elf aimed, his gaze sweeping over each one of them. At last, his dark eyes fixed on a female deer whose leg was bleeding badly. If his shot didn't hit target, she would be the easiest to round up.
Jack narrowed his eyes and released the bowstring with a twang. The herd panicked and ran back towards the trees, leaving the poor doe to her fate. She squealed one more time as the third arrow hit her flank, and fell over. The hunter walked into the clearing, inspecting his prey. It was dead, so he pulled the arrows out, cleaning them on the long grass, and put them back in his quiver. Then, he picked the deer up and hung it over his shoulder as he walked back to the clearing where his horse awaited. He left the meat on the ground and handled his knife, cutting the skin off with care and then putting the chunks of meat in his bag
"Whoa..." he said to Geal, who skidded to a halt obediently, her hooves sending the dry leaves flying into the air. The mare snorted as Jack dismounted with an agile jump and grasped the reins, leading her around the dense cluster of trees and frowning slightly. They had been going like this for days, and didn't seem to be getting anywhere. It wasn't sensible to stop and make a camp, because the half elf knew that there were assassins behind him, but his horse was tired, and so was he.
They continued like this for a while, till the morning sun was beginning to slip down towards the horizon. Then Jack decided to stop. Sitting on a fallen tree trunk, he let Geal graze as he pulled the last of provisions out of his bag.
"Not much left" he said to himself, shaking his head sadly. They remained in silence, the only thing interrupting the silence being the steady sound of pulled up grass and the crunching of the horse's jaws. There wasn't much water left, either. Jack rubbed his forehead and yawned with frustration, stroking the home- made bow he had. It wasn't much, only a stick with a string tied on, and it didn't have the best aim, but he could hunt something. He stood up silently before tying the mare to an overhanging branch and walking into the woods, his feet making hardly any noise on the fallen leaves.
It wasn't long before the stealthy hunter arrived at a clearing, and caught a glimpse of a herd of deer. They grazed peacefully, not noticing the silent figure hiding behind a thick tree. Jack felt sorry for the animals. They were beautiful, and he didn't enjoy killing them, but he would need meat, skin and other useful things that they could provide. Pulling an arrow out of his quiver, the half elf aimed, his gaze sweeping over each one of them. At last, his dark eyes fixed on a female deer whose leg was bleeding badly. If his shot didn't hit target, she would be the easiest to round up.
Jack narrowed his eyes and released the bowstring with a twang. The herd panicked and ran back towards the trees, leaving the poor doe to her fate. She squealed one more time as the third arrow hit her flank, and fell over. The hunter walked into the clearing, inspecting his prey. It was dead, so he pulled the arrows out, cleaning them on the long grass, and put them back in his quiver. Then, he picked the deer up and hung it over his shoulder as he walked back to the clearing where his horse awaited. He left the meat on the ground and handled his knife, cutting the skin off with care and then putting the chunks of meat in his bag
))
