~8~

Hinto began to rise as he heard the playful singing of the birds. The sun had yet to peer over the horizon and Alo was still fast asleep. The fire had reduced to a smolder when Hinto piled a mound of snow over it, completely extinguishing the remaining flames. He walked over to Alo and sat down next to him. He gently ran his fingers through the dark fur atop Alo’s head. Alo’s eyes immediately opened as he jolted awake.
“Hinto, what are you doing?!”
“I was simply waking you.”
“Wake me?” Alo said looking around. “But, the sun hasn’t risen.”
“No, not yet, but the birds have. We need to go and find that buck.”
Alo began to break the ice from between his fingers and toes. He then reached for his empty quiver along with his bow and began to follow the tracks once more. Hinto gathered his things and soon followed.
The trek was quiet until Hinto let out a large yawn, scaring off the birds perched in the trees. Alo stopped and looked back at him.
“Are you trying to scare the animals away?”
Hinto scratched his stomach and looked around.
“I’m sorry Alo, I’m afraid I’m not an early riser.” He said rubbing his still tired eyes. “But, to be completely honest, there aren’t too many animals to scare off. I haven’t seen a single rabbit, or fox, and something has been bothering me…can I tell you what it is?”
“Just say it, Hinto.”
“Don’t you find it odd that our buck was completely alone? He didn’t have a single doe with him, and his tracks are the only ones in the snow besides our own.”
Alo shook his head and quietly laughed.
“Yes Hinto, I do find it odd, but I told you that before we set out. Animals have been disappearing, but no one took the time to listen to me. They simply blamed me for being an awful hunter or a drunk.”
“Well,” Hinto said as he yawned. “You are definitely a fine hunter, but you aren’t very good at holding your liquor.”
“Yes, I can.”
“You got completely drunk and hungover after a single jar of alcohol. And don’t forget that I had to clean up your mess a few days ago.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Oh, you must not remember. You were vomiting all over yourself and those fur blankets; I had to clean you up.”
“That can’t be true.”
“I speak the truth, your blankets didn’t change themselves. You were so thankful, and sorry too.”
“Hinto, I would never let you do that to me.”
“Well you did, and you ate a whole bowl of soup. I had to feed to you.”
“Enough Hinto, it’s too early for jokes or stupid tricks.”
Hinto let out a sigh and continued to follow him. He thought that it may be best to get him drunk again, at least he would be a bit more appreciative.
Alo motioned his paw, telling Hinto to stay quiet. Hinto took out his crossbow and peered down to the other end of the clearing. The buck stood, grazing in the snow covered grass. Alo closed his eyes as he unracked his bow. “
“No wind.” He thought.
Alo reached for his arrows, but was reminded that he had lost them the night prior. He looked back to Hinto.
“Lend me an arrow Hinto.” Alo whispered.
“No, it would make too much noise to unload them.”
Alo looked confused, but began to noticed that Hinto didn’t bare a quiver on his back.
“Hinto, where are all of your arrows?”
“In here.” Hinto said tapping at his silver cross-bow. “The revolving barrel is carrying-”
“I don’t need to know how it works right now, just take the shot before it runs off or the wind kicks up behind us.”
Hinto stood on one knee and began to aim. He took long, deep breaths and shut his right eye. The moments began to stretch, making Alo impatient.
“Why aren’t you shooting, it’s right in front of you, take the shot.”
“It isn’t a good angle, I won’t be able to kill it. Now let me focus.”
Hinto bit his bottom lip and let out a whistle. The buck immediately turned his head to face them. Hinto shot, firing three arrows. Before the buck was able to process the situation and flee, the arrows were already lodged into its skull. The buck let out no cry, simply collapsing into the frigid snow.
Alo began to make his way to the corpse, and saw it laying still, pooling in its blood.
“Well, that is one way to kill a buck, right Alo?” Hinto said slapping Alo on the back.
“Get your arrows.” Alo responded as he pulled his arrow from the carcass.
“That was pretty cool wasn’t it?”
“I was impressed, I admit, but I’m more interested in that bow of yours than anything else. It carries your arrows and it can fire three shots at a time?.”
Yes, it was given to me by my teacher, back home. It was a final goodbye gift in a way,” he said as he finished freeing his arrows, “would you like to see how it works?”
“Later, we have a job to do.”
“Don’t worry it won’t take long; it is quite simple.”
Hinto began to show Alo all of the mechanisms of his crossbow. Though Alo was slow to listen, he soon found himself absorbed in its engineering and capacity for killing.
“Maybe we can get you one as well, I do owe you at least that for the arrows.”
“Maybe…no, I should stick to what I’m used to.”
“Why not? Hunters need to stay up to date with equipment.”
“I know, but it looks expensive, and-”
Alo averted his attention to the buck, that now squirmed and twitched. He pointed at it silently. Hinto looked confused as it began to wail, and kick its legs.
“How? It was dead just a moment ago.” Hinto said taking a step back.
The ground began to shake, the birds shot into the air and flew in strange formations. Alo and Hinto looked around, their adrenaline beginning to serge into their blood. The sound of cracking emanated from the woods as trees were snapped in half. A creature, pale and gargantuan pushed into the clearing, only stopping once it noticed Alo and Hinto. The world became mute, and the air tense, the only sounds being that of the wailing buck.
“Alo…we need to run…” Hinto said slowly stepping away.
Alo stood frozen in his place.
“We need that buck Hinto, the towns people can’t survive much longer without it.”
“Alo…look at this creature, we can’t kill that. This hunt is over. We need to get back. Now.”
The creature leaned down and glared at the buck. The corpse began to rise to its hooves and let out another cry. The large beast moved its black eyes back to Alo and Hinto as it inched closer. Each step made the ground shake. The buck ran to its side, its face now beginning to scar over the wounds.
Hinto reached for Alo’s hand and began to pull him across the clearing.
“Move Alo!”
Alo snapped back to reality and began to run with Hinto away from the beast. The creature let out a roar that shook Alo to his core and made Hinto’s skin crawl. The two continued to run, carried by their fear and primitive will to live. They reached to other side of the clearing, fleeing into the thick woods. Hinto then fell to his knees, gasping for air. Alo stopped next to him and fell onto his back, staring through the treetops.
“How did…what was-” Alo stuttered.
“I don’t know!” Hinto shouted, still shaken from the ordeal. “I’m sorry, I just don’t know, I’ve never seen anything like that before.”
“But…the buck…it was dead, I know it was dead.” Alo whispered.
The sun began to rise and shine between the leaves.
“We need to return to the village and tell the chief. Maybe that…thing is responsible for the wild life vanishing.” Hinto said as he began to calm down and catch his breath.
“They won’t believe us, Hinto. Well, they won’t believe me.”
“They may not believe you, but she will listen to me, she has to. Come on, we need to get to civilization, it isn’t safe out here.”
“Ok,” Alo said as he began to stand. “But where are we?”
“Don’t worry; I have a map.”
Hinto reached into his pocket then unfolded a map; examining it closely. He located the clearing they were in, then looked to the shadows to see which direction the sun had risen.
“Alright Alo, we are a bit far from the town, but we are close to another. If we hurry we can get there before dusk.”
“Ok Hinto, lead the way.”
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