In The Woods ➳ H.S.

☙ t w o

Even through those minor annoyances, I kept focused, arrow ready to launch at any given time.

After a few more moments, I spot my last mark, but unfortunately I was already drenched in sweat.

I glanced up, the sun having moved closer to the west, which told me I had only a couple of hours left to hunt before I had to start heading back. Best not to get caught out here at nightfall, of course.

I strongly regretted storming out of the house just to avoid Christian's speech on the illegality of my actions. I should have stayed and blocked him out as I gathered my usual supplies - which was usually water, another shawl, and a dull knife.

But I didn't, and now I was faced with the problem of staying hydrated under the heat.

Although the thick leaves in the forest blocked out the sunlight itself, the humid temperature of the area did not lessen one bit.

I walked around a little - even climbed up to a low hanging branch to try and see if there was anything I could shoot down.

Not every time that I go out to hunt was I able to get meat. Most of the time, I only got small things - and if none at all, I settled for picking fruits that I knew were safe.

I settled down for a while against a tree, arrow still nocked by the bow, and waited to see if anything neared me.

If nothing would show within a few moments, then I would get up and look for somewhere else to wait - and merely continue this cycle till I get something.

If I were to be honest to myself, this was just my subtle excuse for a rest.

My breathing was pretty heavy, and I could actually smell my own stench from the sweat that gathered up on my skin.

I was tired - not that that was unusual - and I honestly did not expect anything to turn up in the few seconds that I had sat down.

But that's what happened.

I immediately stood to my feet as quickly and soundlessly as I could - miraculously, I managed minimal sounds with my dress - and tried to even out my breaths. I stood with my back against the tree seeing as the sound of a snapped twig came from behind me.

My grip on my bow tightened as I silently turned to look around the tree, quite happy to have found something that we could eat when I got back.

But my high spirit soon slipped down and crashed as my eyes caught a sight of what had made the sound.

Their gray fur and arched backs made it obvious on what they were, and I didn't like how their tails were pointed high in aggression and their thin legs looked ready to pounce.

There's five of them. They all sniffed at the ground from the way I came from.

Wolves.

I had a lot of close encounters with them before.

Most of the time I was fortunate and was able to get away before they noticed me. But there was once a time where I wasn't as lucky.

The scar by my thigh was evidence of that night where three wolves chased me - one being lucky to bite my flesh, and made the task of climbing trees a lot harder. Despite the wound I succeeded in getting onto higher ground, and shot them down from there.

Oddly enough, I remembered that night because we feasted on a lot of meat rather than being bitten.

Nonetheless, I never liked wolves. And I always tried to avoid them as much as possible.

I slowly retracted back to behind the tree. I knew I couldn't possible stay here, as they would find me eventually, and I couldn't head back as they blocked my path.