Once Brothers (Songs of War Fanfiction)

Chapter 3: Once Again (BEING REWRITTEN!!!)

Ingressus followed Blazien through the dark forest, being careful and mindful of where he put his feet. He was a little quieter this time, but still not as quiet as Blazien. Then again, Blazien was older and had more experience. As they walked through the forest, Ingressus could hear the sounds of birds waking up and could see smaller creatures scurrying up trees. The sky was partially brighter, but a few stars were still visible from a distance. As they walked, Ingressus could hear the sound of a stream up ahead. But the bushes and vegetation get too thick for the brothers to walk through.

Blazien took off the pack on his back and set it down beside one of the bushes. He crouches down, before laying on his stomach, then begins to crawl underneath them. Ingressus laid down on his stomach as well, only to get more cold from the snow. Even in his shivering cold discomfort, he follows Blazien under the bushes. Feeling the twigs and branches scratch away at his arms and legs. Thankfully, his stone sword offered some protection for his back.

Crawling deeper underneath the bushes, the sound of flowing water grew closer. Blazien stopped right on the ridge where the bushes thinned out, getting into a kneeling position. Ingressus struggled out of the bushes and knelt next to his brother. In front of him, Ingressus could see a large gurgling stream. The water near the center of the current flowed steadily, while ice froze the water near the shore.

Blazien kept his voice to a whisper as he spoke. "This is where I get most of our kills from. With streams getting frozen, animals have a harder time finding water. But this stream never freezes all the way, and animals like to come here before the light of dawn. Now, all we need to do is wait. And be sure to stay low, the animals will be able to see your markings."

Both of the brothers waited patiently, watching the sun slowly start to rise while shining its rays of light through the trees. More birds started chirping, while the animals of the forest around them woke up to begin their day. Ingressus began to doze off, feeling his tiredness creep back into his body from laying down. But the snow helped to numb the soreness of his muscles and keep him awake.

Suddenly, the two brothers hear rocks being moved ahead from the other side of the stream. Blazien crouched lower, taking his bow off his back and a single arrow silently out of his quiver. Both brothers waited patiently until a cow walked out from a cluster of bushes. It would maybe feed half the group, as skinny as it was, but it could last them a while if they rationed it right. Blazien nocked the arrow in place, and slowly drew his bow's string back. His eyes carefully aiming while the cow walked over to the stream and started to drink the freezing water greedily.

Blazien readies to release the arrow. But pauses, once more rocks are heard being moved... and a baby cow walks out of the bushes, walking down the small slope, stopping as it stood beside the adult. Ingressus anticipated when Blazien would fire the arrow... only he never does. Blazien just watches as the cow and the baby drink from the stream. Then they climb the rise and walk into the bushes, disappearing back the way they had come. Ingressus couldn't believe it! They had woken up early, wandered through the cold forest looking for animals to hunt. Only for them to find not one, but two animals. Instead of taking the shot, Blazien had let both go.

Putting the arrow back in his quiver, Blazien began crawling his way back through the vegetation. Ingressus looked towards the bushes where the cows had disappeared, then followed his brother. Once they got out from under the bushes, Blazien grabbed his pack and started walking down a different trail. Ingressus ran forward, catching up with him.

"What happened back there?" he asked. "From the way we fought those wolves yesterday, you didn't hesitate then. Why hesitate now? Why didn't you fire?"

Blazien didn't look at Ingressus while he continued walking through the snow but tries- nonetheless- to answer his brother's question. "I had a reason to not let my arrow fly. Yes, we are hunters, and the animals are the prey. But when those cows walked out, what did you see?"

"A bigger one and a smaller one?" Ingressus questioned.

Blazien nods. "That's right. A mother and a baby. Struggling to survive out here like we are. We'd be no better than the undead to kill them. Yes, surviving is important, but there comes a time when you have to think. If I had taken the shot and killed the adult, the baby would have no mother to care for it. It would be alone, and would surely die later... Life is not something to take carelessly."

"So we just let some animals go. Now, where are we going?" Ingressus asked curiously, stepping over a grounded tree branch while they continued walking down the trail.

"The other hunters and I have laid a trail of snares and other traps throughout the forest," Blazien said while ducking underneath a low hanging branch. "We make it routine to check them every day and reset them if an animal did fall into them. Come on."

Ingressus followed his brother down the trail, as the morning sun continued to rise.