With a light kick on your foot you wake up, now it is your time to patrol. Getting up and feeling somewhat awake you grab your bow and quiver and then approach Erwin, who was checking around the camp one last time whilst you were getting ready, once you come close he points at your bow:
- Say pal.... When I wake up, I won't have been beast's dinner, right?
- Haha, this bow has proven countless times to be enough to down any animal, it won't be today that It will fail me.
- Well... Good thing I ate a lot today, at least I won't die with an empty stomach haha.
He jokes moving to his sleeping bag. Without wasting any time you begin a short walk around the camp paying great attention to possible scape routes should the beast show up, noticing that near the shores of the pond seems to be a good advantage point you sit down on a rock placing your lantern beside you.
Time flies and beyond the singing of cicadas and the weird sounds of frogs the forest is completely mute, so mute that you begin to drift off. Without clouds or moon, the infinite blue canvas has only the stars to light itself, observing the constellations you brain reminds you about a night from a long time ago in which you and Irene went for a dinner at her family's country side house, after the meal as everybody was on the porch talking you and Irene snook away to the fields.
There laying on the green grass and watching the stars, she told you the stories behind each and every constellation, and even about the stars, you could not understand how a bunch of dots in the sky formed the shapes she described but the way her eyes shined brightly and the enthusiasm in which she spoke were enough to make even the most uninterested person to stop and listen to her.
Amongst all of the constellations her favourite is the one of Kynigós which is located near the ones of Gemini and Taurus, not only this is a very easy one to find but also has many stories behind it, some about a hunter that sworn to hunt all of the animal on the earth and because of that was cursed by the gods to be hunted by a giant scorpion in the skies for eternity, others about how this very same hunter had his soul immortalized amongst the stars as this constellation by the Cloud Gatherer, a rather tragic choice for a favourite constellation but the reason why Irene likes is so much is because it reminds her of you, she said that every time you would go hunting and would take long to return she could always look at the skies at night and know that just like the hunter of the legends, you are brave and audacious and that even if a giant scorpion was to hunt you, you would shift the tides and take it down instead, then would always come back home, she even joked that you wouldn't even need weapons if you were to only use your head, quite literary given how hard headed you are.
Still looking at the starts you laugh, it's not because of the war against the Golden Empire, it's not because of what happened at your return to Sialav nor it's because you traded the bow for the sickle, the reason why you can't hunt as you used to any more is because of Irene and your son, you fear to be badly wounded or even die on this campaign knowing that it will bring them great sorrow, your anxiety isn't for the glory and fame of killing the beast but for guaranteeing the safety of those you love.
Lost in thoughts you completely forget about your surroundings until the sound of leaves and sticks being stepped on caches you by surprise.
- I want to laugh too chéri.
It's Diana, whilst you lower your bow she continues to come closer:
- It has been a while since you started patrol, I decided to come to check if everything is alright.
- Everything is ok, I just got distracted.
You respond storing the arrow back on your quiver. Diana laughs:
- Last time we were together you didn't used to get distracted...
- Yes.... Well, all of this time working as a farmer made me rusty.
- Haha, even my mother lies better than you and she's the sincere kind, a little too sincere really.
- You're worried about your family... Can't blame you, with all that has been going on even I am beginning to wonder if it's not time to go back home already.
- Wow, never tough I'd hear you say that... And what about the whole project of writing your name down in history? You know, the Lady of San-Eorl didn't gave up so easily... (You jest).
- Yes, and how she ended up?! With her head rolling on the ground. If someone strong as her had such a fate, I can only imagine what's going to be mine...
- Don't say that... You don't have to en...
Whilst speaking with Diana, looking over her shoulder you see, amongst the vegetation behind her, two shining yellow dots almost unnoticeable, presenting themselves as eyes they come closer speedily along with an angry growl. In a movement of pure instinct you push Diana away from the attack at your own coast, being almost crushed on the ground by the weight of the beast you desperately draw your knife and, with it's teeth about to pierce your jugular, you start stabbing the beast frenetically causing it to stand up on two legs and roar ferociously, following the sound of gunshots you roll to the side grabbing your bow and getting up away from the beast, it turns to Diana and with a single attack of its claws it disarms her, firing arrow after arrow attracting the beast's attention you shout:
- Diana, I'll distract the beast! Run, wake Erwin up!
Running swiftly, Diana heads towards the camp dispersing the beast's attention, however, with a few clean shots it becomes obvious to you that this is a terrible plan.
Never have your legs ever ran as fast as they do now, with the beast chasing and coming closer the sensation that you could trip about any moment now increases exponentially, luring the beast away from the camp the almost absolute darkness amongst the trees makes you wish for the lantern you've forgot back at the pond , yet on the bright side, the ever more numerous tree trunks make it difficult for the beast to advance, suddenly the ground below your feet disappears and the world seems to surround and hit you from every direction, on this exact moment a shadow flies over you and lands at the foot of the hill you're rolling down, with extreme effort you manage to change your trajectory dodging it and, almost immediately getting up, resuming running. Ignoring the pain that spreads throughout your body, you begin to notice the lack of “obstacles” that can possibly slow the beast down, therefore you turn north where the ground is steeper, with each second the sound of the beast's footsteps become closer and closer, once again you turn right entering a dense snippet of trees, finally the beast begins to lag behind.
Reaching the top of the hill, your lungs feel as if they're about to explode, still running you find a large rock which you can use as cover whilst regaining your breath, there crouched you silently try to determine the location of the camp, controlling your breathing the sound of movement nearby becomes noticeable, with heavy breathing and strong steps the beast seems to come closer without much idea of where you are, it begins to sniff the air over the rock you're hiding behind. A piercing silence suddenly begins as if the beast had vanished until extremely odd sounds echo from somewhere quite near you, bloodied broken arrows fall on the ground before you causing goosebumps to run up your spine, you look up and find the beast over the rock staring at you and growling as if it's about to attack, quickly drawing your knife again you strike a cut across its face staggering it and giving you an opportunity to resume running.
Angry growls make their way closer and closer completely distracting you from the tree branches on your way, running blindly without being sure if this is the right way you see a dot of light at the distance.
- Could this be the camp? Or would it be Diana and Erwin?
Hurrying even your thoughts you speed towards the light with the beast about only a meter or two behind, upon seeing the two silhouettes you scream:
- Shoot! Shoot!
Throwing yourself on the ground and sliding to between the two figures, bullets fly over you and hit the beast splashing blood everywhere, swiftly it hides in the darkness amongst the trees, Diana hands you your bag and whilst still cautious of the beast says:
- For the love of The Nameless God, tell me you brought a gun!
Without wasting even a single second you draw from your bag a body of a bow, strings and a quiver with some arrows. The beast begins circling you three amongst the shadows, Erwin and Diana open fire whilst you assemble your bow, at the exact moment they run out of ammo you take an arrow from the quiver and draw it back, staring at the darkness trying to find the beast whilst the other two reload their guns, your attention is drawn to the low sound of steps echoing from between the trees, they seem to be slowing down, when, the clouds on the sky move allowing for the light of the stars to reflect on the eyes of the beast giving you its location, quickly you let go of the bow string shooting the arrow and hitting the beast between the shoulder and neck whilst it charges, Erwin and Diana fire again but, covering its face with one arm, the beast continues charging at your direction nearly crushing you against a tree, luckily you kick it on the knee, causing it to hesitate and merely launch you away, upon trying to get up an acute pain fills your right lung and the air becomes scarce, the beast notices your weakness and gets up to strike the finishing blow but Erwin unexpectedly run and hits the beast on the head with a lantern breaking it and soaking the beast with flaming oil, roaring in agony and anger it runs away abruptly.
Diana, noticing your conditions and helping you get up, says:
- Erwin help me, Orion is hurt!
However you protest:
- No! We need to chase the beast, we're close to capturing it.
- Listen pal, I don't think that's a good idea. (Erwin says).
Standing up, you persist confidently. Diana and Erwin look at each other with worry until you begin following the track of burnt leafs.
- Hold on! It's better that you have a gun then... (Ewing hands you one of his revolvers).
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