The butler told me the day before when the hunting team was setting out. It was going to be early morning so I made sure to get enough sleep beforehand. 

Instead of my usual attire, a white and gold uniform to signal my status as prince, I put on rugged hunting gear. I grabbed a small bow that I’d been using since I was young and a quiver of arrows and met the hunting group near the forest. 

The group greeted me with “good day, your highness” and “lovely weather this morning, your highness.” I greeted them back with a smile and we set off. 

“I heard you wanted fresh deer meat, your highness,” the head of the hunting team said. 

“Yes, well, I was hoping I could have a lot of deer meat? I’d like to save some for later too.” 

“Of course. You’re quite the carnivore now, aren’t you? I bet your father would be proud!” He laughed while I bit my tongue. I couldn’t let him know I wanted the meat for a cougar. He’d think I was crazy for wanting to feed a predator. 

As we quietly walked through the forest, looking for signs of life, we visited a popular drinking spot. It was a slow-moving river that trailed through the forest. The sun shone through the leaves of the trees and we all spotted a deer leaning down for a drink. We all hid and made sure not to make any sound. 

The leader of the hunting team gestured with a smile, telling me to take the first shot. I quickly shook my head and put my hands up. I’m an amateur at best with a bow. There’s no way I can take the deer down! Sure I came with them and even brought a weapon, but it was mainly for show. I didn’t actually want to be the one to kill the deer. 

He continued gesturing and urging me on. I looked around at the other team members and they all smiled and gestured as well. I couldn’t help thinking that we were all going to regret this… Or I most of all would… But I had to try in front of all the eyes watching me. 

I carefully and quietly nocked an arrow and aimed it at the deer. I remembered what my father told me about aiming at its side, where the heart and lungs were. “Don’t let it suffer,” he had said. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath in and slowly let it out. I opened one eye and aimed at the spot my father showed me. Then I took my shot. 

The deer must have sensed us or heard my bow creak because it perked up and began to bound away through the trees. My arrow missed and lodged itself in the ground beside the river. 

I sighed in relief at first. Then I anxiously glanced around at the hunting team but they all gave me enthusiastic thumbs up and quiet words of encouragement. 

“It would have hit if the deer didn’t get spooked!” the team leader said. 

I couldn’t believe his words because I had no faith that the arrow would land. I’m glad it didn’t. If I had managed to miss its vitals, I didn’t want to have to deal with the consequences and cause it to suffer. 

The team leader sent a few members off to see if they could track down that deer or anything else. The rest of us moved elsewhere to look for other animals. One of the members got a rabbit and I had to look away just as the arrow lodged itself in its body. I couldn’t help thinking about my rabbit at home. I shouldn’t have come on this hunt… 

Our luck turned around when we found another deer. The team leader asked if I wanted to try again. I quickly shook my head and thankfully he didn’t push again. I watched as he expertly drew his bow, quiet and careful. Then with barely any hesitation, he shot at the deer and the arrow hit its mark. 

The small hunt was a success. The members who went to track down the deer that ran away found a different deer that was easier to take down. We got a few rabbits on top of the two deer as well. I smiled with the team as we walked back to the palace but tried not to look at the dead animals they carried. 

The kitchen said they’d prep one of the deer for me to use its meat when I wanted. I thanked them and set off for my room. As soon as I closed the door behind me, I ran for the rabbit’s cage and threw the door open. I took him in my arms and held him tightly, trying to erase the memories of the rabbits on the hunt. 

The rabbit endured my love attack for a moment before starting to kick me so I’d let him go. I let him down and he began to hop away. I sat for a long time watching him hop around and enjoy himself with the toys I got for him.