"Have you two ever had roasted hogs?" Zaxl asked with a toothy smile. I swear, his teeth were sharper than razors.
"No, because we can never afford it," I replied with a frown.
"We don't need money; we just need to hunt," Zaxl beamed.
"Err, have you seen the tusks on those things?" Jethro asked with wide eyes.
"Yeah, what about them? I've killed many hogs in my day," he boasted.
"Yeah, but you're like a hundred years old and had plenty of time to practice. How long do Draulters live anyway?" Jethro asked in a peeved tone.
"Six hundred or so years, the oldest known Draulter died at 837. His name was Groashix, and he was one of the founders of the Order of the Bronze Owl. How long do humans live for?" he asked Jethro curiously.
"Usually no more than seventy years, if you're a king. Serfs are lucky to make it to forty. Anyways, let's go find this pig," Jethro gestured forward.
"Follow me closely and do not stray," Zaxl warned. He began to creep, and I was astonished by how silent he became. He was no louder than a house mouse. We anxiously followed him for about twenty minutes before he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks, causing us to bump into him.
"Why'd you stop, fool?" Jethro asked, annoyed.
"I smell hog, that's why, moron," he countered.
"Why don't I don't smell it?" I asked, confused.
"Your smell isn't nearly as developed as mine. These are the benefits of having a forked tongue. Now, lie low and watch what I do next. May you learn from it."
We hid behind bushes and watched Zaxl eagerly. He straightened his back and made unusual noises, including grunts and confused-sounding oinks.
"Zaxl, what in the w-" I began asking before Jethro placed a hand over my mouth.
"Shut up and watch," Jethro hissed.
He continued making unusual sounds, and we noticed the sound of cloven hooves running toward us. The hog was ecstatic to hear the sounds and responded with squeals of joy.
Then, I heard it stop and let out a growl. It wasn't too thrilled about being deceived. The hog rushed toward us, and I felt my heart beating so rapidly that I thought it would stop completely. It charged towards Zaxl, and I heard the sound of clinking metal before everything went silent.
"Zaxl, are you okay?" I asked as I left the bushes. I quickly got the answer to my question when I saw him casually skinning the hog with a silver knife.
"Yeah, sorry, got a little distracted there," he replied sheepishly.
"That sounds like Jethro every second of the day," I jested. I felt a slap on the back of my head and turned around to a grinning Jethro.
"Revenge is a dish best served cold, but I think I'll take this one hot," Zaxl beamed.
YOU ARE READING
The Amethyst Flame
FantasyThe village of Colmer is devastated by a plague. Its only hope is two brothers divided by their beliefs in magic. When Jethro ventures into the depths of the forest to find a wizard who can heal the village, Arthur is forced to find his brother befo...
