The Hunter's Game

Chapter 6 - Duty's call

Gideon expected the male deer to bolt the moment it spotted him, especially because he had the carcass of another deer clearly slung over his back. At least Gideon would have run, were he the one to confront a hunter who had just killed one of his own.

The buck did not bolt.

He cursed softly as its red eyes stared into his, unafraid and unhinged. Its breaths came in small white clouds, thanks to the chill of the forest. Gideon stared at it for a long moment before taking a slow step back, seeking silent retreat.

He really did not want to have this fight. Killing one was hard and exhausting enough. He wasn't sure he had it in him to kill a second.

His foot crunched on dry twig, letting out a snap that resounded on the trunks of trees around. The buck let out an angry snort in response. It lowered its head, pointing horns that could impale three men at the same time towards Gideon.

Then it charged.

With a curse, Gideon let the carcass slide off his shoulder, grabbing an axe from his side with a bloodstained hand. He pulled it free just before the buck reached him, giving him enough time to dive out of the way.

The beast thundered by, hooves tearing up dirt and leaves as it tore past Gideon, unable to stop. Gideon, though, landed in a roll, twisting to face the buck. Not waiting for it to turn to face him again, he charged it.

The buck had halfway turned when Gideon met it, axe first. The heavy weapon slammed into the side of the animal, and Gideon's momentum sent them both over the side of a small hill they stood on.

The two skid through the leaves, coming to a hard stop against the other at the base of a huge redwood tree. They lay dazed for several seconds, lungs heaving with effort.

The buck recovered first, twisting its heads to impale with its horns. Gideon barely caught its head in his hands, grunting with the effort to keep the horns from his face. He began losing the battle though, and slowly they turned toward him.

Suddenly, just as it seemed he could hold no longer, the muscles in the buck's neck spasmed, and it let out a bellow of pain. The action surprised Gideon and he nearly lost his grip on the head, hands slick from the blood of his last kill.

Fortunately, the buck was now attempting to flee, but Gideon's axe had snapped something important in its forelimb. It jerked violently, then slowed, head drooping. It took a few seconds for its struggles to cease.

Gideon let out a relieved breath, crawling backwards from the animal as he tried to figure out what had killed it and whether it could kill him too. The answer showed itself when he spotted a pair of arrows protruding from the buck's hide.

The leaves rustled as Dawn revealed herself from the shadows of a group of overhanging branches. She gave him a hard gaze, almost accusing.

Gideon was too exhausted to acknowledge it, and all he felt was relief that he might not have to carry the dead deer - unfortunately plural - back to camp.

"It would have killed you, had I not interfered." Dawn noted quietly as she reached the deer. She put her foot against it and yanked the two arrows out of it.

"Good thing you payed attention during archery classes, then." Gideon groused as he pushed to his feet, leaning against another redwood away from the dead buck to catch his breath.

"You need to pay more attention, Gideon," Dawn continued, not turning from the deer as she brought out a hunting knife and drew it across the its neck. "If you insist on hunting alone," She added.

"What I need is rest." Gideon answered irritatedly, stooping to pick up his axe. He wiped the sharp edge of blood on a patch of moss growing on a nearby boulder before replacing it on his hip with its twin. "Do the others know you're here?"