Angelsson

Chapter I

"Another day, another dollar." I said, as I picked up my newly killed buck.

It was a large buck, maybe 350 pounds. It had strong antlers, and a nice hide. It probably had good muscles, because it took me a few days to actually get in down, and dead. The antlers where what made me hunt it. The antlers were probably half my height, and would prove good for whistles and arrow heads.

I shook my head, trying to come up with a way to drag it all the way back to the nearest town, Eqvahall. Although, I couldn't think of the antlers until I got a good place to camp. Anyways, the town was maybe ten miles away, which would have been ok if it wasn't for the fact that there was a river between me and it.

I dragged the buck behind me as I looked for a tree to put it in, and to make camp. The woods were eerie, and dark, but I didn't mind. The trees were large things that seemed to be watching over your every move. There also was the sounds. The owls, rats, and the occasional wild horse running past. I always wanted to catch a horse to ride, but it would be hard to keep it.

Then, the idea struck me. I don't think a horse could hold a buck on its back, but it could pull it along. I would need to create a sled of some sort, which would be quite painstaking, but it would definitely be worth it. But how would I catch a horse...

I jumped to the side, pulling the buck with me, as a horse ran by. I got up, and looked around.

It was gone.

I shook my head, and continued pulling my buck with me. I spotted a tree, not too large, with towering branches. There was dead sticks and twigs all round it, so it would prove to be a good campsite. I dragged the buck with me to the tree, then I started to climb it.

When I got to a branch fairly high, I began to jump on it. The branch stayed true.

I nodded, then started to descend from the tree. I took some rope from my belt, and tied a rock to the end of it. I put my foot on the end that had no rock, and I started to swing the rope around to gain momentum. When the rope felt like it was going to break, I let it fly.

It sailed over to the branch that I aimed it at, and then fell over the branch. The string then became tight when the end with the rock looped around the branch. I let go of the string, and looked around.

Nothing.

I nodded, then pulled the string to see if it could hold me. It stayed true.

I started to climb the rope. It was a normal thing for me, because I have had to do this multiple times when I am escaping from a mob of guards. Anyways, when I got to the top, I untied the rope from the branch. I then took the rock off the one end. Then, I dropped the rock. I had no need for it at the moment.

I took out another rope, and tied it to the first rope. I then dropped the other side of the rope, so that the rope looks like it starts from the ground, goes over the branch, then comes back down the ground. I then got another rope, tied it to the branch above me, and then tied it to the dangling rope. When it looked like my work was done, I descended the tree.

I tied the buck to the rope, and began to pull the buck up the tree. The buck proved to be heavy, but I had a pulley system to make it virtually light. I stopped when the buck got to the branch. I tied the rope to the tree, then I sat down, and began to plan how to catch the horse and create the sleigh.

When the sun began to come down, I started to make my fire. Finding the correct kindling was easy, but the tinder was a little hard. There was no pine trees for miles, and I couldn't find a mouse nest. I resorted to a cap that I stole a few days back from a clothes line.

It was a cotton cap, so it lit easily. I got out some jerky that I had stored from a previous hunt, and began to eat it. It was tender, and since I put a little spice on it before I started smoking it, the meat had a nice tang to it. It also had a smoky taste, which made it even better tasting.

As I finished my jerky, I took out my arrows. They were regular arrows, with obsidian and antler arrow heads, and the shafts were made of bamboo, cherry, and oak. The feathers were those of sparrows and hawks, with the occasional owl. They were all strong, and they all flew true.

I also took out my wet stone. The arrows as it seemed were a little dull, because I could hear the arrow as it went into the buck this morning. I started to hone the arrows to that when you touched them, they would cut you.

When the arrows were sharpened, I took out my sword. It was a black sword, not very long, but not too short. The handle had deer hide wrapped around it, with a wax covering. The blade was made of an odd mix of obsidian and iron. It proved to be strong, but since there is no cross guard, it was dangerous to have a blade come down the side. In response to that, I trained myself to avoid those kinds of things.

I started to hone my blade when I heard a snap. I sprang up, and got into a defensive position.

"Who's there?" I yelled into the darkness.

Silence

"Hey! Who's there?" I yelled again.

Again, silence.

I didn't get down until I was sure nothing was there. I started to hone my blade, but I kept my eye out and kept my ears open. Nothing happened though. I was puzzled by this until I had to go to sleep. I stomped out the fire until it was just ashes and small specs of glowing embers. I then leaned against a tree, with my blade in my lap.

Slowly, and steadily, I went to sleep.