Caught by a Hunter

Chapter 3

Alderoth woke up when he heard knocking coming from the door. He groaned a bit, not feeling like wanting to wake up just yet but then Tau jumped over him, barking excitedly as it got to the door. Alderoth sighed and he pushed himself up in a sitting position, looking around. It was barely even bright yet outside! Who the hell was awake this early?

Alderoth got up and he pulled his shirt on, his hair all messy.

"Yeah, I heard you", he said when he heard the knocking again.

He finally opened the door, trying to focus his tired eyes so he could see the man who was standing behind his door. They had dark purple skin and blue dreadlocks that were decorated with some beads.

Their dark eyebrows were furrowed as he was staring at Alderoth, but his green eyes shifted down to look at Tau when the plumehound let out a bark. For a moment it looked like that stern expression softened.

"Is he yours?" Alderoth asked, seeing how happy Tau was. "He was here when I came back yesterday."

"Yeah", the man said, giving Tau a few pats on its head. "He sometimes wanders around. Did he cause any troubles?" he asked looking back at Alderoth who huffed.

The man stepped out, grabbed a hold of the other man's wrist which obviously confused him and he dragged him along. They stopped when they got to the little garden that was completely destroyed and Tau even went and sniffed around. It marked one of the nearby trees as his, looking proud of himself.

"Apparently he had lost his ball in my yard", Alderoth said as the other man blinked when looking at the destruction. "And after all that digging he decided it would be a lot more convenient to stay and sleep here in my house than go back home."

"Tau definitely didn't do this to be mean", the man assured. "But I'm sorry because of what he did. He sometimes hides his toys all around and then goes and gathers them again at some point, he must've buried that ball here before you moved in."

"I guess", Alderoth sighed and he rubbed his face. "Whatever, the damage is done and it wasn't really much of a garden anyway."

"I see, then the loss is not really that big."

Alderoth frowned now and he glared at the man.

"Even if it was not much of a garden, I spent weeks trying to grow at least something", he snapped.

"But what's the problem if anything was barely even growing?" the guy asked and he moved a few very sad tiny sprouts around with his shoe. "You can start over."

"This is exactly what I needed to start my day, a purple asshole coming over to tell me all my hard work has no value."

"I didn't say that."

"Yeah you did", Alderoth said and he was annoyed. God it was way too early for this! "I don't care, just take Tau and go away, you uh..."

"Hassian", the man said and now it was Alderoth's turn to look surprised and confused. "My name's Hassian", Hassian said and he too looked annoyed because of how Alderoth talked. But yeah, he understood why Alderoth was frustrated so he did not say anything.

"You're Hassian? The hunter?" Alderoth asked and Hassian raised his eyebrow.

"Something wrong with that?" he asked, crossing his arms.

"No, it's just that I got a letter from you", Alderoth remembered. "Do you know me?"

"I don't, I just wrote a bunch of those letters and someone from the City Hall would take care of sending them. Apparently they made sure you'd get one too. I guess you've been looking for me then?"

"Just because of that letter. You said you'd help me learn how to hunt."

"I only help you make your first bow so you know how to take care of it, you better learn how to hunt by yourself", Hassian said. "I don't have time to teach everyone individually."

"Aren't you such a sweetheart."

"I know I am. I don't have any of the stuff with me right now so if you want to learn -"

"You know what? Forget it", Alderoth snapped and he was really getting fed up with this whole situation. "I'll learn things by myself."

"If your hunting skills are anything like your gardening skills then I highly doubt you'll catch even your own breath", Hassian taunted with a small smirk and it made Alderoth grit his teeth.

Tau whined and the hound looked at them both, his big ears pulled back with worry. He dragged himself closer, his wet snout touching Alderoth's hand apologetically. The man took a deep breath and looked down at Tau.

"It's okay, I'm not mad at you", he assured and Tau let out a happy bark. "I have to get ready now and go help with the inn", he said looking at Hassian again. "So if you would kindly just leave, I'd be really grateful."

Hassian looked at him and for a second he did look like he was about to argue, but finally he just slightly nodded.

"Let's go, Tau", he said and turned to walk towards the back of Alderoth's lot. Between the cliffs there was a path that would bring them back to Bahari Bay in no time at all.

Tau whined and licked Alderoth's hand, making the man chuckle.

"Come visit again any time", he said when gently caressing those big ears. "But don't dig up anything without permission. And if possible, don't bring Hassian with you", he said and it made him amused when seeing the dark skinned man to start walking faster. He could swear he saw those pointy long ears flicker with anger!

"So then what happened?"

"What do you mean? They obviously left", Alderoth said and he shrugged.

He had just finished dusting all the shelves, Ashura had left to visit his wife's grave and do some fishing. Reth was here already as always and making breakfast.

"I'm not really surprised you didn't get along with him", Reth said while stirring his soup. Lettuce soup. Again. "I mean, he's not an easy guy to get along with. He's quiet and likes to be left alone. It's almost impossible to try and guess what he's thinking."

"So it seems", Alderoth said and he washed the cloth he had used to wipe the tables. "Anyway, I can't possibly go back to him now and ask him to teach me how to make a bow, can I?"

"Not without having to admit you can't learn how to do it by yourself", Reth said with a chuckle. "You've got some temper, Sweet Tooth."

"I've told you already, I wish you would not call me Sweet Tooth."

"I could call you Garlic instead?"

"How is that any better?"

"Flour? Butter?"

"That's just ridiculous", Alderoth sighed.

"I'm just teasing you", Reth said with a laugh while adding some spices in his soup. "You'll always be my Sweet Tooth. I know, you could give me a nickname too! How about... Handsome? Awesome? Boyfriend?" Reth smirked when leaning closer to Alderoth who huffed and pushed the man away. "Unbelievably Amazing Guy?" Reth suggested and Alderoth had to chuckle.

"Not in a million years."

"So there is a chance somewhere in the future..."

"In your dreams maybe. Push any further and I'll start calling you Sernuk Shit."

"Heartless, that's just heartless", Reth sighed dramatically. "Well, you just have to figure out what to do with the hunting, I can't help you with that. I'm a cook but I have no idea how to catch any meat", he chuckled.

Alderoth nodded and he sighed. He just had to try and come up with something. He did not like the idea of going back to Hassian after the incident before...