Knightress

Chapter 22

The archers blended in with the trees, deep in the woods. They went out in pairs, keeping their bows and arrows at the ready as they tiptoed gingerly into the unknown in high alert, in search of the day's meal.

It was day two of their wilderness experience, the first was rough, their shelters were sturdy but the nights were now cold. They didn't do any hunting yesterday as they had too much to do, so Matthew taught everyone to prepare a meal from the plants and wild berries they gathered.

Laura and her partner Kade, a thin wirey boy treaded lightly. Their heads frequently jerked from side to side, their eyes darting at every sound. A low throaty growl sounded behind them, they whirled around to see a fox staring hungrily at them, saliva dripping down it's jaw. It let out another growl and took a tempting step towards them.

They initiated a flurry of arrows that only seemed to anger the fox, it stood on it's hind legs and roared before landing on all fours and glaring at them. A few of their arrows were plunged into it, blood dripped from the wounds but it wasn't enough for it to drop dead.

Laura and Kade glanced wearily at each other, they nodded once, turned and ran, the fox followed close behind. Kade whistled with both hands, signaling the other archers that they needed help. They ran as fast as their thin legs could carry them, arrows hurled above them from the pairs that stationed themselves in the trees.

They turned and fired another wave of arrows, the fox let out a pained roar, dozens of arrows were now plunged into it, it's soft fur soaked in blood. Another pair of archers came into view, one of them being Davi held a dagger up high, running and plunged it deep into its throat. After a high pitched pained whine escaped it's lips, the fox fell limp.

"It's dead!" Davi exclaimed

The archers cheered and clapped, they dragged it back to camp and kept it with the rest of the games the archers caught: birds, thick bunnies, hedgehogs and one thin monkey.
The other new recruits started on skinning the animals and cutting them to pieces, leaving the meat in deep holes to keep them cold.

Laura dropped onto the log near the burnt out camp fire, her whole body felt hot, her skin agitated and joints sore. She layed her head on a flat rock, placing her palm on her forehead as she breathed steadily. From the corner of her eye she saw Matthew coming to her, he knelt by her and examined her without a word.

"Someone's getting sick."

She groaned at the word, she hated being sick. "Of all days."

"I know," he sighed sadly, "I'll make you some medicine."

"Didn't they give us a first aid kit?"

"That thing is practically useless, all it has are bandages, plasters and some kind of ointment." He told, shaking his head in disapproval.

He stood up and left her side for almost an hour, coming back to find her seated underneath a tree with a jacket over her laps acting as a blanket. He sat beside her with two pieces of bark that served as plates, one held a liquid green substance and the other a thick creamy paste.

He brought the liquid to her, "drink it." He ordered

She recoiled at the scent, shifting away, "no!"

"Or do you not want to feel better?"

"Better? How will that slimy thing make me better?" She asked incredulously, gazing at it with disgust.

He lowered his hands for a moment, meeting her eyes. "I added wild honey to make it sweeter, it's a natural remedy I learned, now drink!"

"No!" She replied stubbornly, attempting to escape. "Do you want to kill me?"