The Witchtale

Caught in a trap?

Too many things happened at once.

Zach had felt something was off ever since they came at the shore. The floating crow. Why would crow hunt over waters? And even if he happened to do that – how did he get caught? Was it caught... in a trap? Zach stared at the black mass floating on the water surface, Aliya was approaching it.

Why did the hunters leave their prey here, instead of taking it? Doesn't make sense. Some other animal could come and take it,there are animals on this island though not expert hunters like lions or tigers but lesser predatory animals. Besides a full night in water would spoil the flesh of the bird.

Could it be that this bird isn't the one they intend to hunt but this bird is another bait for another trap??

Caught in a water plant? Not likely. There were only rocks there. The rocks! – An alarm went off in Zach's mind and he cried out to Aliya. Just then he heard a snap of metal. Something flew out of the nearby rocks straight at Aliya.

Zach was beside her then, "Are you alright?"

"What... what was it?" Aliya was kneeling on her right leg.

"Move – move out of waters. Look, there's a rock that's jutting out back there beside the trees – go sit under it." Zach's mind was racing now, there is definitely someone on the island. But is that person close enough to hear them or see them.

"But Zach..."

"Go Ally – now!" Zach shouted,well... let's pray that he's deaf. Hunting the water around them he finally found the piece of wood floating on the surface at some distance that must have been the anchor of the trip wire. He lunged at it before it could float out of his reach. Before it's too late he had to repair the trap or at least its appearance. He had to avoid the possibility of alerting whoever was there about their presence at all costs.

The stick was secured with a steel wire – typical for setting up snares. Nice resources. He traced the steel wire to the nearest group of rocks, sure enough at a junction of two rocks there was a bow and two sticks lying there. He set the bow in position hoping that at least for tonight nobody will inspect them, and used one of the two sticks as the arrow for the bow as the original arrow has flown down the river. He used the other stick as the support. It was good luck on their part that the hunter was aiming for smaller animals and therefore the aim was set to be low. After arranging the bow he went back to where Aliya tripped on the wire and stuck the anchor for trip wire in the pebbles, under water.

Having done that he cast a quick glance to see if there is any disturbance in the forest, standing there he counted back from ten, still there was nothing. He hurried to where Aliya sat under the shelter of the rock. She was applying an antiseptic cream to her wound.

"You brought first aid?"

"Yeah." She didn't look up.

"Good – I couldn't find any Aloe Vera around, how is it?" he asked ignoring her temper tantrum, live with a girl long enough – you get used to it. But the problem was bigger now, this has just gotten a whole lot serious. He had expected the person to set fishing nets or something basic but looking at the elaborate trap set, they were up against someone who knows. And when you are in a jungle, knowledge of its uses makes all the difference between life and death. They had to go back. As soon as possible.

"It's not much – I was taken by surprise. It's just a scratch." Ally replied.

"Let me see." He bent down in front of her, undoing the bandage he lighted the torch to see – it wasn't too bad but running would be painful for her now or standing for too long and too still. Applying a little more cream, he did the bandages while Aliya put everything in her bag.