Woods

Tallis

Tallis

Crouching down behind the bush I stare through the leaves squinting my eyes at my target. Reaching behind me I grab my wooden bow with engravings in it that had been passed down every generation, so far. Closing my fingers around the slim bow I take a slow steady breath placing an arrow through on the arrow shelf knocking it into place, pulling the string taut I close one eye aiming straight for the eye of the giant buck in the field. Keeping my breath steady, I release my fingers right as Tivon blows the warning whistle.

Staring in horror, I watch a group of five giant beasts skid into the field, two lunging for the buck I just shot down while the other three come charging in the direction of our small group of hunters we had out. Everyone knew what to do, we practiced for situations like this. Throwing my bow around my body, I scrambled up the nearest tree I watch as my fellow hunters; family and friends alike all start to climb high up into the trees. I make eye contact with Tivon giving him a small, curt nod as I turn and start running across the branch jumping to the next one with two of my most agile hunters following close behind me while the beasts, who resembled wolves standing on their hind legs except more massive, come chasing underneath us not being able to see the rest of our group hidden high up in the trees.

Tivon and his group, until I send the whistle for them to head back to the campground, would stay within the trees until I could get them farther away. We would follow once it was safe, for now, though we were to lead them as far away as we could while trying to lose them.

We had been running for at least an hour before I sent the shrill whistle that made the beasts, or wolves as we've named them, under us falter for a second before picking up their pace. Mountains surrounded the forest; the whistle would echo and bounce around until it got to Tivon. I looked to my left at Max and Chelsea noting their red, flushed faces and a slight tremble in Chelsea's legs.

Sending out a short whistle, I caught their attention as we slow down some, the waterfall was coming up soon. "You both know where we are when we get there you will go up. No questions asked and get back there once it's safe." They both looked nervous but nodded anyways. Keeping up our pace we heard the roar of the water, we had run in a semi-circle so we were only a half hour away from camp. Seeing a break in the trees, I start sprinting faster letting them subtly know that they needed to start heading up.

Hearing a sharp bark let me know that they knew what I was about to do. Taking in a deep slow breath I jumped to the next branch and heard the roar of the water as I threw myself off the end of the branch and felt the mist of the water caress my skin as I pointed myself parallel with the water keeping my hands pointed as I heard the wolves growling up at the top. Their snouts pulled over their yellowing teeth.

Feeling the sharp sting of the freezing cold water, I clenched my teeth together to keep myself from gasping, angling myself so I wouldn't knock myself out from hitting the bottom too hard. Popping my eyes open, letting a few bubbles flow from my mouth I jerked backward as I made eye contact with a large barracuda sitting two feet in front of me. Keeping still I kept my eyes on him the whole time, looking through my peripheral vision I see his colossal, sharp teeth. Blowing out some more bubbles I can feel my lungs tighten, I knew I was running out of breath, but barracudas were territorial animals. I was not moving until he does.