Nation Assassination

Chapter Twenty Eight

"Do you see anything?" I asked him once he was standing on a branch, looking out.

"No... a rabbit, but you wanted deer right?" He answered.

I laughed, he was a pretty good listener... it's just sad that im pretty sure hes only that way because it was beaten into him.

"Right." I told him. I hauled myself up onto the same branch he was on and looked around.

Elliot said nothing, but still nodded and began to slowly make his way up the tree, hanging onto whatever he could: vines, branches, and even grooves in the tree bark, while pushing himself up with his legs. I had to admit, we was a great climber. I followed up after him, at a faster pace but still staying behind him.

I saw the rabbit he had seen, and even a few quails perched around the area, but i still had my mind set on a deer. Not only could it feed all three of us, but it could be carried over a saddle and eaten off of for a few days. Horns could even be could for weapons if they were needed... but i hope not.

"Theres a deer trail over there." Elliot suggested and pointed to his left.

Sure enough, there was a trail hidden in the bushes.

"Good eye." I nodded and searched for a branch that could take us over the trail. There was a good thick branch that fit my criteria, but to get to it we would have to jump pretty far... so far that theres a little bit of doubt in my mind that i could make it. Elliot knew what i was thinking, and shrugged.

"I could go first if you want. If i cant make it and i fall, then we'll have to find another route." He said.

"Your not a test dummy, Elliot. We're equal, you know. We're in this together, so we jump at the same time." I told him.

"One." I said.

I crouched down and so did Elliot.

"Two." He said.

I put a leg back and Elliot put his fingertips to the ground.

"Three!" We said at the same time and sprang forward to the other branch.

Through the air, i was almost positive we weren't going to make it. I saw Elliot make a desperate reach for the branch, but he missed. I made it, my body throwing itself over the branch. Elliot rolled onto the ground and into the bushes.

"Shit." I growled.

Elliot yelled and a huge buck came barreling out of the bushes, right into my path. I laughed and shook my head before slipping from the branch.

"Ow..." I groaned as i got up.

Under me, the buck squirmed and started to get up.

"Shit..." I growled and tried my best to hold him down.

Needless to say, i dont weigh much and Elliot didn't either, but we still tried. He wrapped his arms around the deer's neck and kept it's head to the ground while i was practically sitting on his back with all my weight on him. Eventually he got tired and lied down. I felt like he was laughing at us, not even struggling because he knows we cant bring him down.

I took the dagger from my side and placed it just under his rip, where i know his heart should be.

"Im sorry." I muttered quickly and shoved the blade between his ribs, my hand drawing back stained with blood.

"Now.... how do we carry this fatass back?" I laughed and put my hands on my hips, painting myself with whatever blood was left on my hands.

I mumbled a quick cussword before looking to Elliot.

"All we can do is carry it." He shrugged.

"I call front." I told him and picked up the deer's heavy front end, while Elliot struggled to put it's back end over his shoulder.

We walked awkwardly through the trails, trying to keep on the ones most used by the merchants.

I looked up at the sky, the night slowly giving way to morning as the light orange collided with the dark blues of the sky.

It was at least five in the morning... In my old life, by now I would be scarfing down a small breakfast while my boss shot out crude details of the next person I had to kill, how I am going to kill them, and how much my reward will be. Only occasionally did I get a reason. 

instead of carrying a buck over my shoulder, I would carry a bow on my back along with a quiver of arrows, or sometimes a knife, tucked away, hidden in its leather sheath.

"What are you thinking about?" Elliot asked shyly.

"Terrible things." I answered plainly.

"Are you okay?" He asked.

The concern was genuine in his voice, and when I looked back at him, it gleamed in his eyes as well.

"Things I used to have to do." I shook my head.

Elliot seemed to understand what I meant. After all, we come from fairly similar backgrounds. He was beaten into unimaginable things... I was forced into them by lifestyle.

Jean had started a fire, which was just barely seeable through the trees. The light guided us along our way as we slowly made our way towards our makeshift camp.

Jean's eyes widened as he saw us, probably bloody and dirty, branches protruding from our hair.

"Your cooking." I grumbled tiredly and we dropped the buck in front of jean and I handed him a knife to skin it with.