The Hermit Herbalist

Chapter 6 - The New Hunter

Clint ventured into the village more often now that Loki had declared him basically healed.  He liked the people and was more than happy to share the spoils of his hunts in the woods around Loki's cottage.  He had to save his specialized arrows, and instead went to the black smith's and traded for steel arrow heads.  With his new arrows in his stronger compound bow, he took down large animals.

"A bear?!" Thura exclaimed as Clint dragged the beast into the village on the cart he had borrowed (stolen) from Loki's shed.  Clint glanced over his shoulder to study his kill before he looked back at the older woman.

"Yep," he responded bluntly and she shook her head.

"Does Ikol know you risked your life so to bring down the beast?  Assuredly, you did not hunt with others to kill it," Thura commented.  Clint made a face and shook his head.

"Why should I?" he asked.  Thura growled something in her language before she reached out and smacked him upside the head.  Clint let her and smiled.  

"You idiot!  If something happened to you while you were out hunting, Ikol would first heal you in order to put you back in the sickbed herself," Thura said and Clint laughed.

"Ha!  She would do it in a heartbeat," he joked.  Thura muttered something about Clint not living to a ripe old age, and he waved her off.  He continued to drag his cart to the butcher's shop.  The smell of curing meats smacked him in the face and made his stomach rumble.  Loki had mentioned the need for more meat, so he had kindly offered to hunt, and then do some trading in the village.  She had begrudgingly let him leave, not trusting to be wise in his decision making.  She was partially right.  He had taken on a bear by himself.  "This isn't the Revenant," Clint mumbled to himself as he pulled to a stop before Nanook's meat carving station.  The strong, middle-aged man looked up and grinned when he saw the great monster Clint had brought for him.

"I certainly hope you weren't going to attempt to eat that by yourself," he said with a gentle, deep laugh.  Clint would have shaken his hand, if it was not covered in blood.  

"I don't think Ikol would let me," Clint answered honestly.  It had taken him some getting used to calling her Loki in the privacy of their home, and calling her Ikol when they were out and about.  He rather liked the way Ikol sounded and once asked Loki she did not just change her name entirely and truly become Ikol.  

Her response was, "Then I will no longer be Loki; and I will be truly lost."  Clint could accept that, and just had to train himself to call her by which ever name was proper at which ever time.  

"She is a healthy young woman, who is grateful you are providing for her," Nanook said and Clint shrugged his shoulders.

"It is a coalition; we provide for each other."  Nanook made a face.  "Let me put it this way: I wouldn't have made it this far without Ikol," Clint enlightened and Nanook nodded.

"Verily!  This village would not have made it without her either," Nanook admitted and Clint raised his eyebrow.

"Why is that?" he asked as they both began to skin the bear.

"Several years ago, a plague came to our village.  It took many lives, and would have wiped out all our children.  Ikol used her gift well and created a medicine that countered the evil disease.  She saved our babies from dying.  My son and daughter live because of her," Nanook said and Clint smiled.  He did not know why, but he liked hearing about how Loki helped the people of the village.  It was clear that they loved her.  Some more than others, and some more inappropriately.

"What has the mortal brought that has you so occupied, Nanook?" asked an irritating voice and Clint had to bite on his tongue in order to avoid spitting something nasty out immediately.  Both the archer and the butcher looked up and saw Kael with his group of hunter friends standing outside the shop.  

"Unlike some others who hunt, he brings me his kills so that the village might profit as a whole.  This great bear will feed several families, and Ikol will take what she needs to make her remedies," Nanook retorted in kind.  

"How is my sweet Ikol?" Kael asked and Clint chewed on his own tongue.  "Did she receive my latest courting gift?"  Clint sat back on his haunches and let out a dry chuckle.

"If by 'your latest courting gift' you mean the little shawl of squirrel pelts?  Oh, that made a lovely bonnet for Frera, the cow," Clint answered honestly.  The expression on Kael's was so similar to Loki's when she had discovered the atrocious offering.  Clint recalled rolling on her floor laughing as she cursed Kael out in every language she knew.  She had then taken her needle and thread, made the cap, marched into the pen, and adorned Frera's head with it.  "Frera says she will consider your suit carefully," Clint teased further, earning a death glare from Kael.  His friends started to draw their weapons, but Clint had already pulled his bow and three arrows out, aiming at them.  "Don't.  Just don't," he said.

"You know the rules, Kael," Nanook cut in, his own anger coming out as he reached for his meat cleaver.  "You want to fight the mortal, he must offend your honor, or you his," Nanook said.  Clint stared hard back into Kael's eyes.  He knew the man was scraping for a fight with him, but the rules of the village prevented him from doing so without just cause.  The Norns ruled wisely and instigated the rule: only an offense against honor would demand blood.  Clint was rather grateful for the rule, as it kept him alive.  As long as he watched his words and never offended Kael's person or his property, he was fine.  His taunts just bordered the rule, but they did not cross over the line.  "No honor has been offended.  Go your own way!  And take your slags with you!" Nanook ordered.  Kael snickered at Clint and he and his friends backed up.  Clint kept his arrows on the string until he was certain they would no longer cause trouble.  Once he was clear, he put the arrows back in his quiver and slung his bow back over his shoulder.  When he looked back at Nanook, he saw the older man shake his head.  "Just end this squabble already and marry Ikol," he said and Clint stiffened.

"I'm sorry... what?" he asked.

"Do all mortals lack the fine art of subtlety?" Nanook teased and Clint rolled his eyes.  "The reason Kael hates you is because he views you as standing in his way when it comes to Ikol."

"To be very clear about this, Nanook; I have never been in his way.  Ikol wouldn't have him even before I showed up," Clint corrected, but the butcher shook his head as he finished pulling the skin off and set the head aside.  Nanook straightened up and shook his meat cleaver a few inches away from Clint's face.

"You're the man for her, laddie!  And she the lady for you!  I guess blindness is also a mortal trait," Nanook said.  He soon found himself running away from the archer as Clint attempted to smother him in the skin of the bear.