The Hunting

Chapter 2

I heard the Burrow's horn go off in the distance. It's the signal of the hunters returning. I smile knowingly - my mom will be the first one at the gate. I heard Nate groan behind me, "Why doesn't she carry her own kill?"

"Because she's a girl and she couldn't possibly carry it." Spoke Mason.

I huffed turning around, "I could carry it," I walked and gave Nate a slight nudge, "Move over princess."

I could hear Nate grumble a no, I rolled my eyes. "You're the one complaining, I know you want to keep your masculinity in tack so you can carry my quiver."

This isn't the first time I got a kill. My first kill was on my very first hunting trip. I was eager to prove myself to the group, so I shot the first thing I saw, which was a doe. Sadly, I got yelled at because we were going for three and because of me we only got one that day. I wasn't allowed to hunt for four months after that.

I was startled when I heard Davis speak up behind me, "She's not a little girl anymore, it's time that she starts helping carry her kills. Being a gentleman won't get you anywhere in this day and age."

Nate handed me his side of the pole, "Maybe not with hunting, but it definitely gets the ladies," With that, he flashed me a wink.

I looked up at Mason, who was helping me carry my doe. In front of me, Sean and Tatum were carrying the other doe. Sean was the one that killed the other doe. Mason spoke up, "Hey, just think Nate at least you didn't miss your target as I did. I still can't believe I did that. Hannah is going to make me sleep outside tonight, I just know it."

This comment made the group laugh because we all know it's true. The gate to the Burrow was already open for us. As we strolled in, I looked around and saw all the people from the village came to see what we got. Mary, the leader of our tribe came and put flowers around Sean's and I's neck. This is a tradition, the people who get a kill gets to eat first at the feast tonight. It was late in the afternoon when we got back, so most of the work for today was already done. As a girl who hunts, I have a variety of different tasks. I got outside the Burrow and gather wood, I help harvest crops, I help train younger children how to shoot a bow. My favorite job, besides hunting, is being on the night watch. That means I get to go on top of the wall and watch for possible threats. This job allows alone time; unless Nate is working too, which means he'll be flirting with me the whole time.

After I handed the doe off to the cooks, I felt someone hug me from behind, it was my mom. I turned around and hugged her back, "I'm so glad you're alright." She spoke.

I scoffed, "Of course I'm alright mother, why wouldn't I be?"

She sighed, "You know me, Arden, I'm such a worry wort."

I chuckled lightly, "I know that."

After a couple of hours of teaching kids how to shoot a bow, it was time for the feast. I walked to the Village Square. When I arrived, I took my spot next to Sean. Almost everyone in the village was in attendance, except those who are on watch or in the sick house. Everyone fell silent when Mary stood in the center. When you first see Mary, you would see her as a friendly grandma. Her light gray hair was pulled back into a bun. Her sparkling brown eyes were framed with wrinkles. Mary was 70 years old, and she has been the leader since she was 40 years old when she was voted in. How we pick leaders is simple, when the leader dies we elect a new one, except if the village agrees the leader isn't doing a good job, then we have re-election. Her voice rang throughout the area as she spoke, "A long time ago, there was a world. A world centered around technology and hate. That world was corrupt. So corrupt that it fell to the hands of the ones leading it. When the world fell, very few survived, most went mad, however, some decided to revert back to the simple ideology that kept them alive for years beforehand. Those people were our ancestors, and without them, most of us wouldn't be standing here today." With that, the village busted out into applause and cheers.