Legend of the River Serpent

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Ichiro

  After cooking the first bird I had shoot a little while earlier.  I took it off the stick, and wrapped it in some large leaves.   I put the smaller, half cooked one over the fire, and sat back to wait.   A few minutes later Riku awoke, and stood stretching, rubbing his eyes.  

  “Hungry?”  I asked.

  Riku nodded eagerly, and sat down by the fire.  I winked at him, as Hoshi walked over to the fire.  She sat down, looking at me suspiciously.

  “What?”  I asked.

  “Nothing.  Can we eat?”  Hoshi asked.

  “Sure,” I replied.  I took the now done food, and put it on some extra leaves.  “Have at it,” I said.

  “Aren’t you going to eat?”  Hoshi asked.

  “Hmm, I d- why don’t you just eat.”

  Hoshi shrugged, and took some.  I looked down, as she took a bite.

  “ICHIRO!!”  She exclaimed.  “What did you do to this?!”

   Riku looked at his, and set it aside.   Hoshi jumped up, and stormed off.

  “Hoshi!”  A called, “Don’t go!  There’s more, and it’s normal.”

  She whirled around to face me, “We’re running for our lives, and you’re playing jokes!  This is not the time for-“

  Suddenly I heard hoof beats, many of them.  “Hurry!  We have to go!”

  Hoshi hearing the horses, ran and started grabbing our stuff and stuffing it into my pack.  I ran to the horses, and lead them to Hoshi, then grabbed Riku and lifted him up on one of the horses.  I grabbed the pack from Hoshi, and tossed it up to her as she got up behind Riku.

  Running to the fire, and stomped it out, then grabbed my bow and arrows and slung them over my shoulder.   I raced and jumped on my horse, and turned it toward the thick part of the forest.

  Hoshi came galloping after me, I headed southward again. 

  “I think they found our trail!”  Hoshi exclaimed.

  I pulled my horse to a stop, behind some thick bushes, “Keep quiet,” I whispered.   The horses came closer.

  “Go on,” I said.  “I’ll hold them off for a while.”

  “Bu-“

  “Go!  I can ride faster than you,” I told her, “and them.”  I added, although I wasn’t too sure of that.

  Hoshi took off, as I drew an arrow from my quiver.  As soon as she disappeared, I nudged my horse out from behind the bushes.  Pulling the arrow back into my bow, at a full draw. 

  I fired the arrow at the first rider, and turned my horse, leading them the opposite way from Hoshi and Riku.  Immediately I heard the bandits coming after me.  I lost a few by going through some thick trees with low hanging branches.  Hearing cries from the ones who fell off their horses, for not ducking. 

  I turned the horse sharply, then went up a slope, and behind a couple thick trees.  I readied another arrow, and sat waiting.

  I counted five riders stream on down, not seeing my trail.  Two others stopped, looking around.   Then continued on, away from me.  I grinned, that had been easy.   I watched them for a couple minutes, then quietly slipped away.