The Sword of Darkness

11 The Claw ( Map for future references.)

Far from the bustling city of Ethereal, was a quiet majestic forest. Called the Forest of Peace. Fauna flourished in this place called home. Trees that seemed to be ever present since the beginning of creation towered high above everything. The thickness of a tree was big enough to house a family of ten comfortably with room to spare. There were several creeks running through the forest giving the forest flourishing plant life. Although people would come to visit the forest as like a tourist attraction almost nobody would stay and live there. Most people never got to see the vast forest. They might have been too awed by its beauty or feared getting lost in the labyrinth like forest. But one man though had no such reverence or fear.

 This man and his son walked through the woods. The Tall trees loomed over their heads and light peeked through the foliage.  They followed a trail through broken bushes and twigs. They were tracking something. It was morning and dew still dampened the ground, flickering like tiny gems among the green. They walked up a knoll. The father stopped and his son mimicked. There was a sound of water rushing near by. The man searched and found a creek nearby. It had high grassy banks making it well hidden by a casual observer. And there it was. The creature they had been hunting all morning, a deer. The man knelt down next to his son

“Do you see it, Maverick?” The man asked. The man’s face was coarse. He had the early signs of a beard. He had a small scar on his cheek. It was becoming harder to see as his beard grew thicker. He looked at his son. The father’s eyes were warm like the sun in morning, refreshing to the people who saw and felt it. He placed his meaty normal hand on his son.

“Yeah.” Maverick said smiling as he finally noticed it. The boy was unlike his father. His face was more soft and round like his mothers. It would always be that way but he had the same kind eyes as his father.  Maverick looked down catching a quick glance at the silver claw. It was bright whenever light hit it.

“Father, what is that claw you always wear?” Maverick asked. The boy’s father looked down at it. Now seemed a good time to explain it to him now that he was older. “This thing was given to me.” He looked at the claw and then his son. “It might not look like it, but it is alive. But I can’t use it and never will be able to. Legends say it needs blood to be awakened but I’ve given up killing so now I bear this thing for the rest of my life.”

 “Oh…” That wasn’t what I expected. Maverick thought. But to his father he looked like he was saddened by what he heard.

“Hey don’t worry Maverick, those legends are probably untrue. This claw or whatever you want call it doesn’t matter. What matters is that deer.” His father looked toward the deer.

 “Here.” The father took his bow and an arrow and gave it to his son. “You can get this one.” Maverick was twelve years old and was about the age he should start learning to hunt. He and his father had been practicing for a month getting him ready for his first hunt. Maverick hesitated to grab the bow but he took it pushing past his fear. His father could read that in the boy’s eyes.

“Just remember what I told you. Keep your arm straight and locked. Pull back hard. Exhale as you release. And aim a few inches above the target.”  The father said, confident in his son.

Maverick first looked to find the deer. It was by the creek drinking water. It hadn’t noticed Maverick and his father yet. Maverick readied the bow remembering the training he received. He lifted up the bow and aimed down the notch that was used has a sight. He lined everything up. His right hand that pulled back on the string aligned with his left elbow and left hand. He aimed a few inches higher to compensate for the distance and arc that the arrow would have to take.

 He paused. Maverick didn’t want to kill the innocent creature. It didn’t do anything wrong. But there was more to this than just that. It was necessary. It had to die so that Maverick and his family could eat. He took a breath and exhaled releasing the string and firing the arrow. It zipped through the air till it landed and struck the dear right in its side. It made a yelp and took off running. Maverick watched as his father bolted after it leaving Maverick on the knoll by himself .His father ran to where the dear had been then ran further past some shrubbery. He was out of sight. Maverick plopped himself on the grass. He still didn’t like the thought that he had to harm the dear. But he would have to get over the fact that he would have to harm to save. Maverick waited patiently, toying with the blades of grass by his feet.