Outlaws - An American Youth - [Charles Smith x OC]

Chapter 5 - The art of hunting

Hi everyone. In this chapter, 2 songs will come up. As I can't link them directly in the text, I put a little ♫ and the link will be in the comments. Enjoy!

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I was among them for three days, doing my best to fit in. I spent my time mainly with the girls, even if Arthur would occasionally come talk to me. I was still looking for ways to make myself useful. After all, they were doing well without me. Above all, I feared being a burden. No one was really hard on me, but I was not one of them yet.

That morning I heard Pearson complaining about the lack of food, and how he couldn't make a meal out of air. His complaints seemed to fall on deaf ears. On a bunch of deaf ears. It was my chance. I walked over to Arthur.

"Anna, how are you today?

- I want to be useful, we lack food and I know how to hunt. Usually, I would go by myself, but I didn't want to leave without warning someone.

- You did well. You're new and not used to this life, I don't want you to lose yourself. I'm busy, but you can ask Charles to go with you, he's an excellent hunter."

I nodded, showing nothing of my frustration. I told him about my plans only out of politeness, I did not think he would stick me with a babysitter. And Charles intimidated me. Big and taciturn, nothing appeared from his ideas or his emotions. The exact opposite of Sean. God, this man was talkative. He had a strong Irish accent and seemed unable to remain silent. But despite that, I found him funny.

Observing the camp, I quickly spotted Charles. Sitting on a trunk, he was cutting wood to make arrows. Breathing deeply, I approached him.

"Hi Charles.

- Anna." He replied without looking up. He said no more, no banalities on my acclimatization or on the weather of the day. I had to get straight to the point.

"I would like to go hunting, but Arthur doesn't want me to go alone. He suggested that maybe you could come with me.

- You know how to use a bow?

- Uh, I must admit that I don't. It's not a widely used weapon in Valentine.

- I don't take you hunting if you don't know how to."

He didn't add anything, totally absorbed in his work. I stayed there, not knowing what to do. Was he waiting for me to educate myself? Was it a way to get rid of me? After a few seconds, he put down his work and finally looked up at me.

"Ok Anna, let's teach you."

He handed me the instrument before heading for the cart that served as kitchen. There he grabbed the bucket in which Pearson emptied the beasts of their blood. He also found a useless wooden board. Then he asked me to follow him. When we reached the shore, he built a target and hung it on a lonely tree.

The lesson began. As you would expect, the man was stingy with words. He started by shooting several arrows to show me the position to adopt, the way to hold the bow. He hit the target in its center every time. Then it was my turn. It was much more difficult than I imagined. It was necessary to develop a certain force to succeed in stretching this rope. The second challenge, was to manage to keep the arrow in its place, without tightening it too much so it can leave, but enough not to make it fall.

The first attempts were catastrophic. I finally managed to master these first two steps. I had now to send the arrow into the target. Again, it wasn't an easy task. Charles would correct my position from time to time.