Nevermore: The Secret Order

Chapter 15 - A Trail

- SEVEN YEARS AGO -

Nothing beats nature when a man needs to be put under pressure. It pushes one to be creative in solving one problem after another. Whether it may be the need for food, shelter, water and weapons. Nature always provides. It's always up to man to learn how to put the pieces together. This what Alistair learned in the army. How to survive and how to use the terrain to track a target. This is what he seeks to impart to his young ward. There was a reason he was particular about bringing only certain tools as well as not bringing actual food. This only means one thing. For they must live off the land for the week. Forget summer camp. This is how one can truly commune with nature.

Yesterday was all about patience. Raven remarked that a fish never tasted so good until you taste your own first catch cooked from a fire you started yourself. And now he watched attentively as not to spoon-feed the young man. He started following a set of fresh tracks. The track has taken them at least five hundred meters away from camp. The young man paused for a second. He felt a hard branch under the sole of his hiking boot. He then cautiously lifted his foot up and slowly swept the branch aside. Alistair realized why. The tracks were now getting warmer. He cannot afford to drive his prey away. And upon looking ahead, he spotted the target - a healthy white tail buck ahead. The creature started eating out of a nearby bush that bore wild berries.

Young and energetic as he may be, but his emphasis on stealth is unparalleled. If he can sneak out to watch concerts on school nights or to the kitchen for a midnight snack, he can easily bring down a full-grown deer with the least detection. He could hear the young man keep his breaths quiet. The young man drew his weapon, a takedown recurve bow. He opted for it as opposed to a typical compound hunting bow or a rifle due to the noise that a rifle would make. For starters, he did not feel confident enough with the rifle's recoil. The compound bow's limbs and pulleys also made subtle sounds that can be picked up by other creatures with heightened hearing.

Nearly a decade ago, he recalled wiping a chocolate stain from the side of the boy's face. Now, he watched the young man in his teenage years take an arrow from the quiver strapped to his side. He tucked it into the string, pulled, and with a careful aim, he let out his next breath as he loosed the arrow. The buck ran off, and Raven went after it. He saw the trail that the animal left. And it was now stained with blood. The young man and the animal managed to cover some distance. As he traced the now bloody tracks, he realized that the gap started to close. He finally caught up to them in time. The sight before him was now that of his ward approaching the downed buck. He saw the young man draw a knife that was sheathed along with the quiver. The animal was still alive but it didn't have long left. The arrow hit it just behind the shoulder. A perfect spot. The young man then got on one knee and seemingly tried to comfort the deer. He paused for a second regarding the animal that gave them a chase.

"I'm sorry." said Raven with a tinge of remorse.

Alistair recalled the time he snuck to the kitchen for candy when he was seven. That beady eyed boy who once showed him how many candy bars he took from the fridge was now an adolescent holding a knife next to a downed buck. Raven slowly but respectfully slid the blade of the knife into the deer's neck. The animal's pupils dilated before in the process before its head slowly dropped to the ground.

"It was a clean kill, Child." said Alistair. "You did well."

"He looked at me before I finished him off." said Raven.

"Let's see to it that his death was with dignity." said Alistair trying to ease the young man. "He'll make fine venison. Nothing will go to waste."

"Just like you said. Take only what we need." said Raven.

"Now we've got to start cutting him up. We're over half a klick away from camp." said Alistair.

- PRESENT DAY -