Infiltration of Bloodmoon Forest

Chapter Two

Gadget

4 days before the infiltration of Bloodmoon Forest

     Gadget has always hated when hunters came to Bloodmoon Forest. It's always been their home, and they hated how the hunters took advantage of the animals' peacefulness to kill them. Whenever Gadget ate meat they'd always ask the animals permission first, and it would never be an animal with a long life left. In Gadget's eyes, an animal's life is equal, if not more precious than a human's. Hunter's upset the forest's balance, take away the predators' population and allow the herbivores to eat more plant life than before. Or the hunters take too many herbivores, and then the predators hunt too many herbivores, and the plant life grows more than ever. Gatherers are much more peaceful. On rare occasions, Gadget would allow gatherers to enter further than the outskirts of the forest. Those who have been within the forest often came back speaking of a kind guardian, but then quickly shot down by the last injured hunter, attacked by the guardian. Or the gatherer simply just went back to Zalfri, before the war destroyed the town in collateral damage.

     The forest's protector hasn't always been Gadget, but most people believed that they were the only protector to exist. The old protector, Adro, was more lenient than Gadget with those who came into the forest. Perhaps Adro's natural curiosity distracted her from performing her duties, however, Gadget's growing distrust of humanity coming into the forest has led to Bloodmoon becoming a cursed and evil forest. Who could blame Adro for her curiosity when it was her curiosity that led her to realize what made her comfortable in her body. Nor can anyone blame Gadget for their distrust of humanity when they've seen time and time again humanity betraying nature.

     Although rare, some ill-advised hunters would brave Bloodmoon, and enter the forest to hunt. Ill-advised hunters like the one Gadget was currently tracking. They saw this man enter the forest by Whispering Fate Lake with a crossbow and have been following him ever since. This hunter must be new to hunting because he walked into the forest without even having his crossbow set for the first catch of the day. Another minuscule detail that led Gadget to come to this decision, was he didn't notice the light sounds from them jump about in the tree branches as they were spying on him. Although not many seasoned hunters notice the noise, many of the hunters do develop a sixth sense tipping them off to be more cautious when Gadget comes to the scene. Sunlight reflecting off of the hunter's grey hair flashed into Gadget's eyes and blinded them momentarily, long enough for them to become visible to the hunter.

     "You! Who are you?" He yelled out, his gruff voice echoing throughout the forest. What an amateur, not even worth my time. I didn't even have to watch him, he isn't going to catch anything long enough to hurt a fly. "Answer me!"

     Gracefully Gadget jumped down the tree, their swords swinging along their side in the scabbard, responding with a hint of annoyance in their voice, "I am no one of concern, however, I must warn you to leave this forest while you can."

     Chuckling the man, no boy, marveled, "What's a little girl like you gonna do about it? I have to get food home to my sister."

     "I'm not some little girl, boy, I'm a grown person and that's it. Go to some other forest and hunt. You are not welcome here."

     "Not without food. I have a sister to provide for," His voice became cold from anger. Good scare the animals away.

     "You will not hunt in Bloodmoon Forest," Gadget's already cold voice became louder as their violet eyes began to glow.

     Grey hair wasn't having this person in front of him tell him what to do. Raising his crossbow the boy aimed for Gadget's heart. As the arrow soared through the air, a violet wave flung the arrow back at the boy and burrowed into his shoulder.