DIVINE [HVITSERK RAGNARSSON]

2: THE WOODS

CHAPTER 2 - 'THE WOODS'

The Scotland trees towered over Asta as her feet crunched through the leaves. She quietened herself as she saw another rabbit pause between the trees. Her shoulders relaxed as she readied her bow, pulling back the arrow before taking a deep breath. The arrow flew through the air as Asta let go, landing itself straight in the head of the game.

Asta walked forward, the crunch of the leaves resuming, and pulled the arrow from the game. She picked the rabbit up, throwing it over her shoulder and picking her previous kills up. She'd remembered the way she came - getting lost on foreign lands was the worst thing she could do.
That morning, she'd awoken before most other people in their camp, deciding to get out and hunt before her father noticed she had gone. If she wasn't allowed to fight and raid, then she wanted to explore and early morning hunting was the only way she could do that.

She began her return walk, wandering through the forest as she noticed her markers - a crooked tree, a pointed rock. The pointed rock, one that was much bigger than Asta herself, was used as a shield as Asta heard voices, causing her to throw herself behind it. She peered round slowly - two men, they could only be Saxons and there would always be more where they came from. They were walking, as if they were searching for something, but speaking in a language Asta could not understand.
Her breathing was heavier now, fear rising through her chest as she tried to stay hidden. She moved her hand to her chest as she tried to quieten her breathing, even if the men were too far to hear her breaths.

Asta watched as the Saxons walked away from her position, allowing her to sneak from behind the rock. Her eyes landed on the small stream that snaked itself through the forest and she breathed a sigh of relief. Removing her shoes, she began walking briskly in the stream, little bits of water splashing up onto her dress as she moved. Her head flicked back and forth quickly, ensuring the Saxons were not on her trail, or tracking her quietly.
As soon as she reached the outskirts of her Viking camp, Asta began to run, into the middle of the camp. It was more lively there now, people awaking and warriors still training for the coming raids.

In the middle of the camp, Asta could see the son's of Ragnar gathered in the largest tent, sat around with drinking horns, deep in the discussion of a raiding plan. Asta ran straight into the middle, stopping to catch her breath before speaking and dropping the four rabbits onto the floor.
Ivar the Boneless raised his eyebrows as he watched the girl run in, snickering to himself at the panic on her face.
"What is it?" He asked her sarcastically.
"Saxons!" She managed through gasps of breath. "In the woods."
Ubbe sat up straight, furrowing his eyebrows.
"What? What were they doing?" He leant forward, leaning on the backs of his hands.
"I couldn't understand them. But my guess is that they know we're here, and they're looking for us."

Ubbe stood up, pacing around the tent.
"We have to attack. Today."
"Right now? Are you mad!" Hvitserk challenged his brother.
"If we wait any longer, they will find us and attack us when we are not ready." Ubbe grumbled to his brother.
Hvitserk stood up, and Asta could see the anger rising through him. He had always seemed like he had something pent up, always ready to explode at the smallest thing.
"This girl is a fool. Why are we even trusting her?" He narrowed his eyes at Asta as he spoke.
"And what reason would I have to lie?"
Hvitserk said nothing, instead stepping closer to the girl intimidatingly, pushing his angry face into hers.
"You could get all of us killed."
"So, what would you prefer?" Asta knew that he wanted to intimidate her, but she wasn't going to back down as she stood her ground face to face with him. "That we wait here for them to come and kill us?" She narrowed her eyes.