Petru:
Petru woke up. The crowing of the roosters disturbed even the most lazy sleeper in the middle of their sweetest dreams. Ianis however slept deeper than that, somehow staying in a slumber throughout all that noise. Petru smiled, How many summers does he still have left until dad whips him into shape?
Petru slid out of the bed, careful not to disturb his brother, then walked over to the wooden windows, undoing the latch and swinging them open. Light flooded the room, and Ianis did not mind one bit.
The room they slept in was like any other: made of boards, with a night-bucket, at least 1 window, a chest to store stuff in, and a corner with some wooden toys. Out the window, the chickens were already let out, pecking at bugs in the ground. Petru looked left and right out the window, and without his father in sight, he vaulted out of the window. If he was swift, the coop would not have been cleared of rotten eggs just yet. Petru chuckled as his devious plans were put in motion.
He dashed into the coop, the chickens flying out of his way. Inside, he started looking at all the boxes, of course the uncovered ones were empty. That left the ones at the back, tip-toeing inside, his nostrils were assaulted by a putrid stench. At least he knows that some eggs did indeed rot. Unfortunately, the target box was behind Ma’: A chicken that regularly fought and won against the rooster. It was bigger than its peers, which was a problem when it was also blocking the way. Judging by the noise it started making when it saw him, the chicken was brooding. How many pecks was a prank worth, deliberated Petru.
“You’re not thinking of disturbing Ma’, now?” his father spoke from behind.
Busted, he thought.
“You know you’re too old to do mischief as soon as you awake.Your mother prepared lentil soup, and the chickens are hungry too. Eat and get to it.”
“I was just trying to clean the coop of bad eggs.”
“We both know you aren’t that good of a kid. Where’s Ianis? He hasn’t come to eat either.”
“Sleeping. He’s taking full advantage of your pampering.”
“Of course he is. Go wake him up, after eating come straight to me, us 3 need to talk.”
“You got it.”
>>>
After breakfast, Petru and Ianis met with their father.
“Me and your mother will be gone most of the day, because of that, Petru you will be the man of the house. Ianis, listen to your brother.” Father started listing out tasks.
“What? No fair! You made him the man, last time as well.” Ianis pouted.
“You will, when you’re older. Your mother is cleaning at Sandu’s inn, and I have to talk shop with some important clients. Do not leave the house until we get back.”
“Yeah, yeah, you’ve told us a hundred times. Do not leave the house, make sure all the chickens are within sight, and keep all the doors closed. Yadda Yadda.” Petru cut him off.
“I am telling you so you understand. It takes 1 mistake for something wicked to sneak in. You especially have to watch out, so that a pixie doesn’t take your brother. Ianis you also make sure he doesn’t let Ma’ be taken by a fox, because he’s too airheaded. I’m counting on you.”
Ianis seems to have forgotten the previous slight, just like that.
“Yes sir!” Ianis shouted, putting his hand on his forehead in a salute.
“Your mother will be back by afternoon, when she comes back grab my bow and a few arrows. Our pantry is nearly empty, so I need you to pick up the slack. And Ianis, I think you’re old enough now to learn how to hunt. Got it?”
Both of the brothers nodded.
“Remember, if night comes, drop everything if you have to, just make it back before dark.”
>>>
The brothers were travelling through the forest, bow and walking stick in hand looking for game. They didn’t have much luck thus far, which didn’t surprise Petru, he knew that animals mostly showed themselves during first and last light of the day, but it did frustrate Ianis.
The dirt path they were travelling across, wound its way across a few trees. The density of the forest meant that telling time was difficult, and since they’ve been out and about for a while, they were concerned that they might not be able to make it back before sunset. Still Petru was determined to not come back empty handed.
“Let’s go back, my feet are starting to hurt.” Moaned Ianis.
“You said you wanted to learn to hunt, didn't you? This is hunting, now keep it shut or you’ll scare the game.” Petru replied.
Ianis groaned.
“There’s one more spot I know. How about this, if there’s nothing there as well, we can call it quits and head right back. If there is, we kill it, and keep going a little longer. Deal?”
“Fine.”
Walking off the beaten path, pushing some bushes aside, then going down a valley, revealed a small pond, hidden away. The pond was shallow, and dirty, with a big rock jutting out the side of it, but otherwise devoid of life.
“Ha! I win!” Boasted Ianis loudly, turning around and starting to climb up the hill.
Before anyone could reply, a rustling in the bush across the pond stopped both of them dead in their tracks. Wordlessly they turned to face it, and see what caused it. Petru got ready to pull out an arrow.
.
.
.
Before the both of them, out of the bush a head rose. Brown, with tiny beady eyes, a black snout, and a majestic crown of bone.
“A deer!” shouted Ianis at the same time Petru let out an arrow.
The arrow landed right in an adjacent tree, and the deer took off sprinting.
“Told you hah-so! Now after hah-it!” Petru said, running, and skipping over the pond.
“I’m coming! I’m coming!” Ianis said, nearly tripping over his own feet going down the hill.
The brothers gave chase, pounding the ground with their legs in excitement, each step disturbing and upturning the dirt. Petru ran forwards ahead, and took a left before Ianis cut him off.
“Wrong way! It went left! Left!”
Petru turned around, and while passing by Ianis, grabbed the arrow he shot earlier from him. They ran, and got further and further from the beaten path, until eventually they both stopped.
“We -lost -it, but we -can still -find it.” said Petru through rasped breaths. “Just -need -to -catch its trail.”
“Check around for any damaged greenery. I’ll check the dirt.” Petru added after a short break.
The brothers started scouring the area. Ianis checked around berry bushes, and ate some, while his brother got low to the ground.
“I think this bush looks pretty trampled.” said Ianis, while pointing to a bush whose appearance looked close to a U.
“Yeah, and this mud looks as if it slipped while running. If we’re lucky, it’s somewhere nearby licking its wounds, if we’re unlucky, then we just made a gator’s day.”
“Then we’ll hunt the gator too!”
“Yeah, no. If we start seeing pools of water we turn back. We should be reaching the north side of the forest.”
Ianis was not happy about the idea of losing the deer.
They followed slowly and quietly the tracks left in the ground. Anxiety crept in, as even after an hour of searching, the track disappeared. But they pushed onwards, there were only so many places a deer could or would go.
And after a long time, they found another pond. With a dirty deer sipping out of it. Petru quickly shut Ianis’s mouth before he could ruin another perfect shot, then with his second hand he signalled to surround it. If it tries to run away, make it run back where they came from.
Ianis stood still, while Petru walked and started circling the pond from afar. Anticipation filled him to the brim. They were supposed to bring back only a few rabbits. Imagine the look on dad’s face when we walk out with a bollocking deer! He found a spot he felt comfortable shooting from, stood up and drew an arrow. There was a trick he remembered, if he whistled, the deer would raise its head, which meant he would only need 1 arrow. If he did it properly.
He whistled sharply, and let the arrow go. The deer raised its head and looked sideways, before bolting away from the projectile. The movement wasn’t quick enough, so the arrow still landed, but through its right front leg instead.
It bolted forward towards Ianis, and he roared at it, causing it to turn around and run back from whence it came.
Petru began sprinting, and shouted.
“I landed an arrow! It won’t get away this time!”
Both of them ran in its direction, the deer’s movements being hampered by the wound. It leaped, and stumbled over a deadwood. Petru took that opportunity to try to land another shot, making it certain they were going back with a bounty. The arrow flew, past Ianis, past the deadwood, into its back, throwing away its balance as it attempted to keep going.
It, with one last ditch of effort, ran beyond their sight, and after following its blood trail they found it, slumped over on some grass. Excrement and liquid beside it, confirmed it died of blood loss before they got there.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
They both took a look down to take in their hunt.
“So, it’s really dead.” trailed off Ianis.
“We did it. Now help me clean it and carry it home, if we killed it we should at least make sure none of it gets wasted. That is the right way of doing things.”
Petru grabbed a handful of leaves and other greenery, and started cleaning it’s behind.
“You’ve been exercising haven’t you?” Petru turned to Ianis.
“Yes, otherwise mom won’t give me fruit before bed.”
“Then you’ll carry it. I’ll help, but,” he points to the very bottom of his thumb,“It’s gotten bruised from the bowstring. Can’t keep a good grip on things. Plus. You kinda did nothing to help.”
“I helped!” he stomped towards Petru.
“Then help some more, I even cleaned its shit, so just hoist it on your back.”
“You owe me.”
“I owe you jack, now stop whining and crouch. I’ll use the rope for rabbits, to tie its legs.”
>>>
Yeah, they were pushing their time with the whole hunt. Not even halfway back and it was already dark. Petru was leading the way with an emergency torch. Deers weigh a lot as it turns out, and they had to keep switching the person carrying it due to fatigue. Petru carried it most of the way. The way back was agonisingly slow.
The forest took a different shape during the night than it had during the day. Every single harmless bush, now was something obscuring the way, every single slight movement could be a wild animal, and every single noise could signal an impending attack. No ambient noise was present to relax. All of their senses were on edge.
Hoot Hoot!
A cuckoo. Nothing more.
They swapped a few more times, before another noise stopped them dead in their tracks.
It took almost 10 seconds, from start to finish. It pierced the ears, and it could be heard from anywhere in the forest. A howl. Wolves.
Their pace quickened. Adrenaline fueling them forward. Muscles aches forgotten.
A bush rustled. A rabbit jumped out.
They could stop at nothing, yet every single little movement or noise begged attention.
Several glistening eyes staring down at them. Owls. Their gaze followed them as they walked past.
Sweat poured down from their temples. Neither knew if they were stalked, neither wanted to risk it.
“Are you sure we’re on the right path?” Ianis said.
“Yes.” spat out Petru.
After walking a little more, they both stopped. Snarling. Followed by a pack of wolves. They smelled deer, and now, beat the odds better than the brothers. They got a deer, the wolves will get a deer and 2 boys.
“Stay behind me Ianis!” shouted Petru. “They fear the fire. Stay close!”
A wolf tried nipping at Ianis, who jumped out of the way, and started stomping in their direction.
“They’re getting close!” shouted Ianis.
Petru swung his torch, behind and forward. The animals backed away, but were not fleeing.
“Back!” Petru stomped in front of him.
The wolves were circling them now. Cutting off pathways.
Tightening the noose.
"Go away! Beast. Ianis, stay behind me! Don't let them get the deer! " Petru shouted once more, desperation creeping in.
"Let me give them deer! They can have it!" shouted Ianis, panicking.
"Do not." Petru swung the torch, to threaten, rather than instigate. "Back! Filthy beast! We can drive them back."
“I think I saw more of them in the trees.” said Ianis.
One of the predators got close. They were building up their courage. Not long until they committed an attack. The wolf tensed, ready to jump, while Petru tensed back, ready for impact.
Out of the dark a figure appeared. Gliding from above, onto the animals back. The figure was pale, like a corpse, had a disproportionate head, with giant black eyes like a housefly. It had tightly braided hair, and pale wings. Its clothes resembled an Aegrel rose, and its limbs were long and sharply angled.
It landed onto the wolves back, and started smiling ear to ear. Big, sharp, triangular teeth were revealed behind its lips, and it started reaching into the wolf. Petru froze in fear. It seemed to grab something, judging by the apparent gap between their fingers, but it had to jump up. The wolf threw itself onto the ground, and started snapping up at it. The creature seemed to be too engrossed in its actions to care. It even spoke.
"Look what [~~~~~ ~~~~ ~~] do. It [~~~~] hurt, [~~~~] stay still!"
With a sharp pull the wolf stopped moving its lower body. It then started twisting its fingers, while gazing into its chest, still smiling. But it got interrupted, as another wolf leapt trying to defend its pack, and bit into the creature’s shoulder. Both of them tumbled onto the ground, the dog dropping after. They stared into each other’s eyes.
Petru knew that they wouldn’t be able to stand against a wolf by themselves, and the creature looked intelligent. Maybe they could bargain with it, if they helped.
He nocked an arrow, and aimed at the wolf’s centre of mass. He couldn't keep the bow still, it shook, but damn it all, he had to hit. He let it go, and it lodged itself into the top of its leg.
It yelped, and leapt away. Its brethren followed it, leaving one of them to crawl away.
Ianis, dropped the deer, and with his walking stick, bashed the wolf’s head until it stopped moving.
“Let’s go, before that thing, decides it’s going to eat us!” Petru immediately spoke up hurriedly.
“It hurts! We should help it!”
“So it can come back after us later?”
“It spoke! It’s smart! It performed magic! It could teach us magic for saving it!”
“Or it could use that magic to eat us!”
“Do whatever you want. I’m helping them, even if they won’t teach us, it tried to save us. It’s the right thing to do.”
Petru threw his hands into his hair, taking 1 step towards the deer, then just as swiftly, turning around and overtaking Ianis, towards the creature.
“Are y-you alright?” Petru lended a hand, he could not believe he was doing this.
“I need my bag.” It said, it’s voice was weak.
Petru was hung up on its previous speech. It had an accent he could not place, and spoke some words he had never heard of ever. Not even from far away merchants.
Ianis grabbed one of the bandages they had, just in case, and knelt beside it. The creature shied away, but still allowed Ianis to bandage its wound. His brother was bold, or foolish, if anything.
“Yeah. I-I’m fine.” It spoke with effort.
“What are you?” Ianis asked, with the sheer curiosity only someone young could have.
Foolish. He’s too dumb for this world.
“Ianis! Don’t ask it that!”
“It’s okay.” The creature seemed to be regaining its strength. “I a-also have questions. Information for information.”
“See, it’s fine. Are you a pixie?”
The creature’s face made an angry expression. It did not like that word.
“No. No. I am a graceful Fae.”
“Can you grant wishes?” Ianis continued with his tunnel vision.
“Anyone can. I consumed one of yours by saving you 2.”
Don’t ask it for those when WE are at its whim. Petru slapped his brother’s head with an annoyed look.
“What do you want? We don’t have much, please don’t take the deer.” Petru pleaded.
"I said information. I am here as a 'Rememberer' of sorts. I make sure things that are worth remembering, will be remembered. With that, what is your name?"
We are not that important. We’re just some woodcutter’s dorks in the middle of the forest. Better play along.
Petru deemed it wise to spell out their names phonetically, foreigners always got them wrong.
“I am Pe-t-ruh. He's Ya-ni-s, we're brothers. Wait, you don't steal names right?”
"I wouldn't need to ask for them if I wanted to take them."
"You won't take my name right?" asked Ianis.
"No plans for that. But I'm not going to leave with just knowing who you are. I want to see where you stay, to record it. I want to know how wealthy you are, and with how many people you live. What settlements are there here? What kind of trade do you perform? Who is the king? And so much more!" The Fae boasted.
Petru was concerned, but tried to not let any of it be seen. He has only heard negative things about Fae, about how they steal children, destroy lives, and are always up to some nefarious purpose. If this thing was a Fae, they could be deep in the night-bucket. He damned his brother’s soft-heartedness.