Idiotas! Did I not tell you mongrels to be careful!? You will pay for that when we get back. Con rapidez! I don’t want to lose my prey.” The nobleman screamed.

Aeric was stalking the hunting party, trying to keep pace while still being unseen. The morning was supposed to be a slow one, he was to collect some herbs to restock his medical supplies when he heard the barking and crashing of dogs. Aeric quickly looked for a camouflaged vantage point and was able to find a large, healthy tree with abundant leaves. He took out a small bottle and rag. He dripped a couple of drops of liquid on the rag and dabbed it on different parts of his body. He then made a motion with his hands and his companion faded out into the jungle. All that was left to do was to wait.

A couple of knuckles later, a wounded horned wild pig exploded from the underbrush. It was leaking blood and couldn’t run very well. The fletching of a quarrel could be seen sticking out of its side, near the lungs. Aeric concluded that the hunter tried for a heart shot but missed. Horned wild pigs could run quite a distance even when injured so he suspected that the hunting party had been chasing for a while, based on the condition of the dying animal. There would be some angry and tired people following.

It took a couple more knuckles before the hunting party made their appearance. Aeric felt his blood boil when he saw the nobleman. He was riding a jungle strider equipped for a hunt. A boar spear was racked at knee level of the lizard mount and the nobleman was holding a long crossbow. These hunting crossbows are well-known for their accuracy and are a favorite of marksmen everywhere. The nobleman must have a good eye to hit the wild pig in the thick foliage, considering he and his party was making such a racket. Aeric guessed that growing up as a member or the upper-class, the nobleman would have had the education to properly wield the weapon.

If it was just the nobleman and the two hunting guides he had with him, he would have left them alone. When he saw the ragged slaves being pulled by the hunting hounds, he decided then and there that the nobleman’s party would die. Three of the slaves were chained to the hounds, being dragged along as the hunting animals continue the chase for the prey. The slaves chained to the hounds were exhausted and scratched up, head hanging low and large deep breaths could be heard. Typically, they were not garbed for a chase through the unforgiving jungle. The slaves were wearing worn sandals and thin, gray shirts that were heavily patched. Two women slaves were chained to the pommel of the saddle of the nobleman. They were carrying extra spears and skins of water or wine. The slave on the right of the nobleman has a large bruise on the left side of her face. It was deep purple and looks like it would take some healing salve and time for it to completely heal. Aeric doubt that she would get that.

The nobleman was kicking the lizard to greater speed, trying to catch the wild pig before it gets too far. Two hunting guides, garbed in green and brown kept pace with the nobleman. Their striders were smaller, probably from a lesser known brood, but were having no problems keeping up with the larger mount. The chase was on so there was no need for them to lead anymore. Their job was to find the prey and maneuver the hunting party to allow for a good shot. Now that the animal was wounded, they would guard the nobleman and allow him the ‘honor’ of finishing off the pig. Aeric snorted at the idea. There was no honor for the nobleman in the hunt. He didn’t find the prey, he just took the shot. It always galled Aeric what ‘noblemen’ find honorable.

Once the party was out of sight, Aeric waited a couple of knuckles more before whistling softly. A moment later, a large stone dog appeared just beneath his hiding position. The dog looked up and gave a soft bark. Aeric grinned and waved him away. It always amazes him how the dog to could seem to disappear and appear at will. He was like a ghost between the trees.

Aeric slowly climbed down from his hiding point, ensuring that he had a good grip before moving to the next handhold. He was never the most graceful of climbers and many a fall had taught him of the benefits of going slow. Once his feet touched the earth, the stone dog buried its head on his chest, looking for a good scratch. Aeric complied and made sure to reach behind the ear, rubbing his favorite spot.

“Spoiled one, ain’t you, Titan? You didn’t do anything yet but you’re already looking for a scratch.” Aeric admonished but there was no heat in it. He was too fond of the horse-sized dog to get angry at him.

“Ready to do some hunting of our own? We’re going after that blonde bastard. We have to keep quiet, though.” Aeric murmured in the ear of the stone dog. Titan just gave a small chuffing sound to signal his understanding. The stone dog is as smart as a stupid human so communication with him needs to be clear and concise.

Aeric grabbed on Titan’s long, stringy ropes of fur and pulled himself astride the massive beast. Titan bore his weight well. Once he was settled, he patted the dog then bent down near its swiveling ears.

“Right, we need to chase them but keep out of sight. You’ll get a kill soon.” The dog let out a low growl then started loping after the hunting party. It’s one of the reasons why stone dogs are not easily tamed. The need to kill is part of what they are. The longer a stone dog is without a kill, the more aggressive it becomes. Leave it alone long enough, the stone dog becomes blood-crazed, killing anything within sight. Aeric goes on a hunt with Titan every 10-day. The stone dog gets his kill and satiates its bloodlust while Aeric gets a part of the kill. He makes sure that Titan hunts game animals and dangerous creatures that could pose a threat to their home. The stone dog is the perfect predator.

After a bell of moving silently, Aeric could hear the barking of the hounds again. He patted the dog to make it slow down. They kept themselves at a respectable distance, allowing for the skill of the guides. Aeric’s woodcraft skills have been honed over the years living in the jungle yet he was never formally trained. He has a healthy respect for those who makes a living hunting and trapping this deep in the Howling Jungle.

It took the rest of the morning until the hunting party finally caught up with the horned wild pig. Unlike its cousin, the wild boar, the horned wild pig instinctually runs away from danger rather than meet it. It’s faster than the wild boar though smaller in size. Hunters prefer the wild pig due to its less gamey taste and it allows a novice hunter a good first kill. A wild boar could gore an unprepared hunter with its sharp tusks.

The bleeding pig was moving more at a trot since it has weakened considerably. The hounds were nipping at its heels. The nobleman reached over and gave his crossbow to one of his guides. He then stopped his strider and dismounted. He unhooked the long boar spear and took it in his hands. The guides followed suit and dismounted. They worked with the dogs in herding the pig towards the nobleman. The pig was enraged, the hounds were darting in for a quick nip before the pig could swing around its ponderous size and try to gore them with its short horn. Once there the pig saw that there was an opening with only the nobleman guarding it, it made a dash for it. It lowered its head, intending to ram its way to freedom with its horn leading the way. The nobleman was an experienced one so he almost lazily set his spear, point it at the charging pig. The pig impaled itself on it, working itself up the spearhead until it was stopped by the lugs. The nobleman had planted the butt of the spear on the ground so he was able to set himself well and took the weight of the fast-moving animal without any difficulty. The pig made a few weak movements but it was already dead. The nobleman withdrew the spear with a hard yank and raised it with both hands. The guides gave a loud cheer while the nobleman basked in the adoration with a wide smirk.

“Make sure you don’t damage the animal. I’ll take it out of your hide if you do.” The nobleman instructed the tired slaves. He then tossed the spear to the nearest female slave.

“Clean it up. Don’t forget to hone the edge. You don’t want to feel the cut when I stab you with it.” The guides laughed uproariously at the seemingly light joke the nobleman made. The slaves mean nothing to the imperials but Aeric is no imperial. He was hiding behind a rock outcropping looking over the small clearing the hunting party had chased the wild pig into. His anger was rekindled after he saw how little regard the nobleman showed to his slaves. Aeric supposed that he should have expected it, but it was still akin to a slap on his face every time he hears such statements.

The slave woman cringed and bowed low, keeping her eyes on the ground as she clutched the spear close to her breast. She scurried back and took out a rag. She feverishly started cleaning the spear, removing the bits and pieces from the pig and the blood soaking it. The other slaves were detached from the hounds and were ordered to dress the pig. It was not as big as an adult boar but it was still a sizable animal. The tired slaves heaved and grunted as they moved away from the nobleman and the guides who were passing a skin around, laughing and drinking. It took almost a bell and a half before the slaves were done gutting and cleaning the pig. It did not help that the now-sloshed nobleman insists on yelling over them and giving them the occasional kick. One of the slaves did not move fast enough for the nobleman so he gave him a solid punch in the face. The slave tumbled on the ground as the nobleman yelled at him. The slave just apologized and worked faster. The guides just laughed at him as the nobleman went back, complaining loudly of poor work and lazy slaves.

Aeric’s knuckles were white as he gripped his spear tightly. He badly wanted to shove the tip of his weapon through the laughing idiots but knew that he could not match the nobleman and the guides in a straight up fight. These are well-trained men. He had served his time in his town’s militia during his younger years but it cannot compare to the experience these men have. He would have to be smart about this.

Aeric watched the slaves tie the pig on a pole to carry it. The hunting party mounted up and started making its way back to, presumably, their camp. They were moving at a more leisurely pace now, the nobleman and the guides sharing stories about the hunt, and were not as alert to their surroundings as before. Aeric got on Titan and continued shadowing the group. He maintained his prior distance. There was no need to chance being spotted when there is no call for it.

It was almost dark when the hunting party reached the camp. The camp was sited on a clearing near a small stream. Aeric could see that tents were already set up. The nobleman and the guides dismounted and started divesting themselves of hunting gear. The slaves scurried around the camp, ensuring that everything is in order and the overlords content. The nobleman called for food as he sat down on the log by the central fire. One of the women slaves darted in a tent and came out with a platter of bread and cheese. She also carried a small folding table that she set beside the nobleman. She placed the food on it and went back inside the tent to fetch a pitcher of wine. She served the happy hunters as the other slaves worked around the camp. It didn’t take long before the men were drunk and were singing songs. The slaves that were done with their work rested themselves among the mass of hounds tied to a tree. The night was starting to get deeper when Aeric finally decided to make good on his promise.

Aeric was watching camp from behind a large tree a ways off. There was no vantage point he could take advantage of other than scaling a tree. He could see them quite well so there was no need for him to do so.

Once he was satisfied that the hunters were well into their cups, Aeric raised his right hand and made some signals then pointed to a bush near one of the sleeping guides. Titan faded away as he padded silently towards his designated ambush place. Aeric crept slowly, ensuring that there was a tree or brush covering him as he approached the camp. One of the guides was on watch, sitting just outside the firelight facing the jungle. Aeric approached him at an angle, keeping himself well away from eyesight. Once he felt that he was near enough, he crouched down behind a clump of undergrowth. Reaching behind him, Aeric unlaced the Atlatl he tied on his belt. The wooden launcher was a small construct, very easy to carry. Aeric always travels with his spear and a throwing arrow. The arrow is light and thin, made from fire hardened bamboo. Aeric made it a point to always carry one. You never know when you would stumble on a hunt of opportunity.

Securing the arrow on the leather thong attached to the Atlatl, Aeric eyed the drunk sentry. He doubted he could have crept up to the guide if he was sober. The man was barely awake, nodding once in a while and slapping his thigh to keep himself awake. Aeric took a couple of deep breaths then stood up from his hiding position. The guide was facing away from him so he didn’t have to hurry his throw. He still didn’t take his time since somebody else from the camp could see him if they look his way.

With a grunt, Aeric’s right hand snapped forward. The arrow leaped from the atlatl at almost triple the force and range Aeric could have thrown it if he had chucked it without one. The arrow flew true and pierced the man’s upper back. He could see that the arrow buried itself halfway in. Aeric didn’t watch the gasping guide collapse and blew a sharp whistle. Titan exploded from underneath the shrubs beside one of the tents with the remaining guide sleeping inside. Titan crashed through the flaps and Aeric could hear a short shout being suddenly cut off. The sound of bones cracking signaled the stone dog’s kill. Aeric was running towards the last tent and could hear the hounds baying loudly, tugging on their leashes. The slaves huddled closely together, trying to move away from Aeric. They were also chained to the tree so they couldn’t go far. They circled the tree and ducked down behind it.

Aeric was running hard and just passed the fire when the nobleman stumbled out of the tent. He was disheveled and his eyes were red but he was prepared. He has a sword in his hand and he was gripping it tightly.

“¡Cállate! What in god’s-” The nobleman didn’t get to finish his sentence. When Aeric saw the man emerging from the tent, he doubled his efforts to reach him before the man shakes off his confusion. The man’s eyes widened as he saw Aeric bearing down on him and was bringing up his sword. Aeric led with his spear and before the nobleman could defend himself, Aeric jumped forward, thrusting hard, spear point digging deeply in the man’s sternum. Aeric threw his entire weight on the thrust and he pushed until he felt the spear caught on its lugs, a quarter of the way in. The nobleman screamed as he was thrown backward, back into his tent, taking the spear with him. Aeric skidded from his flying thrust as he landed and drew his hunting knife. He ran into the tent to finish the job. The nobleman was on his back with the spear in his hands. His face was contorted in pain. Aeric was not sure if he was trying to steady it or pull it out but he never gave the nobleman the chance. He had his knife in an underhand grip. He dropped to a knee and plunged the knife through the man’s left eye. He twisted the knife to scramble the man’s brain and ensure the man was a dead as a dead man could be. The nobleman’s legs were twitching and kicking as life left the body.

Aeric stayed on his knees as he took deep breaths, a little winded from his run. Now that he was not focusing on killing people, he could hear the bedlam the hounds were making. The entire camp was reverberating from the barks of the enraged hounds. Aeric cleaned his knife on the nobleman’s shirt and stood up. He grabbed his spear and pulled hard to retrieve it. The body held it for a moment before it slowly released it with a sucking sound. Aeric then heard a deep, extremely loud bark. The hounds instantly stopped baying, fearful whining replacing the noise. Aeric went back outside and could see Titan standing tall in front of the hounds. Some of the hounds peed on the ground while the others tried to make themselves smaller, shaking. Titian is an adult stone dog, his size can be compared to a carriage horse. Aeric could see Titan giving the hounds the eye, cowing them.

“Titan! Leave the hounds alone. I think they know who is alpha now.” Aeric called. Titan stared a few more moment to reinforce his dominance before he backed off, trotting back to walk beside Aeric. The dog’s muzzle was painted red from the blood of the guide and he could see the dog’s tail wagging. Titan always enjoyed the thrill of the hunt. He always was very playful after one.

Aeric walked towards the hounds and had titan keep itself between him and them. He walked around the tree and could see the slaves holding one other. A whimper could be heard as they saw him approach. They kept their heads down and some of them were crying. They probably thought that it was their end.

Aeric examined the shackles and could see that they were poorly made. Some of the shackles were biting hard on some of the slaves’ wrists and were bleeding. The others were rusty constructs, hammered to fit. Aeric went back to the nobleman’s tent and searched around. He flipped the dead man and removed the ring of keys tied to his waist. He went back to the slaves and stood in front of them.

“Hey!”

The slaves flinched and just huddled tighter, holding each other.

“Look at me. I said look at me!” Aeric took a harder tone to break through the slaves’ terror. They raised their heads one by one, looking at Aeric but not directly in his eyes. The women were crying while the men had the look of total despair. Aeric stretched out his right hand in front of him, dangling the keys on his fingers.

“I’ll be opening your shackles in a moment. Stay still until I tell you otherwise. That stone dog there will be watching you, understand?” Titan looked away from staring the hounds to face the slaves. Another round of whimpers came from the huddle. Point made, Titan went back to dominating the hounds. Aeric thought that the stone dog was having a lot of fun scaring the hounds based on the slow wagging of its tails as he guarded.

“Don’t worry, I don’t want to hurt you and I don’t want you to hurt me. I’ll free you one by one and let you go. You’re not in Agoutia anymore. Slavery is illegal in Idaca. Welcome to the Howling Jungle.” Aeric approached the women first, moving slowly as not to startle them. He worked the keys one by one until he inserted the proper one. A click was heard before the shackle dropped from the bruised woman’s neck on the ground. The woman had the look of unbelieving surprise. This might be the first time in a long time since she was not tied to something. As the woman continue to absorb her current state, Aeric continued working, removing her leg shackles. Once she was completely free, the woman looked at her free ankles and raised her hands in the air, a joyous shout erupting from her throat. The other slaves looked at the freed woman and then looked at each other. Now that they know they were not going to be killed, their fear was replaced with the look of expectation and amazement. Aeric unshackled them one by one until the last shackle was removed. The slaves were crying and hugging each other, this time with joy. Aeric just stood aside from them, letting them have their moment. He never experienced being a slave so he could never completely understand the feeling of being free but he could imagine.

When Aeric felt that the freed slaves have calmed down enough he stepped around the tree to stand beside Titan. He waved at the group to follow him. They were happy to be free but he can also see the apprehension in their eyes. He was still an unknown to them. Nevertheless, they followed the instruction.

“Right. All of you have cuts and bruises. I can also see that you’re all underfed. Sit by the fire and I will tend to your wounds later.” Aeric watched them as they sat around the campfire, talking amongst themselves. He noticed that none of them looked at the dead Agoutians. He thought that some of them would want to kick the corpses or something but that might just be him. He let them be and considered the dilemma he now has. Aeric didn’t want to have to order Titan to kill the hounds. He always had a soft spot for them. He also can’t just let them free since the Howling Jungle is a dangerous place. There are a lot of creatures out there that would consider the hunting hounds as food. He didn’t want to care for them either since it would be a lot of work to feed, care, and train half a dozen hounds. He deliberated a moment before he came to decision. He patted Titan then walked towards the resting slaves. Aeric pointed at the three men that were chained to the dogs earlier.

“You men, what say you to freeing the dogs? Would you want me to kill them, let them go, or leave them chained up? You men were the ones who were dragged around by them. You deserve to have a hand at this.” Aeric asked.

The men looked at each other when one of them cleared his throat. The man was the tallest of the group. He was missing the top half of his right ear. He was uniformly thin and dirty but he could see that the man has some guts. He was the first one to look him in the eye.

“If you would, master, we would like to keep the dogs. They have mo sin in this. The depravity of their masters has no hold in them. They are good hounds, they are. If we are to be free, they would be our protection. We care for them and they know us. Their masters, or should I say, former masters, thought that they could turn them against us but we have trained that out of the hounds secretly. They act savage but they are good hounds.” With that said, the man broke eye contact and fidgeted on the ground. The other free men and women nodded along during his speech.

“I understand. First thing, I am no ‘master.’ Remember, there are no slaves here. Second, I agree that you would need protection. I would leave them in your care then. I will help you in keeping them fed but I would not care for them. We would stay here for the night then we will make for Cornago, a port city about four days of travel from here. There you can find people willing to help you get you on your feet. I would warn you, though, the local commandante dell’esercito would probably want to interrogate you. Any and all information they could glean about Agoutia from you freed slaves would be a point of interest.” At the word ‘interrogate’, the look of fear returned on their faces. Aeric hurriedly explained that interrogate in this case means sitting in a room being asked questions, not being tortured in the rack like what they thought. One of the men raised his hand.

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“Would they let us be? Afterwards, I mean.”

“It depends. They will keep you around until they feel that they have gotten everything they need from you then they might want to employ you afterward, as a consultant. Especially important since all of you are from Salvación. You are from there, right?”

“Yes, ma- I mean yes, we are.”

“Well, that’s it then. They would really want to talk to you. In case they don’t employ you, there is still the Order of Emancipation. It is one of the founding Idacan Laws of the Land. You will be given food, shelter, and care until they find you an appropriate job. Granted, you’ll probably end up working menial jobs but you’ll all be paid legal wages and nobody can take your money from you, aside from taxes of course.” That made Aeric mentally smile. He lives off the abundance of the Howling Jungle. He doesn’t pay any taxes.

The group got into an animated discussion of what they could do with the money they would earn and it was saddening to hear that for most of them, the highest aspiration they had at the moment was to buy enough food to never feel hungry ever again.

“So, we can earn a living? Own property? Be free to choose how to spend our own time?”

“Yes, to all of your questions.”

The woman asking the question looked stunned. It was only now that the meaning of freedom finally sunk in. Aeric knew that he would continue answering questions but decided that it was enough for the moment. He motioned the men to follow him. They got off the ground and walked behind him. Aeric stopped and turned to face the men. The men looked back inquisitively.

“Walk with me. You don’t have to trail behind me. In Idacan culture, that would be an offense. Idacans believe that walking behind someone is a sign that you don’t trust them, that you don’t want to show them your back.” The men nodded in understanding and drew level to Aeric. They continued walking until they were facing the hounds. The men didn’t want to approach with Titan standing close by so Aeric waved him away. The stone dog made himself comfortable on a bed of leaves just outside the camp.

Now that the huge predator was no longer hovering over the small pack, the hounds were more amenable to being petted. The men went among the frightened hounds and reassured the animals with petting and scratches. One of the men approached Aeric and shyly asked for permission to use the keys. Aeric tossed him the entire ring. The man went back to release the hounds. While the men were busy with the hunting hounds, Aeric went back and entered the small, plain, white tent. He could see that it was a supplies tent and rummaged around until he found some bread and cheese. There were also spiced sausages so he dumped them all in a spare box. Carrying it outside, he placed the box on top of the small table near the fire. Aeric could see he had an audience watching him. He looked up and smiled at them then waved at the box.

"Have something to eat. All of you would need your strength." They did not waste a moment before the tall man with the missing ear was breaking apart and passing around the bread and cheese. He also divided the sausages and shared it with the rest. All of them were eating at a feverish pace, like they were afraid somebody would take their food away. Aeric had to admonish them to eat properly or they would feel that in the morning. They tried following his advice but he can still see them stuffing their mouths. Aeric left them alone and circled the camp, looking for something to loot from the corpses.

He first made his way to the guide he skewered with the arrow. The man was face down on the ground with a pool of blood slowly expanding underneath him. Aeric pulled out the arrow and was pleased to see that it was relatively undamaged. None of the Agoutians were armored so there was nothing to stop the bamboo from piercing deep. He set it aside and started patting down the corpse. Aeric divested the dead of its weapons, a hunting crossbow with its quarrels in a short quiver and a long knife. He briefly examined the weapons and could see that they were nothing spectacular. The crossbow is a serviceable weapon and the quarrels are iron-tipped. The knife is of better quality, worked steel and properly forged, but again, nothing superior to his own. He set those aside and resumed his search. He was able to grab a small pouch of copper coins and a smoking pipe. He could see that the dead man has a decent pair of shoes so he stripped that off him along with his socks. He was about to leave when he decided that the pants were also in good shape. With the clothes in hand, he stopped by the eating group and dropped the pants, shoes, and socks beside the leader of the former slaves. He was about the same height of the guide, if not in thickness. He stopped eating to thank Aeric and started stripping off his own. Aeric noticed that the others were not at all disturbed by the suddenly-pantless man. They probably have been forced naked in front of people often to develop that disregard for it.

Aeric entered the nobleman's tent hoping for better scavenging. He first patted down the nobleman and came away with a signet ring, a heavier coin pouch containing silver and copper coins and the sword he was holding. Aeric removed the man's shoes and tried it on. It was a perfect fit. He took a couple of steps and did some hops to check for pinching and was happy to not feel any discomfort. He checked the small pack beside the sleeping roll and found a couple of changes of clothes. All of them were too fancy for Aeric's taste and silks don't stand up well to the rigors of the jungle. He collected them anyway and stuffed them back in the pack. Besides the noble's hunting crossbow, there were some bits and bobs but nothing else that sparks his interest other than two things.

The sword and a book.

The sword was about two handspans long. It was a double-edged thrusting weapon with a blood groove running down the blade. It has a simple cross guard to protect the hand and a wire-wrapped pommel as a grip. The small pommel weight was unmarked which was a surprise to Aeric. Most nobles would stamp a brotherhood seal or a knightship mark on it. It would mean that the noble slowly cooling off at Aeric's feet has not yet or failed to join any of those noble affiliations. It was well that it was unmarked because it was almost impossible to sell or hide a marked blade. The sheath beside the sleeping roll was of simple worked leather. It was elegant in its simplicity. It was of good quality leather with very good stitching. The leather was recently oiled too. Aeric initially thought of selling the blade until he found the book.

The book was entitled "Sword Forms: A Guide to Blade Work Basics by Maestro Antonio Salvedanni" and it is a thick one. Flipping through the pages, Aeric could see that the author discussed in detail how to train for a variety of swords. The book focuses on three main weapons, the short sword commonly used by the army, the sabre which is the dominion of nobles and cavalrymen,  and the rapier, the favorite of duelists everywhere. Aeric has no interest in learning the sabre of the rapier but was really piqued in trying his hand with the short sword. It just seems like it was the most practical one to learn. It's not like there would be anybody calling him out to a duel under the thick canopies of the Howling Jungle. Aeric does not know if learning how to use a sword would come in handy since he was already good with the spear but he has all the time in the world to learn. It would prove to be an interesting diversion at least.

Aeric finished scavenging and picked up the nobleman's hunting crossbow. It was leaps and bounds better than the guide's weapon. The woodwork was fantastic and there was some etching work on the side of the stock. The metal pieces were free of rust and when Aeric pulled the trigger, it was smooth. He kicked things around a bit until he found some extra string. It was lightly waxed to protect it from the elements. Aeric pocketed the string and hooked the crossbow on his belt. He was disappointed that the quarrels were of the same quality as the guide's but there was no reason for them to carry war shots. Arrowheads that could penetrate plate armor are expensive and are wasted on game.

Aeric now has more weapons that he ever held in his entire life. The price of the crossbow alone would have been more money that he had ever owned for the last ten years. He stuffed the nobleman's bag with everything he wanted and exited the tent. He gave his old pair of shoes to the one closest to his size and the man was very thankful. Aeric didn't want to enter the sagging tent Titan charged into because he knows the mess that would greet him but he also didn't want to leave anything valuable behind.

Aeric entered the last tent and immediately stepped on viscera. Titan chewed on the man badly and you could hardly recognize the remains as a man. He made a quick search in the tent then hurried outside with the man's weapons. A crossbow with a quiver of quarrels and another hunting knife. He moved everything to the campfire where everybody was busy digesting their meal. Aeric called the half-ear to him. The man quickly got on his feet.

"Have you ever shot one of these before?" Aeric was showing him one of the guide's crossbow.

"No, never."

"Well, we’re changing that now and another one of your group. We would be moving tomorrow and you need to armed. The Howling Jungle is dangerous and I cannot protect all of you." Aeric explained.

"I understand. I will learn quickly. Amon, come, our rescuer has a gift for us. By the way, sir, might we know our benefactor's name?" Aeric forgot to introduce himself earlier but that could be easily forgiven. He was busy.

"Of course. My name is Aeric Baltazar, Jungle dweller and occasional scout." Aeric grinned at that. Few could say that they could live in the jungle and be comfortable with it.

"Thank you for sharing your name. I am Tinu, the other man beside the fire is Kusaba. This here is Amon." Tinu placed a hand over the shoulder of the man that stood beside him. Amon was almost a head shorter than Tinu. He has an angular face that was all jaw and cheekbones. The man's hair was cut to a stubble and he could see a rough scar running from his forehead to the top of his head. Aeric stopped his observation when Tinu continued his introductions.

"The woman with the bruise on her face is named Mella and the other is named Piyesa. Both of them were house slaves that had been unfortunate enough to be sold to Señor Miguel. He treated them worse than us."

“He’s not going to hurt anyone again.” Aeric replied in a low voice which made Tinu paused. Amon just nodded at the statement.

“What are your plans now, Señor Amon? That is, if you would allow us to know?” Tinu was being careful. Aeric felt that the former slave didn’t want to offend him. Aeric tried to reassure the man by sitting down by the fire so that everybody could hear him. Kusaba moved over to give him some space on the log.

“I’ll be taking a look at your wounds after we move the bodies away from the camp. There are dangerous predators in the jungle. We don’t want them to follow the smell of blood here. I’ll ask two of you to help me with that and the other to start working on removing the meat from the pig. I have some herbs in my pack that I could rub on it with the salt you’ve brought to cure it overnight. It would make for a tasty meal compared to the jerky most travelers eat. We would stay here for the night but we’ll be leaving when the morning comes. We do not know until when your hunting party would be expected to return but we could not risk having a search party catch us. I just killed a noble and freed some slaves. Agoutian law will find me hanging by the gibbet before the end of a ten-day. Cornago is a few days’ walk from here. We’ll take it slow to allow you people to regain some of your strength.  From there, the city officials will take care of you.” While the group digested that, Aeric handed Amon one of the crossbows. For the next few knuckles, he instructed the man on how to care for it. After he was satisfied that the man knew how to hold it properly, he had him pass the weapon to Tinu, who listened carefully during the instruction. Tinu was a fast learner and was able to repeat the instructions fairly quickly.

Once Aeric was satisfied that they were well-informed on how to care for the weapon, he told Amon to look for a sack and fill it with deadfall leaves. While Amon was doing that, Aeric had Tinu put away the weapons and work with him in dragging the bodies away. He passed by the fire to ask Kusaba to start cutting the pig and for the women to feed the dogs with some pieces of it.

It took about two bells before everything was done. The night was starting to get deeper and everybody was tired. Aeric and Tinu had to drag the bodies quite a ways from the camp to avoid predators from getting curious. Tinu asked if they had to bury the bodies but Aeric said no. The denizens of the jungle would take care of it. There would probably be nothing left by tomorrow. It was almost midnight when everything needed to be done was finished. Mella and Piyesa did an outstanding job cleaning up after the raid and the camp looks immaculate. Kusaba finished stripping the pig of all of its meat and placed the still dripping slabs on a canvass on the ground. Aeric went back to retrieve his pack from the bushes where he hid earlier and opened it. He always keeps a small pouch of herbs to add to his food when camping out. There was not a lot but it was enough to add some flavor to the meat. He rubbed it on the freshly-butchered meat then generously sprinkled it with the salt the party had brought. Kusaba then wrapped the canvas over it and stored it away to allow the salt and herbs to permeate the meat. Tomorrow, they will smoke it to make some tasty traveling jerky. Kusaba threw the leftover carcass of the pig to the hounds as well as the remains of their meal. The hounds pounced on it and crunching sounds could be heard as the pack settled down.

Aeric checked on Amon and saw that the man had two sacks filled to the brim with leaves. Aeric had him tie the open ends close. He then took the two sacks and looked for a low-lying branch. He found a small tree with a branch about head high and placed the sacks on the branch, leaning on the trunk. He then secured them with some spare riding straps and counted about forty paces. The hunting crossbow could hit effectively double that range but he wanted to make sure that the group could shoot properly first before ranging farther.

Once the improvised target range was set up, he called for Tinu and Amon. The two were resting with the others by the campfire.

“I know all of you are tired but this cannot wait. We will spend half a bell in practicing your aim with the crossbow. It is not a difficult weapon to use. You being able to protect yourselves would allow me and Titan to move freely, meeting the biggest threat. Both of you will be protecting the group with these crossbows while we travel. It is essential that you can actually fletch your marks. We will practice again tomorrow before we set out but for now, Tinu, come and watch.”

Aeric then demonstrated how to load the crossbow. It was one of the new ones that used a spanning hook to pull the string back. During his militia days, Aeric was issued a heavier and older model of what he was holding right now. He had to wear thick gloves to avoid string cuts from constant loading. The newer models like what the guides were using have stronger yet more flexible wood so it was not as hard to span. The spanner just improved the process.

Aeric stepped on the stirrup then took a knee. He then hooked the spanner on the string then pulled the same time he stood up. He dropped the latch securing the string on the trigger mechanism. He then loaded the crossbow with one of the mediocre quarrels of the guide’s then set the stock of crossbow snugly on his shoulder. He provided instructions while he demonstrated how to aim. Lead foot in front, slightly shifting your weight forward, using the target marker to aim, then squeezing the trigger. The quarrel zipped through the air and thunked on the tree. The target was cleanly hit, the quarrel embedded in the middle.

Aeric looked back to make sure that his students understood what had happened then repeated the process, this time at combat quickness.  A trained crossbowman could load, aim, and shoot a light crossbow three times under a knuckle. The hunting crossbow he was using was harder to load but it has greater range so about two times in what Aeric was thinking. He will be satisfied in the two men could do one under a knuckle.

Aeric gave them three quarrels each and stood by as they tried their hand on it. They struggled in loading the crossbows a bit but that was expected. The muscles needed to do that smoothly needs to be developed. When both of them had their weapons loaded properly, they each took their shots, Tinu firing first. Both of them missed their targets and Aeric had them try again. This time, both were able to hit the sacks after a couple of adjustments. Aeric left them to their devices after a reminder to retrieve the quarrels and not use the others. They only have about thirty-three for all of them.

While both men were killing the sack over and over, Aeric called for Kusaba. The man was broader across the shoulders and could see that the man has a bit of muscle on him.

“Yes, Señor?” Aeric was surprised by the man’s deep voice. He has a slight twang at the end of his words that informed Aeric that he was not a native Agoutian.

“Don’t think I’ve forgotten about you. Here, hold this.” Aeric handed him his arrow and the atlatl he had on his belt. Kusaba looked at the arrow then at the atlatl then looked at Aeric with confusion.

“I watched you, while I was staking your party. You’re strong and quick on your feet. What are your normal duties before joining this hunt?”

“I was a runner for Señor Miguel’s blacksmith. I pick up deliveries of ingots and coal for the smith and also run the blower when his apprentices are busy.” The man answered. Well, that explains it. Running around with a cart full of metals then pumping forge blowers the entire day will build your muscles. Aeric suspects that the man was naturally quick on his feet. Running errands does not account for his movements.

“I will teach you how to throw an arrow. The wooden contraption you have on your hand with the strap attached to it will help you throw it harder and faster. You will be carrying the boar spear as well as that arrow when we move tomorrow. Your main job will be to protect the group and to block any that approaches.” Aeric could see that the man was nervous and was biting his lips. Kusaba looked at the practicing duo then to the arrow in his hands.

“I’ve never fought before, señor. I do not know if I could do what you ask.” He blurted. Kusaba was looking anxious yet he gripped the arrow tightly.

“I’m not asking you to fight anybody. You just need to keep those who attack away from you. Titan and I will take care of them. That’s why you have that arrow in your hand. If you hit your target right, most of what you hit will either be dead or heavily wounded by the time they reach you, making them easy prey. Understand?” Aeric placed his hands on the man’s shoulders and tried to instill confidence in him. Kusaba took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he exhaled slowly. When he opened his eyes to look at Aearic, his eyes were hard with determination. Aeric smiled internally, happy that the former slave’s spirit was not completely broken by his former overlords.

Aeric instructed the man on how to use the atlatl and how to throw without it in case there is no time. Kusaba was a natural with the arrow and was able to hit the nearby tree at first try. He was even better with the atlatl. Aeric was surprised on how hard the man can throw with it.

Aeric called the women to join him and Kusaba and went to the hobbled striders to relieve them of the spears. The mounts stayed put during the entire ruckus earlier, showing their training. Aeric gave each one a reassuring pat and he could see eyes half-closing in content. Aeric could make out Titian’s massive form just behind the striders, dozing but ears swiveling. The stone dog never sleeps deeply when out in the jungle. Aeric walked over and gave the stone dog a good scratch behind the ear. Titan’s hind leg started involuntarily kicking, amusing him.

Aeric brought back three spears and handed it out. He gave the heavier one with the broad leaf spear tip to Kusaba. He turned to the women and looked at them, trying to see how they react to holding the spears. All three of them were holding the spears like they were using it as a walking stick but the women were particularly unsure about the weapon in their hands.

“Mella, Piyesa, Tinu told me that both of you were house slaves. I cannot fathom the hardships that both of you have endured but that is over now. You now have the chance to start over. The question is, will you fight for that chance? I have given you weapons. Will you use it?” This is an important question. Most house slaves have had their spirit broken to the degree that they are no more than husks, following orders their masters give them. Most cannot imagine taking arms against those who own them and would balk at the idea, so savagely they are treated.  

Both of the women looked at the spear they had in their hands and Aeric waited, letting them come to grips with it. He can only teach them, he could not make them fight with it if their spirit is not in it. He would put them in the middle of the group and the hounds would protect them. Still, it would dramatically improve their safety if the women could fight.

The women looked at each other then Piyesa, a short woman with long, jet black hair moved to hug Mella. The other woman sank into the embrace and Aeric could hear some sniffles. Aeric was starting to feel uncomfortable when the women released each other.

Mella, still sniffing and her large bruise darkening her face in the firelight, stepped forward.

“We will fight, señor. Piyesa and I don’t know how bad we would be but we had enough of Agoutia. We will die before we let ourselves be taken.” Mella’s melodic and soft voice belies the steel underneath. She had made a decision and would stick with it. Aeric could see that Piyesa was also committed to it, bowing to Aeric.

“Wonderful! Let us make sure that if they want you, they will pay for it with blood. All three of you, both hands on the spear.”

Aeric gave them brief instructions in using the spear. He focused more on teaching them how to present themselves as multiple opponents, having Kusaba stay in front of the aggressor while ladies move to the sides, presenting multiple angles of attack. Aeric taught them how to make short, quick stabs with the spear, admonishing them not to over-extend themselves while using it.

Once they’ve learned the basics, Aeric had them flip their spears over to have the butts forward. He stepped up and took a fighting stance in front of them, spear butt at the forefront too.

“Come, show me what you have learned.”

The trio started off tentatively, making small advances and weak stabs. Aeric let that play for a few moments before he quickly stepped in and made quick stabs at Kusaba while sweeping left and right at the women. They panicked and moved back, waving their spears around.

“Keep those spears forward! The tip is what keeps your opponent away. Mella, Piyesa, moved to my left. Force your opponent to reach over to attack you. Kusaba, use that spear you have. It’s longer than mine. Stab with it. Short, quick stabs.”

After the initial surprise, the trio slowly got comfortable in using the spear and was able to follow instructions better. Aeric changed targets occasionally, facing one person to the next. It allowed the trio to learn how to adapt their teamwork in facing an attacker. Everytime Aeric faced a different opponent, the other two would spread out, forcing Aeric to guard three angles of attack. They were able to tag Aeric a couple of time before Aeric called for a halt. He also had Tinu and Amon stop shooting. They have been training for half a bell and it was nowhere enough but it would have to do. They at least know the basics and would be enough to protect themselves.

The three with the spear dropped on the ground, gasping for air. Aeric was reminded that these were not healthy, active villagers. He waved at the group to rest themselves by the fire. He leaned his spear on the nobleman’s tent and rummaged around his pack. He retrieved a leather pouch from it then joined the resting group.

“Good work. I know it was exhausting and you already had a long day but you need to learn how to fight. I will now take a look at your wounds and when I’m done, I want all of you to turn for the night. Tinu and I will take the smaller tent. The rest of you can sleep in the nobleman’s.”

“Isn’t the bigger tent much more comfortable, señor? You should take it.” Mella said. The others agreed.

“Again, you’re not slaves now. You better start practicing on thinking you are equal with other freemen. I’ll be fine in the other tent. Besides, all of us will not fit in one.” Aeric observed them as they absorbed what he said. It will take time for them to accept that they are no longer living on the whims of others. They will learn how to appreciate themselves, eventually.

Aeric placed the pouch on the table beside the fire. He opened it and started taking out pastes and small bottles full of liquids. Bandages and clean cloth followed as he spread them on the surface. Tinu’s eyes grew larger and the others made exclamations of surprise. Aeric was startled by the noise and looked at them.

“You are a healer, señor?”

“Of a sorts. I dabble at healing. I could cure simple ailments, set broken bones, sew flesh closed, make salves for bruising and the likes. Why? Do not the nobles have house healers too?”

“Yes, they do, señor, but it is a cherished profession. To find a healer wielding a weapon with such competence is unheard of in Agoutia. There are never enough healers and they are always kept safe. An Agoutian healer can live a life of excess with his skills. The art of healing is guarded jealously, many try to get an apprenticeship with a healer only to be refused. You can become a very wealthy man in Agoutia, señor.” Tinu explained.

“Well, I’m content here in the jungle, thank you. Also, I want nothing to do with people who enslave others. I’d probably poison than heal them if forced to.” Aeric was half joking but he probably will poison any Agoutian is they are all like Señor Miguel.

“Why do you live in the jungle, señor? Is the city not more comfortable?” Piyesa asked. I was gently applying some salve on Mella’s bruise but was still attentive to their questions.

“Comfortable is where you find it. I find the city constricting. There is always something I have to do. I have to pay taxes, make nice with my neighbors, follow the city watch’s direction and much more. Here, in the jungle, I am the king of my own world. Nobody can tell me what to do. I am outside Idacan lands so the king has no rights to me. If I want to eat, I can hunt for my food. If I want to piss, I can look for the nearest tree, if I want to laze around all day, I can well damn do so. Nobody here can dictate to me how to live my life. Granted, it is dangerous here. There are always predators and bandits roaming around but if you are smart, prepared, and not attached to material wealth, the Howling Jungle could be home.” It has been for Aeric. Eleven years of living off the jungle. Aeric could not imagine living in a city, swarming with people and its horrible smell. His monthly visit for supplies is enough for him.

After asking a couple more question, the group quieted down. Most of them were still processing how they were slaves a few bells ago and they are now free people. In the case of Kusaba, he was already nodding off.

Aeric finished treating the numerous scratches and bruises of the group. He also applied a paste on Amon’s left leg. He had a prior injury that was not treated properly and it was in danger of infection. He cleaned the weeping wound and applied a healing paste that will combat the infection. He then wrapped it with a bandage, ensuring a tight wrap.

The group was tired and it was deep in the night. Aeric did one more circuit around the camp to check on the striders and Titian. The animals were comfortable enough and the hounds were already sleeping. Aeric bid the group good night and advised them to get as much sleep as they can. Titan will be on watch tonight. He entered the tent and stripped in preparation for sleeping. Tinu entered a moment later, surrendering to him the guide’s sleeping roll. The former slave has told him he was used to sleeping on the ground but Aeric would have none of it. He gave the man the dead guide’s cloak and had him use it cushion his body, even if only a little bit. Tinu didn’t protest and just thank Aeric. Both of them laid on their spots and were asleep shortly after.