Chapter 6 Juji hunting...
“This should work then right?” Tamerian asked holding up a blue stone with a leather thong attached to it. “It a scrying stone, you tie it around your head, and then we simply scry it, we will be able to see what you see without interrupting your hunting abilities.” he grabs a bowl and pours a small amount of water, before saying an incantation and showing us all how well it works.
“She thinks this is good,” I nod, taking the stone and tying it around my forehead, making sure my hair does not get in the way. “Now you see what she sees.”
“That is weird man, being able to see yourself from another’s eyes,” Tamerian whispers looking up from the scrying bowl at me and back down at the bowl again.
“Have you never looked in the mirror before?” Alaina asks looking at him skeptically.
“That’s not the same,” he waves her off. “Now go hunt, let's see how good you actually are.” with a nod I shoulder my hunting bow and take seven arrows with me. It takes a few minutes to get out of town, but once I am out I spread my toes and lightly start running on top of the snow. It really is accumulating quite well this time of the year, last night there must have been a good three inches.
Juji are not really bears, they may look and act like large bears, but in reality, they are not. There are several things they do that a bear does not, or that a bear does that they do not. Hibernation, for example, bears hibernate, Juji do not. They stay awake all winter, which means they need a good amount of food to keep them in their peak condition.
So they eat anything and everything.
There is more than one story of a careless hunter never returning to the tribe. And there were even more stories about kits who wondered to far away… I took my trot into a run, sprinting across the top of the snow towards the hills and trees about a mile distant. The power in my legs made such movement easy, and I reached it in only a few minutes. These thick forests were the perfect place for a Juji. Close enough to civilization to be able to pick off stragglers, but far enough out that they could vanish into the trees before a full force could be called to muster.
No one said the Juji were stupid.
It took me almost an hour before I spotted the tracks I wanted. It was a small one, which should make this easier. Leaning over I placed my nose a mere inch above the snow and breathed in, smelling the pungent scent of the beast.
It was cold, probably about 45 minutes to an hour old, and the spread of the tracks seemed to indicate it was not moving too quickly, more like it was a slow lumbering trot.
I could catch it.
Smiling to myself I fell into the rhythm I had grown so accustomed to, adjusting my bow and quiver on my back I sunk down to all fours and started running for real.
Khatans are naturally fast, the power of our legs is outstanding, add that with the natural way we can spread out toes and stay on top of the snow and you have quite an outstanding creature in any snowy environment.
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
But that was not the fastest we can run.
With my front paws on the ground, I can sprint at twice my normal speed, using my arms like the front legs of a hunting cat.
It was why my fingers had pads after all.
Like this, I could outrun a pack of wolves.
Easily.
Springing forward I followed the beast's path, weaving in and out between trees and bushes, moving at such a speed the very landscape around me started to blur. I love running like this, it always feels so freeing. While I ran I kept scenting the air, breathing in and knowing how close I was to the beast.
It took me fifteen minutes to catch up. When the scent was strong I allowed myself to tumble forward, using the snow to cushion my blow as I rolled, bleeding off almost all of my momentum and landing softly on my belly. Carefully from this prone position I looked around, first left and then right before crawling forward across the snow. Creeping slowly around the bush I found my prey.
It was like I had gleamed a smaller Juji, it sat there munching on the carcass of some animal, at this point, it was just an unrecognizable lump of meat and blood, though I think I saw a hoof somewhere in there for a second, so likely a deer or elk…
The monster had his back to me, happily munching away, not realizing its end was neigh upon it. Ignorance is bliss after all… slowly without making any noise I raised myself to my knees and pulled the hunting bow off of my back. It was one my father had made me, a unique thing made from alten wood, which was almost as tall as I was. Funny enough the wood was practically the same color as my armor, a deep bronze. The unique thing about it was the fact that instead of one string, it had two, meaning if I nocked one arrow on either side, allowing them to rest on the arrow rests I could fire two arrows at once… or I could knock both and fire them one after another.
Which was what I was about to do.
Pulling two arrows out of my quiver I knocked the first one on the right side and the second one on my left. Pulling them both back with the pointer and middle fingers on my right hand I breathed in as I drew the bow back and aimed at the beast. I pulled the arrows to the point where my fingers almost brushed my chin and steadied my aim by holding my breath.
I let out a breath as I let the first arrow fly, I did so by tilting my fingers slightly, allowing the string on the left side to slide out of my grasp. The left half of the bow sprung forward, contrary to what most people believe it is not the string that propels the arrow, it is rather the bow snapping back to its original position, my bow is split in half most of the way down the middle, meaning I can fire both sides independently.
Its like I am holding two bows in one hand.
The arrow sunk deep into the Juji’s shoulder, causing it to stumble forward slightly, but only for a second as it rose to its feet and turned and roared at me. I looked into its red eyes, past the blood covered snout and released my second arrow.
Without fail it entered the Juji’s right eye, causing the roar to turn into a whimper as it stumbled back, temporarily blinded as it swiped at its face in pain and anger.
I didn't have long.
Dropping my bow I sprang forward with all the speed I could muster, covering the twenty or so meter distance between myself and the nine-foot-tall Juji in a second or two. I lept up off of the ground with a shower of snow and ice as my hind paws tore into the woodland floor, bending my legs I placed both of them on the trunk of a tree to the right of the Juji and used it to give myself another boost.
As I flew by the thrashing creature I reached my hand out, claws extended, catching onto the Juji’s fur. The momentum swung me around the beast’s back, claws carving four bloody grooves across the artery on the right side of his neck.
Blood painted the pristine snow in arterial red as I arrested myself on his back, reaching around to the other side I reached down and by sheer will sunk my claws into the unmarred flesh on the left side of the Juji’s neck, using my legs I pushed up, allowing my claws to slide through that side, slicing that artery clean through as well.
That done I lept off of his back the force propelling me in a full ark so that I landed crouched on my feet, one hand extended out to the right, ready to attach again should the need arise, and the other hand planted in the snow.
There was no need for a second attack, however.
The Juji turned and looked at me, taking one step before falling with an earth-shattering thump. I stayed there watching it for a few more minutes before I moved.
Juji were smart after all.
That was how I got those three scars on my nose, it could have been my face… you only make a mistake like that once… walking over I grabbed my bow from where I had left it in the snow and slung it back over my shoulder.
The hunt was done, the fun was over, now it was time for the work.
Sighing I extended the claw on my right hand and went about the arduous task of cleaning and skinning my kill.
I hope they liked the show…