Today was the same as usual, I woke up, prepared myself, and prepared to hunt once more. There will be traders tomorrow, so I’m hoping to find more nacnor and maybe even catch some lokataf. Being rabbits with the limbs of cheetahs makes it difficult to hit them though. Fast buggers, they are. Yes they are.

Leaving my house, I greet Haywood as we head to the frozen forest. As we enter, a chill dashes down my spine. Something isn’t right. I am aware of that, however, we have yet to be in danger here. Not to mention that we have to prepare for the traders. Do as you wish, but if anything goes wrong, then it’s not my fault.

“Woah! That felt weird! I wonder what happened! What do you think?” Haywood blabbed.

“We should remain cautious, something has changed, and I fail to imagine what could have happened in the week since we last visited.” I remarked.

We quieted as we entered the forest, immediately becoming alert. I heard rummaging, and I signaled for my bow. As Haywood handed it to me, I had already pulled out three arrows, one to draw back and two to hold at the ready.

A lokataf hopped into my sights, ears perked up to notice nearby foes. I aim my bow, drawing back slowly so as not to make noise. As my hand reaches my cheek, I calm my breath. Then I let go. The arrow soared through the air, embedding itself into the skull of the lokataf before it could spot us.

“Great shot! You hit it perfectly! I ca-” Haywood celebrated.

“Silence, we are not alone and you are alerting the world to your presence.” I interrupt him, whispering.

“Oh. I get it.” he murmured back.

As we proceed, I notice that the forest is completely quiet. No birds are singing, no more rustling the leaves, and no animals fighting over territory.

Suddenly, I hear a booming roar. The trees shake and Haywood falls to the ground.

“What was that?! I think my ears are bleeding!” Haywood yelped in surprise.

“Based off of the length, among other factors, I believe that it is a fotimel.” I informed patiently.

“Dang dude! How’d something that big get into here?” Haywood wondered.

“It most likely was driven out of it’s home by a more powerful predator. “ I reported.

“Wait, if that’s here, aren’t we out of luck for hunting?” Haywood quietly sounded.

“That is up to you. If you wish to leave, we shall leave.” I said, giving him the power.

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“Well then we’re staying! I’m not gonna let some dumb animal get in the way of my life just because it lost a fight! I’m gonna beat it so bad it’ll go running back to it’s mommy!” Haywood yelled.

As we made our way in the monsters general direction, I heard a voice in my head talk about how we were going to our slow and painful deaths. I shut it out, mentioning that we are capable of escaping if anything goes wrong.

We found the footprints of the fotimel leading to a stream nearby. We readied our bows in preparation to fight.

The behemoth was thirteen and a half feet tall. It’s legs lead to seven inch claws meaning it could decide if you went home to your family, or to your ancestors. The bite force of this fotimel seemed to be able to split trees from the base.

It raised its head, sniffing the air cautiously. We aim, as it turns its nose straight at us. We release our arrows straight into the beast's chest as it roars once more in anger.

“I’ll distract it. You finish it off when you get a clear shot. Don’t shoot any sooner.” Haywood commanded, somehow calmer in the presence of danger.

“As you wish.” I returned.

He ran at the fotimel, roaring as a challenge to the animals dominance. I nocked an arrow once more, aiming to wait for a clear shot. Haywood ran around it, still screaming to distract it. It thrashed at him to at least immobilize him, but he dodged the attacks with little effort.

I saw a chance to hit it, but then Haywood got impatient and tried to leap on it’s back to give me a better view. It saw through his attack and whirled around with a bite that landed on his left arm. A moment of pause came between when I shot my arrow and his scream.

He let out a wordless cry loud enough to make my ears ring. His throat gave out in seconds from the ferocity of his pain, leading to a small whimper to escape his mouth before he collapsed, unconscious at the least.

I sprinted to him, temporarily ignoring the dead fotimel so my assistant can be helped. He was bleeding quite swiftly and it was likely that he would die without someone to stem the bleeding. I tore off my shirt and used it to block the blood from escaping the wounds.

That should be enough for now, so I move to the corpse beside us and butcher it in the most swift yet transportable way. Once I finished, for it took little time, I loaded it up, picked up Haywood, and jogged back to town.

Everyone crowded around me when I arrived, but when they saw the blood of my friend, they silenced and moved out of the way. I reach Linley Easome’s healing hut and enter, asking her to help my friend.

“Sure thing, young one. Put him on this bed right here,” the healer of the village responded kindly.

“Do you require my assistance?” I inquired.

“No, he should survive, though he won’t be able to use his arm like he used to, even if he keeps it,” she replied.

“Then I shall leave you to your work,” I said, leaving the building.

I headed towards Stanley’s, ready to sell the meat I received through my journey through the forest. He was sitting on a wooden chair that seemed to be of his own making, sharpening one of his knives. He looked up and grunted, standing up to look me in the eyes.

“What ‘ave you got ‘ere? By the looks of it, you had a hell of a time,” he rumbled.

“Fresh fotimel. Caught it by surprise in the forest, however, my acquaintance was still injured by it,” I summarized.

“Well, what do ya think it’s worth? I Ain’t had one of these ‘ere ‘fore,” he wondered.

“The market price is three and a half copper,” I informed him.

“Ah, well I’m guessin’ most don’t just take one shot though do they?” He inquired cautiously.

“No, most use many sword strikes,” I answered.

“I can’t offer more than four pieces of copper though, so you’ll have to take tha’,” he replied.

“I am satisfied with that arrangement,” I said.

With that, we completed the purchase, shook hands, and I left. I went straight home, knowing we have food for tonight.

Dahlia welcomes me home and I greet her before I head to my room to sleep and gain energy for Tomorrow.