by Vance Huxley
The big cat had been drinking but now he froze, staring back with big fierce yellow eyes and they stood out because the beast was black! Billi had found black hairs and thought they would be from the stripes but the stripes were only an impression in the gleaming expanse of pelt. Definitely a Great Hunter, and even with Rabbit stood beside Billi the huge cat wasn’t even slightly frightened. The Great Hunter watched carefully, but after some endless period his head dipped and the startlingly white fangs reached to delicately scoop up the fish. He stood with heads and tails hanging from his jaws and looked at Billi again. Then the great length turned smoothly and shouldered the bushes aside. A thick black whip waved goodbye and Billi could breathe again.
Everyone talked of the Great Hunter but to see one like that, clearly, the full size and length, was so much more than imagination. Though the sight settled one item. Billi would be sharing his paradise because that beast wouldn’t shift unless and until he wished, regardless of what Rabbit marked. Replaying those few moments kept Billi occupied for a good part of the trip home, and he knew they would stay with him forever.
Fresh bread smell greeted him and by now Billi knew it would. If he stayed away overnight then regardless of who had started looking after the hut as Billi left, Ellibeth would be there with fresh bread when he arrived back. Just “as he’d asked” she told him and he might have, Billi couldn’t remember the wording when they talked about bread. He told Ellibeth about the Great Hunter, quietly while Rubyn played with Rabbit, and asked her not to repeat it. Some idiot would try for that beautiful midnight pelt, and then the Great Hunter would kill the Hunter and Hound. That would be the end of the valley because once attacked the beast wouldn’t allow men near again.
* * *
The good hunting over the summer and a good harvest meant nobody actually felt hungry yet but more belts were being tightened. The local game had almost gone not much over a moon after midwinter, the few animals left too thin or too wary to provide meals for anyone. Everyone in the Village now lived off their stores apart from that one pack of fish Billi brought home. The Hunters were staying home now, and only going out with the wood gathering parties. Even those were going further as the wood gatherers dug in the snow to strip the Forest of even the small dead wood to keep the cold at bay.
The elders broke tradition and agreed that the villagers could use the wood gathered for the fish run. Billi took a group of Hunters and Hounds with ponies and youths on a double overnight, to collect firewood from a place with a small fallen tree and plenty of deadfalls. Soon afterwards a small deputation came to see Billi, led by Barimar and Canitre, to talk about these valleys with game. They had spoken to the youths and young Hunters from last time but now they needed a seasoned Hunter’s assessment. Would there still be game in the other valleys even in this weather?
Billi was startled at being referred to as a seasoned Hunter. “Yes, I’m sure there’ll be game. There are clearings, and large trees with only a little undergrowth to provide some almost unburied grazing. The rest has thick bushes for browsing and cover, and the faster streams should have a stretch still clear of thick ice to provide water.” Billi gestured. “You saw it, Eddmune.”
Eddmune shrugged. “I only saw one valley for one hunt, Billi, whereas you’d seen them all before we ever went near. We want you to lead the hunt.”
“I’ll be really slow in this weather so it’ll be quicker without me.” Billi wouldn’t mind since he had enough in his store to go through to spring, or he could go and smash the ice again to get more fish.
“We can’t Billi. The young Hunters won’t go without you and neither will Cynel or Eddmune.” Barimar shrugged. “They all swear they aren’t confident of the direction with all this snow and without you along.”
Billi smiled. “I can remind them of the directions if you like. You should remember, Eddmune.”
Eddmune grinned and shook his head. “With all this snow the whole Forest is different this year. We need a Winter Hunt so we need our guide.”
Canitre snorted. “The real reason is straight enough. Ye’re a lucky Hunter Billi, and the Wild has taken to ye. The younger Hunters just won’t go without ye, and I’d feel better if ye came along.”
Eddmune laughed. “If Billi had more feet one of the younger Hunters would have stolen one as a charm.”
“As long as it wasn’t given to a maid. Would a Stumpy Wanderer foot mean the same as a stoat’s foot?” Hektor sniggered at that.
“A ssrrong bearr’s foot might be the same as a stoat tail.” That brought a round of laughter. An interested youth might give a stoat’s tail to a maid as a cheeky gift. If accepted it would be made into a wristband after the bonding, because that gift meant much more than chasing. Anise had a row of them across the back of her winter coat to advertise her profession.
Once the hilarity died back Eddmune picked up the discussion. “We already have the solution. Billi rides a pony again. We’ll be taking ponies anyway and on the way out Billi can ride and even switch if one gets tired. If the hunt is as successful as hoped the ponies will break a trail for everyone and be moving slowly on the way back. Very slowly since we all intend to be towing travois full of meat.”
Billi still felt a bit embarrassed. “So I ride again while everyone walks?”
Eddmune laughed. “No, we’ll use the same pony. Then the pony will show us where the game is so you may as well get a lift since you’re going the same way?” Billi had to laugh with the rest at that and he stopped objecting. Nobody seemed bothered about him riding now or the last time, and it was a practical solution. Though he still thought some other Hunter with a family should go instead because they’d need the meat more.
Though the older Hunters should have enough to last the winter, and yet they wanted to come. “How come so many older Hunters are coming? I would have thought your stores were full?”
“Probably full enough, but we want a good few older heads on this trip Billi.” Raban sounded dead serious. “This is a hard winter, the second such winter in three years. The more of the experienced Hunters know how to find these valleys the better, because there are no certainties in the Forest. The Wild might snap up any Hunter, even the Wanderer.” Billi could see the hard logic in that argument, so he nodded and the talk moved on to practicalities.
This would be a much more organised expedition, as there were families who would be tightening belts and waiting hopefully until these Hunters arrived back. This time the Hunters would take eight ponies. With them and the eighteen Hunters and six youths pulling or carrying all they could, the trip should be enough to feed every family getting short until the weather broke.
“The families closest to trouble should send someone round and I’ll let them have enough to get by.” Billi shrugged. “I live on my own so my store is still well stocked. Anyway, I can always head off to the landclaim and eat fish until spring.” Billi intended doing that while he still had some food in his store - enough to keep Viktor’s family going if things got that bad.
That sparked a quick discussion and an agreement that Billi would take a couple of the older Hunters to see the landclaim when the weather broke. Just so the place could be found and maintained if Billi went missing. If there were still fish there in a bad winter, such a place must be kept for other bad times and not lost if Billi made a misstep on his travels. It felt a bit strange speaking of making real plans in case the Wild caught him out. Billi had sort of agreed to show people but the harsh urgency in the requests now emphasised a hard logic.
Billi had lived until now on the assumption that the worst would happen one day or night and his nest egg was to cover if it happened in the Village. If either he or Rabbit broke a leg out there they were both done, because neither had a spare, and neither would leave the other. Billi had always assumed that apart from the hut going to Sis, him not coming home would make no difference in the Village. But now he had made definite arrangements about the valley and reeds, so Billi had to ensure that the Hunter
s could find his valley and know how he’d made it into Farm. Purely by accident he had created something the Village wished to keep, and now Billi wanted someone to benefit from that.
He’d started by wanting a bit of peace, a private place to go and relax. As he slowly made the valley his, Billi didn’t want to let the place disappear if the Wild took him. First he wanted someone, then a certain someone, to benefit, and possibly to move in as he intended to himself. If he never lived there, properly, Billi felt content with the idea of Rubyn running about in there one day, scaring fish and staring wide-eyed at everything. Now Billi realised he wanted more, he wanted the valley to be a real home, maybe even a place with a neighbour or two. More, he actually found that providing an extra food source for the Village against times like this mattered to him, and Rabbit’s song chimed agreement.
The older Hunters hammered that part home now. “It isn’t just what you happen to see on your wandering Billi. Now ‘tis knowledge that will keep folk alive.” Canitre leaned in, his voice grave. “Your memory could mean life or death for some families. Not just your valley, but your other wanderings.”
Eddmune added his weight to the discussion. “There’s a grain of truth in what I said about the Winter Hunt valleys. I went once, without deep snow on the ground, and might have trouble hitting them again.” The Hunter shrugged. “Going astray in this weather could kill us all. You know the way regardless of the weather because you know the area out there beyond the hunting grounds.”
“Your valley, with fish and therefore probably game will be an even greater prize in future years, and I for one don’t fancy following written directions.” Raban shook his head. “Nor do I want to break whatever way you farm the valley, however you persuaded the Wild to let it go. Right now the valley could be lost by a twig turning underfoot and you or Rabbit breaking a leg.”
“But first we choose Hunters for this Winter hunt, a mixture of experience and eager youth. The Wild might object to such a large expedition even though we will be almost all Hunters so we’ll stay well inside the Laws. We must bear that in mind when inviting hunters and youths.” Others nodded at Canitre’s words but he puzzled Billi.
“I thought we had plenty of volunteers?”
“We do but the Wild is fickle at all times, and just now the Wild will also be hungry. I will go because there’s another Hunter in my house.” Canitre looked round. “Every family with two Hunters should send one of them, so that fewer families with only one have to risk it.”
“Aye.” Cynel sighed. “If the Wild does close in and none of us come back that’ll mean there are both experienced and young Hunters left to keep the Village going.”
That finished any hesitation Billi had about going. “Then I will definitely come, since nobody will starve if I don’t come back.”
Raban nodded. “True. Young Hektor will come and his Da, Barimar, will take care of Bliss if aught happens.”
Eddmune nodded. “Mikkel and Ewward, with Tempert on a spear because he’s blooded and will be steady.”
“Grantel’s not blooded, but we must leave some blooded youths here as they might get Hounds if we fall.” Cynel shrugged. “We can’t be sure of him, but that’s better than taking all the blooded youths.” Eventually the group had a rough idea of who would be asked, though in some families ‘twould be a choice between the two and left to them. Others may not come because they had enough and didn’t want to risk the trip, or their families might object.
* * *
The following day four men with families and sparse storerooms turned up at his hut. Billi wouldn’t be short of chicken feed, flour or goat fodder next winter, since all were Farmers except the Potter. That had to be hard for the Potter after how he’d treated Billi, but the man swallowed his pride for his family which made him a good enough man for Billi to let it go. Billi told the Potter he’d take some crockery for the valley whenever he had fuel to fire the kiln. Right now any remaining wood or charcoal had to be kept for heating homes.
Even though Billi would have given them the meat and fish, all would be terribly shamed if he even offered. Everyone paid the Hunter because everyone knew that despite every youth hoping to be a Hunter, despite so many maids finding the Hunters a better catch, the Hunter and Hound risked their lives on every hunt. Hunters died every year, their skulls or tokens the truth behind every mouthful of meat and scrap of pelt that came from the Forest. This time the Hunters would push their luck further than usual, and maybe that explained why some wanted ‘Lucky Billi’ along.
Two more days of gathering supplies and making plans for the worst, and then they were all lined up outside Billi’s hut. This time almost the whole Village turned out to watch them go, but without the party atmosphere, without laughing and joking even from the youths. Instead there were some intense goodbyes and the good wishes were heartfelt.
Billi gave Ellibeth a folded reed parchment. “This has the instructions on how to get to the valley, better instructions that I gave the elders.” Billi smiled at her worried face. “I expect to come back, but if I don’t there’s a list in there of the rules, what I do to make the valley Farm.” Billi didn’t tell her that the paper also gave Viktor’s family everything left in his food store if he didn’t come home. Billi knew his Bros and Sis would have enough because he’d checked, but knew his friends would run short. Ellibeth took the paper, tucked it in her coat, then gave him a fierce hug before stepping back pink-faced.
“I’ll look after it but ‘twill not be needed. You bring yourself and Rabbit back, you hear. I don’t want the bread to go to waste.” She smiled, just a little one. “Or the cheese.”
“Well in that case I’ll be here ahead of the rest.” Rubyn gave Billi’s leg a hug and then the pony came up with a rough pad strapped to its back. “That’s supposing I don’t fall off this.” A couple of youths steadied Billi until he had a firm grip on the rope around the pony’s neck and off they went with a bedlam of good wishes and goodbyes. The Village dogs kept with them up to the edge of the Forest, then the trees closed around them and everyone put their heads down and pushed on.
* * *
Rabbit could keep up well enough with men and ponies, though the Hound appreciated the system of using a couple of ponies to break trail. That saved him periodically breaking into deep snow and having to struggle out. The party rotated the ponies and those leading them so that none became too tired to maintain the pace. The Hound’s song had a playful, joyful note as he raced about with the other Hounds, because hunting with others made this an unusual treat for Rabbit. The rest of the Hounds also followed the broken trail except for a couple out to each side keeping an ear, an eye and a nose on what lurked.
Even with the trail breaking arrangement and so many fit, experienced Hunters, it still took two nights in the Forest before Billi led them to the small rise, the one that gave them a view of the ridges jutting clear of the trees ahead. The younger Hunters and youths climbed trees again while the older Hunters gathered to look through the gap. The Hunters agreed with the tactics used last time, but amended them because this time they must take as much game as possible. The flanking Hunters and Hounds would set out earlier to properly seal the escape route, and there would be six bows on the hillsides.
Canitre pointed out the biggest problem. “You can’t lead eight ponies into that, Billi.” He smiled. “Or lead seven and ride one. Even if ye could pull that bow of yours like that, the ponies will panic when wounded animals start running at them.”
“We can’t tether them for later.” Baran gave a harsh laugh. “In this weather we’d come back to bones. We’re not the only hungry Hunters.” That was true enough. They’d seen sign each morning that some Wild hunters were lurking, hoping for a stray from this strange, dangerous pack moving through their territory.
“But we need every bow.” Billi wasn’t being left someplace while the rest went hunting. It was a matter of pride, for both him and Rabbit. “We can’t leave a youth, since the Wild will just
treat him as extra meat.” The youths all nodded in agreement. They knew full well they only survived out here courtesy of the Hunters and Hounds around them.
“True Billi, we need that big stave of yours at the back again.” Eddmune looked round the group. “Billi followed to stop the big ones that ran with an arrow in them.” Most of them nodded understanding but a few took a proper look and reassessed the size of the bow-shaft across Billi’s back. Billi pulled a huge stave, possibly the biggest on the Farm, and would knock down many of the smaller prey as they came past at close range.
Canitre nodded. “So you don’t follow, Billi, but ye can still seal the valley entrance. We’ll tether all the ponies somewhere with a good view, right across if possible. If we leave Billi and Rabbit, and a youth, that’ll cut off any escape for wounded prey.”
Tempert stepped right up. “I’ll stand with Billi. I was blooded last time and picked up a scar so I’ll be careful, and I know what that bow does.” He looked round the other youths. “I’ll wager I finish the biggest beast of the hunt.”
“Not a chance. I’ll wager a copper or two.” Billi had opened his mouth to object but the youths had accepted. At least with Rabbit and a Hunter with a bow there, the Wild hunters would either go after wounded animals or get clear of the killing.
“Take down many as possible Billi, but if something really big comes past without an arrow in it I’d rather you let it go. Even with one of your shafts in it, we can’t spare the time to run it down.”
“Don’t worry, Raban, I’m never over-keen on hopping around the Forest after wounded prey.” They all laughed at that. “We’d best send a couple of young Hunters ahead to find a good spot to tether the ponies. It’ll decide which valley to hunt.”
“I’ll go.” Nortan nodded to Billi. “I’ll find you a good spot, one where you get a clear shot across the width if possible.”
He looked round and another young Hunter came forward to join him, Ewward. “I know which valley we hunted before.” He smiled. “Even if last time I had no Hound.”
