Hunters - Rising

by David Greer

  Chapter 12

  “All right lad, I'm in.”

  The words eased into Leo's ears as they were exactly what he wanted to hear. The two islanders were on their way out of town when they spotted Grimey waiting for them along the road. Leo spotted the bearded hunter leaning against a tree with a traveling pack at his feet. Leo's hopes were realized. Grimey met them in the middle of the road, spoke the words, turned and started walking. A smile formed on Leo's face and he followed the road into the woods.

  “What made you decide to join us?” Leo asked once he caught up to Grimey. The bearded hunter took a moment before answering.

  “Let's just say curiosity. Where are we going?”

  “We're heading to Port Town.” Leo said.

  “Yeah I know that. I mean which way do we go to get there. Been a long time since I've been anywhere away from Quarry.”

  Leo chuckled to himself at the confused look Grimey was trying to hide behind that bearded scowl. The islander wondered if Grimey had ever been outside of Quarry ever at all. Leo clapped his new companion on the shoulder and took the lead. Their route would be east beyond Woodlawn Woods and over a stretch of rolling grassy hills. Then they would reach the Slothern Woods and their road would turn southeast. Once out of Slothern it wouldn't be far to Port Town. The journey would take a few days.

  The three were just beyond Quarry when Grimey suddenly halted in the middle of the road.

  “One thing though.” Grimey said. The two islanders halted and turned toward the bearded hunter. Leo raised an eyebrow. “If I'm going to be strolling through the wild with the two of you I'll need to know your name.” The bearded hunter looked directly at Leo's muscular companion.

  “Why?” he said. His voice was deep and clear. It was the first time Grimey ever heard the man speak.

  “Matter of trust.” Grimey, who suddenly felt as though his words sounded a bit rough around the edges, answered.

  “Tell me your name.” The muscular islander countered. “You don't really expect us to believe that Grimey is your real name, do you?”

  “It's the name I've chosen. It's real enough.” Grimey stood firm and tall, almost matching the islander's height. There was a sense that both men wondered in the back of their minds who could overpower who. Leo watched intrigued at how things between the two large men would unfold. He was also a bit nervous that the standoff may break his new alliance with the Quarry hunter. A moment of silence hung heavily among the three. Not once did Grimey avert his gaze from the muscular islander. An amazing feat in itself when all others before had faltered in the face of the muscular islander. Finally the silence broke.

  “Kane.”

  So that's his name, Grimey thought. With the question answered, Kane moved past Grimey to continue along the road. The bearded hunter turned as Kane passed.

  “Scot. That's my family name. But my name is Grimey so I'll only be answering to that.”

  Kane nodded and continued along the road. Grimey remained suspicious of the man. There was a certain amount of pride in his voice, almost as though he knew that those who heard the name would never forget it.

  Leo slowly let out the breath he had been holding. He knew Kane liked to keep to himself, even his name. But regardless, the matter passed without incident save for some silent tension. Leo began to follow but Grimey held him back.

  “Who is this guy?”

  “That's Kane. He's my cousin.” Leo said. Grimey shifted. “He comes with me everywhere.” Leo added with a smile.

  Their road led the three hunters east through the Woodlawns. The dirt road was smooth and well maintained. It was a common route used by traders. There was little risk of running into monsters, not like it mattered much as the three were more than capable of handling themselves against banshees and deadlings. The road wound through great ironwoods and towering oak trees, which were prominent in Woodlawn. Leo often marveled at the size of a full grown oak tree. Trees did not reach that size on his island home.

  Midway into the afternoon the hunters emerged from the Woodlawns. The sun shined bright in the clear sky and they stood before grassy rolling hills. While they crested up a wide hill Grimey took notice of how Leo and Kane traveled. Both packed light. Undoubtedly the two islanders carried the essentials: some water, a flint to start a fire, dried foods, and perhaps some small dishes for cooking whatever they may catch in the wild. But what caught Grimey's interest most were their weapons.

  Leo's pack was slung across his back along side a quiver of arrows. He kept his longbow strung and slung over his shoulder. Wise, Grimey thought, to keep it in a ready position for easy access. At Leo's hip was the thin, slightly curved sword he noticed before. It was unlike any sword Grimey had ever seen. The bearded hunter was accustomed to broadswords, like Smythe's, with straight blades made of hardened steel. Leo's blade seemed thin and brittle. The blade rested at Leo's left hip sheathed in an ornate black scabbard decorated with patterns of intricate silver vines. At Leo's right hip was his dagger, another curved blade, sheathed in a scabbard with the same black and silver design.

  Kane's weapons lacked the elegance of Leo's presentation but that didn't mean they were any less effective. They also confirmed in Grimey's mind that Kane was a hunter as well. A spear was strapped across his back through a custom-made loop that ran through his travel pack. The spear rested at an angle so it would not drag along the ground and was well within reach over Kane's right shoulder. A short sword was strapped to his back at his left shoulder. Grimey admired the courage of Kane's weapons. No bow or throwing blades. The muscular islander preferred close combat.

  When the three hunters reached the top of the crest Grimey stopped to look back and admire the gleaming white-rock mountain that marked Quarry town. The bearded hunter could no longer see the town itself but only the top portion of the white mountain. It stood above the surrounding green like a guardian.

  The three set up camp that night in the soft grass. The moon shone bright and set a faint glow on Quarry's white mountain now far in the distance. The night was warm and Grimey laid comfortably atop his bedroll gazing toward his home. He knew that it wouldn't be long until white mountain would be completely out of sight for the rest of the journey. With a deep breath Grimey rolled over. He spotted Leo standing on top of a nearby crest, his frame outlined by the moonlight. The islander's gaze was fixed upward. He mumbled to himself and subtly pointed up. Which star caught his attention Grimey had no clue, but the bearded hunter got a kick at how young the islander looked in that moment. So whimsical, as though he and the stars shared an inside joke. He could have been no older than Scully just then.

  They're just stars lad, Grimey thought to himself as he rolled onto his back. Sure the sky was clear and the stars were dazzling. But who actually speaks to them? A night like this is best enjoyed on one's back, Grimey figured. The bearded hunter yawned and relaxed. It wasn't long until he began to doze off. He thought of Quarry. It was doubtful anybody other than Scully and McGrady would even notice he was gone. The other hunters may figure it out eventually but the rest of the town wouldn't notice his absence at all. No matter, home was still home and the hunter was uncomfortable that he wasn't there to help keep it safe. He thought of the white-mountain, of the White Rock Tavern, and of a chilled mug of ale. It'll all be there when I get back, was the last thought he had before sleep claimed him.

  The next afternoon, after Quarry mountain had faded away in the distance, the three had found themselves at the edge of Slothern Woods. The trees were not tall but were wide at their trunks, giving them a stumpy appearance. Low hanging branches reached for ground allowing little head clearance. Grimey thought they resembled leafy oversized mushrooms. Leo and Kane began to follow the road into the woods but Grimey kept back. The bearded hunter's eyes narrowed and a hand unconsciously reached for a hatchet. Leo looked back and noticed the movement.

  “Don't worry my friend.” Leo said. “There aren't any banshees in these woods. They only dwell in the Woodlaw
ns.”

  Grimey would decide for himself. He hung back a few moments while the other two entered the woods. No obscure movements in the trees. No sign of purple. His grip on the hatchet loosened and he entered the woods with keen eyes constantly searching overhead.

  After sometime in the woods the three hunters reached a split in the road. Grimey took the lead and looked down each pathway. He looked down the left road with squinted eyes and then down the right road. Slothern's canopy was thick and low and after winding through the woods for so long Grimey had lost his bearing. He had no idea which path led southeast. The bearded hunter's brow furrowed and he stroked his beard. Grimey prided himself on being well adapted to the outdoors and woods. Not knowing where to go was an unfamiliar feeling.

  There was a tapping noise and the bearded hunter turned to see Leo standing in front of a wooden post. At the top of the post a wooden arrow pointed left and had Thurn carved on it while another arrow that pointed right was labeled Port.

  “These roads are common trade routes.” Leo explained. He rapped his knuckles on the sign once more. “Traders need to know where they're going.”

  Kane went on ahead. Leo flashed Grimey an amused smile before continuing along the road. With an irritated grunt, Grimey followed the islanders.

  Twilight filled the sky and it was apparent that the hunters would be camping in Slothern. Leo determined it would be wise to stop and set up camp while there was still daylight. Grimey, who had been on edge gripping his axe since he entered the woods, took in the unfamiliar surroundings. The burly hunter found a small inviting rock with a smooth flat top and took a seat. His legs were grateful for the reprieve. The rock was comfortable, even a little soft. It seemed to conform slightly to his shape. He didn't think anything of it and enjoyed his relaxation. However, Grimey's relief was short lived. Within moments the hunter felt a sharp pain on his backside and leaped to his feet with a shout.

  The rock had teeth. And eyes. It writhed and snapped its jaws at Grimey eager for another bite. The stone rocked toward the bearded hunter, who was rubbing his hind quarters and glaring at his seat-turned-beast. He kicked the rock over with his heel. It fell over easily and sluggishly squirmed trying to get back to its feet, or bottom side. It wasn't easy to tell if the thing had feet or not. Grimey did what came naturally to him when faced with a monster. A moment later the rock was still and had a huge gash in it from Grimey's axe.

  “What was that thing?” Grimey asked. Leo, who had been watching with a slightly amused smile.

  “Stone stool.” Leo said. “They look like rocks and lie in wait for a weary somebody to rest on them. Once somebody takes a seat they, well, you just found out what they do. How's your rear?”

  “It'll be fine.” Grimey didn't quite appreciate the amused smirk Leo wore. “How do you spot the things?”

  “Very carefully. It takes a trained and focused eye.” Leo put a slight emphasis on the word focus, which Grimey found curious. “Fortunately stone stools do not do much more damage than the bite you received and they do not move unless touched making them easy to avoid.”

  “Easy enough to kill too.” Grimey added.

  Kane had finished setting up camp and had a fire started by the time the other two finished talking. He wasn't alarmed at the stone stool's attack, their bites were nothing more than flesh wounds and Grimey would be fine. Besides, it was dead. Earlier Kane had speared a wild pheasant and now set about gutting and skinning the fowl. The meat would roast nicely over an open flame and make a pleasant supper.

  Darkness fell over the woods and the party of three sat around a crackling fire enjoying their meal. Grimey smacked his lips together loudly and marveled and the flavor of the meat. He watched Kane salt their meal but it didn't taste like regular salt. There was something about the flavor that danced on his taste buds. Leo explained that Kane had used sea-salt unique to their island. Grimey noticed the salt was reddish in color, which was very odd for him. Nevertheless, the seasoning added a nice familiar yet totally new flavor. He continued to smack his lips as he chewed. Leo raised an eyebrow and found himself slightly impressed that Grimey had kept his dinner out of his beard given his rambunctious chewing. Kane appeared not to take notice and ate quietly.

  “So how'd you two lads get into hunting?” Grimey asked. He figured he'd satisfy some of his curiosity while he satisfied his hunger.

  “Southern hunters are born into it, so to speak. At infancy we're tested and only few are deemed fit to become hunters. It rarely happens. Kane and I are actually the only hunters from Southern.”

  “You're the only ones and you leave your home?” Grimey couldn't believe it. He would never leave Quarry unprotected.

  “Our island doesn't have monsters.” Leo answered. “Well, more accurately, our monsters are not on the island. They're in the water. So as long as we keep on land or in a boat we're safe. For this reason, it's been a long standing tradition that when a hunter from our island comes along we venture to Arlynd's main continent to hunt. Put our skills to use. What about yourself? How did you come to be a hunter?”

  Grimey chewed silently for a minute. He didn't like to talk about himself, especially his past, but should have figured Leo would return the question. Fair is fair, he reasoned, better give an answer.

  “Umm, I lost my family to monsters. At first it was a way to get back. A little revenge I guess. But then it became a way to protect who was left.” It was the first time Grimey had ever mentioned anything about his family to anybody in a long time. He didn't like the way it felt.

  Leo could tell Grimey was uncomfortable with the topic. Even though he was curious about Grimey's past, his family, and where he really came from – he figured there was no way Grimey was originally from Quarry since he was the only one there that spoke with an accent – Leo left it alone. The two finished their meal in silence.

  With full bellies and tired legs the hunters each found a comfortable spot near the fire to rest for the night. Kane, as always, easily drifted into sleep. Grimey laid awake for some time. He was relaxed and used to camping but his thoughts never left home. Woodlawn was far away and completely out of sight. There was nothing familiar about Slothern. In Woodlawn the trees stood tall and towered majestically overhead. Here the trees were low, almost as if trying to reach out at those passing by.

  Grimey felt a new sensation flutter in his gut as he laid in that strange unfamiliar place. It wasn't fear. It wasn't shock from the stone stool attack. It wasn't even curiosity of the journey ahead. The bearded hunter exhaled a deep breath and actually relished in the sensation. The hunter was homesick.

  Eventually Grimey's eyes became heavy and rolled him onto his side. Before his eyes fully shut Grimey spotted Leo wide awake sitting away from the campfire gazing skyward just like the previous night. Lad really likes the night sky, Grimey thought just before he let sleep tighten its grip around him. The hunter closed his eyes.

  Leo indeed stayed awake later than the others. The skies were clear and the stars shone brightly. It wasn't hard for the islander to find Orion. Leo hoped the star Betelgeuse would be dimmer than the night before. But his brows furrowed as he studied the stars that made up Orion's figure. Betelgeuse was a fierce red. The star Rigel, which made up Orion's shoulder, burned a brighter blue than usual. In fact, all of the stars that comprised Orion's figure had ignited and subtly burned brighter than they should. It was as Leo had feared. The legendary hunter in the sky was awakening and sending a clear and urgent warning. A great danger was surely approaching.

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