BIGwooly
Well-Known Member
~ 17th of Evening Star, 4E 227 ~
Today was a long day, but it ended well. I spent the entire morning searching for game in the valley east of our cabin. We've always taken care not to overhunt it but lately it has been very sparse for hunting. I had to skirt around the two bandit sanctuaries, one in a fort and the other in an old tower. A bit later I came across a wagon that was burning, and there were burned corpses on the ground. I have no idea who or what did it, but I didn't spend much time trying to find out. Whoever or whatever it was would probably do the same to me.
Not long after that I was heading south down the valley and came across an old ruin of some kind. It wasn't very large, and was not too far downhill from me. It almost looked like a standing stone or an altar perhaps. I sat on a ridge and looked it over, more interested in the possibility of nearby game. Suddenly I spotted a robed figure leaving the ruins and heading my way. It seemed as if he had possibly spotted me, and I could tell he wasn't looking to make friends. He had a frost spell of some variety readied in his left hand.
I wasted no time in scrambling back off of the ledge and sprinted up the mountainside to a small cluster of trees. I sunk down into the ground and remained still like a statue. I waited for him to appear in the vegetation beyond me, but he never did. He must have lost sight of me. I was grateful for that. I've had enough excitement for one week.
I headed back to our cabin. The afternoon was fading into evening and it looked like I was going to have to try again tomorrow. But on a whim I crossed over to the west, toward the lake. I spent an hour or so slowly walking through the woods and was about to give up for the day when I spotted a beautiful elk. It was just across the road from me, perhaps a distance of fifty paces. A worthwhile shot to take.
Quickly I crouched down and slipped behind a dead tree trunk. I readied an arrow with a poison and set it to the string, then gently pulled the string back. With the string taut, I slowly peered around the trunk, praying to Talos that the elk would still be there. And he was. He hadn't seen me and still didn't. I set my aim, and confidently let the arrow go. It flew true and struck the animal perfectly, killing it instantly.
A smile came over my face. I was getting better at killing with a single arrow. My father would be so proud. I was so pleased with my kill that it took me a second to realize there was a second elk standing right next to where the first had been. She was a few paces to the right and few paces farther away. I didn't waste another moment, as I knew she was going to bolt at any second. Seeing the other elk drop to the ground was sure to spook her.
My arrow was in flight with an absolute minimum of time spent aiming. It was all reaction. And to my absolute joy, this one struck perfectly as well. The second elk fell dead next to the first. The light was fading and I now had two elk to clean before I could head home. I was tired from a long day, but elated all the same. I've never managed to kill two elk in such a short span of time before. My father almost wouldn't believe this one.
Today was a long day, but it ended well. I spent the entire morning searching for game in the valley east of our cabin. We've always taken care not to overhunt it but lately it has been very sparse for hunting. I had to skirt around the two bandit sanctuaries, one in a fort and the other in an old tower. A bit later I came across a wagon that was burning, and there were burned corpses on the ground. I have no idea who or what did it, but I didn't spend much time trying to find out. Whoever or whatever it was would probably do the same to me.
Not long after that I was heading south down the valley and came across an old ruin of some kind. It wasn't very large, and was not too far downhill from me. It almost looked like a standing stone or an altar perhaps. I sat on a ridge and looked it over, more interested in the possibility of nearby game. Suddenly I spotted a robed figure leaving the ruins and heading my way. It seemed as if he had possibly spotted me, and I could tell he wasn't looking to make friends. He had a frost spell of some variety readied in his left hand.
I wasted no time in scrambling back off of the ledge and sprinted up the mountainside to a small cluster of trees. I sunk down into the ground and remained still like a statue. I waited for him to appear in the vegetation beyond me, but he never did. He must have lost sight of me. I was grateful for that. I've had enough excitement for one week.
I headed back to our cabin. The afternoon was fading into evening and it looked like I was going to have to try again tomorrow. But on a whim I crossed over to the west, toward the lake. I spent an hour or so slowly walking through the woods and was about to give up for the day when I spotted a beautiful elk. It was just across the road from me, perhaps a distance of fifty paces. A worthwhile shot to take.
Quickly I crouched down and slipped behind a dead tree trunk. I readied an arrow with a poison and set it to the string, then gently pulled the string back. With the string taut, I slowly peered around the trunk, praying to Talos that the elk would still be there. And he was. He hadn't seen me and still didn't. I set my aim, and confidently let the arrow go. It flew true and struck the animal perfectly, killing it instantly.
A smile came over my face. I was getting better at killing with a single arrow. My father would be so proud. I was so pleased with my kill that it took me a second to realize there was a second elk standing right next to where the first had been. She was a few paces to the right and few paces farther away. I didn't waste another moment, as I knew she was going to bolt at any second. Seeing the other elk drop to the ground was sure to spook her.
My arrow was in flight with an absolute minimum of time spent aiming. It was all reaction. And to my absolute joy, this one struck perfectly as well. The second elk fell dead next to the first. The light was fading and I now had two elk to clean before I could head home. I was tired from a long day, but elated all the same. I've never managed to kill two elk in such a short span of time before. My father almost wouldn't believe this one.