Chapter Four
My followers split up into three groups outside the walls of Vallenwood with Corvis leading the caravan of civilians back to Bastianville while Jaxtom headed off on his own. Mahini, Elissa, Eva, Caelia, and Ako all pulled their horses to the side of the road while the rest of my entourage waved goodbye.
It was bittersweet to separate from the people I’d spent so much time with, but I knew I would see them again before long. Then we’d have a wedding to celebrate, and the town would be full of partying.
In the meantime, I had a duke to capture, so once the last head had disappeared from view, I turned Goliath’s nose toward the southern road. I’d studied a few maps of the area to the southeast of Vallenwood, so I felt confident this was the same way the duke would have gone. With any luck, we’d catch up to him within a few days, and this quest would be over quickly.
“How long before we catch up to the duke, do you think?” Elissa asked in a curious tone as though she could read my thoughts.
“If he left two nights prior,” Ako supplied, “we should be able to catch up to him within four days. Well, actually, I suppose that depends upon how fast we ride, which is up to Sir Bash.”
“We can’t ride at breakneck speeds because Caelia isn’t an experienced rider,” I explained. “But we will go as fast as we can. We won’t stop very often, so we’ll be able to make up the distance. I think your calculation is pretty close, though.”
“I can keep up with you, Great One,” Caelia said in a quiet voice. “I’ll do my best, anyway.”
“I know you will.” I gave the shopkeeper my most charming smile. “That’s all I can ask of you. Don’t worry, if I thought you coming would interfere with my quest, then I wouldn’t have agreed to it. I’m glad you’re with us.”
“Me, too,” Eva added in a conspiratorial tone.
“I do hope my father isn’t too upset when we don’t return with the rest of the townsfolk,” Elissa said, and she sighed as her eyes trailed back to the road leading to Bastianville. “He does worry about me a lot.”
“It will be okay,” I promised my wife. “I explained everything in the letter I wrote to him, so he will understand. I’m sure he knows you’re safe with me by this point.”
“Good.” My wife flashed me a brilliant smile, and her gem-like eyes twinkled. “You always think of everything.”
“All part of being a god,” I quipped with a grin.
Then the six of us galloped down the road as we continued on our quest to find the Duke of Edinburg, and I set my chin at a determined angle. Even with the less experienced rider among us, I was confident we would quickly cut across the distance to the duke, and then I would have one less enemy at large. Once Edinburg was out of the way, I could set my sights on the Duchess of Mistvale, but there would be time for that later.
As we got further away from Vallenwood, I began to notice a subtle shift in the landscape. The land around the capital was rich with deciduous trees, and the shadows beneath the branches were full of moss and ferns. It was a lush area, but as we traveled away from the palace, the trees grew sparser, and the underbrush cleared out so we could see a long way in all directions.
After several hours of fast travel, I pulled on Goliath’s reins to signal him to slow down, and my women trotted up to my side.
“Are we eating lunch from horseback, Bash?” Eva asked. “Or can we stop somewhere for a short while?”
“I’ll keep my eye out for a good place,” I said. “The horses will need water.”
“Did you bring extra water skins for once we hit the arid lands?” Ako asked. “We will need to carry some for the horses when it flows more scarcely.”
“Yes.” I nodded. “There are plenty of water skins for us to fill at the next stream we see. I also have water magic we can use if necessary.”
We rode for a few more hours, but when I spotted a glen beside a slow moving creek, I called for a halt. The girls sighed gratefully as they slid from their horses’ backs, but Ako had a bounce in his step as he hopped down from his mount.
Eva pulled some rations from one of her saddlebags, and my fiancée doled out servings to each of us before taking some for herself. I chewed the travel food absently while I imagined what I would do when we did finally catch up to the duke. I was confident in my ability to locate him, but I wasn’t sure what I would do when I reached him. I had to make him come with me without killing him, but before I could dig further into my thoughts, Elissa tugged on my sleeve.
“Bash!” My wife pouted in the most adorable fashion. “Are you even listening to me?”
“I’m sorry, what were you saying?” I asked as I returned my attention to the conversation taking place around me.
“These travel rations the king provided aren’t the best tasting,” my wife repeated. “Would we be able to get some fresh meat soon? I would really like having something delicious to eat while we travel.”
“I’d offer to go hunting,” Ako said with a wry smile, “but I have a feeling you’d want to go with me.”
“You’re a hunter?” I arched one eyebrow.
“Well, if you spend as much time on the road as I do,” Ako replied, and the cat-man’s whiskers twitched. “Then you have to learn how to take care of yourself. Fortunately for me, I was born with certain gifts which make the task a lot easier.”
“Like?” I was dying of curiosity about what other talents the shapeshifting ghost-sword-wielding cat-wizard had to offer, but I kept my tone and expression neutral.
“You’ll just have to wait and see for yourself, Sir Bash,” the cat-man replied with a mysterious smile. “It is difficult to describe with words.”
“Alright,” I chuckled. “We’ll find a good place to make camp for the night before we go on a hunt.”
“I’ve never been hunting before,” Caelia murmured in a soft voice. “Would you mind if I joined you, Great One?”
“Please, call me Bash, Caelia,” I insisted, and my smile turned gentle as I considered the shy shopkeeper.
“I wouldn’t want to be rude,” she replied, and her smile brightened ever so slightly. “But thank you, B-Bash.”
“There ya go.” I grinned.
Progress, albeit slow, was made, so I was satisfied for the moment. I had yet to make the timid woman laugh, and I was really looking forward to hearing the sound, but it would come in time. I was a patient god, after all.
A short while later, we were all back on our horses, and I kept us at a brisk pace until the sun grew closer to the western horizon. My muscles were sore as I searched for a good camping site, and I held one of my hands over my eyes in an effort to see in the glaring brightness of the setting sun.
I called another halt, and my companions flashed me grateful smiles as they dismounted their steeds. Everyone got busy building our campsite, and a comfortable silence hung over our heads as we worked. I pulled out the massive tent specially made for my three women and I while Mahini unsaddled the horses. Eva and Elissa worked on the fire, but Ako and Caelia were setting up their own tents.
When I finished preparing our sleeping space for the evening ahead, I crossed the short distance from my tent to the fire to check on my two beauties who stood beside the roaring flames.
“You’re getting good at that,” I complimented. “I remember the first time you attempted to make a fire, and now you’re doing it like a champion.”
“I’ve learned many things while traveling with you, my love,” my fiancée replied. “And I’m sure there is still much for me to learn.”
“We’re all getting stronger thanks to Bash,” Elissa said with a proud smile. “It’s like some of his godliness rubs off sometimes.”
“Only because of his guidance,” Mahini interjected as she joined us, and the desert goddess flashed me a rare smile. “We should all be grateful to be in his presence.”
“Absolutely,” Ako added, but there was a twinkle of mischief in his honey-colored eyes. “This is my final chance at some freedom before I start my service to the duchess. I intend to enjoy it as much as possible, even if it takes us all night long to find some game.”
“Do you really think it will be that much of a challenge?” I frowned. “Maybe we should have hunted closer to Vallenwood…”
“No, Sir Bash, I believe you chose as good of a location as any,” Ako assured me. “The lands close to the capital are a tad over hunted as well, but the further we venture into Edinburg’s territory, the worse it will get. His holdings are some of the oldest in Sorreyal, and some of the most heavily populated.”
“Do any of the towns rival Vallenwood?” I questioned since I wanted to know as much as possible about my enemy.
“Some.” Ako nodded, and his nose wiggled. “Edinburg Manor, however, is located in a fairly small town.”
“That’s interesting.” I tapped a finger against my chin. “Why do you suppose he keeps his home base in a smaller town?”
“Who knows.” The shapeshifter shrugged. “Perhaps to make it easier to defend, or maybe he is paranoid about larger groups of people rebelling against him.”
“There was a lot of unrest among the civilians when I last traveled through these lands,” Mahini offered. “Edinburg’s people have long been unhappy, but they are too afraid to stand against him since he has the second largest army in all of Sorreyal.”
“Not for long.” I grinned. “My army will be larger before too long.”
“Many will want to join beneath the banner of the Dragon Slayer,” Ako agreed. “Especially after Edinburg’s trial.”
“Why should that affect my army?” I lifted one eyebrow.
“If Edinburg has the second largest army in Sorreyal,” Ako said in a conspiratorial tone, “then all those men will have lost their jobs when he gets the axe. They’ll be looking for someone to follow, and if you spread the word around the duke’s lands now, you’ll end up looking like a far better option than joining the capital’s guards or some other group of mercenaries.”
“We can spread the word that I’m looking to build my forces while we’re in the duke’s territory, but our primary objective remains bringing Edinburg back to Vallenwood to stand trial. If I happen to get a lot more men to join my army in the process…” I shrugged. “Then so be it.”
“A man who can stay focused on his mission,” Ako observed with a curt nod. “I like it. Now, are we ready for our small side mission? The game waits for no man, but they may wait for a cat.”
I made a new save point before I gave the shapeshifter a firm nod, and then I turned to flash the ladies a broad smile.
“Everyone, grab your bows and arrows.” I made eye contact with each one of the four beautiful women who stood before me. “We’re going hunting.”
“Yes!” Elissa giggled, and my red-haired goddess dashed off toward her belongings.
“We’ve only been waiting all day.” Eva smirked.
“I am ready to leave,” Mahini informed me, and she straightened her shoulders. Her bow was strapped to her back, and a quiver full of arrows peeked out above her other shoulder.
“Give me a few minutes to get my obsidian bow,” I requested with a wry smirk. “Some of us need a little time to prepare.”
“Hurry,” the desert goddess urged as she furrowed her eyebrows. “We are losing daylight.”
“The lady is right,” Ako added. “Time is of the essence.”
“Well, when you’re with the God of Time, it’s all good,” I chuckled.
“We have all the time in the world,” Eva and Elissa finished for me in unison, and then the two girls erupted into fits of giggles.
“Should one of us stay behind to watch the campsite?” Caelia asked in the smallest voice.
I had to lean toward her to catch the tail end of what she said, and then I flashed her a cocky grin. I’d already made a save point after we’d set up camp, so in a worst-case scenario, I could always reset.
“Nothing’s going to happen,” I promised in a sweet voice. “Who would dare do anything to the Archduke’s campsite?”
“I suppose the banners and crests on everything we own give it away, huh?” Elissa snickered. “Do you really think that will be enough of a deterrent, though?”
I couldn’t explain to my wife how I planned on resetting back to my save point if anything went wrong, so I just gave her a vague smile and shrugged.
“Alright,” Eva sighed, and she shook her head in awe. “There has yet to be an attack you did not predict, so I’m inclined to trust you. Plus, I would feel bad for whoever had to stay behind.”
“Me, too,” I said. “I think it would be a lot more fun if we all go hunting together.”
“Let’s do it.” Caelia gripped the handle of her borrowed bow until her knuckles turned white, and her skin was far lighter than its normal shade of milk chocolate.
“We will travel on foot,” Ako said in a decisive tone. “The horses would alert the larger game to our presence, and we would miss any smaller beasts from astride our mounts.”
“You certainly have an interesting manner of speaking,” Eva observed, and the duke’s daughter blushed at her own comment. “My apologies, that came out a lot ruder than I intended it to.”
“No offense has been taken, my lady,” Ako replied as he flourished into a low bow. “I am merely a humble cat-wizard, you may say I have a gift for gab, or you may tell me to quiet my tongue. Neither will ever offend my heart.”
I shook my head in amusement as I crossed the distance to where my weapons were packed, and I pulled my obsidian bow from the straps attaching it to my saddlebags. I’d grabbed the jet-black weapon from the Duke of Bullard’s treasury during my battles with the crimson dragon, Smiguel, and it had quickly become one of my favorite items.
I pressed my pointer finger to the handle to activate the stats, and the translucent text bubble popped into existence in the air in front of my face.
Durability - 100%
Weight - 5lbs
Quality - Flawless
Magical Aspect - Night
Magical Ability - Whisper
Part of my abilities as the God of Time was being able to check the technical stats on gear and weapons. It had blown my mind when I’d first discovered the power, but I’d quickly become accustomed to finding out the details of every weapon I touched.
My bow was in perfect condition since I hadn’t used it since I’d last gotten all my items repaired, but then I became curious about my other pieces of gear, so I bent down to check the stats of my griffon feather boots.
Magical Item - Griffon Feather Boots
Weight - .01lbs
Durability - 83%
Magical Aspect - Fleetness
Weakness - -1% Durability with each use of fleetness.
While the boots were still in pretty good condition, I furrowed my brow as I stared at the durability line. I would have to take the time to go get some more griffon feathers and talons soon so I could repair my enchanted boots, but I had enough power in them for now.
I’d battled against a griffon after I’d defeated Lord Lucian’s small army single handedly, and my prize for winning the duel against the magical beast was unlimited feathers and talons. The items held magical properties which could only be utilized through the process of enchanting, but they were definitely worth it in the end. My griffon feather boots allowed me to run at super-fast speeds, and I’d won more than a few victories because of them.
I pulled on the leather padding for my forearm to protect it against the bowstring and threw a cloak over my shoulders, and then I returned to my companions ready for the hunt.
A few moments later, the six of us were trotting through the underbrush in search of any recent signs of animal activity. I allowed Ako to take the lead, and the shapeshifter sniffed the air before he jogged toward the east. His tail swayed back and forth as he moved through the shrubs, and it waved like a flag for us to follow.
“What do you smell?” I asked as the cat-man paused to sniff the air once more.
“Poop.” Ako shrugged. “Recent droppings, in fact, of a larger creature. An herbivore.”
“Your nose tells you all that, huh?” I shook my head in awe. “That’s some strong magic.”
“My shapeshifting abilities are ingrained inside my being,” Ako informed me. “I inherited them from my father. It was the only thing he gave me, but still, I am grateful.”
“So, your dad could shift, but your mom couldn’t?” I asked in a low voice since I didn’t want to alert any animals to our presences, but my head was full of curiosity about the cat-wizard.
“My dad was a lion among men.” Ako grinned, but I wasn’t sure how literal he was being. His ears, whiskers, and tail could certainly have been from a lion, but the spotted markings on his ears and tail had me thinking more jungle cat than safari king. The cat-wizard held up his furry hand and sniffed the air again. “There is something close.”
Then, before I could say anything else, the cat-man’s skin shivered and rippled, and as I stood there watching with my mouth hanging agape, Ako began to shift into an actual cat. His clothes stretched as his muscles bulged, and hair erupted across his flesh. Every inch of his body was changing, and the process was fascinating to see up close.
Ako’s nose elongated into a snout, and his back arched as he crouched on all fours. His tail grew several inches longer and became thicker, and the spots marking the length darkened. The cat-wizard growled, and he bared long fangs before he stuck his muzzle to the ground and began to huff at the dirt.
“What just happened?” Elissa gasped, and her gem-like eyes were as wide as saucers.
“He’s a shapeshifter,” Mahini said as though this explained everything.
“I-I-Is he going to eat us?” Caelia’s face was ghostly pale, and she stared at Ako with terror written across her face.
“I believe he intends on feeding us,” Eva pointed out with a smirk.
“Let’s follow him,” I suggested, and I wore an ear-to-ear grin as I turned to do just that.
Ako’s tail twitched in the air, and his leg muscles bulged beneath his pants before he lunged forward. We chased after him, but the shapeshifter was running on all fours in full cat form, so he quickly gained distance on us. I wasn’t about to miss out on what he was going to do next, though, so I stomped my foot to activate the fleetness ability of my griffon feather boots.
I zoomed forward until I was neck to neck with the jaguar-man, and I flashed him a grin before I turned to scan the underbrush ahead. That’s when I spotted the fluffy white tail of a doe sticking up from behind a shrub, and I slowed my pace slightly. This was Ako’s kill, but I strung my bow while I ran just in case he missed it.
Ako growled before he lunged into the underbrush with claws extended, and I heard the high-pitched wheeze of the deer as the jaguar-man landed on its back. The next thing I knew, the shapeshifter was walking from the underbrush on two legs, and he dragged the deer by the hindquarters.
“Wow.” I clapped my hands slowly. “That’s one way to do it.”
“Did you not wonder why I had no bow?” Ako chuckled. “I did try to warn you.”
“Yes, you did,” I laughed. “I don’t think any amount of warning would have prepared me to see your full shift, though. That’s unlike anything I’ve ever witnessed before. Why didn’t you do that during the summit of nobility?”
“I wanted to exhibit my learned skills,” Ako explained with a shrug. “I didn’t want to earn the position based on things I was born with. That seems unfair to me.”
“Still, I’m sure you had to work hard to perfect your shifting ability.” I shook my head in awe. “That was cool as fuck.”
“It is fairly warm in this area.” Ako frowned, and his whiskers twitched as he tilted his head to the side. “Are you cold?”
“No,” I laughed. “It just means really good.”
“Then I accept your flattery.” Ako grinned, and he revealed a mouth still full of sharp fangs. It was an odd sight to see, but no stranger than what I’d just seen.
“Good job,” Eva said as the girls finally caught up to us, and the duke’s daughter eyed the fallen doe on the ground behind the shapeshifter with an appreciative look. “That will feed the six of us for a week or so.”
“Not nearly that long,” Ako chuckled. “I have an appetite for fresh venison.”
“You’re not the only one,” Elissa informed him, and her emerald eyes flicked to my face. “Bash is practically addicted to it.”
“She’s not lying,” I laughed. “But Ako’s right. I think we should keep looking. We can gut and string the doe up in a tree to protect it from scavengers.”
“Good thinking.” Mahini pulled some rope from a bag strapped to her hip. “Give me but a moment, and I’ll have it stowed away.”
“Efficient.” Ako nodded in approval, and he stepped away from his kill to allow the desert goddess access. “I will smell out our next target.”
Then the cat-wizard paced around in a circle while he sniffed the air, but it didn’t take him very long to catch a scent, and he turned to me with a pleased smile.
“How do you feel about rabbits, Sir Bash?” Ako’s whiskers twitched as his honey-colored eyes twinkled. “I smell a whole colony of jackrabbits nearby.”
“That should supplement the venison nicely.” I nodded. “Let’s go.”
Once Mahini had finished stringing up the deer, Ako led the way to the next animal. The girls kept their bows strung and at the ready, and we all scanned the underbrush with each step we took. After a while, I began to doubt whether or not there was any more game to be had in this area, but then Ako held up his hand to signal for us to stop.
“They are near,” Ako whispered, and his honey-colored eyes flicked toward a tree nearby. “There is a burrow beneath the tree’s roots.”
“May I?” Mahini asked in a barely audible voice.
Ako and I exchanged a glance, but I didn’t see any reason to deny her, so I nodded. The desert goddess crept forward with her bow in hand, but then a sudden movement near the tree caught my eye. A large rabbit dashed out of a hole near the tree’s trunk, and the furry critter dove into the undergrowth in the blink of an eye. Mahini moved just as swiftly, though, and she disappeared into the brush a moment later.
I heard the whistle of an arrow being shot from a bow, and the noise was followed by a loud thud as the shot connected. Mahini returned a moment later with the rabbit hung from her hand by the hind legs, and she wore a proud smile on her face.
“They are fast,” Mahini said, and her cheeks flushed a rosy hue. “I almost missed.”
“You didn’t, though,” I pointed out.
“I don’t think I could have done that,” Caelia mused, and her chocolate eyes filled with worry. “I’d probably just scare them all away.”
“No harm in trying.” I shrugged. “Can’t learn without making a few mistakes, after all.”
“Besides,” Eva added in a sympathetic tone, “we already have plenty of meat for now. We can always go hunting for more later.”
“But the lands will have less game after this,” the timid shopkeeper continued. “I don’t want to ruin the hunt.”
“We are all rooting for you, Caels,” Elissa said, and she rubbed Caelia’s back in a reassuring manner. “Just do your best.”
Considering her reluctance to mess up, I decided Caelia needed to be the next to get a kill, and I was prepared to spam respawns until I figured out how to help her get her first kill.
Movement in the corner of my eye had me turning my attention back to the tree, and I grinned as I spotted the furry ears popping out of the burrow hole. The poor rabbit was probably coming to check on his friend, but Mahini had already claimed it for herself.
“Caelia,” I said in a low voice. “Come here, and I’ll help you.”
“Okay,” she breathed, and her eyes widened as she spotted the rabbit in my vision.
I slowly repositioned myself until I was standing behind the shopkeeper, and I wrapped my arms around her until I could reach her bow with my hands. I subtly inhaled her sweet, earthy aroma for a moment, and I memorized the sensation of her back pressed against my chest. Then I showed her how to pull the string taut, helped her aim, and watched while she released her projectile. The arrow zipped across the distance to the rabbit, but it flew wide and landed in the dirt inches away from the animal.
The rabbit squealed as it dove back into its burrow, and Elissa, Eva, and Caelia all giggled at the sound.
“I missed,” Caelia said with a disappointed pout.
“It was your first attempt, Caels,” Eva comforted. “You just need more practice.”
“I suppose,” Caelia sighed. “I hope I didn’t ruin the rest of the hunt.”
“Not at all.” I grinned. “We’ve already got one doe and a rabbit, after all. We have plenty to eat already. It would just be overkill to get anything else at this point.”
“Maybe we should aim for overkill?” Ako raised an eyebrow, and his nose twitched as he picked up on another scent. “I hear turkeys are delicious.”
“You can smell turkeys?” Eva’s smoky-gray eyes widened. “I love turkey legs.”
“Then let’s go find you some,” I said, and I nodded to Ako. “Lead the way, Mr. Nose.”
“Right away, Sir Bash,” Ako chuckled, but then he turned and trotted away from the rabbit tree.
A short while later, the cat-man called for another halt, but by this time we were all used to his sudden signals. We came to a stop, and I shot the shapeshifter a questioning glance.
“Turkeys,” he murmured, and he gestured to the underbrush a few yards away.
“How should we do this?” I asked. I’d never hunted birds before, but I’d played Duck Hunter a lot when I was a kid, so I knew it could be tricky. “Should we flush them out?”
“Good idea.” Ako nodded. “Be ready with your arrows. I will chase them out of their hiding spots.”
Then the shapeshifter’s skin shivered as he began to shift back into his full cat form, and he landed on all fours as fur burst from every inch of his body.
I stared at the transformed wizard for a moment in awe. I wasn’t sure if I could ever get used to seeing that, but I quickly regained my composure as I turned to Eva.
“Get an arrow ready,” I instructed. “As soon as he chases them out, they’ll be going in every direction, so pick one and stick with it.”
“I got this.” Eva grinned as she notched an arrow to the string of her bow. “We will eat like kings tonight.”
“That’s my girl.” I grinned, and I stepped back as she moved forward to take my place.
A moment later, a loud roar echoed through the underbrush, and the sound of feathers filled the air as several turkeys took flight at once. Eva’s smoky-gray eyes locked onto her target, and her right arm moved in a line as she locked the bird in her sights. An instant passed before she released her projectile, and the arrow zipped through the air faster than my eyes could track.
A loud thud echoed through the air as the arrow landed in one of the turkeys, and the bird plummeted to the ground. Eva whooped with joy, and the duke’s daughter trotted forward to claim her prize. She returned carrying the bird by its feet with a proud grin on her face, and she held it up higher for us to inspect.
“Not bad,” I chuckled. “Now, you’ll be able to enjoy your turkey legs just like you wanted.”
“If you’re nice, maybe I’ll even share some with you,” my fiancée teased, and her smoky-gray eyes twinkled with mischief. “Maybe I’ll make you fight me for it.”
“I’d win,” I laughed.
“Do we feel like continuing?” Ako asked. “Or are we ready to return to the campsite?”
“Neither Bash nor I have caught anything,” my wife pointed out. “I’d like a little more time to try my hand with the bow, if that’s okay.”
“The more well-stocked we are, the longer we can go without hunting again,” I said. “I have no issue with continuing the hunt. We can make up for lost time tomorrow, but if the game is going to be scarce, this could be our last chance to get some quality meat.”
“All true.” Ako grinned. “Then continue we shall.”
We carried on our hunting, but this time I took the lead. I wanted to show Ako he wasn’t the only one who could sniff out the game, and while I didn’t have the abilities of a shapeshifter, I had learned a thing or two from Jorgen. I scanned the ground for tracks until I noticed some animal footprints in the dirt, and then I signaled to the others.
The six of us crept forward until the tracks became easier to spot, and then we picked up our pace. The marks in the dirt resembled hooves, so I was expecting another deer, but when we burst through the underbrush into a small clearing, I spotted a herd of creatures I didn’t recognize.
They walked on all fours like a deer, and several had horns sticking out of their skulls, but that was where the similarities ended. The skin of these animals looked less furry than a deer’s, and the scales running along its spine reminded me of prehistoric dinosaurs. They were gray in color, but the ridges along its back were black, and walrus-like tusks hung from their snouts.
I had to have one.
I notched an arrow to the string of my obsidian bow, and I held a finger over my lips to signal for the rest of my companions to stay silent as I crept forward.
The creatures all had their noses to the ground, and they used their tusks to rip plants out by the roots before they munched the grasses between large teeth. They had no idea they were mere feet away from their deaths, and I planned on keeping it that way for as long as possible.
When I was within range, I halted my progress and took a deep, steadying breath. Then I brought the bow up, pulled the string taut, and took aim. I let out a swift exhale as I released my projectile, and the arrow flew through the air with a whoosh.
The tip buried itself in the hide of the biggest beast, and the animal squealed as it kicked its hind legs in an effort to dislodge the arrow. The herd was alerted to the presence of danger, and the creatures scattered, but I heard more arrows take flight from behind me.
The projectiles zipped across the distance, and they both found purchase in the neck of the same beast. Elissa and Caelia both gasped, and I turned to find them hugging each other.
“Good shots,” I chuckled. “Let’s go claim our kills.”
I trotted across the clearing to the spot where I’d hit the antlered beast, and I saw a puddle of blue-gray blood spilled on the dirt. It led away into the underbrush, but it pooled in thick globs, so I knew I’d struck a fatal hit.
“Where did it go?” Caelia asked, and she scrunched her nose into the cutest expression of confusion.
I wanted to kiss her nose more than anything in the world, but I was a patient man. I knew what would happen if I pushed her before she was ready, and I wanted her to give herself to me willingly, so I shook off my thoughts and pointed to the trail of blood her kill had left behind.
“We just have to follow the trail,” I explained with a patient smile. “You and Elissa follow that path, I’m going after the one I shot.”
A short while later, I returned to my companions with the deer-like creature slung across my shoulders. I’d done my best to field dress the animal, but the insides were very different from the deer I was used to gutting, so I wasn’t sure if I’d done it right. I was very curious about the creatures we’d killed since I’d never seen or heard of anything like it before, but I didn’t want to look ignorant about any aspect of this world, so I hoped one of the girls would ask about them.
“Did you find it?” I asked the girls as I returned to the clearing and grinned at my companions in greeting.
“Yes.” Elissa grinned back, and she gestured to the creature at her feet. “I think it’s a girl…”
“You are correct.” Ako nodded. “And Bash managed to snag a stag. They are hard to kill, and even harder to skin than the female of the species.”
“What are they called?” Caelia asked as her chocolate eyes lit up with curiosity. “Forgive my ignorance, I’ve never seen anything like it before…”
I stayed silent as all of our eyes locked onto Ako with expectant expressions. The cat-man was like a tutor with his pupils, and I’d already learned a lot during this hunting mission, but I was eager for more.
“They are called Arboreals,” Ako supplied, and he flashed us a broad, fang-filled smile. “A hybrid between deer and river dwellers. I didn’t realize they migrated this far west since they are more common far to the east of here. I’m surprised you didn’t know all this already, Sir Bash.”
I’d been waiting for someone to mention my lack of information giving, so I gave the shapeshifter a wide grin.
“I was testing your knowledge, Ako,” I laughed and clapped the cat-wizard on the shoulder. “It’s not every day I get to hunt with someone as well-traveled as you. I had to put you to the test. You understand.”
“I suppose I do.” Ako smirked.
I was tempted to reset back to my save point so I could supply all the knowledge about the creatures myself, but I wanted to see what else I could learn about the cat-man first. He’d given me a lot of information about him already, but I was still curious about my newest friend.
“Shall we return to our campsite?” Mahini asked, and her piercing blue eyes turned to the horizon where the sun was making its final efforts of the day. “We will be losing the light soon.”
“I think we got what we came for,” I said, and I turned a questioning glance to Ako. “What do you think? Ready to call it a day?”
“Lead the way, and I will follow.” Ako nodded, but then his honey-colored eyes brightened. “Oh, but we cannot forget about my doe. I hope no ambitious bears found her already.”
I wondered if he was testing my sense of direction, but it didn’t matter either way since I’d kept careful track of our progress across the landscape. I retraced our steps back past the rabbit burrow to the tree where Mahini had strung up the doe, and Ako happily trotted over to his prize as his tail wagged with glee.
“Now, we can return to the campsite,” the shapeshifter declared.
“Alright,” I chuckled, and then I led the way back in the direction we’d come in.
It was slow going with all of us loaded down with our various kills, and we had to take a couple of breaks to allow the girls a breather. We passed the water skin between us during our stops, but conversation stayed to a minimum. We were all eager to get back to our temporary home base, and to get some of the meat cooking for a late dinner.
During one of our stops, Mahini divided Elissa and Caelia’s kills into smaller chunks to make sharing the load easier, and then our pace increased. I was walking beside the beautiful shopkeeper, and I caught her gaze flicking in my direction often. I wanted to encourage her to speak up more, but I didn’t want to put too much pressure on her to change from who she naturally was. I liked her just the way she was, but I also loved seeing a woman’s face light up with confidence.
“I see you looking at me. Like what you see?” I gave Caelia my most charming smile and watched with pleasure as color rushed to her cheeks.
“I-I-I,” Caelia stammered, and I watched her throat bob as she swallowed. “I have just been thinking about how grateful I am to be with you. T-Thank you, Grea--, er, Bash.”
“You’re sweet.” I slung one arm across her shoulders, and I squeezed her against my side. “You gotta loosen up a little, though. I don’t bite. Not unless you ask me to, anyway.”
“I-I-I.” Caelia shook her head like her internal record was skipping, so I released her from my grip to give her some space. The shopkeeper regained her composure, but she still fidgeted with a sack of meat in her hands. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft but firm. “I was often told to be silent growing up, and it is hard for me to force the words out at times, but you make the words rush out of me so fast I can hardly taste them. It’s an overwhelming sensation, but I… I enjoy it very much.”
“That was beautifully said.” My heart swelled with affection for the soft, sweet woman walking at my side. “I just want you to feel comfortable to be yourself around me. I want to hear your thoughts, so please never force yourself to be quiet for my sake.”
“That is good to hear,” she breathed, and emotion welled in her chocolate eyes. “I will be more outspoken, then.”
“Wonderful.” I grinned. “Feel free to tell me if I’m being an ass, too.”
“You shapeshift into a donkey?” Caelia’s eyes widened.
“No,” I laughed. “But that would be a neat trick. I mean if I’m ever being rude to you, or saying something insensitive that you don’t like, please let me know.”
“You have yet to offend me, Bash,” the shopkeeper assured me in a confident tone.
We walked in silence for a while after that, but I caught a couple of knowing glances from the other women. I could tell they had some thoughts about Caelia they wanted to share with me, but it would have to wait until we returned to the campsite. I didn’t want to upset the timid woman by talking about her while she was still within earshot, and I had a feeling the other girls felt the same way.
As we drew closer to our campsite, the final glimmers of light faded below the western horizon, and the shadows beneath the trees lengthened. None of us had brought torches, and it quickly became difficult to see the ground in front of us.
“I have good night vision,” Ako said, and he beckoned for us to follow him.
Ako led us through the darkness toward our home for the night, and we arrived at our campsite a short while later. We dropped our loads of meat off next to the circle of stones where the fire had previously burned, and then we set about returning the blaze to its former glory.
When the fire was burning brightly, I lit a torch and went in search of some cookware. I turned around and got a good look at our campsite, and my mouth fell open in shock.
Our belongings were scattered around the glen, and our saddlebags had been emptied. I rushed over to where I’d stashed the gold I’d brought with me only to find it missing entirely.
The campsite had been ransacked, and all our valuables had been stolen by thieves while we were off hunting.
“Bash!” Elissa gasped, and she covered her open mouth with her petite hands.
“Oh, no!” Eva moaned as she scanned over the mess left by the thieves.
“Did you not see this coming, Sir Bash?” Ako frowned as doubt flickered in his honey-colored eyes.
“I will next time,” I growled.
There was no way I was going to let a bunch of thieving bastards get the best of me. I was the God of Time, but rub me the wrong way, and I quickly became the God of Death.
These thieves were in for a world of hurt.
Chime.