Today we had decided to up the stakes. Preparation had taken place last night while we ate the rabbit squirrel creatures we had caught. The small animals had gone a long way into getting our energy back up. Sitting around the fire, we had fashioned bow and arrows from branches in the canopy and vines crawling along the trees. Finding some red berries, we had fastened them to the ends of the arrows in little pouches used from a shirt we had torn into strips. It would be like an archery version of paint ball tag.
     Okay. It was safe to say that my crew and I were having a little too much fun with this. My so-called mate would respect my strength and who I am, or he wouldn’t have me at all. On that I refused to budge.
     Each member of my crew had three arrows and had discussed our targets beforehand. Having led the unsuspecting group we were stalking to the clearing on purpose this morning, we were surprised when three additional dragons arrived. I didn’t know who they were, but they seemed to be on friendly terms with the search party. Kind of.
     We made adjustments for the additional ‘enemies’ just as we would in a real war situation. I hoped the new arrivals could cope with the game they had inadvertently walked, or flown, into. 
Surrounding the clearing, we listened to the conversation between the search party and the new dragons. I was surprised to learn that the three other men saw things the same way I did. It almost made me feel bad about what was getting ready to happen to them. Almost. 
     My team slowly and steadily took their positions and aimed at their targets. Each of us had a maniacal grin. The adrenaline and the knowledge that we were about to take out the enemy in one fell swoop was giving us a high like nothing else could. I waited until the Drakians were completely distracted. I gave the signal. Arrows went flying.
     The group in the clearing was so shocked that every single one of them froze, giving us the perfect targets. Seriously? Did they really have no sense of self-preservation? There was no trace of any battle readiness. Each arrow flew straight and true. Seven people were dead in less than a minute. Or, they would have been had it been a real attack.
     It was almost comical to watch. The shock that froze them as they realized they were being attacked. Them! Kings! Actually being attacked! Each clutched their chests where two red stains were forming. The anguished yelling that took place as they watched their brothers and kings getting wounded and falling to the ground on their knees. Then the confusion as it registered that there was no pain from the injuries.
     The pale green one brought some of the red splatter to his nose and sniffed. He looked at it for a second with an odd expression but then grinned. That grin turned into a full belly laugh. “It’s jorgin berries,” he said, unable to contain his mirth. All three of the newly arrived men sat on their knees laughing so hard they were bent over clutching their stomachs for an entirely different reason than being shot. Rokk and the two trackers began chuckling as realization dawned on who could be behind the attack, trying their best to remain composed as their kings came down from the panic of almost losing their brothers.
     And then it happened. That moment I knew would come. I had held back my last arrow just for this. That moment Glacian realized that his ‘little mate’ had just made an ass out of their entire group. Out of four kings. His anger was so deep his face was turning a darker shade of blue. Almost royal blue. His eyes flashed dragon.
     “Kiera!” He roared with every ounce of pent-up anger coursing through his system.
     I took aim and let my arrow go. He was so worked up he never saw it coming. He wasn’t even looking for an additional attack. None of them were. The juice pouch end of the arrow smacked him right in the forehead, knocking him down on his backside.

  The men started taking the training seriously after that. Before they seemed to think of it as a game. I couldn't blame them. This was what my crew thought of as fun. We lived for the challenge of surviving on our own. Overcoming obstacles, beating the odds.


 I didn't just teach the group how to hunt vaskos. I taught them how to track larger game. In those lessons, there were others about how to form weapons out of what was around you and also leaving no trace of yourself behind. One lesson bled into the next. How to cover your scent. If you did leave tracks, how to cover it so that it looked natural. By the end of the second day, my group could hunt, track, and cover their own tracks. In this part of the forest, there were more deadly animals so I showed them how to use the trees for shelter and anchor themselves in so they didn't roll out in the middle of the night if they fell asleep.


Chapter 59 - Chapter 59