Following the road past the lumber mill brings back memories of my last trip to the woods.
Seems like every time I sleep outside shit gets crazy, at least I've got a bruiser backing me up.
Drashka doesn't say much on the way, something about wanting it to be a surprise.
He snakes us through the woods for a while, checking little marks on trees, turning around…looking for marks on other trees…
I feel like we're lost but he's the boss today so nothing to do about it.
It's been at least a few hours.
The sun's high in the sky and I'm sweating my ass off.
Drashka stares at me while I peel off my jacket.
He's got that heavy armor and I'm ready to melt, it's pathetic.
He laughs.
"Not used'ta hikin' eh? I'z foine cuz we'z almos' at da camp anyhow. We'll 'ave lunch afore we go lookin' fa trouble."
A few more twists through the brush and we find the camp.
It's more than I expected, a big fire pit with some logs and a tent made of skins and bones like a rock 'n' roll album.
I sit next to the fire and stare at the tent.
Drashka slaps me on the back.
"Loike watcha see eh? Do good out 'ere 'an maybe I'll see 'bout 'elpin ya make one."
He lifts the flap carefully and pulls a string inside.
A heavy metallic chunk echoes from the tent.
He calls out from inside.
"Firs' lessin' Goki, don' go in mah tent 'less I'm wit'cha."
He pops back out and hands me a leather pouch with liquid in it and some jerky.
Whatever is inside the bag smells sort of like wine, but it tastes pretty good and helps with the dry meat. We eat for a while. Every time Drashka drinks I can see the bottom of his tusks, it's like a boar. He doesn't seem to care that I'm staring.
I've let him do all the talking. I can't keep acting like a kid.
"So, what are we hunting and are you going to wear the armor the whole time?"
He coughs, trying to eat and laugh at the same time.
"Whoy not? Gonna get flabby wearin' jammies loike you folks, orcs ain' got room ta take it easy… or you jus' tryin' ta' see whot real muscles look loike?"
He keeps laughing and I can feel my ears burning.
"I ain't a fag! You might be the boss but I won't put up with that shit!"
Drashka whistles.
"oh kay oh kay, don'cha worry I know ya ah ladies mahn, but I'm tha' one huntin', so I need protet'chin, we'z ain' goin' afta' no lil' bun'nie rabbiz, juz' relax an' we'll get goin' soon tough guy."
I shouldn't let it bother me. I'm sure he was joking but I can't let ideas like that spread around if I want a chance with any of these girls.
He goes back to the tent, coming out with a big crossbow and a nasty spear with a spiky top. Tossing me the crossbow, I almost fall over trying to catch the heavy ass thing.
Drashka hums at me.
"mmm, Now da'z ah weap'n made fa' a big strong mahn loike you, know how'ta use it?"
It seems simple enough, spin this little bit, pull back on this and -snap- shit! pinched my fingers, god damn that stings.
He watches for a minute while I struggle before grabbing it, pulling a lever and plopping a big metal arrow in it.
"Dare ya go, da'z how ya do it, juz don' shoot me wit' it whoile I'm wraslin' wit' whot we foind."
He hands me a few more arrows in a little quiver, and then starts toward the woods again with a wave.
Slinging the big crossbow over my shoulder, trying to keep up.
He motions for me to be quiet while we walk. I don't know what he's even worried about, his armor doesn't even clank around hardly and not like he can murder whatever we find.
The forest starts to get hilly while we walk. I can tell he's slowing down so I can keep up the way he keeps looking back. This shit is embarrassing, I try to push harder but I can feel myself losing steam.
Climbing over the rocks, checking the trees, looking for shit. The trees stop some of the sun but the heat is unbearable even without my jacket, I'm surprised steam isn't coming out of his armor.
Suddenly he freezes and holds the spear out in front toward a cave in one of the hills. I lift the crossbow trying to stay ready but my arms have turned to jelly, I'll just do it when it's time.
We approach the cave and I can hear a rumble, almost like my grandpa's big dog when I was a kid. The sound rattles the ground a little near the cave and I can feel the hairs on my neck standing up. Drashka looks at me and gives me a thumbs up. Was I breathing this hard the whole time? He points to the cave and readies his spear.
I can see inside just a little, near the back there's a mound taller than me made of fur. Whatever that is... it's huge… will this crossbow even hurt it? My hands are shaking and I grit my teeth, I'm not scared of this thing–I fought a bear! This is only a little… bigger…
He motions for me to shoot it before holding his spear toward the creature. I can't stop shaking, this stupid thing is too heavy. Holding my breath only helps a little. What do I shoot at? Is that the head?
The form in the cave ripples like a lake of fur and meat, shaking around before going still. Shit shit shit shit it knows–it must know we're here! Stepping back a little I nearly slip, clutching the crossbow it fires and the arrow grazes the monsters back making a long red line.
Drashka grunts and holds the spear out as the ground shakes. The thing in the cave is rolling and screaming, looking for me. Its eyes are huge, like crystal balls with a shining black center. These arrows are all slick and my fingers keep tangling up in them. Wrenching one out all the rest tumble out of the quiver. The monster charges out of the cave but Drashka stabs it in the shoulder. It's like a big brownish cat with long sharp horns. Drashka manages to keep from being thrown backwards, but the spear is bending between them.
The latch! How did he do it before? Twist this part…and pull this…gotta really pull! The rope on the cross bow snaps forward and scrapes down my arm. The skin rips away, bunching up at the end of my wrist like a wet sock. It's too much, I yell and try to push the skin over the wound, dropping the crossbow. Drashka braces the spear but the horned cat leans forward and it snaps in two.
He grips its horns while it snaps and scrapes its teeth on his armor.
"Goki!"
I can hear his voice, it's so hard to focus my arm is on fire. He's holding it close to his chest, but…I can't reload the crossbow. Barely stumbling up, holding my arm to my chest, I see it, the spear!
As loud as I can manage I yell, "HOLD IT CLOSE!"
Sprinting to the spearhead, it's heavy but I manage to hold it under my armpit with one hand. Drashka pulls the cat down closer, wiggling and pushing dirt around.
I remember… there was a movie I saw, with a European knight, he held a big funny spear on a horse… and when they charged it pushed through armor, just… like… THIS!
The heavy spear top slots into the cat's eye, it screams and tries to rip away from the orcish grip. I push harder, my shoes slide across the dirt, it groans and buckles crashing onto its side.
It's dead… the weight of the words drops me on my ass and I lay back for a moment. My arm burns like fire, but my heart is racing.
Drashka gives a howl, "Da'z it! Hahahaha! Kil't 'em good!"
He hops up and sees my arm and deflates a little, "Da'z... not so good… haaah–ok you jus' sit. I'ma take care ah dat fo' ya"
He runs over to the trees and I hear him rustling around.
The fight plays again and again in my head, I can feel the weight of the spear, I really killed something… not just anything… I killed a monster! Just like a movie hero!
After a few minutes Drashka dumps some sticks on the ground. I sit up, holding my bleeding arm to my stomach. He pulls some bits of fluff out of a pouch on his belt and uses it to start a fire with some flint.
Standing up and walking close to the fire.
"So were gonna eat it? Or…"
He just shakes his head. He takes a long knife from his belt, setting the blade in the fire. He turns it in the fire a few times and motions me closer. I lean in and he gently takes my wrist, pulling my arm from my blood covered stomach. Drashka removes his belt and holds it near my mouth.
"Boite on dis', ain' gonna feel good, but trus' me, close ya eyes and jus' hold on."
Clenching down on the leather, it tastes awful. Just as I close my eyes Drashka holds my arm very firmly and I feel a cold shiver. Something about the way he grips my arm… I can't even breathe. The knife clinks against the wood in the fire. I close my fist tightly when I feel the blades heat near me.
I feel the pressure on the wound. Sizzling and popping, the steam hits my face while I scream into the belt. Kicking the dirt, twisting and turning my arms and legs, nothing lets me escape his grip. For just a second the pressure eases before settling on the other side. Without thinking I punch and slap at him, once, twice, my hand stings… but I… anything but this… It's like punching a wall.
Afterward he throws the knife aside. Gripping my shirt he pushes me onto my back and holds me against the ground.
I feel empty… my arm is numb… I can't even fight against it anymore…
He holds my arm out and gently wraps it with some cloth from his belt. Standing up he scoops me onto his shoulder.
"I'z all roight, ya did good, an' wen we tell da' story in town, we'll leave dis out."
He jogs to the camp, it's bumpy but I barely feel it anymore. Crashing through bushes and jumping off rocks, he really was slowing down for me, we're back in no time.
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