38

They guys were already on their horses.

"We aren't started with riding, get off your horses."

"Why?!" Coreys father said.

"One of the most important parts of this is that you need to be able to tell the difference in soil and weather it's solid enough for you horse to be able to ride through quickly and easily. If you can't do that then you won't be able hunt this way, so get down so I can show you all the difference in soil and how you can tell."

"Ok." Corey said and got off.

They looked at him and that at me and then at each other. Finally they reluctantly dismounted the horses.

"Alright you hours be able to tell by plants in the area what the soil will be. If the plants are dark drown and look dry the soil in the area is going to be more sandy or cracked from lack of rain meaning there isn't any water near by so although it might be fine to ride on and be stable enough to hunt with this technique it won't work without water or some place that muddy enough for it to slow down the animal running at the front of the herd because that what causes the confusion that make it so the animals don't try to attack or realize that meme we of the group have been able to get separated from them. If the plants and life look health it's probably fine. If it's muddy you will notice the grass is pushed down and stays instead of being completely up or you will notice patches of where plants died off or are flooded or you can look at your horses tracks and if it has a thin layer of water it'll be to muddy. If you can find a spot that isn't muddy and run the animal into the muddy spot then this will still work but it's all about the opportunities that present themselves and if you know how to take them properly when you see how the surrounding areas are."

"Got it, that shouldn't be hard." Sam said.

"It's not that it's hard Sam. Anyone can do that part but not everyone is observant enough to notice it which is where that comes in because you have to be paying attention at all times to what around you. It is easy to find the area of land that is good normally or is good enough to use but it's harder to pay attention to the area around it and know what direction you need to try and herd the animals. That why you stay on the horses because they are an animal the same size as them running and a horse running at them doesn't mark the as a threat but as something in the area potentially being one. They won't charge at the horses but instead within tend to run in the same direction as them and will move making a thinner or thicker grouping depending on how close you try to make them be. Spooking them to run in the direction you want won't be that hard. Most herd animals spook easily since they have predators always after them. When they start to run you don't want your horse running full speed you want to fall toward the back of the herd when it come to choosing what one or ones your going to choose as targets. You will need someone on each side of the front to guide the herd to where you want it to go and they will see the water and slow down and fall back. While they are guiding it whoever is in the back will shoot off arrows into the back legs/ hip region and the front leg/ shoulder region. This makes it so the animal slows down even more since it'll have a harder time running which makes it easy to separate from the group and since it'll easily fall behind and not be able to keep up. The people in the front who fall back will have spears and when they fall back they will be running directly at the front of the chooses animal and you want to put the spear through its neck for the quickest cleanest death. The you can drag it away and never even get attacked by the herd and suffer from no loses in your ranks."

"Ok." Said Sam.

"Did you guys understand that or should I try to explain it differently?" I asked.

"No, I understood. It just reminds in a way of how I've seen dragon packs hunt. Obviously they aren't on horses but they run there pray into an area that makes it so they can't defend themselves and are on their own." Coreys father said.

"Well I'm pretty sure it was a style that originated from watching how dragons and wolves and I'm sure others pack animals hunt then trying to replicated it to the best of our abilities." I said.

"That's actually really smart. Looking at how animals that have been around long than humans hunt and fight for territory or mates would make it so you could use strategies and see movement is it like centuries for those animal to perfect but we can make our own off what they have mastered. Obviously they are doing something right since they have been around for so long." Corey said.

"I agree with Corey on that one, whoever noticed it and figured out that we could use the same methods is a genius." Sam said.

"Now you guys can get on your horse and go shoot some trees for target practice. I'm sure you all will enjoy riding and hopefully the time we have left will be enough for you guys to get a feel for how different it is to ride and shoot. Don't feel bad if I ride laps around you and have better aim, after all I have more practice." I said and laughed.

We all smiled and got onto the horses. We all road and shot arrows using tree as targets since they needed to get a feel for riding and shooting at the same time. We joked and made fun of one another for how we shot. It was truly like we were a family, and all got along well. I wonder if this is what Liz had her entire life with them, but it reminded me of the first day I meant them. They were fun and seem cared free which is almost the same thing I felt now with them. Even if his dad being there. It almost feels somewhat like I had before, but it's different at the same time. It's something I would of done with my brother and mom and uncle before they died. It really is about caring for one another and being able to enjoy each other's company which I do normally feel that way when Coreys father isn't around. I feel like maybe he's actually warming up to me and the short conversation we had alone after annoying Corey and I were engaged may of been genuine concern and it wasn't to try and scare me out of marrying his son or second guessing it.

We heard men's voices and horses before we actually saw anyone. Knowing that we stopped practicing and lined up facing the direction that we could hear the noises coming from. It was going to be a long day. Corey had his horse next to mine and grabbed my hand and smiled at me. Then he leaned over kissed me and whispered "I love you my little dragon." I smiled at him.

"I love you too, please be careful and safe and come back to me soon."

"I will, I miss you already love."

I smiled at him and kissed him once more.

The sun still wasn't completely up when Liz and the other tribes men came into view and headed over us on horse back.