Exploring the Forest 1

Their goal this time was to go deeper into the forest where they normally wouldn't go because it is more dangerous, but this time they had to do it because it was necessary to find out what was going on in that forest.

So they walked a lot going almost straight, just finding ways for their wagon to pass, after a whole day they found no dangerous animals, but managed to kill some deer and rabbits to eat.

The hunters also found fruits for everyone to eat, the problem was that as they had to be always on the move they could not set up traps to make it easier to get food.

The village men who volunteered for this great hunt were strong and knew how to set up tents for a camp, but hunters also knew how to do it and had much more experience in it.

So the hunters took the leather tarps from animals they brought and made their tents with ease, the village men were also able to make their tents with the leather tarps the hunters gave them.

To make dinner again the hunters knew how to make it and did not need the help of the men who volunteered to help, these men just needed to push the cart for them that would help a lot.

The other day the hunters woke up very early and started to dismantle their camp, they took the fruits to eat in the morning and some also had bread that their wives had made for them to eat on the trip.

Ron woke up earlier than the others and went to train some time with Jack, this was a good time to train with wooden swords that they brought and thus improve Jack's ability which could help in survival.

"Ron, what do you think is causing this change in the behavior of animals in the forest?"

"I really don't know, we've never seen anything like this happen before, but the only thing that usually happens to change the natural behavior of things is the involvement of men, someone may be making animals feel agitated."

"Do you think it could be the enemy army that decided to advance through our forests so that they could stay away from where the soldiers in our army could see?"

"I think it could be that, if this is happening we have to know as soon as possible to warn Andária's army and we have to prepare ourselves also because war will affect our villages first."

Hearing this Jack understood why Ron suggested that they investigate what was going on, he suspected that it could be the advance of the enemy countries' army through the forest if it was really the enemy army their group could be in danger, but just as Ron said if even if it was, they had better know beforehand to prepare.

So after 1 hour the hunters were prepared to continue their exploration, they still had some deer that they had hunted the day before, so they would not have to waste so much time looking for more food that day.

After advancing for 4 hours in the forest without encountering any wild animals they finally found the first abnormal situation, one of the hunters who was ahead discovered danger and soon the 8 men who came to help they retreated just as they had agreed to leave the cart alone.

Normally the hunters would climb trees and wait for the animals to appear, but there were 18 hunters together, they took the bow and prepared an arrow and moved away to advance hidden by the trees.

Jack was further behind because Ron and Mark had already explained to the other hunters that Jack was not yet as skilled in the bow because he was learning, but they guaranteed Jack's skill with the sword that was better than some hunters.

After advancing a little bit they found the animals that one of the hunters had located, there were 2 lions that just like Jack and other hunters they had seen were thin and looked hungry, the hunters had agreed beforehand how they would attack various animals.

4 hunters prepared with the bows, two hunters were on the left and two were on the right, in a short time before the lions noticed the hunters the 4 arrows flew quickly towards the lions and two arrows hit each lion.

With time for hunters to prepare, the arrows hit the lions' neck and so the two died quickly, which is why hunters were confident of going to the bottom of the forest, with 18 hunters they could easily kill 9 lions attacking like that.

Of course, if they were bears, the situation would be more complicated, but it was almost impossible to see more than 4 bears together in this forest, so they would be fine, the archers' biggest enemies were fast animals and not strong animals.

If the animals were fast the hunters would have a hard time surviving an attack, but that was why they had brought shields and swords, with swords they could defend themselves from the fastest animals and have some protection with the shields.

After killing these lions, the hunters saw only a few snakes, but the day was good for them because they found a river and so they could get more water and fish too, it was important not to eat only servants and rabbits, they had to eat fish and fruits so they don't get sick.

The 8 men who came to help them were still tense to see so many snakes and to know that they had lions close to where they were, but they did not hinder the hunters and they also had confidence in them and so they agreed to help in this hunt.

In the next few days, they found a few more lions in the forest and were able to hunt them easily, even the hunters became tenser after advancing so deeply into the forest, they knew they would find more animals even if the situation in the forest was normal.

After 6 days they entered the forest the 8 men who came with them were already more used to staying in the forest even though they were still nervous because of their situation but on that day something that was a concern of the hunters happened.

In the morning they found two large bears walking next to them, the hunters had already told the 8 men to hide, but against bears, not even the 18 hunters could be calm.

Even more, because their bow was not suitable for hunting animals so large and that had very difficult leather to penetrate with the arrow, knowing that the bears approached the hunters climbed in separate trees.

Up to 50 meters away they were confident that they could hit the bears from above the trees, but they knew that the arrow would not have as much strength to kill the bears from such a great distance.