Good Instincts 1.6 - ING. VERSIÓN

-You seemed used to fighting- Kratos said as he advanced through the forest.

-That's the way it is- replied Viggo looking at the surroundings as he advanced two meters behind Kratos. He felt like something was crushing his chest and that worried him –let's say when I was at home, I had fun fighting with some criminals-

-Mmm, that's good- Kratos replied -it's always a problem to teach a newbie how to fight something alive, or at least, that seems to be alive-

-I've never killed- replied Viggo, looking at Kratos' huge back. He stopped and turned around to look into his eyes. Viggo stopped his advance at that very moment.

-For everything there is his first time- Kratos said -you must understand that, for the most part, you kill to defend yourself-

Viggo look down on my head and say -I find it hard to think of killing another human being-

-So you'd rather be killed or your family killed?-

-No!- yelled Viggo, looking furious at just imagining it.

Kratos approached him and once again, Viggo looked down. Kratos stopped half a meter from Viggo. He squatted down, stretched out his right hand and pointed his finger at his heart —then you must close your heart- he said.

Viggo looked up and looked him in the eye –my heart?– he asked

-Yes, your heart, where you keep all the things that are precious to you. Wrap it in a layer of stone so hard that nothing can hurt it. Close your heart to the suffering of your enemies, close your heart to their despair. Because they will have no compassion on you-

-I don't get it-

-You will understand it over time. The important thing is that your heart closes in a layer of impenetrable stone, but never turns to stone. The moment your heart loses all sensation, you will act like an animal and lose everything you fought for.

Viggo made a small smile -sounds difficult- he said.

-Yes, it´s a delicate balance-

Kratos stood up, turned his back to him, and continued walking. Viggo followed him to the tail and thinking about what it meant to close his heart. Viggo looked at Kratos' huge back and thought that even though he looked like a brute gorilla, he knew some clever things.

-Child- said Kratos, stopping two meters ahead -come here-

Viggo hastened his step and came to his side. Kratos squatted down, searched the floor, and took a flat stone as big as his palm. Then he directed the edge of the stone to the damp ground and drew a large circle and inside that circle, he began to scribble some shapes that came in pairs. First two pairs that looked like huge drops very close together, then a couple of drops that were a little apart and finally, a couple of drops that were very close together, but that had two small marks at the end, as if they were accentuations.

-The footprints of a cow and a deer are similar to large drops, but those of the deer, have an oval interior, while the cow has the handfuls pointing outwards. On the other hand, the wild boar and the pig share similarity, however, if these two tips are at the end of each wedge, those of the wild boar are closer together, while those of the pig are more on the sides.

-I see- said Viggo, bringing his right hand to his chin.

-So, based on what I've told you, what kind of animal is this?- asked Kratos pointing the stone two meters ahead. The question was easy to answer, at least for Kratos, but the real test was in looking far beyond the deer's large footprints. The space around the footprints was flattened, as if a large stone or something too large, had stepped on the area. The shape was similar to the foot of a human, but it was so large, that any ignorant person would ignore such an anomaly.

Viggo walked ahead, made several turns around the tracks of the deer. Once he was ready, he looked at Kratos and replied -A deer?-

Kratos stood up and let out a faint growl.

-What?- asked Viggo, surprised by the annoyed face his teacher put on. He thought he had done well.

-Come here kid- Kratos said. Viggo walk until he stops half a meter from him and raise his face to look at his face. Kratos snorted through his nose, stretched out his hands, and moved Viggo to his side, facing the front. Then he point out with one hand the big footprint on the ground.

-What? I already saw the footprint of the deer- said Viggo.

-Yes, boy, keep watching-

Viggo looked forward and narrowed his eyes looking for something in particular, but to his misfortune, the large footprint was invisible. Viggo looked Kratos in the face and said -I don't see anything-

-How many footprints a meter long have you seen?- asked Kratos.

-Not many- Viggo replied casually.

Kratos frowned, slapped his head, and roared –the thing that made that footprint is four meters high and with one hand could crush you into a puree. Be more serious-

Viggo grabbed his head with both hands and frowned – ok, I'll be, but he stops hitting me on the head. I'll become more of an idiot if you keep hitting me-

-I hope this is your maximum limit. Otherwise, you won't live long-

Kratos advanced to the footprint and took another stone from the ground to highlight the contours of the huge footprint. One meter long by almost fifty centimeters wide. Then he looked at Viggo and he came over and squatted down.

-This creature has a large body, moves on two feet and rests on its hands- Kratos pointed out in front a pair of knuckles marked in the wet earth -by the footprint of the deer, we can say that the creature passed first and several days later the deer. If the deer had caught the creature, it would not have passed through here. The difference between one step and the other may be weeks apart. The smell of the first creature dissipated and the deer thought it was safe to pass through here-

-Deer are very intelligent- Viggo said carelessly.

Kratos frowned and said -they have a good sense of smell and instinct, something you lack. Child, it is important that you are attentive to your surroundings, Did you not feel anything when you approached this place?-

-Yes, that's why I was looking everywhere, but since I didn't see anything I felt safe-

-Your instincts are very important. They tell you when something is wrong and alert you to any abnormalities. For example, this large footprint. Let it be a lesson, now, follow in the footsteps of the deer-

Viggo nodded and began to walk ahead while looking at the ground, trying to follow in the footsteps.

-Raise your head, don't lose sight of the surroundings- Roared Kratos

-Ok, ok- replied Viggo with some annoyance.

Kratos followed closely and walked for more than an hour before encountering the deer. It was a female, short in stature and small horns. Viggo approached without consulting how to deal with the situation and as a result the deer saw him. So as a reflex act it fled between jumps and Viggo didn't even have time to place an arrow in the bow. On the other hand, Kratos advanced behind him and slap him on the head.

-What are you doing, you idiot? you scared your prey- Kratos roared.

-I thought…- Viggo said as if trying to excuse himself

-If you don't know, don't think, ask, questions are important. I had already told you, the deer have instinct, very different from you, and if they see you they will flee-

-I'm sorry- Viggo said in a low voice and looking down.

-Don't be sorry, be better, I'm always telling you-

Viggo nodded and raised his face –how do I do it? – he asked.

-It's all about finding a position that allows you to have good visibility- Kratos said, pointing his hand like an arrow and in front of him there was an imaginary objective –and that your presence is not exposed. Then you have to worry that the wind does not transport your body aroma and know how to wait for the right moment. That's for starters-

Viggo nodded and looked in the direction the deer escaped. Then he moved in that direction and as the leaf litter sounded under his feet, he looked for footprints.

-This time it's going to be harder- Kratos said behind him. Viggo stopped and Kratos continued – it's the price for acting foolishly and confidently-

-I didn't know- Viggo replied in a low voice.

-That's why you must be ask-

Viggo let out a sigh and kept moving forward in search of the deer's footprints. Kratos followed him from behind and let him experience the hunt on his own. He had good instincts, Kratos thought. Since, on his own, Viggo was looking for other types of footprints that he never told him. For example, fur trapped in some bushes or some broken branches. He looked at Kratos and he nodded in approval. At the same time, Viggo continued to walk and only after half an hour, they found the deer. At that moment it was drinking on the edge of a stony stream.

Viggo stopped about twenty meters from the deer and began to skirt it trying to find an angle at which the branches and trunks of the trees did not hinder his sight. Kratos folded his arms and I stare at him.

For his part, Viggo advanced to the right, looking for the deer's back as it approached. However, when he reached the distance of ten meters, the deer gave up drinking water and raised his head, looking everywhere and directing his tender ears sideways and forward. At the same time, Viggo threw himself ashore and began to crawl on the ground. He kept advancing until he won behind a bush, five meters from the deer. He settled behind a bush and noticed that the deer began to cross the creek at a slow pace. That made him nervous, and he drew an arrow from quiver. He rests the arrow on the angle of your hand that occurred at the junction of your thumb and index finger of your left hand. He hurriedly held the back of the arrow, arranged it on the rope, and stretched it with his right hand. He tightened the rope as much as he could, it looked promising, there was only a six-meter difference between the deer and Viggo. However, that distance was increasing as Viggo calculated the shooting angle. His instincts told him he would fail, so Viggo made the decision to get out of his cover and run towards the deer. Viggo moved forward taking quick steps and the deer heard him, turned his neck to look at him with his big black eyes, and prepared to flee. However, just as it was going to make the leap to begin his escape, Viggo released the rope, the arrow flew in parable and pierced the deer's neck. Be the same it ran out but left a trail of blood until he stopped ten meters away.

Viggo walk without paying attention to Kratos and get to where the deer was, trying to make strength with his paws to stand up. However, the large bloodsast under his neck indicated that that was going to be impossible. Viggo felt some hurt for him and became crooked to touch him. However, the deer just got more agitated and started kicking. Viggo stepped back and he hear behind him the rustling of leaf litter. He turned to see and saw his master, moving forward with that stern look.

-Kill your prey- Kratos said.

Viggo nodded regretfully and took an arrow from his quiver. He then rested the tip on his left hand while resting the back on the bow rope. Then he tightened the rope, looked at the creature in the eyes; big, black and innocent. Viggo took a deep breath and said in his mind "close my heart, close my heart, close my heart." Then, after a few seconds that felt eternal, he let go of the rope and the arrow flew. It is entered through one eye and was introduced into the brain. The deer became euphoric and began to kick with more force, almost seemed crazy, but ten seconds later it was losing its strength, until it was inert.