Hunter's Journey

Starting along the trail, the two ventured deeper into the woods, Whiskey-Jack's heart raced with excitement and apprehension. Would they truly be able to face the dangerous beasts lurking in the forest?

Though he felt secure in Midok's abilities, he wasn't so sure about Vix. "What if we both get killed because I'm trying to fight and protect her?" he stressed inwardly.

Vix, unaware of his inner turmoil, began explaining how to track prints, navigate by observing tree patterns, and how to mask their sounds effectively.

"I'll need to practice this a lot," Whiskey-Jack thought, trying to absorb all the information she offered.

Hours passed, and while he was impressed with Vix's knowledge, they hadn't encountered any game, only tracks that led nowhere.

"It must be those creatures haunting these woods," he concluded, muttering under his breath, unease settling in his gut.

Eventually, they decided to head back. As they retraced their steps, Vix quizzed him on what he had learned, nodding in approval when he answered correctly, but gently critiquing any mistakes. The banter helped solidify his understanding of hunting skills.

Then, nature called. "Hey Vix, I'm just going to step into the bush for a moment," he said, feeling a bit embarrassed with her around.

"Okay, just yell if you see any dangerous beings," she replied, focused on their surroundings.

He hurried into the bush, anxious to relieve himself, he noticed a curious squirrel in the tree above, peeking out from a hole in the tree.

"It must be hibernating here for the winter," he thought as he observed silently.

An idea struck him. "This might be a good time to test my skill!" he said with a smirk.

"Hi, um… can you understand me?"

The squirrel hesitated, then peeked out again.

"Can you tell me if you've seen any dangerous creatures around here?" he asked, a little sheepishly, feeling foolish for talking to a squirrel.

After a few minutes of silence, he sighed, he was ready to head back when a squeaky voice broke through his thoughts.

"Be careful… the little people control these parts," it warned, barely audible.

Whiskey-Jack spun around, but the squirrel had already disappeared into the safety of the tree.

"The little people," he repeated, his curiosity had been piqued and hurried back to Vix, contemplating the mysterious warning on their journey home.