The Hunter and The Boar

The Hunter And the Boar

It was a good day to Hunt.

The hooded figure stood motionless, cloaked in the comforting embrace of the lengthening shadows cast by the sturdy oaks and pines growing in the short, narrow valley. He had followed the easily discernible tracks to this point, pausing to scan the heavy underbrush which filled the void between the trees. The tracks disappeared into this impenetrable thicket, and he suspected his Prey would use this cover as a haven to bed down for the night.

In his calloused hand the Hunter held a short, heavy spear, the butt of the weapon resting firmly on the wind swept ground. The rockelm shaft was tipped with a wide, broad iron head almost a foot in length. Just beyond the razor-sharp bladed head a thick iron pin intersected the shaft, extending several inches to either side of the rough wooden surface.

The Prey today was a huge, wild boar. Complaints had filtered in from several farmers in area along M'Chek's north eastern coastline, claiming the huge beast had damaged large portions their newly planted fields, destroying the young crops and causing deep holes and ruts in the ground. One man even claimed the boar had attacked and killed one of his newborn calves, partially devouring the young animal before it was chased off. The Hunter had seen in the past what a large boar could do to the farmlands in the area, most of the damaged caused while the animal rooted and foraged in the soft, tilled earth.

The boar would continue to be a nuisance to this region, its sheer size of several hundred pounds intimidating most of the local citizens. The Blade of Pelar studied the thicket once more before slipping from sight into the growing shadows, the iron point of the hunting spear leading the way through the foliage.

20 minutes later...

Limping slightly as he stepped from the overgrowth, the last wisps of daylight fought a losing battle with the encroaching darkness. In his bloodied hands he held the splintered remains of the spear, the break occurring at the point where the metal pin intersected the dense wood. Inspecting the remains of his weapon, Thaylis shook his head once, seeing now that the pin had been too thick for the shaft, causing a weak point in the spear. Its purpose was to act as a final barrier between Hunter and boar, preventing the beast from working its way up the shaft of the weapon, still impaled, and slashing at the man at the other end of the spear with its deadly tusks. When the boar had charged him, he had braced the butt of the weapon on the ground, angling the tip of the spear upward at the charging boar. The animal's charge was sudden and fierce, and it covered the distance between them with shocking speed. With an explosive impact the boar impaled himself on the spear, taking the weapon in the chest and in shock and pain, violently twisted away from the Hunter and shattering the shaft of the broad spear.

Thaylis knew he was in trouble. The spear failed to bring the boar down with his first strike and it was now in a blind rage, twisting back toward him with sharp, jagged tusks nearly a foot in length, instinctively seeking to eliminate the source of the searing pain that was now in its chest. Even as the Hunter twisted away to the right from the boar's attack, two short blades appeared in the Hunters hands. He had been a fraction of a second too slow in his leap, and one of the tusks sliced through the muscles of his left thigh. Ignoring the pain, the blades in his hands moved with a life of their own, a blur of steel and leather flashing in the fading light. Within moments, it was over. The boar lay on his side motionless, a pool of blood soaking into the oak leaves and pine needles which layered the thicket in a thick carpet.

The Hunter quickly field dressed the boar, and removed the left ear of beast, tucking it in his leather pouch hanging at his belt. This would be used as a Tribute to Pelar, to Honor Him in the Old Ways of the Hunt. Picking up the broken spear, Thaylis headed out of the copse in search of a farmer in order to borrow a wagon to haul the beast away.

2 days later at the Blandenberg orphanage...

Thaylis had spent the day at the orphanage, having received another generous offer to attend their yearly celebration of Thanks. The day before he had delivered to them the boar and amidst the words of thanks from those maintaining the orphanage and the infectious chatter of the children, he had unhesitatingly accepted their offer.

As he spent the day of the feast amongst the kitchen staff and children, he came to the realization that deep within himself, he had been hoping to receive an invitation to celebrate the day of Thanks once more with the children and volunteers of the orphanage.

• • Author's note: I've had the opportunity to speak with Brigadier Beign on several occasions, interviewing him on various aspects of the M'Chekian - Drotid War. During these talks he has spoken not only of his involvement and participation during that conflict, but at times lowered his guard and related several personal experiences. May the reader enjoy this small glimpse into one of M'Chek's gallant and capable officers. ~ Loriallis Sol, Sage of Vorin.