PM to join A Bumpy Ride (Konrad)

[Ramona Silvertongue]

35th, Summer, 517av

It was earlier in the afternoon, and Ramona needed to saddle up and hunt. Though, she also had to make sure that she had everything. She told Bhug that it was fine for him to go play with the neighboring Pavillion. The Drykas had plans with the Pridesun Pavillion as well. One of the local hunters had told her of a man who might be looking for help at their pavillion. It would only make sense to see how much help he could be, and Ramona could find him somewhere along the lines of the Market. She had hoped that she could gather more than just one person to hunt. As a Novice hunter, she really doesn't know too much about hunting. She loves the outdoors though. Except when nature would try its best to kill her. Without Winter happening last Winter, a drought was forming; people had claimed that the lakes were slowly drying out. Ramona knew that wasn't a good thing, she needed to be careful around the other animals, because things could get ugly if the lakes had eventually ran out of water. Ramona mounted Anthem after making sure she had everything she needed, even some rope that she had bought would help her with some deer or other animals.

Eventually, Ramona made it to the Market, and she could smell the different smells that the food produce had cooked up. Though, Ramona wasn't here to buy. She was just looking for people who would be willing to help her go on a hunt. She remembered the description of the man that was staying with the Pridesun. He wore a hat, normally, scars, and was non-Drykas. How hard could it be ti find a non-Drykas? It couldn't be too hard. At least that's what Ramona had thought. She rode Anthem until she met the edge of the Market and he trotted the rest of the way until she had spotted someone with the description. The hunter couldn't give Ramona his name, but he looked a little intimidating. Not entirely though, Akalaks when ib comparison seemed to be a bit more intimidating than Humans.

"Hello!" Ramona called out as she rode on her Steider. "Are you the man that a friend I know had told me of? Planning to go on a hunting expedition, care to join?" Ramona was speaking in the common language. Her parents were always surprised at her ability to learn so well. Now, she was putting it to some good use. She dismounted Anthem, and offered her hand to shake. "The name's Ramona." Although, she was able to speak it fairly decent. Her Pavi accent was quite heavy. So it might have been a little hard to understand her when she spoke.

Word Count :

458/2500

[Konrad Venger]

"You'd think it'd be selling faster. Ain't like people ain't got the money."

"Not about money. Petch good money in drought?"

Rakesh had to concentrate to piece together the scarred walahk's words, but he got there. He bit down on the impulse to tell the man that maybe if he wasn't there, glowering at everyone who came over to look over their jerked pork and salted innards they might have more lucky today.

Then he remembered what the man was capable of, and thought better of it. A rider, a hunter, an archer, Hansel was none of these things. But apart from those two behemoths that had guarded Jonas back in the days before, Rakesh could think of no-one else he'd rather not tangle with.

So instead he turned back to the throngs and got back to shouting what they had. Hansel leaned back against a tent pole and crossed his arms, willing the bells to run along quickly so he could be out of here.

Keeps them quiet for a time, he reminded himself, cleaning his nails with the tip of his kukri. Gods, he was sure he still had scraps of innards stuck in there. After that bollocks with the divining, don't need them all restless and eager to kick you out.

Not yet, anyway.

"Hello!"

It took Konrad a few ticks to realize that he was the one being addressed, not Rakesh. There was no answer from the young Drykas and after a while, Konrad looked up and saw that lovely face, with a wide smile and oval eyes, staring expectantly at him. Much to Rakesh's surprise, too.

"Are you the man that a friend I know had told me of? Planning to go on a hunting expedition, care to join?"

Then it was Konrad's turn to piece words together, watching as the woman dismounted from her characteristically obedient Strider. Her accent was strong, more so even than Sedon's, and he had to frown a little, mouth working silently around the words.

"I... who say to you?"

"The name's Ramona."

Konrad shook her hand as a reflex, a quick, firm grasp and then pulled away. He had questions and handshakes would not answer them. The kukri went back to his sheath and Rakesh looked on, wondering why such a beauty was wasting her time with that shyke-faced mope.

"Who say about me?" Konrad said, words coming easily but the grammar... less so. Even after three seasons, he gobbled up vocabulary more easily than he did how to spew it back out. "Who is friend? What to do-"

"Gods, man, you really need to-"

"Shut up." Of course, he'd got that little phrase down pat. Rakesh rolled his eyes. "Not talk to you."

He turned back to the woman and quickly weighed his options. A hunting trip? Always welcome, he supposed. Aside from water and feed for the animals, food was their priority. They needed more and more of it every day, it seemed, and Konrad knew too well that their own expeditions could only go so far.

If we split even, should be enough to take home. He scratched under his chin as he thought, face unreadable. Couple of new... friends, at any rate. Connections. Ain't just gonna be depending on these Prideson sods.

"... when you go to hunt?"

"Hans, we've still got-"

"I said I would help," Konrad rounded on the smaller, younger man and fixed him with a glare honed as a gangland enforcer across Sunberth for two solid decades. "Not say for how long, and now can get more food. Yacob would happy. You be happy. So, do selling, I do hunt."

"Like you can bloody hunt..."

"What say?"

"Sausages! Sausages and jerky, come and get it...!"

Konrad let it go. Back home, he'd have had an eye or the bastard's tongue for disrespect - only way to keep his reputation, in that cesspool - but he was not at home. Here, he had to be restrained, and patient... and make new friends, apparently. Especially with food running low. Three fat piggies wouldn't last forever.

"Okay," he said slowly, turning from a furiously hawking Rakesh and nodded firmly at the woman. "Go hunt... Rah-Moe-Nah." After a few moment, he realized he'd yet to add his own name, and touched his fingers to the front of his hat. "I am Hansel. I get my horse, my bow. Come back in ten chime."

The walahk didn't wait for an answer, just turned on his heel and strode away, through the crowd and the light and the dust. When he returned, it would be with the things he'd mentioned. Until then, Ramona would have only Rakesh to speak to, if she wanted to learn anything more... and probably have the young Drykas flirt with her, into the bargain.

[Ramona Silvertongue]

DAY, SEASON, 517AV

Ramona had met other Drykas with the exuberant attitude these three men possessed. One man appeared to be jealous, but Ramona didn't hear about these other two men in the Pridesun Pavillion. It was good to make connections, and this man that one of Ramonas friends ha informed of was able to speak Pavi. Surprisingly, Ramona had wished to have meet this Hansel before he had came. She looked at the man as he went to retrieve his things. "I'll buy some jerky off your hands, how much for a pound?" Asked Ramona as Hansel walked away, she wasn't uncomfortable, but somewhat bored as she waited for Hansel to return. "Also, you can come with too. Unless, you want to sell sausages all day, " Ramona chimed in and smiled. She wasn't trying to be flirty; just friendly as it was her nature to be kind to all, but stern with herself. Ramona needed to be a strong willed peron, and it was good to come out and start meeting people instead of being alone, either hunting or in her tent with Bhug preparing for their next trip.

Taking care of a five year old was harder than it looked. It wasn't as easy to learn when comparing it to hunting. Especially Bhug, but Ramona was glad that she knew of Pavillions who would help her out after the death's of her parents nearly a few seasons ago. It would only make sense to make new contacts every day. Ramona had a personal goal, to meet at least one person from each Clan, though since she wasn't much of a social person. She was always friendly, and open to others who wanted to talk to. She always had answered when being asked a question, and she would do her best to be as honest as she could. There aren't very many topics that Ramona was never uncomfortable talking about, but she did hope to find someone that she could talk to daily; aside from her brother Bhug she was looking for someone to keep her company and support her honestly with all he can. Ramona was looking for someone indeed, but she needed someone who was just as loyal as she was. Someone who would always find her when she was in trouble. Someone to really love.

Being alone wouldn't get her anywhere if she doesn't get out so much. She needed to be out more than ever now, especially when she needs to work on her talents. She was still looking for teachers who would train her in Webbing, and Unarmed Combat. Archery she could do herself, all she needed to do was practice. If she practiced as much as the Champions at the Warstorm Pavilion, Ramona could be just as good as them- though practicing takes a lot of time.

Ramona didn't realize how much time she could take off to train. Fall was just coming around the corner, almost quicker than Ramona could imagine; and already so many days had passed faster than Ramona had imagined. Almost every day felt the same to her, she bit her lower lip because she was getting too lost in thought. Bit it until she drew blood, and waited for the offer of the Jerky and wanted to see if he wanted to tag along. "One more than two, could be better." Ramona insisted, and would be grateful if he wanted to come along.

Word Count :

1030/2500

[Konrad Venger]

Whatever passed between Rakesh and the woman, Konrad didn't hear, know, or care. He was a man with a singular purpose when he marched back into the Pridesun pavilion, unhitched his horse, claimed his bow and quiver, and turned back around without so much as a backward glance.

"Where'dja reckon he's going?"

Sedon looked up from the stew he was making and didn't even bother to shrug. Hansel. Selfish bastard. He turned jis face down to the bubbling pot and shot a glance at Dashiel.

"Don't know, don't care. Pass the salt, lad."

Konrad clip-clopped his way through the makeshift streets of Endrykas until he was back at their makeshift stall. He knew that it made more sense to lead Yeh Bugger back, but he needed all the practice he could get. Ah, that was another plus to this little excursion: much-needed time with his bow, and the snuffling creature between his legs.

"We go, yes?"

The woman seemed to pause, looking at Rakesh, and the boy seemed tempted. But eventually he shook his head, glaring at Konrad as he did and gesturing to the little table covered in treated pork.

"Someone has to stay and watch the food, don't they? Not to mention pack it all back up and drag it all the way back to-"

"Shyke be you, then," Konrad kicked his heels lightly in the flanks of his horse, and the gelding ambled his way past Ramona's Strider, like an average man walking past a bodybuilder. "Ra-moe-na? We go."

Syna was high. Bell after bell stretched ahead of them. Their prey would be scarce and hidden and maybe just dead, killed off by the drought like much the grasslands. And yet, Konrad knew they didn't have time to waste on niceties. Rakesh, Sedon, the others... when they came him with meat for the pavilion, they would close their mouths.

"So... what we hunt?"

He waited until Ramona was trotting gently next to him before he spoke. Bow, quiver, horse, sharp eyes, waterskin, and a nice, broad hat over his head. That was all he needed. Save a target.

[Ramona Silvertongue]

DAY, SEASON, 517AV

"Yes, we can go now." Ramona answered, and looked at Hansel with a sweet smile as she reconsidered buying jerky from the Pridesun Pavillion, there was always another time, she could possibly buy some when she comes back. Because it might be less expensive here than the Market. Hopefully, though jerky wasn't that much expensive anyways. Anyways, Ramona shouldn't be focusing on what she was going to do now. She took one last look back at the Peidesun Pavillion, and noted where its location could be for the next tims she would need their help.

At first, Hansel was walking his stallion, she wondered why. Though, as she got a better perspective of the man; he looked to be strong. Physically. Ramona was sure he knew common, perhaps it would be easier to speak to him? After all, Ramona had spent a very long time with her mother to learn that language. Pavi just didn't seem perfect for this Hansel. Though, she was happy to see more people, outsiders especially, learn the Drykas' ways. She knew other Drykas who would probably not want anything to do with outsiders. Ramona, on the other hand was always willing to give others a chance and she would do what it would take to find the good in people.

"We're hunting deer. At least I'd think we could hunt deer. I'm not a very good tracker, but I've been learning from Anthem. Except when he sniffs though, I know we don't have strong noses like animals, so I try to make sure to do my part." Ramona answered, she hoped it wasn't too difficult for the man to understand, Ramona was one to always talk. Though, she stopped and hoped that she hadn't said to much, it wasn't that she was hiding anything, she wasn't. She just didn't want to overwhelm someone who seemed to be just learning how to speak Pavi.

Ramona glanced over at Hansel, and was still glad that he had wanted to tag along. So, she probably shouldn't ruin the luck that she has right now with the man. She positioned herself to appear and feel more comfortable so that she wouldn't become nervous. "How long have you lived here, in Endrykas?" The huntress asked in a slightly amusing tone. It was fub getting to know someone outside of Endrykas. Drykas are quite stoic,well at least a lot of them are, the ones she's met maybe? That's what made Ramona different. She was always social, and talking, perhaps she should be a storyteller some day, speaking to kids about stories of adventures beyond Endrykas, unless there were Drykas who have already told stories. Maybe hopes of becoming a Watchman would be slim. Even if her father had really sent them a recommendation before he died; how could Ramona ever be as strong willed as them?

Watchman did patrols every day. It meant a lot of work when your a Watchman. One person doesn't just simply get in, they'd have to work for it. That's Ramona was trying to do, to work. She needed to practice, keep up with her fighting abilities; she wasn't the greatest, and she didn't know if she could ever work up her way to be as strong as Watchmen, but she knew deep down that she wouldn't give up easily either.

"There's a chance we could find some game by the Bluevein River? Just north of here." Ramona stated happily, and waited for Hansels' response. If he needed clarification, she would gladly help him out.

Word Count :

1620/2500

[Konrad Venger]

"Deer?"

Konrad turned to face the woman when she spoke, gesture and tone blatantly that of a man who both doubts what he hears, and hopes to be found wrong. Large game like deer had been rarer and rarer as the season wore on, the drought and the famine that accompanied it killing off food for animals sure as it did for humans.

Konrad had seen more dried-out, desiccated carcasses of deer than bloody bodies brought him from a hunt; he'd heard whispers among the older Drykas that one more season like this, and the deer of the Sea may never recover

We'll see.

The man made a little "hmph" sound and faced the front again, content to be cautious and see for himself. Game was game, whether it be some lumbering beast or skittering rodent in the grass. Either way, it was food.

"Three season, I think," he answered he next question with his usual stoicism, deciding not to mention how a horse could teach her about tracking. Even Striders didn't give sodding field-craft lessons. "Found me in grass."

Chatty today?

Konrad cursed himself and that mocking voice in his head, spurring in Yeh Bugger a little faster. Ramona would have to do the same to keep up, but he didn't care. It wasn't like him, volunteering information like that. Someone asked something of you, then you gave them exactly that thing, if it was worth the effort... and nothing else. He'd been that way for decades, but a few seasons here and...

Starting to slip, boy, the voice plowed on, jeers and scorn dripping from the words. Acting like this is your home.

Endrykas and all it encompassed began to fall away from them, and the Sea of Grass took its place. Tall grass and prairie, gently rolling hills here and there, all of it Syna-blasted and so parched every step from Yeh Bugger broke twigs and crunched dead grass. Konrad breathed in and smelled mud. Not dirt.

"This way."

Moisture made things stink. Not exactly an advanced lesson for any tracker or hunter. Moisture was what made life possible, and so it sped death and decay just as easily. Most times, when you smelled something foul or distinct, it was thanks to that dram of liquid there... and such was rare these days.

Then again, this isn't hard to find.

Konrad stopped on the edge of the "river", and waited for his partner to catch up. It wasn't much of one anymore. Syna's merciless, unrelenting attentions had shrunk the flow down to a lazy, choking trickle of water, and even the mud was starting to dry up. A few more days and the bed would dry entirely, and they'd have to move on, look elsewhere, like Endrykas always did.

Or just rely on Reimancers, Konrad thought with just a hint of a smirk. There'll be some profit in that, for sure.

"Okay," he said when he felt Ramona and her Strider ease into place next to him. "Where we start?"

[Ramona Silvertongue]

DAY, SEASON, 517AV

"The river, North of here." Ramona stated, and Anthem hurried to catch up to Hansel and his mount while they also chatted away. "Three seasons... "Ramoba repeated to herself for memory. "Where did you go before Endrykas? Anywhere interesting?"Inquired Ramona. She steadied herself, as Anthem shook a bit. She didn't understand what was wrong, but figured it was nothing, just that maybe his fur was itchy. She wanted to know more about Hansel, and hoped that he was willing to answer her questions. Though, if he didn't want to answer her questions, Ramona was totally fine with that. He could always ask her some too. Then, Hansel said that they had found him in the grass. Alone? Injured? She wondered, but she didn't want to ask him too much questions- again. She listened as Hansel explained more of himself.


"Where do we start?" he asked, Ramona looked around they were already where they needed to be. Tracks were always a good start, and Anthem was a pretty good scent tracker himself, but Ramona didn't want to show Hansel that she relied on his abilities. Anthem lowered his head as they paused in their steps for a while. He started to graze on the grass around him as Ramona and Hansel discussed about what to do next.

"Tracks are usually a good way to start first? Or looking for other signs that an animal was here recently."Ramona offered, after all it was a start, she admitted that she wasn't as good as a tracker as another animal was; but that didn't stop her from giving up. She needed to focus on the positives of this hunting experience. Perhaps, Hansel could learn a few things too? Maybe Ramona could even learn a few things from him? It seemed like a long-shot, but Ramona wasn't going to judge the walahk for what he was- an outsider. That would just discriminate him, and Ramona was too cordial for that kind of judgement. She didn't like to upset people.

"We could dismount and see what we can find. Bring weapons with us just in case"Ramona still wished that her parents were here, with her. They would keep teaching her all she needed to know about the outside world,
mostly so that she wouldn't be scared of the outside world. On the other hand, learning on her own didn't seem like such a bad idea. It would be beneficial to learn more of what it was like outside of the borders of Endrykas.

Ramona just wished that she could leave, but her heart always told her to stay here at Endrykas, it was her home. Also, she couldn't leave Bhug; that would be incredibly selfish of Ramona to leave him behind. Plus, Ramona would never leave him behind, or Endrykas. She would be too fearfully scared of leaving. Venturing out into the unknown, Ramona stopped herself before she thought ahead of herself. She needed to focus on the oresent,
which was hunting. She dismounted Anthem, and grabbed her shortbow, quiver, and waterskin that had been slightly extracted. She strapped her quiver around her shoulder, and held hee shortbow loosely with her right hand. "I think we should stay close together, I'd feel more safe if we stayed together."

Word Count :

2161/2500

[Konrad Venger]

Huh. Well. I'll be buggered.

Turned out, a Strider could be a tracker. Konrad watched with growing disbelief as the horse snuffled and shied around... and, fine, it did munch some grass, too, but Konrad knew when a creature was on the hunt. After a while the beast seemed to come to a decision, huffing gently over a patch of earth by the dried riverbed.

Let's see, then.

He hopped down from Yeh Bugger as the woman suggested, trusted a Drykas to know best how to hunt in her own territory. Like her, he grabbed his weapon and water, making sure the thing was full enough that the sloshing liquid wouldn't give them away while stalking. He hitched Yeh Bugger up to a dead tree, confident he wouldn't be stolen. Crime was peculiarly rare among the Drykas, he was finding. Even if he didn't understand.

Because the wankers always find out who did it. Honestly. Takes out all the fun.

"Come from east," he said shortly, when her questions started to probe into his past. "And north. Was good. Was bad. More bad. Not know 'interesting'."

He knew he was being deliberately obscure, and he knew he didn't give a shyke, either. His past was not something he wanted to discuss, because what would he say? That he was a sellsword that hunted and tortured slaves, protected Kenash aristocrats and killed on their orders? Before that, a mercenary on the Kabrin, protecting slave caravans? And far before, for the longest time, a Sunberth street daemon, killing for any gang lord or racketeer that had coin to pay him?

Better stick to the present. Don't need these folk hating me more than they already do.

"Horse found something."

Konrad bent down where the Strider had been snuffling, and found... definitely something. His nose crinkled at the smell oozing from the pile of black pellets, but that didn't stop him from reaching out and taking one between his fingers, and squeezing.

"Wet. Soft." He dropped the crushed mess and wiped his fingers on the grass. "If deer shyke long, Syna would make dry, hard. But not dry. Not hard. So not long ago. So maybe deer close."

Big 'maybe', he added cautiously. Deer could cover distances in a bell that a running man could only dream at. "Close" could mean a half-score leagues, and no way were two hunters venturing that far into the Sea of Grass. Not with the drought and the famine driving every predator insane with hunger.

But it was all they had to go on. Konrad looked around the pile, licked his lips, bit down... and then smiled as he saw the imprints in the mud. Tracks. He touched his fingers to them, and looked beyond... until he saw more... and they had a trail.

"Okay," he said, notching an arrow and straightening up, eyes never leaving the scars that hooves had made in the dry ground. "Now boring part."

He led the way, eyes downcast for the most part, apart from when they flickered up to check his surroundings. Definitely didn't want to get ambushed by some bastard predator while he was doing much the same to something else. Soon the river and the bed was in the rear, the past, and their quarry was the future.

[Ramona Silvertongue]

DAY, SEASON, 517AV

Ramona stopped looking into a set of bushes as Hansel had called her over to discuss about the... droppings of another animal. She plugged her nose to the smell, and wondered if Hansel was trying to be funny. Though, what he found was better than nothing. It was gross to see Hansel poke a finger and test the substance of the droppings. He explained to Ramona as if the droppings were fresh, and Syna had yet to dry them up. So... that could mean one thing; the deer or at least another animal was close by. "Tracks, should be-"Ramona began and pointed as she barely caught the image of what was to be a hoofprint. Leading away from the deer. -Aha, here it is. Tracks, could be deer, or it could be another animal. Since, there are many other animals with hooves; just like horses."Example. She signed instinctively, but frowned, as she had forgotten that Hansel didn't yet fully understand the Pavi Sign. She wondered how long it would take to fully learn a new language, Ramona was young when she first began to learn the Common tongue of human speak.

"Fortunately, it's not a bull. Bulls travel in herds."Ramona said aloud, to herself. Thinking, aloud. "Sorry, I normally think out loud."Ramona stated and whistled for Anthem. His head perked up, ears twitched towards the sound, and he snorted. Though, he did eventually trot his way towards the two. He sniffed the droppings and backed up, tail slightly wagging in the air. "We should remount; faster, to catch up to the animal."Ramona spoke in a calm, yet nervous tone. She felt excited, just glad that she would be able to ride Anthem again, even though it wasn't that long being dismounted.

It didn't take long, Ramona slowed Anthem to a slower pace so that her partner, Hansel could follow easier. Ramona watched as he seemed to be having trouble, just slightly... or complications with riding the stallion. Ramona wanted to say something, but decided to keep it to herself. After what seemed to be more than just a few chimes, seemed like a long ride. Riding was fun, but it just takes time to get to a place to where you wanted to go, albeit it was a lot better than walking during a hunt, and in general really.

Though, Ramona didn't really want to spend her whole life hunting. She made enough money to support her and Bhug for the year, but Ramona really wanted to get herself known, and provide support whenever she could. She wanted people to come to her when they needed something, but it was going to take longer than Ranona had thought.

She wanted to help people, instead of not being able to help people. Hunting doesn't satisfy what she wanted to do, it didn't seem to be enough. Hunting didn't really satisfy her, except that it had gotten her outside of the tent. After all, she would rather be outside than stuck in a tent all day, selling clothes to people as they walked by and talked about their puppies, or adventures outside of the city.

"There, you see it don't you? "She face palmed her forehead, "I mean I know you see it, so um ready arrows? Or different approach?"Ramona asked in a hushed voice as she sat on Anthem. Waiting for a reply.

Word Count :

2722/2500

[Konrad Venger]

Konrad was glad he'd accepted the woman's offer: she'd clearly more to offer than just annoying questions and an extra pair of hands. He nodded as she cautioned him that hooves didn't just mean deer. There were a plethora of large animals that called the Sea of Grass home, and half of them had hooves.

Looks likely, though, he reminded himself, snatched a look back down to the tracks they were following. From horseback.

Another challenge she provided, and Konrad was not entirely sure about how it would aid them. Of course, it was obviously less legwork for them, letting Yeh Bugger and the Strider do so for them... but Konrad didn't like his eyes another six feet removed from the ground. He had to scowl and squint at the tracks, and sometimes only Anthem's remarkable nose kept them on the right path.

Still, he tried to console himself as they clip-clopped deeper into the grass. Makes it easier to get the kill home.

"There, you see it don't you?"

Later on, Konrad thought it ironic he acted just as his prey. He yanked Yeh Bugger back, both man and horse going stock still as Ramona spoke aloud. His eyes skipped around the grassline, searching hungrily... and seeing the smear of unmistakable movement beyond a curtain of grass, maybe fifty feet away.

The deer was grazing. And not alone. Was it the smell of their horses that hid them? But wouldn't they smell... more like humans, like civilization and the world of men? Wouldn't that make the deer-

Not the time for this!

"I mean I know you see it, so um ready arrows? Or different approach?"

"Stop talking," Konrad said coldly, uncaring if he came across as rude. There was two hundred pounds of meat a few dozen yards away, and he wasn't about to lose it because she didn't know how to sodding whisper. "We do arrows. Now."

Konrad didn't like to overthink things, especially when it came to killing. What you could do and get away with, those were the primary factors when it came to mortal problems. After that, it was a matter of efficiency, and effort. If you could take down your prey - human or otherwise - from a distance, with a couple of arrows as opposed to a flurry of sword strokes, then why not?

"Shoot when I shoot." He notched an arrow into his shortbow, drawing back the string as he raised it. The deer looked up suddenly, chewing mouth clamping shit, black eyes looking at them. "One... two..."

There was no "three". Just the twang of the string and the arrow became a speeding zip of wood in flight, hurtling towards its target.