Hunter's Bounty (Veller)

by Spoor, Garry

  She sat down at the end of the open field, or maybe she collapsed, it was difficult to tell. She was tired, hungry, her feet hurt and she smelled like a dead valrik. She lay back on the grass and stared up at the clouds passing over her head. How had she gotten herself into a situation like this? She was a long way from home, a long way from that small farm on the outer edge of Riverport. Where was that simple young girl of fourteen who thought she could become a Hunter and see the world?

  She must have fallen asleep, since the next thing she felt was a tongue licking her face. She quickly woke up and stared into the eyes of a doe, which suddenly backed away.

  “Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you.” She apologized as she sat up.

  Looking around the field, she found that she was actually surrounded by deer. There had to be about seven or eight of them feasting on the grass around her. The sun had already started to set as a damp dusk settled over the land.

  “What time is it?” She asked no one in particular.

  -Time?-

  The doe replied.

  Kile always envied, what she came to refer to as the natural world, they didn’t have clocks or schedules, and they didn’t have places they had to be. There was a simple simplicity about their lives. One just followed the natural order of things. It was what Gorum, the headmaster’s dog back at the academy, had tried to explain to her that night. She hadn’t really understood it back then, but the more time she spent in the wild, the more time she spent in the natural world, she was starting to see what he meant. Only the vir place obstacles in their paths, and then complain when they can get around them.

  She slowly got to her feet, cringing all the way. It was still a good distance to travel and the sooner she got started, the sooner it would all be over.

  -You okay?-

  The doe asked her, and there was a genuine sense of concern in the words that the doe used.

  That was another thing she envied about the natural world, animals didn’t lie. They didn’t hide what they felt or practice deception, they were what they were.

  “Not really.” Kile replied, although she wasn’t sure what complaining to the doe was going to get her. She felt she needed to be as honest with them as they were with her.

  -Wait here.-

  The doe told her as she set off across the field, leaving her to ponder what, exactly was she waiting for. She tried to take a step, but traveling across the flatlands and then through the forest had finally paid their toll on her bare feet. They were cut, they were bleeding and they were really starting to hurt. She knew she shouldn’t have stopped in the field. If she had kept going she might have been able to walk through the pain, as it was starting off, after a rest, the pain only felt that much greater.

  She sat back down, tearing off another strip of the uhyre rags. If this kept up, she wouldn’t have much more to wear. She started another layer of wrapping on her feet.

  -Vir hoofs are not made for walking in the woods.-

  “Tell me something I don’t know.” She said as she tied off the rag and then looked up, and even further up at one of the largest bucks she had ever seen. He towered over her, staring down at her, his massive antlers stretched out over his head as they pointed towards her. He was a sight larger than the ones she was used to seeing back in Riverport, but then she had only seen them from a great distance, not standing two feet in front of her.

  “Sorry sir.” She replied, getting unsteadily to her feet. For some unknown reason she felt she had to stand in his presence.

  He looked her over, sniffed up one side of her and down the other, and she could tell that he didn’t like what he smelled.

  -Uhyre?-

  “No sir, just the clothes. Not exactly my first choice either… but then I didn’t have much of a choice.”

  -You are Kile.-

  It wasn’t a question, it was a statement and it wasn’t so much the fact that this buck knew her name, or that he was willing to say it, but it was the way he said it. The word carried with it a note of admiration.

  “Yes sir… I’m Kile Veller.” She replied.

  He walked around her slowly, eyeing her carefully. She stood still. She could see the other does move around the clearing as they got closer, watching the exchange.

  -I see you as no threat.-

  He finally said as he came around to stand in front of her again.

  “Thank you sir.” She replied, although she wasn’t sure why she was thanking him. She could have told him she wasn’t a threat.

  -And have you finally separated from that horrible beast you ride.-

  “Grim… you know Grim?”

  -Is that what you called it? An appropriate name for the beast.-

  “I haven’t really separated from him… well not permanently, I mean we did kind of get separated and I am still looking for him.”

  -I saw him.-

  One of the does stepped forward.

  “You did? Where?”

  The doe looked to the buck first as if asking for permission to speak. The buck stepped back, bowing his head as the young doe came closer.

  -That was… many mornings ago. He was heading toward the vir settlement.-

  “Then he did manage to get away.”

  That was at least some good news, although it didn’t mean that Grim was at Coopervill, he was only heading in that direction. Knowing the Mountain Pony the way she did, she wouldn’t be surprised if he kept on going, right past Coopervill back to the mountains. She wouldn’t have blamed him if he did, of course that didn’t help her find Vesper and she was sure that the doe wouldn’t have noticed a small white rodent on the Mountain Pony’s head. Most of the inhabitants prefer to stay clear of Grim, both vir and animal alike.

  “I have to go. I have to get to Coopervill. I have to find them.” Kile said

  -Vir hoofs are not meant to travel these grounds.-

  The buck stated again.

  “It’s not as if I have much of a choice sir. I’m not going to find boots out here.” She replied. “It’s not all that far to go, only about a… day… or two.”

  -Come Vir. I will take you as far as your… Coopervill?-

  He slowly lowered himself to the ground. Kile stared in amazement, this was kind of out of character for a buck, but then so was talking to a Vir.

  “Are you sure?” She asked.

  Bucks have always been proud animals, more so than the does who Kile frequently visited when she had the chance. The bucks usually kept their distance, watching her from afar. For one of them to speak to a Vir, let alone carry one was a huge honor for Kile.

  -I am sure.-

  The buck replied, and Kile could feel the strain in his words. There was a calming tone, but a cautious undertone. He was taking a huge risk in letting a vir get this close to him, but in the same sense, there was a trust between them.

  She wasn’t going to ask him again for fear of him changing his mind and she could really use a ride. She pulled herself up onto his back and held on the best she could as he rose to his feet.

  -Hold on tight.-

  The buck said, but before she had a chance to ask what she was supposed to hold onto, he was off.

  She had often thought riding a deer would be the same as riding a horse, but that wasn’t the case. The deer moved with a swift gait, narrowly avoiding trees and rocks as it covered the ground in huge leaps. It was like riding the wind, a very rough wind as he made his way across the landscape. Unlike horses, deer were not used to having riders, and therefore were not accustomed to going around low branches. She quickly learned to keep her head down.

  They traveled at a good pace over the fields of Denal, and although the trip took them well into the night, it felt as if only moments past before things became very familiar as the trees of the Apple Blossom Livery came into view.

  The buck slowed down and finally stopped just along the outer fence. What had taken him two hours to travel would have probably taken her two days. She slipped off his back, using the fe
nce as a ladder. It was a shame it wasn't later in the season, otherwise she would have offered him a fresh apple for his help, of course the fact that he knew exactly where to go, probably meant he would have his share of fresh apples come harvest time, whether they were offered or not.

  “I’m sorry. I don’t have anything to offer you for your help.”

  -I seek nothing in return. There will be a time when I may require the aid of a vir. You may return the favor then.-

  “Of course. Anything that I can do to help. Just let me know.” She replied, although she couldn’t think of anything that a deer would need her help with.

  -Until then.-

  He said as he moved off into the woods with the rest of his family. Waiting until they disappeared into the tree she turned her attention to the orchard. Her feet were sore, her clothes smelled worse than before, if that was even possible, and every muscle in her body ached, but she was now only ten minutes away from home, or the closest thing she knew as home. She was surprised at how much energy she had left, now that she knew the whole ordeal was over. She would talk to Kane in the morning, tell him about the Uhyre army and let him deal with it. It was no longer her problem. She would speak to Grim, assuming that he was there, and find out what happen to Vesper, and if he left the yarrow back at the cabin she would hand deliver him to the mountain folk personally.

  She was half way across the field when she heard someone running in her direction.

  “Vesper… Vesper where are you?” A young woman called out. Her voice was on the very edge of panic.

  Kile started to pick up speed, running to the sound of the voice, but something small, white and furry leapt from one of the lower branches of an apple tree and landing on her head. She spun around, tripped and fell to the ground, grabbing at the rodent.

  -KILE-

  The yarrow shouted in her head, and the words were filled with so much emotion that she even started to cry.

  “Vesper! I thought I lost you.”

  -Kile smell-

  Well, so much for sentiment.

  “Vesper… Vesper where are you?” Alisa called as she came around one of the apple trees. When she saw Kile she stopped cold.

  “Kile?”

  “Sorry I’m late… I got…”

  But before she could say anything more, Alisa quickly silenced her. She looked around the field as if expecting someone to pop out of the trees at any moment. When no one did, she beckoned for Kile to remain quiet and follow her.

  As Kile got to her feet, Vesper took his place on her shoulder. It was surprising how empty her shoulder felt without the yarrow riding on it. She followed Alisa across the orchard and into the farmhouse through the back door. Alisa said nothing as she moved to the windows and quickly pulled the curtain closed.

  She suddenly turned around and faced Kile. She couldn’t tell if she was annoyed or scared. “Where in all of Aru have you been?” She asked in a harsh whisper.

  “Well, as a matter of fact I wasn’t in Aru.” Kile said as she set Vesper down on the table and took a seat on the armchair by the fireplace. It was nice to sit on something soft for a change.

  “This is no joking matter Kile. Hunter’s have come here looking for you.”

  “Well they should… I mean I was missing for… a few days.” She replied, although she wasn’t sure how many days she was actually missing. She tried to figure it out, but it got a little confusing when she was down in the dungeon. Without any windows it was difficult to tell.

  “I don’t think they were looking for you to look for you, I think they were looking for you to arrest you.”

  “Arrest me? Arrest me for what?”

  “I’m not sure. I think it was for killing a man in Littenbeck.”

  “Littenbeck, I haven’t even been to Littenbeck.”

  “All I know is a pair of Hunters came by here three days ago looking for you and they weren’t exactly the kind of people that I would want to be found by. I think they’re watching the house, as well as your room in town. You can’t go back there.”

  “I have to go back there. I have to change out of these… clothes. I smell like a dead valrik.”

  “Yeah… you do at that.” Alisa commented as she moved to the window. She peeked out through the side of the curtain. “You can take a bath upstairs and I’ll lend you some of my clothes.”

  “No offense Alisa but, we don’t exactly have the same taste in clothing and we’re not exactly the same size.”

  “I still have some of my old clothes from when I was younger.” She said as she motioned Kile to the stairs. “My bath is already set up in my room.”

  She wasn’t going to turn down a free bath, no matter how strange her friend was acting. As she got out of the chair, Vesper jumped up on her arm and perched himself back on her shoulder. It would appear that the yarrow wasn’t going to let her out of his sight any time soon. She headed upstairs to Alisa’s bedroom where, sure enough, a bath was already laid out. The water was a bit tepid, which meant Alisa probably already took her bath. Kile set Vesper down on the chair, peeled off the uhyre rags and set them aside, as far away from the water as she could. If it was possible she would have burned them right then and there. Removing the bandages from her feet she slowly stepped into the water and sank down into the tub. It was amazing how a bath could rejuvenate a person.

  She was just starting to lather up when Alisa came through the door with a pile of clothing in her arms, dropping them on the bed, moved to the window, pulling the curtains closed.

  “Are we being a little over reactive?” Kile asked.

  “Where were you… seriously?”

  “Let’s just say I met an old acquaintance and I couldn’t get away.”

  She watched Alisa, and could tell that her friend was suddenly filled with doubts and a touch of suspicion.

  “Yes, but where were you?” Alisa asked.

  “What does it matter where I was, I’m back.” She replied.

  “Were you in Littenbeck?”

  “I told you, I haven’t been to Littenbeck in nearly four years. Look, if I knew I was going to get interrogated, I would have gone back to my room first.”

  Of course that threat wasn’t even possible since Alisa kept her room keys while she was out on assignments so she wouldn’t have been able to get into her room, but it did make Alisa pause, although it didn’t remove her suspicion.

  “Who is this guy in Littenbeck?” Kile asked.

  “I don’t know.” Alisa replied as she sat down on the edge of the bed. “Look… when your horse came back without you I waited a day before I sent word to the Guild House. That evening Steele arrived to look Grim over, when he left I figured he was going to go look for you. He came back without you and started asking me questions about a Mr. David Draw, and what we talked about before you left. He told me it was nothing important, but I could tell he was worried about something. About three days ago he came back here again, only this time he’s accompanied by two men dressed in green. I figured they were Hunters. One of them starts asking me questions about you. When was the last time you were in Littenbeck? Did you usually go traveling alone? Did you know some mystic by the name of Emara? I told them that I didn’t really know all that much about you and that you only stabled your horse here. I don’t think they bought it, and I wouldn’t be surprised it they’re watching the house right now.”

  “What did they say about Emara?” Kile asked.

  “Well, they didn’t really say anything about her, only asked if you knew about her or mentioned her name. I found out later that she had been abducted, and that some man had been assassinated in Littenbeck.”

  “Oh come on, you don’t really think they think that I had something to do with it? It’s probably just routine questioning.” Kile said. Although why would they question her about it in the first place?

  Alisa got up from the bed and crossed the room to the dresser where she pulled out a rolled up parchment.

  “It gets worse.” She
said as she handed it to Kile. “These were posted at the Bird and Bay two days ago.”

  She didn’t have to unroll it to know what it was. She could tell by the green edging that it was an open bounty. She had seen enough of those posted on the Guild House walls, but she had to see whose face was on it. As she unrolled it, there was a crude image of her staring back at her. It wasn’t a very flattering image and kind of depicted her as some crazed young woman with wild hair. The information that they had was rather vague. Except for her general description they didn’t know anything about her, including her edge. Under the details it only stated that she was wanted for crimes against the Guild, crimes against the Crown, crimes against the community and Crimes against the Tower. That pretty much covered just about anybody that she could have had crimes against. What startled her most was that the price on her head was over double that of Eric Rimes, and he stole from the Guild and burned down half the Academy to get away, not to mention the fact that it took the council nearly six months before they posted an open bounty on him. How had this gotten so far out of control so fast?

  “Where were you Kile?” Alisa asked.

  “You don’t really think I had anything to do with this?”

  “Why would they post a bounty on you so fast, unless they had a reason?”

  “Because they want to get rid of me, they wanted to get rid of me from day one. They want to get rid of anyone that stands in the way of changes, and they don’t even realize they’re doing exactly what he wants them to do.”

  “Who’s doing this?”

  “The sons of Terrabin and some… some madman by the name of Ravenshadow.” She said as she tossed the bounty to the floor. Somehow the bath was less relaxing than it had been a few moments ago. She looked over at Alisa and could still see the doubt in her eyes.

  “This.” Kile shouted as she held out her arms, exposing her wrist for Alisa to see. She still had the bruises and cuts not to mention a few burn marks. “This is where I was okay. Shackled to a damn wall for several days where my only friend was a rat. Not exactly my proudest moment so you can forgive me if I don’t want to talk about it.”

  Alisa looked scared as she stared at Kile’s wrists.