Urikanu smiled to himself, as he was busily looking his huge Two Rivers Longbow over. A weapon that few favoured because of its size and pull, ir was perfect for Urikanu’s build and strength.
The huge warrior was sitting on his bed, preparing for a long day. A day of relaxation. For once, Uri was free to do as he pleased. There was to be a major exercise for all the Drin’far’ji and Ji’alantin, and his assistance wasn’t needed. So why not go busy himself with something constructive, like hunting down the beast that he knew was lurking in the forest?
As of yet, Uri was far from sure what it was. But on his patrols these last days he had found deer carcasses with their bellies ripped open and their heads torn off. He had mused to himself that it might be a rogue bear, but then again, woul any bear do something like that? He doubted it.
“Flawless, like it should be! “ Uri grinned and put the wax he had been rubbing into the wood away and hefted the bow, weighing it in his hands. It was still perfect. And the broadhead arrows he had gone over last night were in perfect condition as well. Long shafts with sturdy feathers and broad piles made to punch through both the armour of men and the hides of beasts, they could fell an ox with ease when launched from the huge longbow.
“And it’s a prefect day for hunting too… “ With a grin the tall warrior slung the bow over his back and fastened his quiver at his belt and left his rooms.
Four hours later he was stalking silently through the woodlands west of the Tower. His prey was near he knew, for it’s tracks were fresh. He had been right apparently. Large bear-like pawprints covered the ground for the wary eye to notice, and Uri was a tracker. And a pretty good one too. As it was now, he knew it was ahead of him, somewhere in the greenly tinged semidarkness of the deep woodlands.
Suddenly he heard it. Deep grunting ahead of him, and something charged out through the bushes. In a smooth motion he hoped Ellisande would have been proud off he drew an arrow, nocked it and sent it flying, hearing the thump as it slammed into the large grey shadow he saw disappearing in semidarkness. But it didn’t even slow down.
With a curse Urikanu began searching the ground, and soon found what he needed. Tracks from large paws with huge claws on them. A wolfs grin spread on his face as he looked up and into the forest. This hunt would be good. He got up and began walking into the forest, following the easily discernible tracks before him.
Soon he found what he was looking for. It stood in a clearing, munching on something on the ground. Uri stopped, holding his breath. That thing was no bear… It was the same size, but it was green and covered in something like a leathery hide and looked most of all like a grotesque huge frog. Uri shuddered. But still better get rid of it, he thought as he raised his bow and took careful aim, drawing an arrow. The broadheaded shaft should down it easily enough he thought.
He drew fletchings to ear and released the arrow, following it’s brief flight until it embedded itself in the things neck with a solid thump. But all the beast did was look up at him, roar and grap it’s prey in the beaklike mouth and lumer off into the woods once more.
For hours he followed it, tracking it, stalking it. He felt the tension build inside him as he quietly slipped through the undergrowth, a feeling of foreboding nothing could warrant. Why hadn’t the thing gone down from his arrow? He had hit it square in the neck and it had merely roared at him as if in annoyance.
Suddenly he heard brush snap and threw himself to the saide as the huge thing came thundering at him through the undergrowth which snapped under it’s bulk. It moved fluidly and gracefully. Dangerously. And suddenly Uri cursed. He must have got too close to it’s lair! How foolish he had been. And as the beast wheeled around, Uri froze. It had not two eyes, but three. And all of them stared at him malevolently, his two arrows jutting out of the strong hide.
Uri shot again as it charged. His arrow taking it in the chest, but it didn’t even slow. Frantically he fitted another arrow and fired, and as if by the blessing of the lLight itself, the arrow flew true, embedding itself deeply into the creatures eye and far, far into its brain. Uri shivered as he lowered the bow. One of these arrows had stopped a charging warhorse in chainmail barding. And this thing had merely plowed on. Thank the Light and Elli for the training he had received in archery…
And with that thought on his mind Uri began trcking his way back home, a feat necessary now by the fact that he was farther from the tower in this direction than ever before….