Arrowhead Loch, a large clearing from the tall ancient trees and twisting roots, was Floris' most common hunting ground for animals and alchemical substances alike. Arrowhead Loch was one place where nature truly flourished and was considered very sacred to the villagers. Herbs of all kinds grew in massive amounts here, and the place was teeming with wildlife. Squirrels and chipmunks scampered all along the ground, trees, and tree branches. Birds sang and chirped from their nests, and the never-ending splashing of fish leaping out of the water to catch their fill of the many thousands of insects that hovered over the water. Frogs croaked from the Lilly Pads, herds of deer drank from the water on the far shore, though the keen-eyed among them had already spotted Floris and were watching his every move while the rest of the herd grazed on the lush green grass. Swamp Boars were a common sight, too, but none had shown up today. Even though he lived in one of the most secluded areas in the world, Floris felt at peace here.
The water of Arrowhead Loch came from a stream from deep within the swamp. Floris had followed it in the past but was never able to find out where the stream actually came from. The Loch was already a two-day journey from the village, and he didn't like having to be gone longer than what was necessary. Maybe one day he'd find out where the stream came from, but not in any near future. The waters stretched for nearly a half-mile, and the shores had been carved to look like an arrow's head, hence the name. Along the shores, hidden in the tall grass, however, were many thousands of sharp rocks that would prove to be quite lethal if used as actual arrowheads.
While the Loch was indeed very beautiful, Floris couldn't afford to let his guard down for even a split second. Animals here, even many of the frogs, were highly poisonous. He knew cures to most of the poisons from these animals, but some of the frogs had poison he still had to come up with a cure for. The tall grass also made for a very good hiding place for snakes, and many of the insects would defend their hives to the death if Floris got too close. Swamp Wasps were common here, and they grew to be a little larger than a man's hand. Their stings were excruciatingly painful, but also highly venomous as well. Nests would often house up to sixty of these monstrosities, and Floris had never built up the courage to try and trap one, meaning he had no cure for their stings. Luckily, they tended to stay away from the village.
Floris had arrived at just the crack of dawn of a new day. His backpack was full of herbs he had gathered on the way here, but his work was far from over. There were many species of plant here, many of them having their own uses for alchemical purposes. Herbs such as Nightshade and St. John's Wort were useful for poisons he needed for taking down prey. Poisons made from herbs were less likely to infect the meat of the animal he was hunting, while poisons made with snake venom were more likely to infect anything that was edible. However, the poisons made from the snake venom was far more lethal than what was made by herbs. Floris' most deadly poison has taken down bull Swamp Boars with just a single arrow, which is an impressive accomplishment. Boar hide, especially bulls, is very thick, and it can be difficult to puncture an arrow or knife deep enough inside to cause any kind of fatal damage. However, so long as Floris
can make one bleed, that's all he needs to bring it down. The poisons made from his snakes were potent enough that any animal struck with it died within seconds; sometimes even instantly. But the potions made from herbs tended to take a little longer depending on where the arrow hit, but the meat was still edible. If the animal in question was a deer and the arrow punctured the neck, the animal would usually collapse before it had a chance to get away. All that was needed was for the animal to bleed so the poison would get in the animal's blood system. Whether the arrow actually hit its target was irrelevant, though it was a much quicker death for the animal.
With his knife in hand, Floris knelt down next to some herbs and started collecting what he needed. His backpack was already fairly full, but he still had a number of empty pockets to store herbs in. However, at the pace he was going, it wouldn't take long to fill those empty pockets and be forced to make the journey back home.
"Hmm...it might be time to make a bigger pack. At this pace, I'll be going back home before midday." He thought as he collected his plants. He stopped what he was doing and looked at the deer that were grazing on the grass in the distance. He didn't have the materials he needed to make a whole pack, but he could use a deer's hide to make a bag to carry stuff. However, he'd have to carry the deer back to the village before skinning it, otherwise, he will have wasted the meat and anything else of value, and lugging a deer for two days didn't sound like a very fun idea to him. He shook his head to get the idea out of his mind and returned his attention to gathering the herbs he needed.
"If the opportunity presents itself when I'm heading back, I'll take the shot." Floris thought.