It was their daily routine of meeting on their turf to train and it was very lively in that part of the village.
Bickering kids were what covered the surrounding as they have a small contest on the best archer among them.
These kids were making Joan think of the past heroes. Having a shred of innocence in them while still wet on their ears.
Having been told, they were still learning and was having fun at that. Eman was on his turn and so he drew the bow with an arrow tucked on it.
Firing it to the dummy but missing the target. He was smacked by Kendrick behind his head after doing so.
"You should be better than this Eman! I think you should loosen up and focus!" Kendrick said then tapped his shoulders.
Eman did as he was told and then fired it to the dummy. Nearly taking a miss but barely able to hit the target. Making the arrow hang on the clothing of the dummy.
"Dang it Eman! You should practice more!" Kendrick said to him.
Kendrick substituted him for the time being and fired at the target. To Joan's surprise, he was able to hit the mark at the center. Kendrick stared at Joan after making a successful hit.
Joan can only nod at him as he went on. Joan proceeded to the other groups who were tasked with making makeshift arrows. Made of wood and doesn't have an arrowhead on its tip.
He casually talks about the hunts of the past Joan and shared his experiences. Even telling them about the man-eating tiger that he killed.
"Wow! So you killed a monster already? That is so like you master!" Ben said to him while holding an arrow.
"I killed him when I fired seven arrows and two went to his eyes. Making its sight unusable. Grabbing the arrows then stabbed it to its neck down towards its spine!" Joan said to them like a storyteller.
Also motioning like a renowned hero of some sort.
All of them can only be looking at him in awe.
Joan then assembled them and lets them practice on the hunt. Making them pair with each other to have a team of five. The other one was the support or lookout and the other one was the hunter. They can both switch sides if they want to depend on the situation they were in.
The other one can be the pathfinder or tracker if he has the skills but they were all taught how to do it. Yet again, they have to learn in the actual real-life scenarios of their own experiences.
He assembled the team and so he paired them.
Kendrick was paired with Eman, Ben to Gladden, Ian to John, Sebastian to Mark and, last Robert and Alex.
"You will cover each other's backs when a monster will appear. Remember not to engage if it was stronger than you and you can call me if it was an emergency. Just fire this whistling arrow if you are in deep trouble," Joan said to them while giving arrows with a whistle on its tip.
They soon tarried towards the forest of Begonia. Right next to their Begonia village. Walking together with them, they altogether cheered each other.
"I will hunt the best deer if I will found one!" Said Kendrick to them.
"Nah, I don't want venison but pork! Boar meat might suffice my stomach!" Alex said to them while caressing his tummy.
They paved the hilly dirt road. Making them go up and down several times to reach their destination.
Just up ahead, they saw trees outgrown for many centuries old and was enveloping the forest floor with its shade. The smell of the air inside was clean and the wind was howling every time it collides with the gigantic trunks of the trees.
Tiny ferns and undergrowth were sticking on the bark of the trees as they stared and carefully look at it.
They stared at the forest and the forest stared back at them. Joan breathed in and breathed out before leading them inside the forest.
Alex gulped a handful of saliva before entering. Others were also nervous as they were entering the forest for the first time around. It was unnerving for them as they remembered that this forest has monsters in it.
Even though it was unsettling, they regained back to their senses as they saw the back of their leader. It was a back of dependable person for them. In the past, they only saw Joan as having a timid attitude but brave. They didn't imagine him to change drastically to the point of him being their new leader.
It made Kendrick see him as a entire new person. Not fighting back was one reason in the past that made him bully him for many years but it changed just recently. He can only sigh at their predicament as he was helpless when they exchanged blows.
It was very nostalgic for Kendrick when he was stomping his head in the past and made him wonder what happened to him just recently.
It was very mind-blowing to him when he was battered instead.
Just entering the forest, Joan immediately instructed them to split into five teams like what was their plan. Not wanting for the two teams to bicker when they found prey and fight over for it.
Knowing this, Joan divided them into groups. It will be a split effort so more prey will be hunted as they have a higher span of hunting ground.
They split themselves as they went in different directions. Joan climbed a tree and perched at the top of it.
Like a bird resting its weary wings, he was sitting there to take a good watch at them.
He used his skill [Clairvoyance] and the air around him gathered in his palm. It rotated and produced imagery of the teams he was managing.
Joan was silently observing them using [Clairvoyance] at the top of the tree just at the entrance of the forest. Silently watching and will come to their aid when needed.
Looking at them, he saw that the teams were good at sneaking for their prey.
Kendrick and Eman was a good matchup as they were covering their backs efficiently. Not wanting for a monster to let them attack their backs unprepared.
Others were also having a good time and hunted a deer for themselves. As Kendrick wanted, he saw a boar that was eating dropped apples in the apple tree nearby.
He shushed Eman to keep quiet as he was about to speak. Making him stay low while sneaking for the animal.
Just a few moments later, Kendrick draws the bow with an arrow on it and fired it at the animal.
It was struck in its head but it was still alive and dashed deeper in the forest.
"Run Eman! We need to chase it!" Kendrick almost shouted at him.
Chasing their prey as they saw it escaping. Eman saw its blood trails as Eman was more adept when it comes to tracking and pathfinding. Contrary to Kendrick who was adept at firing an arrow.
They chased it and Eman pinpointed the direction of the prey. It was trashing all over and was squealing as it was hurt.
Kendrick launched his second arrow and he aimed it to his head again. It was hit again with a bullseye on the forehead and thus it ended up its pitiful life.
Piercing its thick hide as it landed on its head. Making it squeak for the last time.
"Yes! I did it! I killed one! Now Eman! Go and fetch it!" Said Kendrick to Eman.
Eman instantly killed the boar with his knife and carried it towards the village. Finding one was so good for them and rewarding. Cheering themselves as they saw each other at the entrance of the forest where Joan was waiting for them.