In the infinite heights, the veils of the sky, like capricious travellers, danced a celestial waltz. Their movement was a slow arabesque, an endless journey across the azure. Each breeze cradled them, making them twirl like performers in a mystical choreography.
As they wandered, these veils revealed ephemeral shapes, painting ever-changing tableaux. Sometimes, they intertwined in fleeting embraces, then dispersed like dreams barely touched. Their errant path was a silent poetry, an endless ballet where each movement unveiled a new story written in the sky. Thus, the veils of the sky, resembling celestial nomads, roamed the firmament, leaving traces of their ethereal passage behind them.
Beneath them, buried in a forest dancing on an island of earth far below, a young man admired these stories depicted in the azure sky. His green eyes seemed to glow with wonder at this procession he could only glimpse through the whims of the leaves swaying above his head and the trees sometimes ten times his height.
The spectacle he offered was worth a look. Half of his body was covered in blood. Dust and grass clung to his skin, and at his feet lay an animal that had long since breathed its last.
The hunt had come to an end, and Adonis and Nanfaros stood there, ready to skin their catch. By nature, this act should have taken place after they returned to their camp, but the previous chase had led them much farther than they had anticipated. As a result, they didn't have the tools needed to drag an animal weighing at least twice as much as Adonis over thousands of steps back.
Since they had crossed the barrier, Nanfaros remembered hearing two cuckoo calls in the forest. He thought they still had some time left to make the return journey. So, he decided to skin the animal directly to remove the parts they needed.
With the dagger in his left hand, Adonis wiped the bright red liquid that dripped onto his face. The blood that had splattered from the animal had thoroughly soaked him, his vision becoming almost blurred. After turning his gaze away from the sky, he turned and asked, "Should I remove every part of the animal like you often do?"
"No, I don't think we'll have time for that, especially since you'll be the one doing it..." replied Nanfaros as he observed the surroundings with a keen and meticulous eye.
In Adonis's hunting habits, he kept in mind that, in addition to the prey's head, which served as a trophy, it was essential to retrieve certain elements like the fur to allow his mother and various regents to craft clothes, armor, strong vines, and more. There was also the skin, which alone justified the hunt, as it was used for food. They also collected the tail for various purposes, as well as the carcass, whose sturdier parts could be transformed into weapons like spear tips or arrowheads.
"This time, the fur, the tail, and part of the skin should suffice..." continued Nanfaros, barely glancing at Adonis.
His role in this hunt was to oversee and guide the young warrior in his pursuit; he wouldn't intervene unless his help was absolutely necessary. Such was the way of veterans to train the younger generations. Now that the prey was on the ground, he would simply keep watch over the surroundings to ensure their safety, as he and his grandson had ventured quite far into the forest.
Adonis, who was bending over the animal lying on the ground, reflected on the course of the hunt. He had the feeling that if it had been led by his grandfather, it would have ended as soon as the prey was spotted. In reality, he had a great deal of respect for Nanfaros. Having assisted him in many hunts, he knew how experienced and skilled the old man was in handling the various warrior's weapons.
According to him, the first mistake, and perhaps the most significant, was the direction of the first arrow. When he released it, he had indeed aimed for the fox's neck but instead hit its leg. What would have happened if he had been bolder and aimed for the head instead?! He had seen his grandfather on numerous occasions finish off prey with an arrow or a spear that lodged directly in the target's head. But that required a skill Adonis told himself he did not yet possess. He kept all of this in mind as he stared at the animal.
The fox's eyes were still open. The jade-green glow that emanated from them at the beginning of the hunt had dissipated. The bright red reflection that could be seen from ten steps away during the final assault had given way to gray and dullness. Death.
A state well-known to these inhabitants. They had lived in harmony with nature for a long time. They were aware that nature did not belong to them, that what they took, they also gave back. It was impossible to only take, just as it was impossible to survive for so long in a space, albeit large, but enclosed, without nurturing the nature that fed them. It often happened that groups of warriors who ventured deep into the forest did not return, returned with fewer members, or with missing limbs. In those moments, it was not about vengeance; no raids were organized to exterminate the animals responsible for a group's disappearance.
Even though they had not yet reached the limits of this vast forest, they had knowledge drawn from the writings of their elders and from Foreigners suggesting that their living space was not infinite. The animals and resources teeming within it were not infinite either. They had to avoid waste. To this end, there was no hunting without reason, no hunting for pleasure. Large hunts requiring large groups had to obtain prior approval from the council, and individual or small group hunts could not be endlessly repeated.
As he looked into the animal's dull eyes, a question crossed Adonis's mind. A question he occasionally asked himself in similar moments.
All this happened in just a few seconds.
Schlitch.
The dagger penetrated the animal's abdomen, moving in a straight line from its reproductive organ to the base of its neck. Blood began to flow more freely. Adonis withdrew the dagger and plunged it again into the previous entry point. He used his left hand to insert it into the gaping wound to part the fur while his right hand, holding the dagger, cut the skin and flesh in a straight line, perpendicular to the previous movement, until he reached the animal's back.
Towards the end, it finally charged at me; if not for Grandpa's presence, maybe I would be the one being devoured right now… Adonis thought, his expression showing determination. Nature was merciless. The strong devoured the weak; it was normal. The luckiest gained the most, what could be more logical? The most cautious and the boldest were the ones who reaped the most rewards. Whatever the language spoken, the race, or the domain, these fundamental principles remained immutable.
At that moment of reflection, a thought crossed Adonis's mind. It seemed strangely connected to the thought he had a moment earlier while looking at his prey lying on the ground… Monster.
At the moment, he didn't understand the essence of that word; in fact, he didn't even remember learning it, but he had the mysterious impression that this simple word had value in the current context.
The dagger continued its path through the now soulless prey's body. From time to time, Adonis separated a cut piece of flesh, which he placed in the gathering bag Nanfaros had handed him. Each of his movements was graceful, and one could sense the elegance in his gestures. Even though a seasoned warrior would certainly note a few minor errors to correct, the young warrior's technique was still a harmonious spectacle.
Respect.
This animal that died today was part of a whole. It would allow Adonis to feed his family. Its remains would also nourish the earth, fertilizing it in the process. Adonis's family, having been revitalized by the fox-meat meal, would, in turn, cultivate the land. The land, having been nourished and cultivated, would produce herbs, trees, and fruits. These trees would grow to shelter the forest animals, including foxes. The foxes, thus sheltered, would thrive, hunting other animals, including humans, and would, in turn, feed their offspring, the humans, and the forest. An ecosystem that develops by sustaining itself.
It's called a virtuous circle.
Adonis didn't have such deep thoughts, but since childhood, the elders had taught him the importance of respecting his prey, of respecting food. The parts he couldn't take wouldn't be discarded but would be taken by other animals, or even by the earth itself.
At this point, Adonis had already retrieved the tail, the fur from one side of the animal, and part of the skin. It must be said that the animal was not small either. As Nanfaros had instructed, he didn't cut too deeply. After deciding on the limit of that side, he stood up to flip the animal over when Nanfaros grabbed his shoulder. Turning around, Adonis could see an extremely serious expression on his face. The most unsettling thing was that Nanfaros wasn't even looking in his direction.
Following Nanfaros's gaze, Adonis stiffened for a few seconds; no one knew what he was thinking at that moment, not even him. Only one thing was certain: fear, a mortal dread in the face of an absurd situation, an unexpected event. In such an instant, even the cool night air of a tropical forest seemed to boil.
Nanfaros hadn't grabbed Adonis's shoulder out of fear; fear doesn't cause that kind of reaction. Yet, he was indeed afraid, but the experience of a warrior's life was deeply ingrained in him.
Since the fox had been brought down, while allowing Adonis to proceed with the harvest not just to strengthen his skills but also for Nanfaros's greater purpose of keeping watch over their surroundings... they had caused quite a commotion during their hunt. And now, blood had flowed freely; what could be more logical than for it to attract other predators?
Nature is merciless. It favors the strongest and condemns the weak to feed them. In the end, only the strongest stand at the top, their strength sufficient to claim rewards, whether they belong to them or not. So, what if the commotion and the scent of blood called a bigger predator to them?
Nanfaros had that in mind, so he couldn't afford to be careless. And his extreme vigilance proved justified a few thousand heartbeats later.
The forest, which had been teeming with noise until then, suddenly fell silent, with only a few rare sounds. This detail heightened Nanfaros's alertness, and he didn't have to wait long to focus his attention on a bush several hundred paces away from them.
He didn't need to strain his eyes to make contact with a pair of pupils despite the distance between them. The pair of pupils was round, a golden yellow glowing in the semi-darkness. This sight would have captivated anyone if not for the current context and the ominous sign it represented. The pair of eyes shrank and flattened, as if to adjust their owner's vision.
Nanfaros made no immediate move, intending to observe the situation more closely. Before taking any action, it was essential to know what they were dealing with. After all, even the animal had taken time to observe rather than charge right in.
Gradually, the animal's contours became more distinct to Nanfaros's eyes as he watched from afar. A relatively large and square head encased the two eye sockets. Below the pupils, a short snout could be seen, with a half-open jaw containing a clearly visible row of teeth, seemingly emphasizing the power of that jaw. As the light penetrated the forest, this scene reflected in the seasoned warrior's eyes. It took only a few heartbeats for him to choose the course of action, recognizing the adversary. He grabbed Adonis's shoulder, who until then had been immersed in his task. It didn't take long for Adonis to become aware of the situation as well.
Graaoo!
A deafening roar followed.
Adonis instantly dropped the dagger into the dead fox's body as he crawled backward a few steps. His hands trembled, his vision blurred, yet he could clearly make out the stripes of the predator that had just appeared.
Its majestic silhouette glided like a ghost among the dense trees as it advanced, step by step, its golden coat speckled with night. Each step echoed in Adonis's ears and heart, the scene intensified by the forest's silence in that moment. And in that deathly silence, its presence electrified the air.
The wild nature was expressing itself in all its splendor and horror.
The Jaguar.
He was at the top of the food chain in this wild forest. Adonis clearly remembered the lessons and warnings he had received throughout his education about the one standing before them now.
In terms of hunting, the jaguar was often the hunter for their people, while they were the prey. When facing this creature, a group of about fifty seasoned warriors was usually formed, and even then, one could expect to lose half the team without guaranteeing the success of the hunt.
Graaoo
The jaguar roared again, preparing to charge.
Swoosh… Swoosh
Adonis, who was still struggling to stabilize his mind, was instantly snapped out of his daze when he heard the sound of arrows slicing through the air. Nanfaros had just shot.
The two arrows flew towards the animal in a fraction of a second and lodged in the ground right in front of it. Adonis watched in astonishment. He knew better than anyone Nanfaros's skill, yet the latter had just missed his target at such a critical moment. The jaguar, which was about to engage, was stopped in its tracks. It looked at the arrows in front of it and, as if it didn't matter, redirected its attention to the prey before it.
There lay a half-gutted fox and two individuals standing, slowly retreating. The animal's instinct was clear. The dead fox would not be enough to satisfy its voracious appetite. Moreover, it could smell the fear emanating from them. They were mere prey, not even worthy of being opponents. Preparing to roar again as if to mark the beginning of the hunt, it opened its jaws wide but no sound came out.
It stopped dead. It looked up at the sky for a long moment, a red-orange glow reflecting in its eyes. At that moment, it began to run. Its speed was such that it was barely discernible.
Nanfaros, who had already shot three pairs of arrows at the animal, showed an expression of surprise and incomprehension. In his entire life, he had participated in only one successful jaguar hunt and bore the scars. He knew how terrifying the predator before them was. Yet this predator had just left without any apparent reason. Nevertheless, he did not let his incredulity overwhelm him. The smell of blood was still present. If it had attracted a jaguar, what other animals could be nearby, ready to charge now that the king had left? Nanfaros signaled to Adonis, and both started running towards the Hamlet.
On the way back, they obviously encountered a few animals, either observing them or charging at them. The latter were either met with an arrow or scared off. These were small to medium-sized animals.
The forest became noisy again as Adonis and Nanfaros passed through the village's protective barriers. They had mysteriously escaped death. Their pace slowed, and they stopped at a cabin built at the foot of a tree. It was one of Nanfaros's hideouts, used for resupplying during hunts like this one. They rehydrated, and Adonis cleaned the dried blood from his skin.
Being a young warrior who had grown up among masters of arms and experienced numerous hunts, leading some of them... Adonis already possessed a certain level of composure and adaptability that few of his generation could boast of. Thus, even though he had been momentarily shocked and caught off guard, he had now regained his composure, his calm, and silently analyzed the situation that had just occurred.
Nanfaros, observing all these subtle changes from the corner of his eye, couldn't help but smile inwardly. In the face of this mythical predator, he could clearly assess his grandson's abilities, and they were highly commendable. So he said, 'If you face someone stronger than you, try to avoid being the one to initiate the confrontation.'
Adonis, hearing this, had a flash of understanding but said nothing as he smiled.
He packed his belongings more neatly, and the two set off again.
It didn't take them long to reach Nanfaros's house. Rutheléa was, as usual, lounging in her rocking chair, watching her two men return from afar.
It seems there were some unexpected events. Are you okay, my young warrior? she said as she stood up.
It was very exciting, Grandma, sorry to bring back only this, replied Adonis as he hung the parts he had brought on the shelf in the storage room. She shook her head in response before heading to the storage room as well, while Nanfaros had already gone inside the house.
Here, this is for you. She handed him a gray-furred ball, holding it by the tail it was a squirrel. You've earned it, my boy, she added, her smile deepening the wrinkles on her face and revealing her yellowed teeth.
Adonis thanked her with a kiss on the forehead, then headed back into the forest toward his home. As he walked, the rays of light from above reflected on his face. The darkness brought by the daylight was fading as the serenity of the night and its shadow covered the land.
Despite having experienced one of the most unique encounters, Adonis hummed tunes that Hera had taught him. He had a joyful step. One can only truly fear what they have personally experienced, and Adonis had only had a partial experience a mere encounter with this mythical predator. As a result, his subsequent understanding was somewhat biased.
It didn't take long for him to reach his doorstep, where this time, his mother was no longer standing at the entrance.
Evening was setting in, the air becoming more humid as the wind carried the sounds of nature. From the outside, Adonis could see the lights escaping from different parts of the house, some brighter than others. He headed toward the attic, where a faint light was present.
Father, Adonis called out as he approached the attic. Even without seeing the person inside, given the time of day, he suspected it must be his father.
No, brother, a clear but soft voice responded from inside the cabin. Father sent me to clean the game; he's not feeling well again today, the voice continued. Adonis entered the room and saw a young man barely taller than the table he was standing at.
He was dressed in an old monkey skin with various shades of red, from the faintest to the brightest. His hair was tousled, his eyes a gleaming brown, and his fingers were a cold red, soaked in dried blood.
You're already back, little brother, so you're the one skinning the old boar today, said Adonis with a smile, throwing the squirrel in his hand onto an empty table in the spacious room. He approached his younger brother from behind and grabbed him by the waist, lifting him off the ground, Look at this great warrior, let me give you a big hug.
Hey, let me go, you stink, retorted Jason, struggling to get his feet back on the ground.
You're the one to talk, puff, Adonis joked before letting him go. He continued, Did Father show you how to do it?
Of course, what do you think?! I only had to see him do it once to master the methodology, Jason replied, sporting a smug smile as he retrieved his scythe that had previously slipped from his hands.
The metolo? melogic? Adonis questioned, puzzled by the word he didn't understand. Jason, noticing, didn't smile but continued: Methodology, big brother, meaning the way of doing things. I learned how to do it by watching Father.
Then show me how you do it, great warrior. I'll be your humble assistant, added Adonis as he grabbed another scythe from the side. Thus, the two brothers spent some time skinning and polishing the old boar's hide.
Mother went to the committee, and Father is resting in his room, Jason informed, watching his brother move away. Adonis heard this, then smiled as he walked away. He had just spent some time with his brother, and now he thought of greeting his father and mother, telling them the story of his hunt, just as he had discussed with his younger brother. But the latter had anticipated this and directly informed him of their whereabouts.
It's really great to have a little brother, he thought to himself as he left the cabin for the living room. He then headed to the shower, where he took a bath... after all, he still had something to do tonight. He changed clothes, then dressed in the thickest garments he could find before heading out.
He walked along the path he had taken earlier on his way back from school, but this time, he took the direction Hera had gone, after all, he was heading to her place.
The path still resembled brushwood, but much less so than the one leading to his home. There was no pathway lighting system except for the rays from above, yet the way was much more illuminated; this side of the compound was much more populated, and at that time of the evening, everyone was starting to place fireflies in varnished cages, which inevitably caused an imbalance between the light sources.
Adonis was used to this rugged path. But tonight, he had already stumbled on a few stones along the way. His mind wandered as he recalled his hunt and the events that had occurred. He felt a mix of fear and excitement, along with various other questions and suppositions.
Adonis wouldn't have known how to express the ambiguity of his present feelings; he wouldn't have even known what 'ambiguity' meant, but don't we all think about the universe without being able to define it?
Man is the spirit of nature; he governs it, shapes it, and pays homage to it. Man is above all races, but man depends on every race. What he takes, he gives.
Lost in these thoughts, a voice gathered them all. He heard from afar: Adonis, someone shouted.
Hera, thought Adonis as he turned towards the source of the voice that called out to him, a voice that was familiar to him. The young woman had on her head a hollow polished stone basin filled with water.
She was neither very tall nor short, her slender silhouette and her clothes were soaked. As she walked, the water occasionally spilled from the basin, splashing her as she went. The trickling on her face accentuated her expression. One could see fatigue, effort, and a certain glow in her eyes. She had a sharp nose from which a certain liquid escaped whether it was snot or water runoff.
Adonis hurried towards her, relieving her of her burden before placing it on his own head. She smiled at him before taking the satchel he had slung over his back. Upon leaving the house, he had made sure to grab a piece of old boar, which he now kept in the satchel.
How kind of you, little man. Do you think my father will let me go out for my last evening because you're bringing him some meat? she said, running her fingers through the thick fur Adonis was wearing as they walked together.
Soon, they arrived at Hera's house.
Make sure not to bring her back too late, said Hera's mother to Adonis. She added, Thanks for the meat; father will be back soon from the hunt, and as for me, I'm heading to the committee, so you have some time... make good use of it, she concluded, looking at her daughter.
As they were leaving the house, she called out to them again, You can take the horse; it will be much safer in this weather. It seems like tonight will be something special; the animals are much more restless than usual.
Thank you, Mother, said Hera with her most shining smile as she grabbed Adonis's arm, pulling him outside.
Adonis held the horse steady as Hera climbed on, followed by Adonis. The horse then took off. They galloped with the wind, gradually moving away from the compound. Adonis held onto Hera's hips, his hands occasionally brushing against her chest. Hera didn't seem bothered at all; in fact, one could hear her smiling or letting out soft moans at times.
The horse neighed, picking up speed as the cold breeze enveloped the two of them as they galloped.