"Okay so now that you have the basics down let's go hunt. I want you to watch how I walk though. I don't make much sound so that my prey isn't startled away before I even see it." Kalysta looked at Jakob with excitement. He was a quick learner and made weapons training a breeze. She was anxious to see him in action.
She wasn't so sure why he insisted on learning this in human form due to the fact that he can shift into an apex predator, but the distraction of helping him was a welcome one. Kyrhen had only been growing increasingly distant from her and though she stayed silent about it she was still hurt deeply.
The way Jake gazed at her intently and nodded his head was all she needed to know he was ready to go before she started moving into the woods. These tall trees and leaf carpeted grounds were her second home. She knew the area like the back of her hand and carefully placed each footstep with Jakob mirroring her every move.
She moved between the trees while letting her fingertips run over the rough bark. Her legs stepping over a large trunk and then she dunked under a low branch. Easily gliding through the natural obstacles this forest put in her way. She did this all while being completely quiet and walking silently for about half an hour
She looked back at her friend who was following her and keeping quiet by placing his feet where hers had just been. They had eventually got to a place in the woods where a deer stand was attached to the top of a rather large tree.
Jakob got a good view if Kalysta's backside as she climbed up the ladder nailed into the tree. He felt his heart beat speed up at the sight, but ignored his bodies reaction to her. Once into the stand she looked down and motioned for him to follow which he did. He scaled the ladder and was up in the tree more quickly than anticipated and accidentally bumped into her as he entered the stand. She fell backwards with him landing in her.
A sharp gasp left her lips and she asked, "Jakob, what the heck? How did you get up here so dang fast?"
"I don't know, maybe it's another ability I inherited from Onyx," Jakob said. He was just as shocked as her as he moved his body off of her. He offered her a hand to help her up. Looking in her eyes he lowered his voice to whisper, "Sorry, I didn't know I could do that."
Keeping in mind that being quiet was important in a hunt she whispered, "It's okay. Let's just watch and see what we can find."
The stand wasn't as small as Jake expected. It was actually a fairly spacious tree house. Inside were two chairs that looked like they had been made from fallen branches and sticks. They were fastened together with rope weaving between and around each thick piece of wood. They had to have been crafted by hand without the use of any tools besides a sharp knife to carve them into shape.
He nervously sat on one and was surprised at the strength of the seat. He had half expected for his body to fall through. "Where did you get the chairs?" He was genuinely curious. They looked rickety but were solid and strong. Their crude craftsmanship impressed him.
"Oh, I made them last year. Ky and I had gotten into a fight so I came out here and turned my anger into an arts and crafts project."
Looking at Kalysta he smiled and said, "You did a great job. I am impressed." He noticed her blush a bit before she focused back on the task at hand.
After about an hour of watching their surroundings a doe finally walked into view. She was followed by a few more female deer until at last a giant stag made an appearance. Kalysta had explained how valuable antlers were as they can be crafted into many useful or decorative objects. That buck is a huge payday in the eyes of the village's bartering system, and Jakob wanted it. Taking aim he pulled back the bow string and loosed an arrow.
The buck reared up frightening away the other deer, and then ran. Jakob had hit it but the kill was not instant like he had expected.
They made their way down the tree and started walking in the direction the buck and ran. Slowly they began to find a few droplets of blood on the ground. Kalysta pointed them out and said, "Now we follow the trail." Those droplets reminded him of following bread crumbs.
After a few hundred yards they found the deer laying on the grass. It's breathing was labored and it's pain was evident in its eyes. Jakob knelt down next to it and patted it's head with his hand. "I will help end the pain."
He took out his knife and ran the blade across the stag's neck. The last of its life's blood drained from the wound and quickly the creature's eyes glazed over as it died. In his head Jakob thought about what it would feel like to do the same to Saline.
Kalysta looked at her student and said, "Good job Jake. Now we gotta get this big guy back home."
"I can carry him. I know it will be heavy but Onyx is speaking through our link now and is telling me that I should be strong enough now to endure carrying this thing back through the woods until we reach the village." He shrugged as he spoke. Then he knelt down and grabbed the front legs with one hand and the back legs with the other and lifted the big animal onto his shoulders with an ease that astonished Kalysta.
Eyeing him she said, "I guess Onyx was right. You lifted him with no problem at all."
As they started walking Jakob asked, "Have you noticed any new abilities from your link with Fenix?"
She pondered that and then replied, "I've always had good vision but now I have great vision. In the light at home and in the darkness outside I see everything crystal clear. I can also hear really well. I can actually hear you're heart beating. It has a tendency to quicken a bit when you make eye contact with me."
It was a secret she has kept to herself. She didn't want to make anyone feel self conscious by letting them know she can hear everything they do. As she looked at Jake the steady lub-dub lub-dub of his heart beat did again pick up in speed.
She knew already he thought she was beautiful, he had once even admitted it, but maybe she wasn't the only one with a crush.
"Do I snore at night?"
"Yes!" She giggled when she responded.
As they walked back home he kept asking her questions about what all she could hear. By the time they returned he was convinced that her superpower would be a huge asset in taking down Jasin Saline. He had to make sure she would come with him no matter what. He knew she had planned to do what was expected of her but worried she would delay it for as long as possible. He needed a way to quicken things up. Little did he know someone else would be the catalyst to get her going.
Once Adelaide saw them approaching from the trees carrying the dead animal she gracefully walked to them and placed her hand gently onto Jakob's cheek. "Congratulations Jakob," she said. "You are now a predator in your human form and as a beast. I'm so proud of you and I firmly believe Time is as well."
She then looked to her granddaughter and said, "Kalysta you're a grand teacher." The compliment meant a lot to her. It caused a warm smile to come across her face as she looked at the old woman.
Adelaide walked away from them so that they could take the animal to be cleaned up and butchered. They walked into a small building nicknamed "The Meat House" and Jakob put the animal down on a large table. His shoulders had started to ache so he rolled them to loosen up his tight muscles.
"Hey I'm sure carrying that thing wore you out. I'm gonna ask Miller to take it from here. He is the one who usually butchers all of my kills. To be really honest I'm slightly squeamish when it comes to blood."
Hearing the great huntress confess that made Jakob laugh. He never would have suspected that from a girl who regularly spills blood to feed so many families in this community.
She motioned towards the door and they both walked out of the small building and went through the picket fence's gate to her family's home. She led him to a spicket that had a long hose attached. Kalysta knelt down to turn the water on and once it poured out of the hose she washed herself off.
"Take off your shirt and jacket so I can rinse the blood off."
Jakob did as he was told and watched as she rinsed it until red no longer mixed with the water on the material.
While she was pinning his clothes up on a line to dry he said, "Thank you, but can I see the hose to wash off my hands?" She nodded and stretched her arm out to hand it to him but then quickly snatched her hand back.
Jakob looked at her with confusion until he saw a big grin on her face as she covered part of the end of the hose with her thumb and sprayed the cold water all over him while giggling. He began to chase her fighting to get control of the hose so he could spray her with the frigid water.
In the distance, unknown to Kalysta and Jakob, someone watched as they playfully fought over the hose and took turns spraying each other.