Chapter 29 : The hunt begins I
The morning came sooner than Tolu expected.
He checked his equipment one last time before leaving home.
His sword was secured at his side.
His supplies were packed.
The small amount of food and water they would need was tucked into his bag, along with rope and a few other things they had decided might prove useful.
He touched the notebook he had been using for their observations.
Everything was ready.
Tolu left the house and made his way toward Ore’s home.
When he arrived, he found her outside, checking the straps of her quiver.
She looked up. "You’re early."
"So are you."
Ore smiled. "I’ve been ready for a while."
Tolu looked over her equipment.
Her bow was secured across her back, and her quiver was filled with arrows. She also carried a small pack containing their supplies.
"Everything?"
"Everything." Tolu nodded.
"Rope?"
"Yes."
"Bait?"
"Yes."
"The stakes?"
Ore pointed toward her bag. "Inside."
Tolu smiled. "Good."
Ore looked at him. "How many times are you going to check?"
"Until we’re in the forest."
She laughed. "You’re nervous."
"A little."
"Good."
Tolu raised an eyebrow. "Good?"
"It means you’re taking this seriously."
Tolu nodded. "I am."
They began walking.
The town slowly disappeared behind them as they followed the familiar road toward the forest.
They had walked this path countless times before.
Usually it meant another small quest.
A gathering mission.
A hunt for a weak creature.
Something they could finish and return from before sunset.
But today felt different.
Neither of them spoke much.
They both knew what waited ahead.
The Ironfang territory.
A Level Two creature.
And a trap they had spent weeks preparing.
After some time, the familiar wooden sign came into view.
It stood beside the road, old and weathered.
The words carved into it were simple.
**DANGER BEYOND THIS POINT.**
The sign marked the end of the relatively safe outskirts.
Beyond it, the forest became wilder.
Stronger creatures lived deeper within.
Adventurers still passed through the area regularly, but nobody treated the territory beyond the sign casually.
Tolu stopped for a moment.
Ore stopped beside him.
They had passed this sign many times.
They had never thought much of it.
Today, however, the same wooden sign seemed different.
Tolu looked beyond it.
The trees stood quietly in the distance.
Nothing moved.
Nothing made a sound.
Yet somewhere beyond those trees was a creature they had spent weeks studying.
A creature strong enough to kill them.
Ore tightened the strap around her bow.
"Ready?"
Tolu took a slow breath. "No."
Ore looked at him.
Tolu smiled faintly. "But I’m going anyway."
Ore smiled back. "Same."
They stepped past the sign.
Neither looked back.
The familiar road soon disappeared beneath roots and fallen leaves.
Every step carried them farther from the safety of the town.
Tolu’s hand rested near his sword.
Ore kept her eyes moving between the trees.
They had prepared for this.
They had studied the wolves.
They had prepared their trap.
They had discussed what to do if something went wrong.
But preparation could only take them so far.
They didn’t know what they would encounter.
They didn’t know whether the Ironfang would behave exactly as they expected.
They didn’t know whether their trap would work.
And they certainly didn’t know what else might be waiting in the forest.
Tolu glanced at Ore.
She met his eyes.
Neither spoke.
They simply continued forward.
Whatever happened today, there was no turning back now.
.....
The forest swallowed the road behind them.
Trees stood closer together.
The undergrowth became thicker.
The path they had been following gradually disappeared until they were moving through the forest itself.
They didn’t speak much.
They followed the route they had studied.
Tolu checked the ground frequently.
Ore watched the trees.
They weren’t searching randomly.
Every turn had a reason.
The Ironfang pack had a territory.
The leader had a preferred hunting route.
They had spent weeks gathering information from tracks, reports and the observations they could safely make from the outskirts.
Eventually, they found the first sign.
A large paw print pressed into damp soil.
Tolu crouched.
He studied it carefully. "Fresh."
Ore looked around. "How fresh?"
"Less than a day."
She lowered her voice. "Then they’re still nearby."
Tolu nodded.
They moved on.
Soon they found another sign.
Three deep claw marks ran vertically down the trunk of a tree.
The lowest mark was above Tolu’s shoulder.
Ore touched the bark beside it. "That’s from the leader?"
"Most likely."
They continued.
The forest gradually became more hostile.
They found the remains of a deer beneath a tree.
Only bones remained.
Further ahead, they found another carcass.
This one was much fresher.
Ore crouched beside it. "Look at the wounds."
Tolu examined the body.
"Claws."
"And the neck."
He nodded. " It was bitten."
Ore stood. "The pack has been hunting here recently."
Tolu looked deeper into the forest. "Then we’re close."
They continued.
A few minutes later, they heard movement.
Both immediately stopped.
A branch snapped somewhere ahead.
Tolu slowly reached toward his sword.
Ore’s hand moved toward her bow.
They waited.
Nothing happened.
Another branch snapped.
Then a small creature emerged from the bushes.
A rabbit.
Ore exhaled.
Tolu almost laughed.
"Don’t."
"I didn’t say anything. Why are you looking me like that?"
"You were about to."
They continued.
Eventually, the trees opened slightly.
A shallow stream cut through the forest.
They stopped to refill their water before moving on.
That was when Tolu noticed another set of tracks.
These weren’t Ironfang tracks.
They belonged to a person.
Tolu frowned.
Ore noticed his expression. "What?"
"Someone’s been here."
She looked at the ground.
The footprints were fairly fresh. "Another adventurer?"
"Probably."
They followed the tracks cautiously.
They didn’t have to go far.
A figure appeared between the trees.
Tolu immediately recognized him.
The same adventurer from the guild.
The man who had been speaking with Tobi.
He was standing beside the stream, filling a waterskin.
His eyes lifted.
They met Tolu’s.
For a moment, neither spoke.