章 10: Chapter 10: Calm Down
The hunters and the Elder followed the boy as he led them back to where the rest of the group was. The Elder noticed that they were heading west, in the same direction Daren's group had gone. Worry gnawed at him, and he hoped desperately that nothing terrible had happened and that they had managed to fend off the wild beast.
As they ran, they encountered eight children, frantic and out of breath, running towards them. The hunters quickly moved to intercept the children and guide them to safety. The Elder stepped forward and urgently asked, "Where are Daren, Torin, and Elan?"
The children looked down, too scared to speak. The hunters and the Elder noticed their hesitation and fear. Sensing the urgency, the Elder repeated his question, his voice firm and authoritative, "Tell me what happened. Where are Daren, Torin, and Elan?"
One of the boys, gathering his courage, spoke up. "The beast attacked Daren and Torin and sent them flying in just one swipe of its faw for about two meters. It was terrifying. Then the beast attacked again, and its target was Torin because he was closer, and it bit his head until Torin died, then the beast threw away Torin's body. After Torin got killed, Daren told us to run, so we did. We ran as fast as we could. I don't know what happened to Daren and Elan after that."
The hunters and the Elder were shocked and in disbelief as they listened to the boy recount what had happened to Daren and Torin, especially hearing about Torin's gruesome death. The description of the beast biting Torin's head and throwing his body away sent shivers down their spines. They could hardly believe the brutality of the attack.
The Elder, his face pale but determined, spoke urgently, "We need to hurry before anything worse happens to Elan and Daren."
Without a moment's hesitation, they all began running at full speed. Despite his age, the Elder ran with surprising swiftness. He had been a hunter in his younger days, and his strong bones and enduring stamina showed that he was still capable of great physical feats.
After a while, they finally arrived at the scene where Daren and the group encountered the wild beast. When they arrived, they were shocked to see Torin's body. Even though they had been told what had happened to Torin, seeing his lifeless body in person was a different experience altogether. The gruesome sight of their fallen comrade brought a wave of sorrow and horror. The hunters shook their heads in disbelief and grief, feeling the weight of the tragedy.
They quickly checked on Daren, who was lying on the ground face down. One of the hunters gently turned him over, and they were horrified to see the extent of his injuries. Deep gashes and wounds covered his body, and they couldn't tell if he was still alive. The Elder knelt beside Daren and checked for a pulse at his neck.
For a moment, the Elder felt nothing, but then he detected a faint pulse. "He's still alive, but barely. Quickly, carry him and bring him back to the village. Go straight to the healer's cottage; maybe he can still save him," the Elder said urgently.
Five hunters immediately moved to lift Daren's body and hurriedly began the trek back to the village, moving as quickly and carefully as they could.
The Elder then looked around their surroundings and asked, "Where's Elan? Why isn't he here?" The remaining hunters also scanned the area, but they couldn't see any sign of Elan.
The Elder gave a firm command, "Search the area among the trees. He might be hiding or injured. But don't go too far; we don't know where the wild beast is now." The hunters spread out to search, carefully moving through the underbrush and checking every possible hiding spot. Despite their efforts, they found no trace of Elan.
Except for one hunter, a skilled tracker from their village. He called out to his companions and pointed to some tracks on the ground near the center of the clear path.
"Look here," the tracker said, examining the ground closely. "These are the beast's tracks. They head into the forest. Elan must have run this way, trying to escape."
The other hunters gathered around and saw the clear signs of a chase. Broken branches, disturbed underbrush, and the deep impressions of the beast's paws showed that Elan had fled into the dense forest with the beast in pursuit.
"Elan must have tried to use the trees to slow the beast down," the tracker continued, his experienced eyes following the trail. "He likely hoped to lose it in the dense forest, but it chased him relentlessly."
The Elder nodded, understanding the situation. "We can't do much right now. We're too few to follow this track. We can't afford to be careless. We'll wait for the others to arrive, then we'll organize a proper search."
He paused, looking at the hunters and the children. "For now, let's bring Torin's body back to the village so we can give him a proper burial." He then instructed some of the boys, "Go fetch the cloth they used for the cowbulls. We can use it to carry Torin's body more easily."
The boys nodded and quickly went to retrieve the cloth. The Elder continued, "And bring the cowbulls back to the village. We need to get everyone back safely and ensure the village is prepared."
The hunters and children worked together, laying the cloth out and carefully placing Torin's body on it. They handled him carefully, their hearts heavy with sorrow. The boys who had fetched the cloth helped to lift and carry Torin's body. Then the group began to walk steadily back to the village, filled with grief and exhaustion.
The Elder stayed behind for a moment, taking in the scene around him. With a heavy sigh, the Elder reflected on the events that had transpired. Torin's death was a harsh reminder of the dangers that lurked in the forest. The wild beast had wreaked havoc on Daren's group, and now Elan was missing, possibly injured or worse. He knew they had to find Elan and ensure the safety of the village from such threats.
After a moment of contemplation, he then turned and began to walk back to the village, following the group of hunters.
-----
"Elara! Elara! Come quick, something happened to your husband!" Elara was cooking when she heard her friend's frantic voice outside the cottage, filled with worry and urgency. She immediately rushed outside.
As she stepped out, she saw her friend panting heavily. "What happened to Daren?" Elara asked, her voice trembling.
Her friend, still catching her breath, replied, "Hurry, we need to get to the healer's cottage. Your husband is there, being treated!" Then she grabbed Elara's hand and led her quickly.
Upon hearing that her husband was at the healer's cottage, Elara's heart started pounding, and fear gripped her. Her mind raced with dreadful thoughts. 'Did something bad happen to my husband? Was he injured during their hunt?' Every possible fear and worry flooded her mind, making her feel dizzy with anxiety.
Their two children, Kael and Liora, saw their mother being led away by their aunt and decided to follow. They didn't want to be left alone in the cottage, and they too sensed something terrible had happened to their father.
As they approached the healer's cottage, Elara noticed several hunters standing guard, their faces stern and resolute. They were clearly keeping watch, making sure no one else disturbed the scene inside. When Elara reached the door, one of the hunters, seeing her distress, gently ushered her inside, but the other hunters stopped her two children from going inside, they were too young to see their father's condition.
The sight that met Elara's eyes was heart-wrenching. Daren lay on a makeshift bed, barely covered by a loincloth. His body was covered in deep, painful wounds, and the healer was painstakingly tending to them. Each touch of the healer's hands as he applied ointment and herbs to the gashes made Daren wince, his pain was palpable in the air.
Elara's heart broke at the sight of her husband's suffering. She stumbled back outside, tears streaming down her face, unable to bear the sight of him in such agony. As she stood outside, her mind raced to their son, Elan, who had been with Daren. Panic surged through her veins as she realized Elan was nowhere in sight.
Desperation took over, and she rushed to the hunters guarding the entrance, her voice trembling with fear. "What happened out there? Where is my son? Where is Elan?" she demanded, her voice quivering with anxiety.
The hunters exchanged worried glances, their faces reflecting the same fear and uncertainty that gripped Elara. They too were deeply concerned about Elan, but they had no answers.
Before Elara could ask again about what had happened and where her son was, an Elder arrived, already aware of the situation. He gently told Elara, "Elara, please calm down."
Hearing the Elder's request to calm down before explaining, Elara's emotions boiled over. "Calm down? Calm down? My husband is inside with terrible wounds, and I don't even know if he will survive. My son is missing, and I have no idea what has happened to him. And you want me to calm down?"
Seeing that Elara was becoming hysterical, the Elder quickly apologized. "I'm sorry, Elara. Let me explain everything that has happened."
Elara listened intently as the Elder told her everything that had transpired during Daren's hunt. Elara's eyes filled with tears as she absorbed the Elder's words. Her heart ached for Torin, for Daren, and most of all, for Elan, who was still out there somewhere, possibly in danger. The Elder placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.
"We will find Elan, Elara. We won't stop until we do. Right now, the best thing you can do is stay strong for Daren and for Elan when we bring him back."
Unable to do anything, Elara could only nod, and she hugged her two children and continued to cry.
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