Chapter 3

There I was, pulling back an arrow against the string of a bow, Karmen to my side, laying low in the tall grasses. The two of us had donned our hunting armor and gear. I, of dark leathers, chain mail, and leather armor and two stipes of blue warpaint under my left eye.

Karmen wore her ceremonial armor; a handcrafted outfit made from the belongings she had from her parents and new materials she had acquired from local viking artisans. She wore a unique silver head piece that framed the sides of her face.

On the island, hunting a prey was not as easy as it was for other vikings back home, for we were quite isolated from whatever lied beyond our tides. We relied on the familiar local wild life was brought with us on our jump to the new world and what ever creatures native to this world had migrated here.

What was even more strange was the strange plant life that began to encroach upon our familiar terrain faster than any had thought possible. Foreign forests sprouted up over night in the remote parts of the island outside of our village. These forests became forbidden place where most of the dangerous creatures resided.

The fact that so many strange creatures had traveled and decided to live here meant there had to be more of an outside world we were isolated from. I knew that the Queen forbade from traveling outside these shores, but wasn't that what true vikings were meant to do? Explore and face the unkno--a cracking sound notified me that the boar I had my arrow on had somehow noticed us and began to flee.

Instantly, I rose and took up a strong pose, aiming for it. Karmen stood and put her hand on my arm. "Don't waste your arrows. You’re not as good with a bow as I am. Come on!”

I tilted my head at the beast, deciding to heed her advice, and a split second later the two of us were running across the meadow, bolting after our prey. Heading into a thicket of tall trees, we both made good time.

"Is that really the best you got?" Karmen teased.

"Try maneuver Flying Dragon." Said I.

Karmen complied with my suggestion; one the many moves we had practiced back at the training lodge, and ran towards me at a dead run.

Several paces ahead of of Karmen, I turned around and cusped my hands together together between the knees. As Karmen stepped onto my palms, I lifted hard and launched her into the air.

Up above, Karmen threw a spinning knife that almost hit the beast, but narrowly missed by an inch.

Karmen landed on her feet. "It's a goner.” She said, panting. “It's heading into the forbidden forests." She referred to the line in the distance where all the trees in the forest instantly became dark and overgrown with strange, unfamiliar fauna that took on mostly purple tones. All of the lifeforms that lived there, lived there because our familiar lands were not their original climate, but in there was their domain.

"It's not gone yet." I pulled back an arrow against the string towards the fleeing boar as it headed for the line that separated the viking lands from the foreign woods. I aimed my arrow a little above it to account for it’s speed.

“Come on, you’re not as good with a bow as I am.”

The boar was just a couple of feet from the forbidden forest when my arrow sounded off and stroke through the forest, hitting dead on target.

“You’re right, but practice makes perfect. And it’s true, I’d take a sword over a bow and arrow any day.”

Karmen gestured towards the boar with a flick of her head. “Come on. Lets drag this beast out of here before anyone sees us near these foreign woods."

"Not bad. You actually hit it." Said Karmen.

“I told you, I’m not that bad with arrows.”

“But never as good as me.” Karmen flicked her head at the boar. “Now lets drag this beast out of here before anyone sees us near these foreign woods."

Later, when Karmen and I had reached the meadow from which we came, we had the boar with us, carrying it together by the legs. There we were met with company; other viking hunters, many of which brought their spoils.

"Not bad, not bad, eh.” One of the hunters said in response to our catch. “This will be perfect for the feast tonight."

"I've seen better. I just don't like you so close to the forbidden zone. Only the gods know what lives there." Said a woman who’s gray hair matched the monotone chain mail.

"Yes, Miss Corvin." I said with as much respect and courtesy as I could muster up in my voice; which wasn’t much. My voice still carried some skepticism. I wasn't very fond of Corvin, the leader of our group of hunters. And if I was any good at sensing other people, the feeling was mutual. We never did see eye to eye. Maybe that was because I didn't buy into all the traditions and "multiple gods" things like she did. My parents had always taught me there was only one I need to be concerned with. Still gave her the respect she deserved in her position. That didn't mean I liked it.

"She's right, ya' know. Those forests can be quite worrisome." One of the hunter men spoke up to me. "You ever heard the story of the Unseen Snatcher?"

"No, I haven't." My curiosity was struck by his statement as a large dark cloud moved under the sun, graying the area out.

"Rumors have it of a beast who lives in the strange forests; Odin knows how those rose up so quickly. This unseen monster is seen by none, but stocks all.”

Now he was starting to lose me.

“One day, in this very meadow, a hunter found his entire catch of the day and his equipment gone. When he headed towards the trees to investigate where it had gone, he was snatched by the beast and dragged into the dark forests. No one ever saw him again." A distant clap of thunder accented his statement.

"Really?" My tone was three parts skeptical and one part intrigued.

"Enough with the stories." Corvin spoke up in her always-disproving voice as the rain began to beat down on us. "Now listen up." She began. "We're heading off to sea to hopefully get a good catch for the day, although I'm not sure how well that will do considering the shortages we've been having from only fishing the limited supplies in our shores." It sounded like she was having second thoughts about the way the Queen had us isolated from the rest of the world and it's manifestations on our island.

"So finish up, pack up, and move out!" Corvin raised her voice to signal the other hunters. We wrapped our meats in leather and carried them on our way. At that point, the rain really began to pour down on us.

Next, we traveled onward for a quick stop back to the village and quickly handed off our spoils to another group. During this hour or so of in-between time before I was to head to the docks for fishing, I decided to burn time with some last minute tasks and errands I had received earlier.

About mid-way through the hour, I was on route to Alec Balderston's medical shelter and at the door, overheard someone talking to the doctor.

"Man, I totally embarrassed myself in front of those two girls who live in training center. I was doing so well, being kind and respectful, fixing their table and then one of those feral creatures showed up and--well, I kind of lost it. I ended up totally looking like an idiot."

I decided this would be a good time to sneak by.

"Ah, Yrsa! How goes it for you, lassie?"

And he noticed me. I turned around and presented my best face. "Thank you, Alec. I'm just delivering some of the extra supplies from the southern side of the camp. Doctor Orson is down with a cold."

"Ah, I pity the old Orson. He's a good doctor, but he can't keep from picking up sickness all the time. Poor old fellah. I tried to give him advice on the sanitation in his clinic, but he was down with an ear infection and couldn't hear a thing I was saying, the poor laddie."

"Yeah, so that's why I'm here. This is the last of my favors for today..."

"Say, I've got an idea." My body tensed up to his sudden change of subject. I had a feeling I knew what was coming.

"I just ran out of krydd leaves, that's what I'm calling them anyway, which make a lovely, and vital, medicinal tea--plus it's not poisonous. Trust me, I know a poisonous plant when I see one. They’re really important and one of the most vital medicinal herbs we use here to help the sick. Yesterday, I sent someone to harvest some down in the valley, but no one ever did. I was hoping someone more… reliable could do it for me."

I suppressed a sigh and turned to him with my best face. "I’m kind of full up, right now.”

"It’s a bit of a hike over the mountains to get into the valley off of the north east part of the village and my back…” He reached for his back and put on his best impression of a grunt of pain. ”... it ain't what it used to be. I was hoping you could help me with this one. They're bright red with blue thorns. Hard to miss once you’re down there. It’s a bit of a treacherous trek, but it should be easy for a youngster like yourself."

“It would be a shame to burden the best doctor in the tribe with a days trek to the valley especially when he’s joining me and the other hunters for some fishing later on today.” Yep, he knew I was onto him. I could always tell when Alec was faking something. The real question was why? “I’ll take care of it.”

I was slinging my bag over my shoulder, when he continued, "Hold on now, lassie. Well, you see, it's actually a two person trip. You know, you cannee be going off out there all alone."

"Well, it's not like I haven't befo-"

"Now, if only there were someone who would volunteer to go with you and show off what a good lad they really are..."

There was a small silence that followed his statement.

"Ehem." Alec kicked Liam lightly in the foot.

"Oh! Yes, I'd be willing to come. Love to come, actually. When do we leave?"

"Not now. I’ve still got work to do before mornings end."

“Oh, right. Yeah, me too. I’ve got… building stuff all day.” Liam tried his best to sound smooth and casual.

“How about tomorrow? Bright and early.” I said.

“I think I still have enough to last until then.” Said Alec. “But don’t miss it. We wouldn’t last a day without it. We’ll be counting on you two.”

Great, another pending task to add to the list. Just what I needed.

“That works for me.” Liam got up and departed from the side of the bed. “I’ll be there.”

"Now, now, now! Where do you think you're going, eh?" Alec called after him.

"What?" Asked a confused Liam.

"You need the book!"

"What book?"

"My book of all edible plant life we have discovered so far." Alec grabbed up a leather-bound book and set it on the table nearest to us. "You see, we had to do a wee' bit of trial and error to figure most of this stuff out, but thankfully the worst you can get from poisonous fauna around here is a bad sickness... so far at least. Except for the ævilok berries. You'll drop right dead on the first wiff of em', but that's why we have my book. It's all in alphabetical order." Alec gave the cover a bonk with his knuckles. Obviously Alec was very proud of his project, so saying no would only break his spirits.

Liam grabbed up the book with a subtle grunt. "This thing is heavier than it looks."

I easily took the book from Liam, prompting a mumbled response from him, "Well, I'm not saying it was that heavy... I was just..."

"It's alright. I'll put it in my bundle sack." I placed the book with the rest of my gear in a sturdy cloth that was tied into a sack.

"Oh, and Yrsa." Alec said in a firm tone. "Don't lose the book. It's kind of important, ya know."

"Will do--or will not do, I mean." I slung the bundle sack over my back with the book inside.

Alec gave Liam a look that was a cross between a cringe and look of encouragement. "Well, you two best be on yer' way." The doctor got back to his work.

"No problem. Thanks Alec." Liam grabbed his belt-straps that held his gear, and received a wink and thumbs up from Alec on his way out of the clinic shelter.