The First Real Kill

Nathan's POV:

We ran until finally reaching the forest that separates the valley where we just were and our village.

Stopping so we can get a bit of rest, I ask:

"Could you not have taken the carno on? Before leaving you mentioned we were to kill a Carno if we found one."

Jason catches his breath, and answers:

"I could, yes. The problem is, the way he roared. He was hurt and running from something."

"Don't tell me.. a Rex?"

"No. You won't find one of those in this area. Take a look, and see why we had to run."

I look over to the valley and I see the Carnotaurus coming out from behind some bushes. And behind it.. five men with a full set of metal armor with a strange white symbol on the chest. And they are... riding Raptors?

"Hey... What am I looking at? Please tell me I'm crazy."

"Welcome to the real world kid. Do you see the shape drawn on their chest? They are from the Dark Clouds tribe. I don't know what they are doing in this place, but it's nothing good for sure."

"Should we go back and warn everyone? The village isn't that far away, if we run we'll be there in half an hour."

"Yes, as soon as we get back go tell your mother to prepare herself in case we need to evacuate. In the meantime I'll send a messenger to the Warriors tribe officials. Let's go."

As we're about to head back through the forest, a scream can be heard right next to us:

"HEY! I FOUND TWO!"

"We really can't catch a break.... Nathan! Follow me!" Jason says, realizing there are more Dark Clouds than expected.

We run as fast as possible, but after just a few seconds, an arrow flies towards Jason, and hits him on the back of his left shoulder.

"ARGH! Those bastards... Kid, keep running, tell everyone at the village to evacuate and go to the Warriors base."

"Huh? What about you?"

"I'll hold them back, GO"

I do as he says and continue running back, but then:

"Take this!"

I hear those words and look to my right side just to see a sword swinging at my head.

I crouch, barely dodging the sword and jump back right away to gain some distance from the new enemy. Just like all the other ones, he has a cloud shaped symbol on his armor.

How do I get out of this situation.. Jason is busy holding the others back.. I guess I have no choice.

I pull my sword out and take a fighting stance.

The man from the Dark Cloud tribe laughs and says:

"Not gonna run, boy? Big mistake."

"Why are you attacking us! We did nothing to you."

"HAHAHA. So naive. People like you don't last long you know? But.. the sword you have, did you kill anyone from my tribe today?"

I see, they probably came looking for their friends who were killed by the Warriors tribe earlier on. What do I tell him..

But before I could even say anything, he continued:

"You know what? Never mind, you can just die now!"

He thrusted his sword forward aiming at my chest. I remember the fight I just had with the Raptor and stepped to the side, avoiding his attack.

I can do this.. I can.

I thought to myself. Just gotta pretend he is a Raptor and dodge everything until I can counter.

One more sword swing came in my direction, this time from the left side.

I lept back and he missed the swing.

Before he could recover from the missed attack, I countered with a kick, making him fall on his back and dropping his sword.

This is the perfect chance..

Aiming at one of the only unprotected spots of the enemy, his neck, I push my sword as high as possible and then pull it down, just like when I jumped from the tree to kill the Raptor, using the momentum.

With a very clean cut, his head came out and rolled a few meters away from the body...

I killed him.. I killed.. a person.

Jason's POV:

That kid, he did it.

He was clearly feeling bad for killing a person, but stayed focused and kept running back to the village.

"Now then.. this isn't really a fair fight, is it?"

Two Dark clouds approach me, one with a sword, and the other one with a crossbow, maintaining more distance than the other.

"Indeed not fair at all." One of them says. "We have heard a lot from you, traitor."

"Hah. Call me whatever you want, I did what I had to do."

Before joining the Warriors tribe.. I was a Dark Cloud. I raided and killed many who did not deserve it, and even realizing that I was not doing good things, I couldn't disobey my comander. But one day, a man from the Warrirors tribe saw me help a few villagers my tribe was raiding, and saved me from the hell Dark Clouds is. After killing the commander I was taking orders from, he invited me to the Warriors, and gave me a second chance at life.

That man, Nathan's father, Paul. He died in my arms along with my son. All because of those damn bastards.

"I'm happy." I told the Dark Clouds while they kept closing distance. "I can finally kill more of you."

The sword one started running at me, with his sword pointing forward.

He plans on making me dodge to the sides and have the crossbow one shoot me in that moment. Not happening.

I pull my dagger out and parry his heavy blow, surprising him. Faster than ever, I grab one of his arms and pull him down, while thrusting my dagger up at the same time.

While using him as cover for the crossbow guy, I aim at his chin, and get a nice hit, making him scream in agony. I pull the dagger out of his ruined face and cut his neck next.

One down.

I pick the body and use him as a human shield, so the other one can't get a good shot on me.

Realizing he has no chance, he stands back even further and pulls some sort of horn out of the bag he had.

He puts the pointy part in his mouth, and blows.

A loud noises comes out.. alarming everything nearby.

The group that was killing the Carno.. they should be done by now, and are probably on the way because of this guy's signal.

"You're done for." He says, looking me in the eyes.

I guess this is it for me.. good luck, Nathan.

Nathan's POV:

Oh no...

After half an hour running, I'm finally getting close the village. However.. a lot of smoke can be seen in the direction I'm headed...

Please tell me I'm crazy. I hope it's just a fire and we're not getting raided by the Dark Clouds..

I keep running and arrive at the gate...

Or what remains of it.

I can't believe it.. wait, where's mom.

I enter the ruined village and head to my house. Getting there, I realize the door is open and everything inside it is destroyed..

Mom isn't here... did they take her?

I leave the house in search of a survivor, but I haven't seen anyone yet.

After a few minutes I got to the center if the village.. and found a huge pile of bodies..

*cough*

"Hey! Where are you?" I scream out, in search of whoever just coughed.

"H-here."

I follow the voice and dig through a pile of rocks and wood, the remaining of a house.

An elderly man... the lower part of both his legs crushed by his own place. How did he manage to survive.

"What happened here? Where's everyone else?"

"T-they took the woman.. and children. Killed all *cough* .. all the men."

"Hang on, I'm going to help you."

"No. Run away. Please warn Warriors about this."

I try picking him up but to no avail. I'm too tired from everything that happened today.

"Damn it." I cry out, disappointed in myself.

"Please boy. Go."

.....

I leave the poor man begin and leave the village. According to Jason, the Warriors tribe main base is somewhere west of here, a few days on foot....

Wait.. Jason. Is he alright? He should have been back already..

Uhhhh, focus Nathan, focus. I trust he is alive.

Worried, I start heading west, with the Warriors base as my goal.

I must hurry.