1 Keel

I tracked the direwolf through the thick jungle undergrowth as I waited for the perfect moment to strike. I already had my bow nocked as I followed it as it hunted for prey, taking care not to step on any loose branches as I followed the beast. This was already my third wolf today and I was quickly running out of sunlight. I had found the first one fairly quickly, it had left its droppings out in the open. I followed it for hours just to alert the beast when I stepped on a stay branch. The second one had been even more of a disappointment, for the first wolf I had made sure to hide my scent by staying downwind of the beast. But due to putting extra caution to where I was putting my feet, the wolf had strayed from my sight just minutes into the hunt and caught my sent. It ran before I could even react.

I had to make sure there were no more mistakes with this wolf. I had been tracking it for almost an hour and it finally dropped its guard. The wolf had spotted a rabbit feeding in the undergrowth and was quietly making its way towards it.

But while the wolf was making preparations to make a kill, so was I. I drew back the arrow I had nocked on my hunting bow and waited. Hunting was all about patience, and even though I was frustrated with all my shortcomings today, I can't afford to be overeager in the most important moment.

The rabbit had its ears up and was listening out for activity while it had its meal, but the wolf crept through the undergrowth without the notice of the rabbit. Then with a flash of movement, the wolf had the rabbit in its jaws.

Right after the direwolf made the kill is when I took action. I let the arrow I had drawn back loose and watched as it hit the direwolf, mere centimeters from where I had aimed.

But that little disparity made all the difference, I was aiming for the neck of the wolf, more specifically the windpipe. That way the kill would have been quick and easy and I could return back to camp ending with my prize in hand for all to see.

But now I would have to follow the wolf as it slowly bled out and possibly attract even more monsters with its smell of death.

Hesitating for a brief moment to consider my options, I made my choice. I threw my bow to the ground and quickly drew my sword from the scabbard hanging from my hip. There was no point in being subtle anymore, the beast was mortally wounded and knew very well it was being attacked. I dashed towards the bleeding wolf and channeled force into my sword, with a single practiced swipe of my sword I took its head clean off.

I knew the trial was supposed to be to test my hunting skills and I was forbidden to use my sword but at this point, I couldn't care less. If I got caught so be it, I was already known as the disappointment of the royal family, what more could cheating on a stupid trial do to my reputation. But what it would do to my father's reputation on the other hand was exciting to think about.

The great Erik of the Blackwater offers his good-for-nothing son to be the groom to the daughter of the most powerful noble in the kingdom. I can already imagine the gossip that would spread like wildfire throughout the nation. But I couldn't just openly admit to cheating, no I would have to be subtle. I needed to play the fool and act like I had done no wrong.

I spent my trek back to the camp lost in thought about how I would "accidentally" let it slip that I had used my sword during the trial when I heard footsteps approach from up ahead.

"There you are young master, your father was starting to get worried that something had happened to you," came the panicked voice of one of my father's guards. Their hair looked matted with sweat and leaves, they had clearly been looking for me for quite a while.

"Why, does father think I cannot hunt a simple direwolf by myself?"

The guards all looked down with guilt on their faces, no one met my gaze, much less answer my question. Well, I guess I technically didn't hunt the direwolf fairly, but no one has to know that, at least not yet.

I threw the direwolf I was dragging behind me to the guards and started walking back to camp, if they're here they might as well help out a little. Of course, being guards of the royal family themselves they were at least awakened to force and had tempered their bodies, so they would have no problem carrying the 400-pound direwolf.

I wouldn't have had a problem hunting it either if I was more proficient in using force with a bow, but since I had trained since with the sword since young I couldn't get my force to flow as freely throw the bow, more importantly, the arrows, as I could with a sword.

It still made no sense to me, I could have just as easily taken the trial using the sword as my primary weapon, but father insisted that I use a bow. Of course, I had adamantly refused the decision to switch to a bow, but under the threat of losing my royal privileges, I had relented and forced myself to learn the bow for the past year.

I increased my pace as I sighted the camp ahead of me, my father and lord Bron of the Redwoods would be waiting for me no doubt.

As I entered the camp I saw my father and lord Bron sitting by the offerings, it seemed that out of all the youths that had undergone the hunting trial today I was the last one to arrive. As I walked back into the camp people had started to notice, and my lack of kill was already starting to spread in hushed voices throughout the camp.

As I walked towards my father, he and lord Bron finally noticed my arrival. I saw my father's lips twitch as he tried to keep calm, he needed me to pass the trial if my the wedding with lord Bron's daughter was ever going to happen.

"I have finished my trial father," I tried to hide the slight smirk that was forming on my lips, I could have easily told him that the guards were bringing my kill but one does not get to see the most powerful man in the kingdom squirm every day.

Quickly composing himself my father stepped forward and asked, "Yes, I see that you have indeed returned, but what of your kill, did you not succeed in your hunt?"

"I have indeed completed my hunt, but," I tried sure to pause with dramatic effect, but this time my father made sure he didn't react. "I got lazy so I gave my kill to the guards to carry back."

Lord Bron sensing the tension between me and father chuckled merrily, "Now now Erik, that he has passed the trial is already enough cause for a celebration, lets not look into the small details."

My father nodded conceding that it was indeed a joyous event, but still said: " He did indeed pass but a certain level of disciple is still required as he IS a prince of the Kingdom."

My father was no doubt about to start on a tangent about the duties of a noble and how I should follow in the footsteps of my brother's but was interrupted by the guards coming back with my kill.

"You hunted a direwolf?", he said while looking from the guards to me, then back to the guards "Guards are you sure this is the correct beast?"

One of the guards stepped forwards bowing to my father and lord Bron before answering, "Yes your highness, this is what young master Keel gave us to carry back to the camp," he said while stepping back to join the other guards.

Once again lord Bron's deep laugh sounded out as he said "There's no need to be surprised Erik, he is your son after all. You know what they say, the apple doesn't fall too far from the tree."

"Indeed" replied my father staring deeply at me. I held his gaze as long as I could before eventually looking away trying not to let anything show on my face.

"In the end, we shall know the truth, as he has to offer his kill to the gods themselves," said my father turning away and walking slowly to the rest of the offerings.