Chapter 9: How To Live 2
I took a deep breath and looked at the wolves below.
I pulled the bow from my back, took one of the arrows, and placed it on the bow.
'Although it's my first time using a bow, I can do it. I just need to focus.'
I pulled the bowstring with all my strength, focused my eyes on one of the wolves below, and released.
Whoosh!
"Damn, I missed. No problem, let's try again."
I placed another arrow, pulled the bowstring, took a deep breath, and released.
Whoosh!
"Awooo!"
"Yes! I hit it!"
I hit one of the wolves below in its stomach. The wolf started howling and whimpering in pain until it fell due to blood loss.
'Now, let's finish off the rest.'
I started shooting arrows at the wolves, and although I wasted many arrows, I managed to take down three of the wolves.
'Okay, I have 5 arrows left. I can do it; only two are left.'
But the strange thing was that when I looked down, I only saw one wolf.
'Where did the other one go? Did it get scared and run away?'
Suddenly, I felt a strange and familiar sensation.
'This feeling, the feeling of danger approaching me.'
So I looked around and checked the other side of the tree, and I saw it climbing, trying to get closer to me.
"Oh! You're a smart wolf."
I took one of the arrows, aimed directly at its head, and released the arrow.
Whoosh!
It hit directly in the middle of its head, and the wolf fell from the tree.
Bam!
I heard the sound of its body hitting the ground and looked at it lying there lifeless.
'Okay, only one left.'
I turned to it and looked directly into its eyes. Maybe it felt the sense of impending death because I saw it flinch and run away quickly.
"Damn, where are you running off to?"
And when I was sure it had gone far, I slowly climbed down from the tree.
"Not bad for your first time."
"Yes, I'm good, right?"
"You're okay, but should you be this relaxed?"
'Damn! I know what will happen after these words.'
I looked behind Garoun and saw the wolf that had run away, along with another pack of wolves.
"You brought your friends with you, you coward!"
I shouted at it. Maybe it understood what I said because it charged at me directly.
"Before you go, take this."
Before I started running, Garoun handed me a small dagger. I couldn't show my admiration because I started running quickly as they got closer to me.
'What should I do? Now I don't have enough arrows to take them down like before. I need another way.'
I strained my mind while running between the trees. I couldn't think clearly due to the exhaustion and fatigue from the first battle.
'I can't keep going like this. I'm tired. Think! Think! How can I kill them?'
'Wait, who said I have to kill them?'.
I changed the direction I was running and headed towards the river where Jaron and I were yesterday, but the problem was I didn't remember the exact path, so I headed in the direction I thought was right.
I kept running, hearing the wolves getting closer and closer.
Finally, I reached the place I wanted.
I jumped directly into the river.
Splash!
"Get away from here! Get away from here!"
I started shouting at the wolves while splashing water at them. I thought the wolves would retreat and leave, but instead, they stayed waiting for me on the shore.
One of the wolves even came down into the river.
"Damn."
I started swimming away from it, but it kept getting closer because it was faster than me.
Suddenly, an idea struck me, so I quickly dived into the river.
It was surprised and didn't know where I went, but the wolf felt the approach of death.
While I was diving below, I opened my eyes and looked towards the wolf. I took out the dagger Jaron had given me and swam towards the wolf.
The wolf tried to swim away, but I reached it quickly and stabbed the dagger directly into its stomach.
Awooo!
The wolf kept thrashing with its paws, trying to reach the shore, but I didn't let it. I held the dagger and pulled it out of its stomach, then emerged from the water.
"Hah! Hah!"
I took a breath and quickly headed towards it, stabbing the dagger directly into its head.
"Aaah!"
I screamed as I stabbed the dagger into its head because my body didn't have enough strength, so I ended up stabbing it in the eye instead of the head.
And indeed, the wolf stopped moving, and the river filled with its blood.
"Hah! Hah! Who wants to come next? Come on, all of you!"
I shouted at the wolves while looking into their eyes. The wolves felt fear as they looked at me, and they ran away quickly. After they had gone far, I got out of the river.
Inhale! Exhale! Inhale! Exhale!
I started calming my irregular breathing and rested a bit.
"Not a bad idea to take them to the river. You're okay."
"Thank you."
I replied to Garoun compliment, smiling from my first victory in this world.
"Well, the sun will set soon, so let's head back now."
Garoun said as he carried the wolf I had just killed.
I got up and followed him immediately. While doing so, Garoun asked me a question.
"What did you learn today?"
I thought for a moment before answering.
"If I face a stronger or more numerous enemy, it's not necessary to confront them directly. I can use the surrounding environment or the weapons I have."
"Not bad. You learned some things, but it seems you forgot something."
"Huh? What did I forget?"
"The wound on your hand."
Garoun pointed to the wound on my hand.
'Isn't he the one who cut me with the dagger earlier?'
"What the..."
Grrrraaaawww!
I heard a loud, deafening sound from behind me, so I looked back.
There was a large brown bear running towards us.
"Where did this bear come from?"
I shouted as I ran away quickly, but Garoun threw the wolf's body and advanced towards the bear.
'Is he going to fight the bear? Is he crazy? No, I saw him yesterday making a man fly with a punch. I think he can fight it.'
And when the bear was within reach of Garoun, Garoun pulled out a long spear. The spear was very simple, consisting of an old wooden stick and a rusty iron head.
He took a strange stance while holding the spear, and suddenly, he struck the bear's head with all his strength.
Shhhhk!
The spear pierced the bear's head as if it were nothing. He pulled the spear out of the bear's head and let the bear's body fall to the ground.
Boom!
"The thing you forgot is to erase the blood traces on you, so the bear smelled your blood and came rushing."
He moved forward, picked up the wolf he had dropped earlier, and started walking, with me following behind.
"Remember! Your enemies will follow the slightest traces to bring you".