Chapter 19: 6.2 Forest Ambush

  Jack stalks through a loosely wooded forest with bow in hand. He kneels next to upturned leaves on the ground, finding tracks of his prey and…something else. His deer headed one direction; its hoof-prints being seen in the exposed dirt of a winding trail. Some other tracks can also be seen, something having clawed toes, crossing the trail and up the sloping terrain. He looks upslope, then continues after his prey.

  Jack avoids the trail, instead moving through the fern-like undergrowth that comes up to his knees. He finds a tree rubbing, a place where the tree’s bark had been scrubbed away as his prey scraped its antlers against it.

  A terrified scream breaks his focus.

  Jack looks around briefly, then charges up the slope. He hears another scream as he rounds a tree to see the back of an ape-like figure. High over its head is a human arm that it had just torn from its victim. The appendage comes down repeatedly as it’s used to strike like a club.

  Jack full draws, then looses an arrow. Two more arrows follow immediately after, all hitting in a tight group between the creature’s shoulder blades. It lurches forward but uses its long arms to push itself back upright. The monster turns around with its club still in hand. It sees Jack and begins hooting as two other apes become visible behind it.

  They charge.

  Jack fires two more arrows at the closest ape, one sinking into the chest and the second passing into its open mouth, staggering it. He lays his bow aside, draws the axe from over his shoulder, then hurls the weapon. It tumbles through the air, stopping to saw into the first ape. Its chest opens, and the creature falls backwards with a loosely hanging arm.

  The other two apes pass around the attack and charge downhill at Jack. The weapon returns, knocking against the back of one ape’s head, but the creature doesn’t acknowledge the blunt impact.

  The first ape collides with Jack as he catches the axe and lowers his shoulder to meet the charge. He lifts his feet off the ground to avoid crashing to his back as the ape’s momentum transfers into him. He shoves down with the axe handle, separating himself from the monster before landing. He swings at the creature, his axe biting into its flailing arm.

  Jack retreats and continues fending off attacks, moving across the slope as the apes pursue him while ignoring wounds. He raises his axe handle to block some of the numerous blows. One ape is repeatedly attacking while the other is constantly trying to flank him. He periodically glances towards the flanking creature, having no intention of letting it get around behind him.

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  Jack turns the axe’s edge towards the incoming blows and begins to meet them, allowing the ape to deal its own sustained damage. Its claws and hands soon becoming limp like empty gloves. Its attacks slow but continue to sling blood on his face and clothing.

  Jack swings overhead, as if splitting wood. The axe bites deep down through the shoulder and into the chest of the ape as the ice effect triggers. The explosion separates the chest and thrusts shards of ice into the other ape, knocking it off its feet and sending it tumbling down the slope.

  Jack wrenches the weapon free and jogs down to the prone ape as it tries to stand only to be driven down again by repeated axe falls. He makes a final chop and the pureed corpse remains still, having become lifeless a few swings prior. He backs away, looking around to see if any more might be coming.

  Feeling the danger has passed, Jack glances over his arms to find several claw marks and gouges as he spits in an attempt to rid his lips of blood. He rolls down his sleeve, then wipes at his face and beard.

  Jack shakes his head as he looks over the creature and then his clothes. “Well, I’m not getting within miles of any game like this. I better get myself cleaned up or I’ll be the next one being tracked.”

  He backtracks to the victim’s location. The first monster is on its back with its chest open and two arrowheads sticking in the air, its fall having driven them through its body. Jack sees the nearby club and shakes his head. “You’re no better than a poacher. You weren’t killing for survival. This was sport to you.”

  On examining the victim, there doesn’t seem to be much to identify. The man is wearing a hide outfit with leather moccasins. A crude bow and quiver are also nearby, leading him to believe that this person was another hunter. Jack uses the small hatchet from his belt to dig a shallow grave, chopping at the ground, then scrapping it away. He buries the hunter with his belongings, pushing the dirt into place with his hands.

 

  Jack’s hands become still against the freshly turned dirt. “Rest now, my brother. Your hunt is over.” He gathers his own gear, then makes his way out of the forest, leaving the creatures to feed what they may.

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