1 day remaining before the end of winter...
I spent my remaining days training and working; the guards and the physicians were sad to hear that I was really going to go. However, they left me their best regards.
As for my equipment, the blacksmith took care of it, and it's now in my room. I didn't want to use it just yet. I want them to be new when I depart. I know that doesn't matter, but still. I also bought some supplies, and a guard gave me a saddle he wasn't using anymore. Which was better than the one I had.
In other words, all of my equipment has been taken care of, and it's now stored in my room. Even the saddle, I didn't want to use anything. My family was a bit surprised about how "maniacal" I was. Maybe I'm just scared of what would happen if that equipment weren't good enough. I don't know.
What I do know is that tomorrow is the Spring Festival.
The spring festival celebrates the end of winter and the coming of spring, It's a festival that has been celebrated ever since Nutaarvik was just a colony.
The founding fathers of Nutaarvik struggled constantly to survive, they went through many horrible winters and dry seasons. Some say they even resorted to unorthodox methods to get nourishment. Nobody talks about that openly. And those who do, praise them for not turning into banditry.
They founded the Spring Festival to celebrate the end of the tough winter and to try to restore the honor, spirit, and morale of the village.
The tradition of celebrating the spring festival endured over the generations. It's a tradition we don't share with the rest of the empire.
According to this tradition, everyone in the village has to offer some amount of food to the rest.
To put it more simply. Farmers, merchants, smiths, etc. Have to bring food on the day of the spring festival, and then work together to make a feast that the whole village can enjoy. There are also dances, music, decorations, and the like, of course.
Once, it was mandatory to participate in the festival. But nowadays, participating is optional. However, the mayor has to make sure that the festival is taken care of.
As for me, I'm not a very social guy. But I enjoy participating in the festival. Seeing all those people dancing, the music, and of course, the food. Makes me feel calm. I wonder if the Founding Fathers felt that way as well.
And so, I'm going to participate in the festival tomorrow.
Since I'm a hunter, I'll bring in the day of the festival some fresh meat that I'm going to hunt myself.
This is why I'm now in the forest garden.
Only the great hunters of our village venture to the deep forest. I'm not anywhere near as experienced as they are. In the deep forest, there are many dangerous monsters. You can only survive if you go with a team. And in the forest periphery, there is almost nothing.
Does that mean that those great hunters are stronger than I and could easily travel to the capital? No, some of them don't know how to even ride a horse. They completely specialize in hunting. They have to, to survive.
I studied a diverse set of skills, all of which I considered useful for a warden. In combat, they could win against me, as well as in fighting monsters. But I'm pretty sure that if I were to compete with one of them who is 40 years old, I, with only 15. Would have more chances to get to the capital. And I would also get there faster.
Wearing a wool coat and with a spear in hand, I continue traversing the forest.
Hunting can be done in various ways, with traps, using dogs, and with a hunting team. Trappers are those who are specialized in using traps, nobles usually use dogs and other animals, and experienced hunters go in teams.
In the world of hunting, I'm a novice; I'm not even good with the bow, and I never learned how to maintain the bow strings. The only thing that puts me at the same level as the rest of the hunters is my knowledge of plants and animals. I also never learned how to craft and set a trap.
However, that doesn't mean I'm completely useless. The forest garden is a regulated area. In here, you usually know what you'll find and how to find it.
Even though there isn't much flora. As I'm walking, I see some winter flowers and a couple of ivies. I'll make a mental note to collect them later.
I arrive in the dear area, here with a spear in hand, even I should be able to catch a game.
I carefully approach the deer area. I slowly walk while crouching, trying to see if I can find a deer.
And find one I did, he is drinking in the recently defrosted river.
Once I'm near, I make sure that he is not aware of my presence and put myself in a throwing stance.
I slowly stand, I grab the spear with only my right hand, I put myself in a "T position," and aim. Once I'm pretty sure that my shot will hit the market, I throw the spear using all my strength.
Whoosh.
The hunting spear hit the target in the back, the deer is now wounded. But the hunting is not over yet. The deer starts to flee, and I have no choice but to chase it.
I'm sure that some hunters can instantly kill a deer with only a spear. But I'm just glad that I managed to hit it with the spear.
I jog, the deer has the advantage of speed, I have the advantage of endurance, it's injured, and it will have to stop soon.
I put a steady grip on my sword scabbard while I'm jogging, making sure not to run fast enough to tire me or slow enough to lose it.
Finally, after almost half an hour of jogging, I catch the deer. The deer was groaning in pain during the entire chase.
I unsheath my old sword and mercy-kill the deer. "I promise you that we'll honor your meat." After killing him, I close the eyes of the deer, and stand for a few moments in silence to pay my respects to it. Another tradition of our village.
I sheathe my sword and grab the deer, with the deer on my shoulders, I slowly walk to my family farm. Certain that I'll be able to contribute to the festival.
That day, I also gathered the herbs I'd seen earlier.
I wonder how great hunters would have hunted that deer.