Doe and Calves

"So, how, did you find the right answer to my question?"

Basil waited a long time for Felix's answer, but he was patient.

It was not too late to admit Felix's failure to Basil, but the bow leaning against the big tree with the quiver blocked Felix's intention to be honest.

He wanted to practice archery, to be the perfect man Basil wanted him to be. Make his helper proud.

"Yes, I understand how to use my heart. You can count on me for it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, sir."

Surprisingly, Basil did not ask Felix to explain how to use a heart. After Felix nodded, Basil simply replied with one word, "Good."

Between gratitude and curiosity, as well as guilt, his heart was in turmoil. Fekix had known Basil for a long time and the man usually asked a lot of questions about why Felix did things. Maybe Basil's trust in Felix had reached a new level?

One week Basil taught Felix to hunt and as usual, he was a fast learner. On the eighth day, Felix accompanied Basil on a hunt and his lie was exposed.

Felix had successfully trapped a doe not an antelope as Basil had instructed.

"Now what are you going to do?" Basil asked, waiting for Felix's reaction. Maybe this was how he would test him.

Without a heart, Felix slashed doe neck with his longsword. He was showing the strength of a real man, the strength he had gained from his years of training.

Blood spurted down his gaunt face as the doe head rolled and her body floundered like a worm in heat. And Felix smiled proudly, he finished off the doe with one clean swing. Isn't that fantastic?

But his smile faded when he saw a disappointment on Basil's face.

Innocently Felix said, "Is something wrong."

"You tricked me, for God's sake. You're a killing machine without a heart. You're vile, you should have set her free. There's a reason why I didn't tell you to kill that doe."

"But you didn't give me the order to free it, did you?"

"Because you said you could use a heart!" Basil pushed Felix down.

Felix didn't understand Basil's change in attitude, but one thing he did know, Basil was surprised and angry and sad. Felix felt blamed despite the fact that he was innocent.

"What's the problem? Doe and antelope, they're both game animals, right?"

Basil's face flushed like a bonfire. He violently pulled Felix to his feet, lifting him until his feet failed to touch the ground. Their noses were almost pressed together.

"How do calves live without their mothers, hmm?

"What?"

"How? Answer me, son."

Felix didn't answer. He read about doe and antelope. Antelope don't feed their young. It is doe role to teach their young how to live and teach them how to eat.

Sure enough, from inside the bushes a few small calves peeked out. Their eyes watered as they watched their mother being savagely slaughtered.

Basil tossed Felix aside like a piece of meat. "Now what do you do with those three calves, hmm? If you can't gave me an answer, you better sleep in the forest!"