18 First Shot
The noise made Mason shudder. His fight or flight reflexes kicked in, He didn't know how close or how far the thing was or what it was .
He doubted his skills, he doubted where he stayed to hide, he doubted himself.
The rasping got closer and Mason began to sweat not daring to turn around.
He brandished his dagger trying to lay it low to not have the light refract or he would have no choice to fight.
He thought to himself either, attack, get the high ground or flee
The rasping encroached on his mind and that is all he could think, all he heard or thought was, what was this noise, where did it come from.
As Mason caught up in thought he didn't realise the rasping breath became dimmer, He was lucky for once,he sighed on the inside happy that lady fortune finally smiled upon him. He didn't hesitate.
He stabbed his dagger deep into the trunk of the tree then raised himself up ,it strained his upper body but it gave him breathing room.
He looked towards the breathing now that he was in a more confident position. Having the high ground.
As it became fainter it reached the outcrop
The beast had jet black fur bloodied from wounds and dirty with mud. It was a boar, large thing with clear battle-wounds, A veteran of fights. As it was nearing winter or that is what Mason thought the wounds are from other boars due to mating seasons or another animal which could gore which he didn't know. He knew this creature had limited intelligence but he could easily be gored by one of those things especially with his size.
He got annoyed with himself,he noticed dirt patches on the trees. Clearly, they were made by boars but due to the undergrowth was covered with clutter he could not track effectively so couldn't confirm.
It just waited in the outcrop.
Mason took the chance and notched an arrow and with the taint of anger from this beasts disruption of his previous hunt he would now hunt it . He would regret being clouded by anger.
A twang went off and the boar turned to Mason's direction, Mason calculated for this but he didn't calculate for what truly happened.
The arrow went straight towards the boar's cranium, straight between the eyes.T he arrow pierced the strong hide like a hot knife through butter but it, it, it didn't pierce the boars head. He failed.
The boar was unpashed but angry as if the arrow was only a slight to it, The beast readied a charge.
Masons slow heart raised a rapturous tune and beat like a war drum and his breathing rasped. He may have the high-ground but a determined boar could make him regret all his actions until now.
Mason knew his bow was useless as it could pierce the hid but not the bone he could only bleed out the boar and he didn't have time to bleed it out.
Mason brandished his dagger & the boar charged
