IV) Fun with Friends

As Gareth sat in his room, he couldn't help but think back to almost a year ago when he had made some friends while running for his training. It had been a hot summer day, and Gareth was determined to push himself to his limits. He had been running for almost an hour when he saw a group of boys practicing their archery in a nearby field. 

Curious, Gareth decided to go over and watch them. As he approached, he saw that they were all around his age, and he recognized some of them as kids from the neighboring village. Curiously, he approached them. 

"Hey, what are you guys doing?" Gareth asked. 

"We're practicing archery," one of the boys replied. "You wanna try it?" 

 Gareth had never tried archery before, but he was eager to learn. The boys handed him a bow and showed him how to hold it. 

"Okay, now try to hit that target over there," one of them said, pointing to a tree with a circle drawn on it. 

Gareth aimed the bow and shot the arrow, but it missed the target completely. 

"Aw, man, I'm no good at this," Gareth said, disappointed. 

"Don't worry about it, it takes practice," one of the boys said. "Here, let me show you." 

The boy took the bow from Gareth and demonstrated how to aim and shoot properly. Gareth watched carefully and listened as the boy explained the techniques. 

 "Okay, now you try," the boy said, handing the bow back to Gareth. 

Gareth took a deep breath and tried again. This time, the arrow hit the target, though not in the center. 

"Nice shot!" the boys exclaimed. 

Gareth felt a rush of excitement as he realized he could get better with practice. He spent the rest of the day shooting arrows and learning from the other boys. 

They welcomed him warmly, and before long, Gareth found himself chatting and laughing with the group. 

As the sun began to set, they invited him to join them for dinner at their village. Gareth hesitated for a moment, but his adventurous spirit got the best of him, and he agreed. 

They walked for miles through the woods until they reached their village. The boys introduced him to their families, who welcomed him with open arms. They served him a delicious meal, and Gareth felt grateful for their kindness. 

As they sat down for dinner, the boys began asking Gareth questions about his life and his village. They were fascinated by the stories he told, and they listened intently as he spoke. 

"So, what's it like being the son of a fisherman?" one of the boys asked. 

Gareth smiled as he thought about how he would answer. "Smelly mostly, fish a an odor to them that's hard to wash out. That's why I have a change of clothes that's reserved for when I fish with him. But we always have plenty of food." 

"Wow, that sounds amazing," another boy said. "What about dragons? Have you ever seen any while fishing? Traders say they see them all the time while on the sea." 

Gareth's smile faded a little as he thought back to when he had lost a fish to two terrible terrors. "Yes, we have seen plenty above us but only terrible terrors really are a problem recently." 

The boys nodded, looking glad. The less dragons around around them the better.

"What about your training?" one of the boys asked. "If you aren't practicing archery what are you practicing?" 

Gareth took a sip of his soup before answering. "I have been practice with weapons, like spears and shields while being in a formation for dragon attacks." 

They said goodbye so they could get some dinner but promised to return for a campfire. They sat around a campfire, and the boys told him stories of their adventures and dreams of becoming great adventurers themselves. Gareth listened intently, feeling inspired by their courage and determination. 

As the night went on, Gareth knew he had to head back to his own village. The boys offered to walk with him, and as they walked, they made plans to meet up again soon. 

Gareth arrived home just before the sun set. His mother was waiting for him, looking worried. 

"Gareth! Where have you been? I was worried sick!" she exclaimed as he walked in. Since Gareth had snuck out after dinner without telling her. 

"I'm sorry, mother. I was having some fun with some new friends I met," Gareth explained, hoping to ease her worries. 

"New friends? That's nice, but next time please let me know where you're going. I don't want to be worried sick again," his mother said, giving him a stern look. 

"I will, I promise," Gareth said, feeling guilty for not telling his mother about his plans. 

"Good. Now, tell me about your new friends. What are they like?" his mother asked, a hint of curiosity in her voice. 

Gareth smiled and began to tell his mother all about the boys he had met, their names, and how they spent the day practicing archery. 

"They asked me all sorts of questions about being the son of a fisherman and what training I do. I think they were fascinated by our way of life," Gareth said, recalling the conversation they had during dinner. 

"What did you tell them?" his mother asked, her curiosity growing. 

"I told them about how I have a different pair of clothes for when i fish with Father since my clothes stink afterword," Gareth explained. 

His mother nodded, taking it all in. "Well, it's good that you made some friends. But remember to be careful, Gareth. Not everyone out there is friendly," she cautioned. 

"I will, mother. I promise to be careful," Gareth said, giving his mother a reassuring smile. 

From that day on, Gareth had a newfound appreciation for the importance of friendship and the value of stepping out of his comfort zone to explore the world around him. He often thought back to that summer day when he made some new friends and promised himself that he would never forget the lessons he learned from them. 

As Gareth snapped back to reality, he smiled, feeling grateful for the memories of that special day. He knew that his adventures on the island were only just beginning, and he couldn't wait to see what else lay ahead for the next day. 

Gareth woke up feeling excited to have fun with his friends. He packed his bag with some snacks, water, and his bow and quiver. As he was leaving the house, his mother stopped him. 

"Gareth, where are you going?" she asked with a worried expression. 

"I'm going to visit my friends for the day, Mom," Gareth replied. 

"Be careful, Gareth. Remember to always watch your back and be aware of your surroundings," his mother warned. 

"I will, Mom. Don't worry," Gareth said with a reassuring smile. 

Gareth set out on his journey, feeling confident and excited. He enjoyed the peaceful scenery as he walked along the path to his friend's village. He arrived at the village and was greeted warmly by his friends. 

"Gareth, you made it!" one of his friends exclaimed. 

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Gareth replied with a grin. 

They made their way to a nearby field where they could practice their archery skills. Gareth was eager to try his hand at it and learn from his friends. 

"Here, Gareth, try this bow," one of his friends offered, handing him a beautifully crafted bow. 

Gareth took the bow and pulled back the string, feeling the tension in the wood. He aimed at the target and let go, the arrow flying straight and true. 

"Not bad for a beginner," one of his friends commented with a grin. 

Gareth laughed, feeling proud of himself. He continued to practice with his friends, honing his skills and learning new techniques. After a few minutes, they took a break and sat down to rest. 

"So, Gareth, tell us more about yourself," one of his friends asked. 

Gareth smiled, happy to share his experiences with his friends. He told them about his life in the village, the traditions and customs they followed, and what he thought about the dragon attack that had happened recently. 

"Wow, that sounds intense," one of his friends said, wide-eyed. 

"It was, but we're a resilient people. We'll bounce back," Gareth replied with a determined look in his eye. 

"Hey guys, ready to get back at it?" he asked. 

His friend Leif chuckled. "Actually, we were thinking of playing a game of tag first," he said. "You know, to warm up." 

Gareth shrugged. "Sure, why not?" 

They began running around, laughing and chasing each other through the village. Suddenly, Leif stopped in his tracks and looked at Gareth with a grin. "Hey Gareth, what do you call a Viking that lost both his eyes?" he asked. 

Gareth raised an eyebrow. "I don't know, what?" 

"A Vkng!" Leif laughed, tagging Gareth on the shoulder and taking off running. 

Gareth laughed and gave chase, feeling grateful for the chance to let loose and have some fun with his friends. 

Gareth caught up to Bjorn and Leif, breathless but exhilarated. "Hey guys, let's play a game! It's an old game my grandfather taught me. We call it 'Kubb'," Gareth said, grinning from ear to ear. 

"Kubb? What's that?" Bjorn asked, looking intrigued. 

"It's a Viking game. You basically have to knock over wooden blocks using wooden batons. The goal is to knock down the king block in the center of the field. But you have to do it by hitting the other player's blocks first. And if you hit the king block before you knock down all the other blocks, you lose!" Gareth explained. 

"Sounds fun! Let's play!" Leif chimed in. 

And with that, the three boys spent the rest of the afternoon playing Kubb, laughing and shouting as they knocked over wooden blocks and vied for victory. Gareth felt happy to have introduced his friends to a new game, and even happier to have spent quality time with them. 

(Real Game, my friend introduced the game to me. Its rather fun and easy to play.)