Chapter 72: Back on the Hunt
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Been a few days huh lol
Sorry, dealing with the contract for my original works been a bit of a pain, mainly with my printer, but I also just had a few days where I just wanted to... chill...
Anyways, I'm back, and this should go back to being every other day AT LEAST, if not every day. We'll see.
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Shaking my right arm, I sighed at the slight numbness I still felt.
However, I still was determined to return to the forest, to track down that earth deer that the Hawks had tasked me to hunt... just a week or so ago...
Wow... it's felt like much, much longer...
Chuckling, I clenched my right hand over my bow, ignoring the sharp pangs that ran up my arm.
I was currently standing in a tree, overlooking the calm forest floor below me for tracks.
The Hawks had returned last night, offering congratulations on taking down the Basan, and offering to form the contract then and there.
However, I have to admit that I might be slightly stubborn, as I refused their offer and asked about the deer again, making the Hawk stare at me in surprise.
Seeing my determination, it told me the deer could be found towards the east, as the beast made its way towards the edge.
Apparently it lost a battle against another deer and had to relocate, deciding to travel to the calmer, yet weaker border, where the chakra was thinner.
Anko and Kurenai were reluctant to let me go, with Cameia almost tying me up, however...
Glancing over my shoulder, I saw a brief flicker of darkness, denoting Cameia's location as she trailed me.
That was our agreement... the other two would hunt some more animals, both to trade with Dragaia and to take back to Konoha.
Returning my gaze to the forest floor, I pursed my lips at the lack of tracks, before hopping to the next tree.
Scouring the land around me, I deciphered the various tracks.
There were a few deer tracks, but they weren't that deep, meaning they weren't as heavy as the one I was looking for, nor were they that large.
Apparently the deer I was looking for was roughly three or four times the size of a normal one, standing roughly 10 feet tall.
The amount of meat on that deer...
Wiping away a little drool, I reaffirmed my determination to hunt this thing.
It's been awhile since I had a good venison steak, and with some of the seasonings we had...
Grinning to myself, I jumped to a new area, slowly observing another large swathe of the forest.
Not there...
Nope, thats a wolf track...
Damn, thats a heavy bear...
No, thats a snake mark...
That brush is destroyed...
Sighing, I went to another section, quickly dismissing it as it lacked any tracks.
The day slowly passed, and I cleared a good chunk of the forest.
Along the way I practiced my aim, killing a few wolves and deer I found along the way.
However, as I drew the bowstring again, I winced, the muscles in my biceps screaming at me in pain.
It hurt badly, and I bit my cheek to stifle a scream.
Cameia instantly appeared beside me, laying a hand on my left shoulder as she pulled me into her.
"Kokoro..?"
Panting, I gave her a strained smile, laying my head on her chest.
"Are you... okay?"
For a split second her golden eyes shone with worry, before they returned to their almost solid, hard state.
"Ye-Yeah... I'm good... Too much for today, I think..."
Scooping me into her arms, the woman ignored my protests as she carried me back to the village.
~~~
Sighing, I sat at the table, watching as Kurenai yet again prepared dinner, while Anko and Cameia stared at me.
Anko's brown eyes were narrowed, and they flickered between worried and angry.
"Why are you so stubborn?! Just take the damn contract and start resting again Kokoro!"
Anko almost shouted at me, both Cameia and Kurenai nodding slightly in agreement.
Crossing my arms, I let out a 'hmph' and turned to the side, staying quiet.
"Oh for the love of..."
Sighing, Anko laid her head onto the table, while Cameia placed a hand on the table, her fingers drumming against the wood rhythmically.
The kitchen fell silent, the only noise being Cameia's fingers drumming on the table and the sizzling of the meat on the pan.
I could understand that they were... upset at me, but this just felt like another thing I NEEDED to do.
The agreement with the Hawks was to kill this deer, to hunt it. Not the Basan, which I neither hunted nor killed.
If I didn't do this, I would feel like they gave me the contract out of pity, and...
It just didn't sit right with me.
Stupid, I know, but...
Sighing, I returned my gaze to Anko, Cameia, and Kurenai, all of whom were staring at me.
Anko sighed as well, glaring at me.
"Why are you so stubborn... damnit..."
Cursing, she turned away again, staring at Kurenai, who just shrugged.
"Anko, you know what Koko's like, and if I recall correctly, you admired the fact that she doesn't change her mind easily."
"Now I hate it."
Chuckling, Kurenai and I exchanged glances, making Anko pout.
"Fine, whatever. Go break a leg out in the forest Kokoro... see I I care... Hmph..."
Getting up, Anko slunk into the bedroom, likely to get away for just a few moments.
Cameia tilted her head, before asking "Why are you doing this?"
"To get a contract with the Hawks."
That made Cameia turn her attention back completely towards me, staring intently at me.
Shuffling under her intense gaze, I gulped before looking away.
Damnit, why does this woman make me feel like a teen again!?
Something about those steady, emotionless eyes just...
"Kokoro, when do you plan on leaving? We have quite a few corpses, and Dragaia owes us two weapons for the Basan hunt. What more do we need?"
Sighing, I replied "I want a good amount of chakra metal, more chakra beast corpses, and maybe a spare weapon for each of us. Kurenai, this place is a treasure trove of raw materials. The more we have, the better. Besides, it only takes a few days to return home..."
"Really? I thought it would be weeks or months to get to this Konohagakure... You live that close?"
I nodded at Cameia, saying "It surprised us too, but you all are in a much harsher environment. I doubt you could easily relocate to the east..."
Cameia nodded, adding "Apparently we tried, decades ago. We had to turn back due to the large amount of deaths that occurred."
"Well, when's dinner Kurenai? I'm starving!"