Don't die unarmed!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

| At the Kingdom of Azalon - The Hunting fields |

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Shh!!" King Zane placed his index finger on his lips, giving hand signs, he directed the guards to go in opposite directions, so they could corner a antelope.

Dropping down from their horses, the tied the reins on a tree, they both followed their order, stepping lightly on the dry dead grass, they made their advance towards the antelope.

*Snap!*

"Damnit!" One of the guards grimaced, as his feet had made it's way on a twig, breaking it.

"Edgar!" The other guard pulled him down. "Get down!"

Sensing something, the antelope's ear twitched, raising it's head, it searched it's surroundings for the cause of a snapped twig.

Receding to using it's hooves to scavage for food, the antelope dug, oblivious to the imminent threat.

Using their elbows, the two guards crawled their way closer, a safe distance towards the antelope.

°You can do this Edgar!° He thought as he adjusted to a comfortable position while still being on the ground.

Pulling off his recurve bow and carbon fiber arrow from his quiver, he pointed his bow vertically towards the target, using three fingers to pull the drawstring back toward his face.

"Aim!" The other guard whispered to Edgar.

Pointing his bow so the tip of the arrow lines up with antelope's side, closing his non-dominant left eye for a better aim.

"Fire!" The guard whispered to Edgar. Remaining as still as possible, he released the arrow by relaxing the fingers on his string hand.

Piercing the antelope's leg, the animal snorted in pain, shaking it's head for a while, stumping it's hooves and taking off into the forest.

"You missed the target!" King Zane said in a loud voice, making his way towards them, on his horse, he looked down at the guards.

"I'm so sorry Sire!" Edgar stood up from his laid position earlier, dusting off the dirt from his cloth.

"Make up for it by getting that antelope." King Zane conditioned.

"Yes Sir!" They bowed to their King before making their way to their horses.

~~~~~~~~~~

"This was a big one, Sire!" Edgar remarked, placing his hands on the animal as the rise and fall due to it's breathing, strained. "But-" He grimaced as his hands made it's way to it's belly.

"But what Edgar?" The other guard questioned in frustration.

"It's pregnant," Edgar closed his eyes at the revelation, "and it's dying."

"What do we do, Sire?" The other guard panicked.

"Here, have this!" King Zane pulled off his wool coat, tossing it to Edgar.

"Sire, you don't suppose I use this?" Edgar trembled at the strange attitude displayed by the King.

"I- I can use mine." Edgar stammered as he looked at the luxurious gold studded buttons on the coat.

"Yes Sire! I can use mine too." The other guard suggested, snatching the coat from Edgar's hand, shoving it back to the King.

Raising a brow, King Zane smiled, "I don't suppose, you two would you your flimsy clothing to save this antelope?" He breathed out cold air.

"We aren't in the Castle, where it's warmer." King Zane pointed out, "It would be a shame if you two were to head back with frost bite, and I was to blame for your insubordination." He taunted.

Like an ice directed at their hearts, they froze momentarily at the timely reminder of their stupidity.

"Now are you going to save the antelope and freeze to death?" King Zane suggested, "Or you use my coat to wrap it's leg and stay alive?" He swayed the coat in front of them.

"Kindly give us your coat, Sire!" The other guard carefully picked on his words, stretching out his arms to take the coat.

"I had a feeling I employed reasonable guards." King Zane retorted.

Taking the wool coat with care, the guard, ripped out the gold studded buttons, flashing a grin to the shock stricken King. "Since it isn't useful to you, Sire, we would just be taking this!" He ripped out the last one, tossing the coat to Edgar.

°I had totally forgotten about my buttons° King Zane was at loss of words as he couldn't stoop so low as to beg his guard to return them.

"Hmmm." King Zane's lips drew into a thin line as he could do nothing but observe.

°Good thing I had missed earlier° He looked down at the antelope whose black beaded eyes stared right back.

"Hold still!" Edgar warned, pulling on the arrow, the action making the antelope shake in defiance. "It'll be over in a few seconds."

Edgar ripped the coat in a piece long enough to wrap around the injury. "There you go!" He patted the wrapped leg, carrying the antelope over his shoulder, he looked around for a suitable place to put it.

"Over there!" The other guard pointed at a cave up ahead of them.

~~~~~~~~~~

"And here I thought, entering the cave would be easy!" The other guard sighed is exasperation, his hands akimbo. "How would we be able to get out, how would this thing be able to get out when it's better?"

"You should be safe now," Edgar ignored his bickering, carefully placing the antelope on a leafy bed prepared for it on the ground, "You'll heal better if you don't come out for a while, okay?"

"Would you cut it out!" The other guard rolled his eyes, "You know it can't understand you right? This isn't some kind of fairy tale."

*Grrrrrrr*

They both looked back as the sound was eerily familiar. The antelope also sensing the same danger as it cried for help, trying it's best to stand up but failing.

Instinctively reaching to his back, Edgar reached out for his bow and arrow, but only caught the wind. "What the-"

°Damnit, my bow and arrow are right outside the cave, where is King Zane?° Edgar cursed under his breath.

*Grrrrr*

"You left your bow and arrow?!" The other guard shrieked as they took a reluctant step back.

"Now easy does it!" Edgar took a step forward, making his way towards the antelope.

Finally the glowing yellow glint of two almond eyes made it's appearance in the shadows, the growling noise getting louder.

"it's a-" The word hooked in the other guard's throat.

"It's okay!" Egdar still made his way forward, trying to reach the antelope slowly as it's snorting became louder due to it's fear of what was coming.

Jumping out, the glowing yellow glint receded, leaving in full view, a wolf's bristled out it's silver hair with white tips which made it look more menacing than it already was, it's snout cringing.

"We didn't come here to cause any trouble." Egdar spoke slowly, looking behind the Wolf who stood in front of the antelope, "All we want is our friend back."

"Friend?" The other guard shrieked, "It could die for all I care, we have done enough for it already. This is nature just carrying on it's natural cause."

Saliva dripping from it's jaws, as it's ivory teeth stained in blood shone, the wolf slinked, snarling as it made it's calculated moves, it's fur standing straight up.

"Dan!" Edgar hissed, "We should be thinking of how to save that antelope, it would be all worthless if we saved it and it gets eaten by a wolf minutes later."

"Did we disturb your lunch?" Dan gave a nervous chuckle as he took another step back. "Would you stop getting closer to that thing? I'm not up for saving an animal which can only put us in danger." Dan hissed.

*Grrrrrrr*

The wailing sound of the antelope caught the attention of the wolf as it looked back in pure hunger, turning it's attention towards, stiff-leggedly walking towards the defenseless antelope.

"Stop!" Edgar's hand recoiled.

°Did I just throw a stone at it?° Edgar look at his hand in wonder.

"You made it angry!!!" Dan yelled, looking behind him, the exit still far out.

Snapping it's teeth, the wolf lunched forward for an attack, flashing it's claws.

Closing their eyes, Edgar and Dan braced themselves for the imminent attack.

°So this is it? The hunter becomes the prey!° Edgar thought in his final moments.

*Thud*

°What just happened?° Edgar wondered, opening his right eye, taking a peek.

°We are not dead yet? We are not wolf chow?° Dan still trembled from the near death experience.

There laid the dead wolf, it's eyes still opened from the shock, blood oozing out from the pierce to it's heart by an arrow.

"I seriously need a new set of guards." King Zane clicked his tongue, shaking his head as he lowered his bow.

Jumping over the wolf, Edgar carried the antelope over his shoulder, "How would you like a new home?"

"Sire!" They gave a stiff bow.

"Making a miss on your target was one thing, but you would dare leave your bow and arrows?" King Zane thundered in rage.

"I am so sorry, my King!" Edgar apologized.

"If you want to die out here, don't die unarmed!" King Zane replied coldly, tossing the bow and quiver to the ground.

Helping out, Dan picked up the bow and the quiver from the ground, placing a hand on Edgar's arm, mouthing the words 'You did well!'.

Edgar smiled, nodding his head, he adjusted the antelope on his shoulder.

"Bring back that wolf, we won't go back to the castle without it." King Zane looked over his shoulder.

"Yes Sire!" They both yelled.

"Let's head out back to the Castle," King Zane stuffed his hands into his pocket, making his way out of the entrance.

°Why do I feel something isn't right?° King Zane looked up at the clouds.