Thread: The Diverted Path (DareToDream & Hahvy)

He reached the edge of the forest in short order, stopping once to glance back at the farmstead he had just left behind. The evidence of the dragons passing had been obvious, with great gouges in the earth from the beasts claws and a horse missing from the herd, and he knew he was on the right track. Had he not wanted the dragons blood to cure his mother, he might have been willing to leave it alone as he had no need to interfere in the affairs of farmers. Caleb had grown up on the mountain and made his living off the land, hunting, fishing, and growing food. He had no need of money, which the farmers had offered him for his services, and so hed declined it. His goal was singular hunt and kill the dragon so he could harvest its blood and he pursued it for one purpose only. With a shake of his head to clear it of thoughts, he turned and entered the ancient woods, slowly moving through the brush with the ease of a man in his elements. The dragon had been in the air when it had fled the farmstead, so he knew he wouldnt see obvious signs of its passing, but he hoped hed pick up other little clues. Perhaps it would be the absence of animals, for example, having fled in the face of a greater predator or the sign of dead tree branches blown down by air created by the flapping of wings. If signs such as these existed, Calebs able eyes would spot them and from there he could track the beast. Walking slowly, his eyes scanning the terrain, he chewed up time as if it didnt exist. One hour passed then two, as he slowly stalked through the forest, climbing ever higher towards the caves that he knew existed up north. Hed spotted little signs as he moved through the area, things he expected and ones he hadnt, such as the unusual location of a rock slide that fell for no apparent reason and the smoothness of grass in an isolated clearing. Nothing could account for those except for something large and forceful and he knew of only one thing like that. With a predatory smile of his own, he slowly emerged from the forest onto a rocky bluff, smoothed flat by the passing of time. Crouching, he slipped off his pack and with drew a jug of water, taking a few measured sips. That was followed by a strip of beef jerky which he slowly ate. So far there had been no sighting of his quarry but he could feel that he was getting close, very, very close. Packing his gear away, he stood and faced upward, his hand at his forehead to block out the suns glare. He was searching for the cave entrance then but to his great surprise, he got far more than that. The shadow appeared first, gliding over the rocks as if it owned them, then came the flash of sunlight sparkling off the scales. He was momentarily blinded so he rapidly blinked his eyes, tracking the movement as best he could. When he finally had his sight back, his eyes widened as he beheld one of the most beautiful sites hed ever seen, a gorgeous dragon flapping through the air on its great wings. It had clearly come from one of the caves he had been seeking and was now flying away. Swearing softly, Caleb ripped his bow off his shoulders and quickly notched a sturdy arrow then lifted it to the sky. Before he could send it flying though the dragon suddenly dropped from the sky, diving for the forest. He lowered the bow and followed its progress, waiting to see what it was going to do. His instincts said it was going to land and he wanted to know where so that he could continue to track it. Eyes roamed the tree tops as he watched, pinpointing the general location it was headed and when it dropped from sight at last, he grinned wolfishly. If he was right, the dragon had just dropped down towards Grimwald Lake, a small isolated lake about half a mile from his location, if he took the game trail that he knew was in the area. After pulling his pack back on, restoring the arrow, and slipping his bow over his shoulder Caleb found the trail and set off down it at a brisk pace. Speed was of the essence now and he hurried with renewed strength, his feet pounding the path with each step, carrying him closer. Soon enough the forest began to thin out around him and he eased through the trees more carefully, pausing when he reached the edge. Being careful to keep his body concealed behind a tree, he looked out and saw his prey. The dragon was swimming through the lake, sunlight glinting off its scales, and he couldnt help but admire its beauty once again. Soon enough, though, he steeled his face against those thoughts and dropped his pack, getting ready. Just as he strung the bow again, the dragon took to the air, alighting on top of a tree for a moment as if to rest, then rose into the sky once again. Stepping from the trees into the clearing, he drew the bow and sighted, letting loose. The shaft flew the air with ease, heading for one of its wings and soon three more arrows followed in rapid succession. Jogging further out into the open, Caleb drew another arrow and notched it, taking aim.