Chapter 6 Scene 3

Bukela and Stefi walk quickly to the Northwestern Forest. Bukela has her bow and a quiver of arrows, and Stefi carries a bag and some liana ropes. Along the way, Bukela says,

"Keruka said we need three boars for the gift to the Spirits."

Quest 69: Shoot and collect three boars.

Bukela then asks Stefi, "So you're interested in hunting?"

Stefi replies, "I wasn't, but the first native I met on the other island, a boy named Phato, was a hunter. He had a blue loincloth just like you, and it was fascinating to learn about his life on that island. And it's good to see that girls can hunt here, too."

"Anybody can be anything they want on this island. Of course everyone has to have some job, and it works very well for us."

"That's good. Now what's it like hunting boars?"

"It takes three of these arrows to kill a boar. It's hard to do when they're moving around. After the first two shots, they'll charge try to trample you so you have to run away and hide until they forget about you. That's why it's a lot better to get them in a trap first. There's a trap over there. Leaves and branches cover a hole."

"How do you get the boar to fall in?"

"Get behind the hole and make this noise when a boar comes. Now we have to be quiet, and get ready to hide behind that tree if necessary."

They wait a few minutes, and a boar comes into view. Bukela moves behind the trap and gets Stefi to stand behind her. Bukela makes a whistling sound, which causes the boar to run at her and fall into the hole. Bukela then gets three quick shots off with her bow and the boar is finished.

"That was impressive," remarks Stefi. "How do we get it out of the hole?"

"LIke this." Bukela ties a liana vine to a tree, then climbs down into the hole while holding the liana. She ties the vine around the boar's body and climbs back up. "Now we can pull it up."

They do so with a lot of effort. Bukela then resets the trap by covering hole with more branches and leaves.

"Isn't there an easier way?" asks Stefi.

"There are rope traps. When a boar steps on one, it triggers a net full of rocks to fall that makes the rope close around it's leg. There's one over there. Come on, and be quiet."

They go over to where Bukela indicated, and in a couple minutes another boar comes by. Bukela gets into position, whistles, and the boar charges, steps into the trap, and is yanked off the ground. Bukela is about to shoot the boar when a thought strikes her.

"Would you like to try?" she asks Stefi.

Stefi is surprised, but not enough to accept. "Yes, thank you."

Bukela gives Stefi the bow, and it takes Stefi ten shots to hit the boar three times. Stefi looks embarrassed, but Bukela tries to be encouraging.

"That's not too bad for a beginner."

The girls retrieve the arrows that missed, and Bukela sees a bug near one of them.

You found an Orange Sun-Bug!

"Good thing you missed," comments Bukela, "or we wouldn't have found this bug."

"Uh, great." Stefi doesn't know what to say. Bukela goes on to untie a knot that connects the rope to the net of rocks, which lets the second boar fall to the ground.

"We need one more boar," announces Bukela. "We need three for the gift to the Spirits, and we got one extra from before from the Swampy Forest."

"I wouldn't think boars would go in the swamp."

"They usually don't, but things have been crazy on this island the past few days. It will take a long time to reset the rope trap, but there's a mudhole up this way where boars often roll around. Let's see if one's there."

They go farther north, and indeed there is a boar wallowing in the middle of a mudhole ten meters in diameter.

"You can shoot this one, I don't want to lose all the arrows," states Stefi.

Bukela takes the bow and quickly puts three arrows into the boar, who can't move fast enough to react after the first shot.

You won the Bronze Boar Hunter Trophy for shooting five boars!

A bronze trophy with a boar appears on the screen for a few seconds and then fades away.

"How do we get that boar out of there?" asks Stefi.

"Like we got the one out of the hole."

Bukela ties a rope to the closest tree and carries it into the mudhole, sinking almost up to her knees with each step. She gets to the boar, and has some trouble tying the rope around it because it's belly is sunk several centimeters in the mud. She realizes she has to lift the boar far enough to clear the mud and get the rope under and around its body. She lifts the boar, throws the rope over its back and tries to catch the end of the rope under the boar, but misses when she is thrown off balance a little as a result of sinking due to lifting the heavy boar.

"Aaahh!"

"Bukela, are you hurt?" Stefi is concerned. Bukela is still next to the boar, but her thighs have sunk into the mud, which now almost reaches the bottom of her loincloth.

"I'm fine. It's just that the boar smells bad, and I sank a lot deeper than I thought I would when I lifted it. The boar didn't sink this deep, and I didn't think I would either."

"Can you get out now?"

While holding onto the rope, Bukela struggles to take a step toward Stefi, and manages to move only a few centimeters.

"It takes some effort, but I can. But I didn't get the rope all the way around the boar, so I have to do that now."

Bukela puts her arm around the boar and lifts it enough to reach end of the rope that is underneath it, but the effort makes her sink substantially deeper, up to her waist, and she gets frustrated. "Oh, come on! "

Stefi asks, "Are you okay?"

Bukela regroups, disappointed that she showed her frustration in front of Stefi. "I'm fine. That just wasn't supposed to happen."

Stefi then asks, "What do we do now?"

"Finish the job." Bukela refuses to show any sign of weakness in front of Stefi and calmly finishes tying the rope around the boar before grabbing the rope to pull herself out. She makes progress slowly, dragging herself forward but unable to lift herself up because the rope is too low to the ground. Standing on solid ground by the tree, Stefi pulls on the rope but has little effect as that involves pulling both Bukela and the boar, and Stefi isn't that strong. After ten minutes Bukela is still three meters from the edge of and waist deep in the mudhole and pauses to catch her breath. To rest her arms and keep them out of the mud, she folds her arms in front of her chest. There is somewhat of a look of disgust on her face, indicating displeasure at still being stuck and anticipating that Stefi is going to ask if she is alright again when to Bukela's surprise, Stefi bursts out laughing.

"What's so funny?" Bukela asks sternly.

"Ha ha ha ... I'm sorry ... hee hee .. you look so funny still stuck there ... ha ha .. you said you sank a lot deeper than you thought you would before .. ho ho ... and then you sank a lot more, and hee hee ... " Stefi gasps for breath, pants heavily, and finally settles down while Bukela remains frozen in her position.

Stefi apologizes, "I'm sorry I shouldn't laugh. I was stuck in a giant spider web in the cave and in quicksand in the swamp. Pelubo was there to rescue me. And in case you didn't know, I also found Rogula stuck deeper than you are now in sandstone on the beach my first day here. I hope you're not mad at me."

Bukela stares at Stefi, and Bukela's frown disappears, turns into a big smile, and then she bursts out laughing. "You're right; I must look funny. I deserve it. As a hunter, I should have had a better idea on how much I'd sink when lifting that heavy boar."

Stefi is cheered up. "So you're not mad that I laughed at you still stuck in the mudhole?"

"I'm not mad. It's just that getting out of this is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I should have tied the rope higher on the tree so I could pull myself up as well as forward."

"Then you learned so you'll do better next time."

"Yes. And I heard about Rogula. All our friends got stuck or tied up somehow by this Island, and we told each other our stories. The Island trapped me in a net until Nicole found me. And then I got myself tangled up in a crab trap, and it a while to get out of that. And the last time I was hunting a boar knocked me into quicksand but I killed it while I was sinking. Unfortunately I got stuck. Something like that has happened to everyone. The Spirits are testing us."

"It's good to see you in a cheerful mood. Rogula was also cheerful when we had a long talk while she was trapped by the sandstone."

"Hey, you reminded me that's it good to laugh once in a while. And I shouldn't be ashamed that I needed a rest."

"Good. I think a reason I was able to laugh is that I could tell that since you got as far as you did, you'll be able to get the rest of the way out of the mud."

"I'm glad you think so. I think I've had enough of a rest. It's been great talking to you."

Stefi thinks for a moment, then grins and announces in a deeper voice, "Bukela, this is a message from the Spirits. You have to get yourself of that mudpit by yourself. If I have to get help, you will have failed as a hunter and never be allowed to hunt again!"

Bukela grins in turn, takes a deep breath and flexes her muscles. "No problem, I'm strong!" She has some muscle definition, a contrast to Stefi in her green sleeveless dress who shows very little while mimicking Bukela's pose.

"So is there anything I can do while you're proving yourself to the Spirits?" asks Stefi.

"Take the bow and shoot any more boars that come this way."

There are no more boars around, but Stefi does find a shell.

You found a Green Bottom Comb!

No more boars come so Stefi is left watching Bukela's upper body muscles straining to pull her through the deep mud. It takes another half hour before Bukela manages to extricate herself completely.

Stefi speaks with the same exaggerated tone as before. "Congratulations. You have proved yourself worthy before the Spirits!"

"The Spirits are wise. I got into that on my own and should get out by myself. It's good that you saved your strength because now we need to pull that boar out."

This effort takes another twenty minutes and leaves both girls panting.

"Do we drag all these boars back to the Village?" asks Stefi, not looking forward to that task.

"I saw a wagon in the Abandoned Village," announces Bukela. "We can get that and bring it here."

The Abandoned Village is not far from where they are, so they do so, and load the boars onto the wagon.

Quest 69 complete!

They pull the wagon through the Northwestern, Western, and Southwestern Forests, and finally reach the Village, where Bukela will get a chance to wash off the mud from the lower half of her body.

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