A year passed as quickly as the mountain breeze. The village has grown into a bustling town, more homes, more people. Trade flow was higher than it has ever been. Tales of our hunters slaying a demon on the open streets reached farther than my story. Well established trade owners would travel from far away just to hear our tales. Helika would host archery trials for those wanting to test their skills against our own. My father spent most of his days now entertaining the traders and visitors. Lelienna and her father took on new apprentices to match the need for more homes and trade houses. The hunter hall has had many additions made to it to make up for the many new hunters we have gained. As the town grew so did our bonds as a family. Everyone held a hand out to one another to help when it is needed.
As the sun began to rise over the trees on a new day, something troubling carried on the mountain air. I didn't know what, but it worried me. As Helika and I began preparing for the days hunts, some of our newer hunters gathered around. "Helika, can we join you on todays hunt?" One asked as he tightened his quiver to his back. "Wolfsbane do you think it would be better to teach us out in the wilds?" Another spoke before we could respond. I could see the irritation on Helika's face. I raised a hand to them as they all stopped to listen. "Today marks a very important hunt for both Helika and myself, today is the day we challenge and see who is the better of the prime hunters. Which ever of us brings back the largest prey is named First Prime Hunter."
The new bloods looked on in admiration as Helika turned and smiled trying to hold in his laughter. "See I told you we couldn't go with them!" They all began to walk back to their duties for the day as Helika began to laugh quietly. "I didn't want to lie to them but damn, it's like we can't get a single day without one trying to get us to train him elsewhere." I lifted a tightly wrapped bundle of arrows and threw it to Helika. As he caught them he laughed a bit louder. "Honestly I can't believe they believed it, I mean to think you would ever best me as a hunter." I punched him in the arm as we both laughed. As our jokes and laughter continued a man approached us wearing a large cloak, masking his face in a hood. Helika looked at him and the smile left his face.
"Is there something you need stranger?" Helika stood tall above him as the man stood still. "Come now you all don't recognize me? Has it been that long that my face is now unknown to you Helika?" He removed his hood slowly, a large scar ran down his left cheek as thick black hair began to dance in the wind. "Dalyn!" My eyes widened as my elder brother removed the hood. "It's good to see you little brother, it's good to see you too Helika." I hugged him as tight as I could, "Where have you been brother, I have so many stories to tell you!" He smiled as he returned my embrace. I took a step back looking him over, eyeing the scar of his face. "What's that beauty mark from?" I lightly pushed him laughing, "That's a story I'm sure we can share later, for now where is father I have so much to tell him."
Helika stood with a grim look on his face as he watched us. "Your father is busy with the tradesman Dalyn, I would not disturb him." Helika said with a hint of disgust in his voice. I immediately dismissed his words as we walked away. "Father will gladly take a moment to greet his eldest son Helika, come Dalyn, father is at the inn." I looked back to see rage building in Helikas eyes, I was unsure why at the time. All I knew then was my brother had returned after so long of being away. As we approached the inn father was already taking a few steps out. "Father!" I said loudly as to speak over the noise of the town. He looked at us at first with a smile, and then with pure hatred.
He immediately began walking toward us, I could see rage building in his eyes as well. "How dare you step foot here after what you have done Dalyn." As my father reached us he grabbed Dalyn by his cloak and pushed him away from me. I jumped in front of him trying to stop him. "Father what are you doing, aren't you happy to see your eldest son?" My fathers eyes fell on me and felt heavier than one hundred hides being forced into my arms. "You have no part in this Ysellian, leave now to your hunt." My fathers words were sharp and direct, they cut deeper than an insult. "Father I don't understand, what is-." Before I could continue he raised his voice higher than I thought possible, "Leave, now!" His words echoed for a moment as the town fell silent. Everyone and everything froze in place, the winds stopped blowing and the birds stopped singing.
I lowered my head and turned to walk off. "It is not you he is mad at brother, don't feel so hurt by him." Dalyn said as he stood from the ground patting the dust from his cloak. I continued to walk as they glared at one another. I returned to Helika as he finished preparing. "What is going on, I thought everyone would be happy of his return." Helika paused as I finished speaking and sighed heavily. "Your brother is not as welcome here as you would believe, you were still very young when he left us." I looked at him confused by what he was saying. He sighed again and patted me on the shoulder. "It is your families matter not mine, I will leave it to your father to explain." I grabbed my bow and quiver lacing it to me as we walked to the towns edge.
Our hunt was as quick and successful, thanks to the return of a great deal of elk and deer to the woods. We returned with two elk each all of them generally the same size as to fool the new bloods. As we reached the hunters hall I saw Dalyn and my father speaking along its side. My fathers expression had not changed since we left. His eyes still filled with anger as they spoke. We pulled our hunt to the front of the hall, placing them on one another for the new bloods to practice skinning and carving. As I removed my quiver and my bow, I noticed my father walking toward us. "Is everything ok father?" Immediately he lifted a hand for my silence. "Helika, Dalyn is under your watch for now, until we know of his intentions he is not to be left alone, especially with Ysellian." He turned and walked away without a word of response.
My heart began to ache as my father left, I didn't understand why he was so hated. "Helika, what does my father mean?" He stood without looking at me and shook his head. Without a word he walked around the corner to where Dalyn was waiting. I felt as if I was being punished by his return. I grabbed my bow and quiver as I began walking home to speak with my father. Thoughts ran through my head faster than I could make them out. I couldn't imagine why they would treat him like this. I looked up and noticed I was passing by Leliennas home. My eyes fell on her as she worked and its as if my mind immediately calmed. I paused for a moment watching her, thinking of her lips pressed to mine.
I began to sneak my way around her house behind her. I stepped as quiet as possible to not give myself away. As I made my way around and behind her, I wrapped my arms around her waist pulling her backwards as we fell. She stumbled for a moment as we hit the ground and I began to laugh. "Damn it Ysellian!" She said as she began to laugh and hit my chest. I grabbed her hands and flipped her over on her back. She gave me a devious smile as she tried to push me off of her. I hovered my mouth just over hers as she stared into my eyes. After a moment she lifted her lips to mine. I loosened my grips on her hands, she quickly flipped me onto my back as she got free. She returned to our kiss as I lay on my back pulling her as close as possible.
She smiled as she pulled away still staring into my eyes. "What brings you my way today Wolf Boy?" She ran her hands along my chest as she spoke. I grinned as her hands outlined my clothes. "The same thing that brings me to you every day Lelienna, how much I can't stand to be away from you." She smiled as she stood, holding a hand out with a ridiculous face. I stood as she dropped her hand. As the moment passed my thoughts returned to me, and began twisting and dancing about how my father was acting towards Dalyn. My expression shifted quickly as I began to think of what happened. Lelienna looked at me confused and placed her hand in mine. "Are you ok Wolfsbane?" her face shifted to concern as I shook my head. "I just need to speak with my father."
I smiled at Lelienna as I turned and ran home, I needed to know why they looked at him that way. As I reached my home I paused at the door for a moment gathering myself on what to say. Before I could, my father opened the door and motioned for me to come in. I stepped in without thinking further and sat down in my chair. "You know what im here to ask father." He sat slowly in his chair as he closed his eyes and nodded his head. For a moment we sat in silence, the winds carrying hot summer air through our home. "You were too young to remember when he left us Ysellian, and I had hopes he would never return to us." He paused again for a moment opening his eyes. "Your brother has done terrible things to the people here, worst of all you and I."
A tear ran down his face as he continued, "It does not bring me joy to do this to him, he is my eldest son. What pains me the most is that I must tell you what your older brother has done." He closed his eyes again as tears rolled down his cheeks. I sat listening to every breath he took as I waited. He opened his eyes, I could see the pain in his eyes as he spoke. "Your brother broke a very deep pact made to the Goddess of the hunt Entiwa, once branded, turning on your brother in the hunt is punishable by death. Your brother killed his fellow branded hunters because he wanted no competition for the roll of prime hunter." His face shifted between anger to pain as he continued.
"After he was denied his trial as prime hunter, it was my choice to banish him instead of kill him." I could feel my fathers sadness, it flowed from him like rain from the sky. I stood from my chair and placed a hand on his back to comfort him. "I am the second prime hunter of this village father, my word is nearly as strong as yours. If there is even a shred of honor left in him, I will make him leave peacefully and if not I will force him out." He raised his head and looked me in the eyes as he smiled. "He is your brother Ysellian, as your father and the elder of this town, you have my word to do with him as you see fit" I nodded to him and headed for the door. "Remember that he will try and resist you my son, it's his nature and his right as your older brother." I paused at the door for only a moment, then pushed it open making my way back to the hunters hall.
Helika stood by as Dalyn walked among the townsfolk, he watched every move he made without even a moments pause. I approached Helika and punched him on the shoulder lightly. "Enjoying your day Helika?" He spit on the ground, not removing his eyes from Dalyn. "He has done nothing but frolic among the people and get into as many conversations as he can." He shifted his weight from one leg to the other. "I know he is up to something though, he always had a plan for everything." Dalyn turned and eyed the two of us talking, he smiled as he saw me and began to come toward us. "I have a plan for this Helika just play along and don't freak out." As he reached he held out his arms as if to embrace me. I looked at him and tilted my head as his smile left his face. "Are you ok brother, you seem distant now?" I gave him a half smile and held up my arm. "Brothers of the hunt greet one another differently." His eyes flickered with pain and anger as he laughed nervously. "Indeed they do Ysellian, I have been away for so long I had forgotten."
He lifted his arm and held it inches away from mine. His pause was his answer to my fathers words. "You make me sick Dalyn, father told me everything you did to try and cheat your way to the top." His smiled faded as it quickly turned to anger. "Father is telling you these things to turn you against me, so that I will leave again. He can't stand up to the fact that he failed me, so I left and found better." I nearly swung at him as he spoke, "There is no other training in these lands that can better you over one of us Dalyn." He laughed loud enough to echo across the town. "You think just because you are branded that you can match my skills? You are nearly my age when I was chosen to take my prime challenge." I quickly spoke as he continued to laugh to himself. "A challenge I was given at the age of fourteen and passed, as you were denied your challenge." His laughter stopped quickly as I spoke, his eyes widened as rage washed over his face.
"You lie Ysellian, father would never bestow a challenge for prime to one so young." Helika took a step forward and smiled. "He stands at my side as second prime Dalyn, have you ever noticed the white wolf head above his door? Or the white wolfs pelt displayed above the hunters hall, they are trophies he returned with." He took a step back as Helika gave him a grim smile. "You can't be telling the truth, your both lying to me!" He turned and grabbed the closest person he could. He pointed at me as he franticly spoke. "What is this boys position here?!" The man looked at me in confusion and spoke quickly. "Thats Wolfsbane, our second prime hunter, now let me go!"
His head sank as the man spoke, at first it seemed he was crying. Then he lifted his head to reveal a devils smile. "This is perfect then." He raised his arms and yelled loud enough for everyone to hear. "I Dalyn, son of Valin, eldest brother to Ysellian Densahy, challenge him for position as prime hunter!" Helika smiled and shook his head as he leaned against the wall. "This should be entertaining, just don't kill him Wolfsbane." I looked at him with a blank expression, he did exactly what I was hopeing he would do. I spoke low as I removed my leather vest. "No matter what he does Helika do not call this off or interfere, do you understand." He looked at me and almost began to protest me giving him orders. As I looked at him with a blank expression he understood.
I placed my leather vest on the ground and stepped toward Dalyn. Everyone from tradesman to townsfolk were now gathered and watching. As I walked I removed my leather binding holding my daggers and threw it to the side. "You can use what you like Dalyn, I'm fighting this fairly." He smiled as he removed his cloak and vest. He looked at me with the devils smile still on his face. "It is unwise to disarm yourself when against a superior opponent Ysellian, I thought father would have taught you that." He pulled his dagger from its binding and ran at me. without a second thought he lunged for my neck. I stepped to the side as he swung and missed. He fell to the ground hard, he quickly stumbled to his feet. I looked at him with no emotion, "A true huntsman would know where and when to strike, not flail around and go for the kill immediately."
His eyes flared with rage as I spoke, he ran at me again this time aiming for my leg. As he swung his dagger I simply lifted my leg and turned around. He missed again, skipping across the ground as he landed on his chest again. "You truly have been taught by others Dalyn, you show no skill or promise at all. Your like our new blood hunters who came to us to truly learn to hunt, perhaps you should start with one of them instead of me." I turned and began to walk away as he stumbled to his feet. "You dare turn your back on your own brother, you truly are fathers son!" I stopped as he finished, rage began to build in me as he continued. "Your a coward like him, he could never see what he was doing to our home, all he has ever done is bury us with our whore of a mother." Before he could continue I tackled him to the ground and had his hand pressing his own dagger to his neck. "You speak one more word, brother, and you will not be speaking again!"
The rage once in his eyes turned to fear as he looked at me. I heard people around us begin to whisper nervously. "You would take the life of your own brother?" He looked at me as tears ran down his face. I pushed the dagger into his neck only to draw a small amount of blood. As a small stream of blood ran from under the dagger, I lowered my head next to his ear. "You speak one more foul word out of your mouth, about my family or any other that lives in this town, and you will be answering to our honored ancestors." I lifted my head and pulled the dagger from his hand as I stood. He slowly made his way to his feet holding his neck.
Helika made his way to us, smiling as he reached me. "You have been bested Dalyn, your skills have proven less than even our most junior." He wiped his tears as he stood, defeated and made a fool. I could feel his gaze heavy on me, as if he tried to pierce me with his eyes. "You only confirm that my brother is the best this village has to offer, the master I have trained under would make you all look like children." He picked up his cloak and quickly turned away from us. "I will return Ysellian, and you will kneel to me in defeat." Holding his neck he walked toward the edge of town, disappearing behind the thick layer of trees. Helika sighed quietly, "Well atleast maybe next time he will present more of a challenge." He smiled as he turned around and returned to the hunters hall.
I returned home expecting my father to be upset with my choice. As I opened the door he stood from his chair and smiled. "I take it he challenged you?" I paused for a moment in slight shock that he knew. "Indeed he did, and failed." He took a few steps toward me, "So, what did you declare as his punishment?" I looked at him and smiled, "His humiliation was punishment enough this time, he has declared however that he will return." My father smiled and nodded his head. "Then you will have to beat him again I'm afraid." I smiled and nodded my head, "As many times as it takes for him to understand, no matter what master he trains under he will still be unable to beat me." My father patted me on the shoulder and smiled. "Indeed my son, he will not."