novelxo Chapter 1 - Nysander
I smelled the wet moss beneath me as I lay on my belly on the forest ground, canopied by the leaves of the bushes I was hiding under. I held my breath as I heard footsteps approaching, quietly at first, but breaking into a full on sprint as they got closer.
Just a few steps away now… 3…2…1…
I pulled the rope I was clutching in my fists, making it grow taut between me and the tree it was tied to. I heard sharp yelp, and then the heavy thud of a body hitting the sandy floor a few feet away.
I looked around, and as soon as I had made sure the coast was clear, I emerged from my hiding spot.
“What on earth was that?!” I asked, nudging the groaning body on the floor with my foot. “You can’t just break into a sprint like that, disregarding all potential danger around you! I’ve taught you better than this.”
My brother groaned again as he rolled to his back, examining his skimmed palms. “You didn’t have to trip me like that,” he complained, “that really hurt!”
I scoffed as I extended my hand, pulling him to his feet.
“What did you think was going to happen?” I asked, “what do you think will happen to you in real life when you pull a stunt like that? You’ve got to think about what you’re risking here, Nys.”
Nysander shrugged. “I figured I might beat you to it if I was quick enough.”
I took his arm, my eyes skimming over his wounds.
“Let’s get you cleaned up,” I mumbled, taking him to the forest pond.
I washed his hands, removing the dirt and splinters that had pierced his skin. The pond was pretty well hidden, deep inside the forest, and densely surrounded by broad-leaved trees. It was frequented by wildlife, as it was an excellent drinking spot — which made it an excellent hunting spot too.
Not too many villagers ventured out this far, as there were whispers of inhuman creatures lurking in the depths of the woodlands. I took them for what they were, though— wild folklore and urban legends, to be taken with a grain of salt. I went out into the woods almost daily, and the most dangerous thing I had seen so far was a wild boar. Which had tasted delicious after spit-roasting it, by the way.
I picked a few low-hanging leaves off one of the trees, and made Nysander chew some blue Starvine into a paste.
“That’s disgusting,” Nys heaved after spitting the pulp into the palms of his hands.
I smiled up at him as I spread the paste over his wounds and covered it with the leaves.
“But it works like a charm,” I said, and used some tall grass to secure the leaves to Nysander’s hands. It really did — his hands would heal in no time.
The forest held many secrets, but none of them other-worldly. There were tons of medicinal herbs and plants, to be used for good or for bad, depending on how you prepared them. There was also clean water for drinking, trickling straight down from the alpine glacier on the mountain that separated our village from the neighboring towns. And there was game too — deer, rabbits, pheasants, and the occasional boar. The other villagers used the woodlands on the other side of the plain for hunting, leaving an abundant selection of game for just my brothers and I.
We treated the forest and its wildlife respectfully — taking only what we need, and using up every part of what we took. We got by on mostly fruits, vegetables, and nuts, and the milk from our two goats. My mother had taught me how to make yoghurt, cheese and butter too, but that was tedious work, so I saved it for special occasions.
Nysander or I would go out to hunt once or twice a month, depending on what we caught. A deer would last the three of us for weeks, while rabbits were obviously gone much quicker.
My little brother, Tophyn, didn’t hunt. At just eight years old, he was too young, but it was mostly because he was sickly. We didn’t know what was making him ill — and I hadn’t been able to cure him yet.
We had sought out medical advice once, when our mother was still alive, but the doctors had turned us away as we had no coinage. They wouldn’t accept game in exchange, like they would in the village. The cities had their own system of payment, and it didn’t rely on exchanging goods or services, which was common where we lived.
“Come on,” I said to Nys, tugging on his arm, “we need to get back to Toph.”
Nys followed me out of the forest, stepping into my footprints as to not disturb the rich foliage around us any further. I had tried to teach him once, about the medicinal properties the different flora possessed, but it just wouldn’t stick with him, and it was way too risky for him to make a mistake when it came to herbs. He was a much better hunter than he was a healer — as he was quick, nimble, and precise. The only thing keeping him being excellent was his carelessness. He would disregard his surroundings completely when focussing on a target — a potentially lethal mistake. So I had been training him.