Gold Rings ⚜️ Bucky Barnes X Reader

11: On the Hunt

Sorry for the late chapter! Midterms. You know how it is. Back to your previously scheduled story!!!

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This should be easy enough. I've hunted people all my life. Catching an animal shouldn't be much harder.

How wrong Bucky was.

Firstly, this was a completely new type of terrain Bucky was not exactly accustomed to. Most of his jobs took him to cityscapes or light off-roading adventures, not dense jungle that had gone almost completely untouched by humans.

Secondly, Bucky knew everything about how to hunt a human; average running endurance, quickest and cleanest areas to aim, and general abilities he could assume based on the body and build of his target. Most of these animals Bucky had never interacted with, let alone deeply studied over years of trained practice.

Lastly, and easily the largest hurdle, was his weaponry. He had been given a spear, bow, and six arrows by the carpenter as a starting point. Bucky had never been trained in archery, but he was reasonable with a spear. I mean, when you really think about it, a spear is simply a long knife. That's the way Bucky chose to see it, anyways. But neither compared to the long-range artillery Bucky was accustomed to.

The lack of a second arm certainly didn't help.

While Bucky could adapt to the new terrain and target, the weaponry proved to be his hardest hurdle to clear. It was near impossible to catch something as simple as an African rat with the spear, and a bow in Bucky's hand was more than useless. If anything, having the extra weight strapped to his back slowed him down by snagging onto the thick underbrush of the forest canopy.

Still, Bucky would make do. In comparison to his previous struggles, this hunt was no more than a children's game. At least, that's how he decided to treat it...

... For the first hour.

Come the end of the second hour, Bucky was a bucket of sweat that had unsuccessfully chased three African rats and one monkey. He almost got the monkey, if he was able to fire the bow and arrow with any level of skill. He was down to one arrow due to his frustrations overriding his judgement, and at this point, he was desperate for a break.

Bucky saw the river's edge tucked along some trees lurching over the embankment like giant ribcage bones, their curve seeming both unnatural and the most natural of positionings. Stopping for a drink, Bucky crouched at the water's edge while bringing handfuls of water to his face.

Though the water was lukewarm, the drink was more than refreshing. It felt like a breath of life was injected into his soul with each droplet of water he consumed. He didn't realize how thirsty he had become until he began to quench his thirst, and the animalistic part of his brain began to override his judgement as Bucky began chugging water.

Bucky stopped.

Just over the sound of the running water rushing past his toes, Bucky heard... Something. It was more than just the casual buzz of mosquitoes or the rustling of the upper canopy of the trees. It sounded like...

*Snap*

*Rustle*

*Swish*

*P-TWANGGG!*

"What the-- DUCK!!!"

Bucky's head snapped back towards the noise only to feel a light graze against his left cheek. Behind him, he heard something splash against the water's surface. Before he could process what happened, a frazzled Songbird was bolting towards him, horror haunting her pale-white face.

"Oh my God, Bucky, I am SO sorry! Are you hurt? Did I nick you? Are you okay? Oh God, you're bleeding, you're..." She huffed, running to his side. Bucky took the moment to look over his shoulder to see what hit the water float to the surface.

It was an arrow.

Bucky put his hand to his cheek, feeling the area where he had felt what he thought was a light breeze. Upon removing his hand, Bucky looked at his fingertips.

Blood.

"You SHOT me?!?"

"I didn't know you-- I thought you were a monkey!" Songbird yelled, her voice quivering with each word. As she continued stammering between apologies and anxieties, Songbird reached into a satchel slung over her shoulder to pull out what appeared to be some tightly-woven fabric.

Before Bucky could even object, Songbird kneeled beside him and was taking the edge of the roll of fabric and dabbing it against Bucky's cheek, wiping away the blood. Bucky swatted away her help with one hand, taking the other to snatch the arrow from the water before it could float down the river. A thought came to his mind. He smirked.

"You know, people have compared me to monkeys before, but I think this is the first time someone actually thought I was one." Bucky sniggered, handing the arrow back to Songbird.

"Bucky, I'm so sorry, I--"

"It's literally less than a paper cut. Calm down."

"I SHOT YOU!!!"

"-- and you're not the first. And you certainly won't be the last. Trust me, people with much better intentions have done much worse things. You're fine."

Songbird's chest rose and fell with deep, methodical breaths but her constantly darting eyes were starting to drive Bucky crazy.

"Are you okay?"

"I just... I..." she stammered, trying to speak louder than her racing heartbeat.

I almost killed someone. I almost killed Bucky. I haven't done that in years, am I... I'm not backsliding, I won't let me, I--

Songbird's train of thought was interrupted by Bucky's strong grip on her shoulders.

"Snap out of it."

Her darting eyes found their resting place in his gaze.

"I'm so sorry!" She squeaked.

"And apology accepted. Can we move on now?" Bucky stated in an even, if slightly teasing, tone.

Songbird nodded.

"Good!" Bucky smiled, smacking his hands together as if wiping the dirt of the situation from his palms and rising to his feet. He held his hand out to her, though Songbird was hesitant to take it. The second her fingers grazed his palm, Bucky pulled her to her feet so quickly she nearly fell over into the river.

"Look, I have to make this up to you. I have some medicine at home, I can help patch your cheek--"

Bucky pressed the arrow against Songbird's chest, forcefully handing it to her.

"No. I have something you can do for me."

Songbird looked at Bucky quizzically, still fazed by Bucky's near death at her hands. She shot him a questioning look. Bucky merely smirked.

"Care to hunt with me?"