Gold Rings ⚜️ Bucky Barnes X Reader

12: Hunting Partners

The duo marched with practiced methodical steps, which could be expected from those with similar military training. However, Songbird's steps seemed to hit the ground with a light graze, while Bucky's steps were much more lead-footed. With time, his gait naturally changed to match hers as they continued their pursuit through the woods.

"So, what are you looking to hunt?" Songbird threw over her shoulder as she continued to clear vegetation out of her way.

"Really, anything," Bucky shrugged. "I'm trading whatever I hunt for wood and time from the carpenter, so whatever amount of food you would think that would be."

"So... a lot,"  Songbird responded. "Just up here is a place where the wild boar like to rest near the river. It's great hunting grounds, but they tend to be a bit aggressive, so it's best to use a long-range weapon."

Bucky nodded, going along with whatever Songbird was yammering about. It was hard to catch her voice sometimes due to her marching in front of him, the rushing of the river water to his right, and the constant ambience from the surrounding jungle. 

It wasn't long until the clay and silt mixture beneath Bucky's feet began to soften into mud. Lost in the saturated earth were several track marks that were hard to distinguish from each other due to the sheer number of them, but Songbird seemed to know exactly where they were.

The hunting ground.

To Bucky's surprise, Songbird began climbing one of the nearby trees, heading straight for the canopy. 

"Hey, where are you going?" Bucky shouted at her, but she seemed to be too high up to hear him and respond. Or maybe she was simply refusing. In either case, Bucky knew he had very few choices but to follow her into the treetop. 

As they got closer to the top of the tree, Bucky began to notice little nicks in the wood, as if someone had carved into the bark of the tree. They were too straight and deep to be caused naturally, and it only took a few seconds to realize exactly what they were climbing to.

At the top of the tree was a small platform just big enough to seat four people around the circumference of the tree trunk. The duo was able to comfortably stand on the platform and oversee a nearby clearing in the forest where a herd of wild boar was grazing. The clearing was formed near the mouth of an underground spring, where the water had saturated the earth so much that the previously solid ground had turned into a deep mud puddle. Tallgrasses and weeds sprung up from the mud and seamlessly connected to the local riverside plants that outlined the banks of the main river. Grazing in the grass were 15-30 wild boars having a lazy day enjoying the mud as a naturally cool place to protect them from the early summer heat.

"Have you ever shot a bow and arrow?" 

Bucky's head snapped to the right, facing Songbird as she went to string her arrow.

"Uh... no. I'm much more of a... guns, person." he responded with a tone that was equal parts confusion and curiosity. 

"Well, you're going to learn how to shoot one today," Songbird smirked, pointing to the bow that was still strapped across Bucky's chest. 

"I thought our little deal was that you would hunt for me, considering, ya'know..." Bucky smirked, "... you SHOT me?"

"The deal was I would help you. This is me helping you. Take it or leave it."

"I don't know if you remember, but I have one arm.

She looked down at his stub.

"Oh. Right. Well, I can at least give you guidance!"

Bucky crouched next to Songbird as she analyzed the prey that was roughly 20 feet below them and 40 feet out from the base of the tree. Her eyes darted over her terrain, jumping from animal to animal as she decided which would be the best one to hunt.