Son of a Hunter

Ch 3

10 year old Leon was just about this close to jumping off the walls with joy. It was just past his 10th birthday, and he had run for the presents that his parents presented him. Among the various electronics and some clothing, he had finally foung the object of his desire. It was a brand new hunting rifle. But it was not the Rifle that necessarily excited him so much, it was what his father said to him soon after.

"In just a few days son, I am going to take you out. And you are going to go on your first hunt. Those caribou do not stand a chance."

He had waited impatiently for his father to be ready. His father had been busily making arrangements for the two of them to stay overnight out in the woods. The tent was packed into the truck, along with tools that would be used to prepare the animal for transport back to the house. His mother had said that they would make a feast of the caribou, and she would use the rest to make the great beef jerky that he so much loved. Leon absolutely loved his mother's jerky. The flavor and spice far exceeded any other beef jerky that he had so far had eaten.

Finally, the day came upon them. His father gave him his own cameo suit to wear, in order to blend into the woods around them. He had demonstrated the new caller he had, which would be useful for luring the Caribou to their hunting area. And finally, he had allowed his child to test fire his new rifle, giving him the ability to cope with the recoil and power of the weapon. His father chuckled when he finally made a direct hit on the targets they set up.

"Boy, you are going to be a natural! I just know it!" His father said. Leon beamed with pride.

Lunch had been packed, and finally, the two of them were sent off, his mother waving them away. The two hiked for several hours before taking a break to eat. Leon bit into his sandwich with greedy hunger, savoring his mother's makings. When he had finished, his father took him to a particular clearing in the woods. They pitched the tent, and that night, his father told him the basic firing procedures.

"Take a deep breathe just before you pull the trigger . Let half of it out. Then squeeze the trigger. Don't jerk or yank it, squeeze it. If you jerk it, you will throw yourself off target. Do you understand?"

Leon nodded his confirmation, but did so only as an honorary gesture. He truly had not been paying all that much attention, his mind on the birds in the trees. His father took him in his arms and kissed the top of his head.

"I know you will get your first chance tomorrow. And it will be a success. I haven't taught you how to be a failure, and you won't fail hunting. I just know it!"

Leon laughed in joy.

The next day, his father took him a mile from the campsite, and placed him in a grove of trees in a lesser dense area of woods. He had loaded several rounds into his rifle and placed him in a concealed position, hiding him for the most part.

"Now son, you must remain deathly quiet. Animals can hear even the slightest movement. You also must be as still as you can be, for they can sense the motions you make with equal prowess. The secret is to simply remain as queit and still as possible, and to confirm your target before shooting. That is a lesson that has saved lives. Always be sure of your target before you even put your hand on the trigger. Do you understand?"

Leon nodded his reply, not speaking due to what he had just been told.

"I will go back several hundred yards and let out the call. If a Caribou comes by, you are free to take the shot. Remember, the best place is to hit it just several inches under the shoulder blade. That is almost always instant death, and the animal does not suffer for long."

Again, Leon nodded his understanding. His father gave him a long, firm squeeze on the shoulder, and then silently disappeared into the woods behind him. Leon took a deep breathe and waited. Sure enough, the resounding cry from his dad's caller rang out, and Leon waited for any sings of approaching animals. He did not have long to wait.

He heard a slight rustle in the area slightly ahead of him. He stood rock still, and was barley breathing. He heard the sounds again, closer this time. He squinted into the distance, and saw something coming his way. What it was was not known, but sure enough, coming his way it was.

Leon positioned himself facing the creature coming, and rested his finger on the trigger guard. The largest caribou he had ever seen was coming toward his father's crying caller, and he could see the hugeness of the creature even from this distance. Huge horns dominated its head. Huge mounds of flesh covered its sides. And its coat was pure brown, almost shining in the morning light. Leon's breathe caught in his throat. He placed his finger on the trigger, and took aim. He tried to remember the basic firing procedures. What were they again?

Leon's heart sank. He should have paid attention…

The caribou was coming on, and in a few dozen seconds would be past his hiding place and gone before he could take his shot. Leon began to slightly panic. He strained to remember the words his father told him. But he quickly began to regret his lack of attention, as he could simply not recall them. The caribou came steadily on, and his chance began to look dim. He could not afford to take a wild shot…

"Take a deep breathe"

Leon almost jerked his head up at the voice. He had no doubt in his mind that he had heard a woman's voice speak to him. But there were no women or anything human around him at the moment. It was just him and the Caribou. Then something occurred to him? Is this voice telling him what to do? Almost like it was helping him?

"Take a deep breathe" He heard it again. And something in his heart said to follow its direction. He took a deep breathe.

"Let half of it out"

Leon obeyed. He carefully let out half of the air in his lungs.

"Aim at the area just below the shoulders"

Leon took aim. He placed the center of the cross in his scope squarely on the area the voice told him to. He placed his finger on the trigger once again, and this time with confidence.

"Squeeze the trigger. Don't pull or jerk, but squeeze."

Leon squeezed the trigger.

The rifle let out a bang and recoiled, but he was able to rock with it, as his father taught him. The caribou shrank to the ground the almost an instant after he fired, and it had not even cried out. Leon looked up from his scope's view, and took it in. He actually could not imagine having fired his first shot so accurately. But it felt completely natural to him, after that woman spoke to him. He strained to hear the voice again, and it spoke but two words to him this time…

"Well Done…"

"Who are you!?" Leon called, but there was no answer. Just the silence, with the dying echo of his shot being the only sound. His father ran up ten seconds later, and seeing the dead caribou, took the rifle from his son's hands. He then took his shoulders in his arms, and looked down into his face, a huge smile on his father's face.

"I told you that you would be a natural! We are going to have some delicious caribou meat tonight my son! And it's all thanks to you!"

Leon slowly smiled.

A little ways off, observing them in the distance, a goddess smiled as well.

"Very good my son. Very good indeed…"