A Tribian Tale

20. Hunting and Foraging

"We spark everytime we touch. We become like the stars. There is a bond that connects us. ...You have your reasons to trust me. Stay away from the dark forest." Paulit-ulit na naglalaro sa utak ko ang mga katagang iyon ni Chase. Kahit na kanina pa niya ako iniwang nakatulala sa bungad ng cottage garden ng camp deadlock.

How do I recover fast from that intense conversation? It's almost leaving me befuddled.

It takes several minutes before I could pull myself together.

Huminga ako ng malalim saka nagdesisyong tunguhin ang gazebo kung saan dinig ko na ang kwentuhan ng mga kapwa ko deadlocks. Pinilit kong pinakalma ang sarili bago tuluyang nakalapit sa kanila. Naabutan ko sina Myra at ang iba pa na naghahanda na para sa Hunting and Foraging lesson namin kay sir Fernando Aragon.

The scene somehow changes my spirit. Lalo na nang makita ko ang mga nakangiting mukha ng mga batang deadlocks. Their excitement. Their faces show how they love the camp. How they feel like they are in a family. That they are loved and are safe.

Hunting and Foraging can be fun. Baka ito ang magandang dibersyon ko sa mga bagay na bumabagabag saakin lately.

Deadlock girls wear shades of umber dress with layered epaulets and lame trim and front design, matching the belt with leather satchel and cuffs. Myra holds a pair of daggers with her and the other girls carry a spear, a bow, and an arrow.

Myra prepared my outfit which she personally designed and tailored for me. Mine is quite similar to hers. She makes me wear a hooded cape with chain closure, dandelion tunic dress with attached strap, printed leather gauntlets, waist-cinching belt, leggings, leather boots with a throwing knife on both sides.

Hindi naman nagpahuli ang mga kalalakihan. Oswin is wearing a fitting long-sleeve shirt with hood and vest, gauntlet gloves, belt with pouch, and boot covers like the rest of the boys. Nakasabit ang tila mamahaling pana at isang kumpol ng palaso sa likuran nito. His bow and arrows look like they are specially made for him.

He is a Leviste in the first place. He can buy the most expensive set of hunting bow and arrows if he feels like it.

"Oswin is on fire. Nakakauhaw!" gigil na bulalas ni Myra habang inaayos nito ang dadalhin naming camping bag. I hear the clanging of the metal utensils as she pulls the huge duffel bags and stacks them together.

"He is a Leviste for Noah's sake. The Trinity clan is really gifted with power, charm and wealth." Namamangha ko namang sambit habang nakatitig sa kagamitan ni Oswin. I'm thinking his bow is made of osage orange or yew and the arrows are crafted from an old birch tree. Parang nakita ko na ang mga materyal na 'yan sa hunting journals na kinokolekta ni papa. Osage orange bows are rare and are extremely expensive.

"Kapag talaga kami ni Oswin ang nagkatuluyan, kukunin kitang sekretarya ko, Stella." Humagikgik si Myra sa naisip nito saka ako hinampas ng mahina sa kanang braso.

"Susunod ako sa mga ipag-uutos mo madam Myra Leviste," kunwa'y nagbigay pugay pa ako kay Myra para lang masakyan ang trip nito.

"P-pero wait, parang gusto ko ding makasal sa isang Aragon, Stella!"

Napansin ko halos ang pagluwa ng mga mata ni Myra nang mabaling ang titig nito sa makisig na nilalang na paparating. Her jaw literally drops as her eyeballs almost eject themselves.

Hindi maikakailang gwapo nga ang dumating. The headmaster Fernando looks ridiculously handsome like most of the trinity families. The five o'clock shadow on his face makes him look more appealing as his long burnt umber hair is tied into a pony revealing his handsome face. He looks like a god even if he's only wearing a semi-fitted white undershirt topped by a charcoal vintage coat, semi-fit denim pants and a pair of black combat boots to complete his look.

I wonder kung bakit ganito ang itsura ng mga Leviste, Aragon at Santi. Naisip ko tuloy na baka totoong sila ang mga natitirang lahi ng mga demi-gods na mula sa Mt. Noah.

"Sino kaya ang pipiliin ko, sesh? Ang hirap!" maarteng sambit uli ni Myra na hindi mapakali dahil sa pagdagsa ng mga demigods sa gazebo.

"Huwag kang pumuli kung hindi naman ikaw ang pinapapili," biglang singit ni Oswin. Binubusko na naman nito si Myra.

Tawanan ang buong camp deadlock.

"Itigil mo 'yan kung ayaw mong mabasted!" asik ng kaibigan kong babae na nagsimula na namang maglabas ng isang supot ng kendi mula sa handbag nito.

Oswin pouts and laughs at Myra. Saka lang ito tumigil nang tuluyan nang makalapit saamin ang pinakagwapong headmaster ng Tribus Academy, si sir Ferns.

His chocolate eyes scout the entire gazebo, memorizing each member of his camp. I can see compassion in his eyes. The way he looks at us is similar to how my father would gaze my mom, Avi and myself. He does not speak as often as Oswin does, but the volume of his kindness speaks with his gestures.

"We're heading to Mt. Noah," usal ni sir Ferns. Napukol ang tingin nito sa gawi ko.

"Noah? The l-land of the lost gods?" hindi makapaniwalang bulalas ni Myra na biglang napakapit sa kanang braso ko.

"That place is beautiful!" komento ng isang babaeng deadlock na si Angela.

Tumango ang headmaster. Nanatiling kalmado ito habang nakaharap saaming lahat. Inabot nito ang kulay pulang crossbow na nakapatong sa isang lamesa sa tabi nito saka muling nagsalita. "Our mission is to learn how to forage for food with scarce resources and how to hunt for a rare target. The best way to learn hunting is trying hardest way of hunting."

"What do you mean, sir?" nalilitong tanong ni Oswin.

"We are going to hunt for a white fawn."

"White fawn?" everybody chorused. Dumbstruck.

"The white fawn is rare, headmaster! they only come out before and after the hunter's moon," Oswin utters as if he is so sure of the idea. His face now looks confused. Asking why would sir Ferns let us hunt the white fawn even if we're only beginners?

"We might come back here in the camp with or without the fawn. No pressure. The essence of this trip is learning afterall." Nakangit ang headmaster habang binabanggit nito ang mga salitang iyon. He gestures for us to move and walk towards the grassy entrance of the camp. "Let's go! The lorry is waiting at the entrance."

Nagkatinginan pa kaming lahat bago nagpasyang sumunod kay sir Ferns. Hindi pa rin makapaniwala si Myra sa mga kaganapan. Gaya ko, inaasahan din nitong magiging ordinaryong hunting trip lang ang unang session namin sa Hunting and Foraging. Taking Mt. Noah alone is already a level which expert bounty hunters and assassins are taking.

This could mean something. But looking at sir Ferns and knowing him to be so kindhearted, he's not going to show us doomsday with Mt. Noah.

Can he be trusted?

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