Chapter 6
“I did not sleep enough…” Gryr’s words were to himself alone as he forced his body up from his straw filled bed. A surge of radiating pain lanced through his body as he forced himself to stand. How is he moving around without a wince of pain? Gryr’s eyes were focused on the large blacksmith that had just woken him up. Compared to Gryr, master Taybus was moving as if he had slept for three days, when Gryr fully knew that his master did not sleep while he succumbed to his exhaustion.
“Good afternoon Master Taybus!” The cheer filled voice carried its way to Gryr’s aching body.
Olfed is clearly excited for this…Othen knows I am not. Gryr wouldn’t have had an issue going hunting with the young boy…any other day but that day. Gryr quickly stretched and prepared for the hunt that was approaching. He paused for a moment as he placed his new necklace over his head. The Valkyrie’s tear gleaned a flurry of colors as he held it in his fingers. Thank you Master Taybus.
“Hey Gryr! Uh, are you okay?” Olfed was staring at the disheveled and soot covered apprentice blacksmith.
“Just a little tired, no worries though.” More like still exhausted, but he wasn’t going to disappoint the eager boy that stared at him. “Are you ready to hunt the biggest bears you’ve ever seen! Bigger than even master Taybus!” Gryr stretched his arms high above his head. That was a mistake. His body protested with lances of pain through his shoulders.
“Yea right, there are no bears in these woods. Right master Taybus?” Gryr could hear slight worry build in Olfed’s words.
“Of course not.” Taybus lifted his gaze from the leather straps he was working with. “The only thing you have to fear is being lost from Gryr’s directions.” There was no smile on Taybus’s face, but Gryr knew it was a joke. It was a joke right?
“Haha! Good one Master Taybus! We should get going Gryr, Da wants me home before nightfall.”
Gryr peered out the open barn doors behind Olfed, the sun had begun its descent into the mountains beyond. “We can definitely make that happen, did you get a bow yet? I think I have an extra you can borrow.”
“No need.” Taybus stood from his work bench with a bow in his hands. Gryr almost laughed as his master’s stature made the bow look like a delicate toy in his grip. “Your father came by earlier and asked to have one made. It’s of the finest Briarwood our forest has, should do you well for some time.”
“It’s beautiful!” Olfed erupted in a sprint toward the large man with open arms.
Gryr laughed as he watched his master peel the joy filled boy from his waist.
“Now don’t go breaking it like the master hunter over there.”
Thanks Master Taybus. “Olfed, let’s get going, the sun won’t wait for us.”
The two left the shop with a quick wave to the master blacksmith.
“Do you think we will find anything good?” Olfed stepped into the forest behind Gryr with an excited jolt.
“Probably a rabbit or two if we are lucky.” Hopefully not the boar. Gryr’s mind went to his last hunt. For a moment he could feel the heat that seemed to radiate from the boar’s fiery red hair. Instinctively, his hand hovered over the new axe that hung from his hip. It’s brother hung from Master Taybus’s same hip. I won’t lose you.
“That’d be nice, Da would be really proud if I brought home even a cricket.”
“As he should be, those are very fast!” Gryr smiled at the boy that trudged along next to him. The two hadn’t reached the hunting grounds yet, so their volume was not an issue.
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Kris Writes Worlds 
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