Chapter 20: Positively Primeval

"I thought ya' never got lost." Came the irritating voice of the rider behind him.

Gaston didn't look back or take the bait. His gaze remained focused on the trees ahead. The thick woods laid out in a tangled web of thorns and tall dry grass. Barron protested their progress with a huff but continued into the brush. Gaston rubbed his stallion's neck and sounded a knowing click of his tongue. With the passage of time, they seemed to only move away from the path and farther into the unknown.

"Thought you were the best tracker in town." The plump man continued with a chuckle. The sound caused Gaston to grind his teeth and speed up slightly.

"Gosh, I wish the triplets could see us. Big, booted Gaston, can't find the largest castle in the land behind some trees. Bet I'd get a chance now!" Lefou guffawed loudly. The noise echoed slightly on the air.

Gaston grunted in reply. His small friend was an idiot, but he wasn't wrong. Gaston was lost. The experience was new to him. In all his years tracking within the trees, he had never lost his way. In fact, a week ago, he would have bet that he could find any trail with his eyes closed. But he would have been proven wrong.

He had been to the castle many times in the past. His wares were much sought after and he made his fortune supplying the royalty with furs.

There were markers along the way that he would casually notice; a tree that curved into a cane, a little brook that frosted over in winter, a hidden cave that held hundreds of bats. He didn't need these landmarks to guide him, but he acknowledged them all the same. Now they were nowhere to be seen.

The day was warming up, thankfully, but that just meant that they were losing time. Gaston slowed his horse slightly and jumped to the ground. He needed to stretch his legs. He planted his feet and lifted his shoulders, elongating the tense cords of his spine. Once his muscles were appeased, he turned his eyes to the brush beside him. The tall blades were brittle, like sharp sticks instead of soft grass. He tilted his head and moved closer.

"Are we breakin' to eat? I'm starvin'" Lefou moaned and slipped from his saddle, landing on trembling legs. With a grunt, he planted himself on the cold dirt. The exhausted man reached inside of his coat and brought out a half-eaten chunk of bread wrapped in paper. He then proceeded to munch away without another glance at his enormous friend.

Gaston did not follow suit. He was busy inspecting the grass and trees beyond. He moved closer to the earth and dipped a hand in the dirt. Opening his palm, he let the specks sift through his fingers. He held the remaining particles close to his nose. His eyes slanted as his gaze wandered up. Then, with a speed only he was blessed with, he crouched to the ground and moved behind a tree.

"Lefou! Take cover!" He ordered in an urgent whisper. His friend looked up in surprise but rolled to the ground. He crawled on his belly to where Gaston waited and followed his gaze.

"What is it?" He asked, breathless.

Gaston held a finger to his lips and shoved him down lower to the ground, hiding Lefou behind his body. He pointed up to a long brown rope that hung above their heads. He followed along its path with his hand and tapped the side of his nose, before edging sideways. With a look to Barron ordering him to stay, Gaton inched forwards on bended knees. His boots slid along the dirt soundlessly and Lefou followed behind.

The rope drooped across the tree branches and disappeared into a dark clearing a few arpents away. Gaston turned then and grabbed his friend by his soiled shirt front. He pulled him close and hissed into his ear.

"Someone is watching us. The grass is bent in that direction." He nodded his head to the right. "But if they are smart, and I think they are, it was done on purpose. We go that way." He frowned to the left. Then slowly he crossed into the poking weeds.

The thorns bit into his thighs as he crawled along the ground. He could hear Lefou breathing heavily. Gaston kept his eyes and ears alert. As he moved he noticed a trap to his right. It was simple but brilliant in its own way. A rope lay slightly raised beside a hidden hole. It was just deep enough to capture a man's ankle. The victim would then trip and release a forked stake and snare. Gaston frowned. There was no bait.

They moved past the trap slowly, avoiding any similar tricks, and almost reached the area where the rope disappeared from view. It was then that they heard the grumbling.

Turning to his side, Gaston looked up and saw the creature. It's long, razor-sharp tusks were covered in red mud and it pressed its snout into its hidden dinner. It snorted loudly as it routed for more. Lefou shuffled away in fear. Gaston held up a hand for silence and reached for his bow and arrow. The boar would make for a good meal.

As he steadied himself on one knee, the creature looked up. Killer instinct seemed to overwhelm it and it forgot its food instantly. The large, bulbous eyes filled with rage and the boar slashed its tusks in the air, preparing to charge. Gaston was quick and his arrow flew true. With a whiz and a thud, it stabbed the wild hog and sent it falling to its side. A glittering light came to Gaston's eyes as he turned to his friend.

The momentary triumph felt by the two travelers was cut short by the triggering of a trap. Almost instantly the boar was lifted by the legs and pulled, head down, into the trees. Gaston grunted and almost stood in anger. Instead, he picked up his speed and rushed into the darkness.

It took a moment for his eyes to adjust. The black branches swung at his face and blinded him. He could hear Lefou stumbling around next to him and felt his hand grab for his shoulder.

"Stay close." Gaston breathed, clutching his bow.

The air seemed thicker within the heavy woods. Gaston paused to consider why. They must be close to a marsh or swamp. He could taste the dampness on his tongue and smell the wet dirt. He looked up into the trees.

The trappers were good. A lesser man would have already been caught within the hidden snares or at least would have set off one of the many sound alarms. He turned his gaze to the chimes and veiled spikes and smiled slightly. He almost wanted to meet them.

With a smirk, he turned to share his thoughts with Lefou just in time to see the man back into one of said spikes. Gaston responded instantly, slamming into the man and knocking him out of the way. His body swung left just in time to miss the flying wooden spear. He cursed soundly under his breath and glared at his clumsy comrade.

"You're going to get us killed." He thundered under his breath as he bent to pick up the stick. He held it up to his eyes in the dark and frowned. The point wasn't blunt, but it wasn't sharp enough to kill from that speed. At most, it would injure the unknown invader.

Gaston threw it down into the frozen dirt and turned to his friend.

"Strange." He mumbled.

"What?" Lefou asked, still clearly dazed from his rush with death.

Gaston shook his head and stepped closer. "I don't know yet. All of this. I felt the eyes of the trappers from the road but where are they?"

"Ya' want them to get us?" Lefou asked in amazement.

"I want answers. This whole thing is wrong. This place." He gazed around them. "It shouldn't be here. Maybe we aren't the only ones lost in these woods."

Gaston felt a tingle of awareness before he heard the voice from the branches above. The large man looked up in amazement, peering into the shadows. Then a voice came through the leaves and he stared in shock at the sight that followed.

"I always said you were smart."

A.N All rights to Walt Disney

Hello, readers! Now here is a mystery! Who is within these trees? Can you guess? You get this right and maybe Gaston will share his boar with you!

I want to thank you all for continuing to support this story! Your words have been so encouraging and helpful. I want to thank pinkdynamite, VictoriaJameson, greensarcher, PastOneonta, FantasyActionRomanceGirlCraze, Booklover (lovely name!), and my darling guest reviewers! You are amazing! My next chapter is written, so no long wait. I just have to finish the editing. As always, thank you all for reading, reviewing, following and/or favoriting! –S.