Chapter Five: The Hunt

Rune

Pro Tip: Please make sure to double check where you're aiming before firing an arrow.

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When Peter finally returned back to camp, he was welcomed warmly and loudly. The Lost Boys looked excited, waving their bows or clubs in the air and cheering in greeting. They all circled under the rock he spoke from like a stage.

"Is everyone ready for the hunt?"

He was met with more cheering. Whatever they were hunting had to be important. Luckily, even if I hadn't been told what we were hunting, I had been told about the event, and so I carried a bow and a quiver of arrows.

"Right, then!" Peter scanned the crowd. "Felix, you'll take Tristen, Gawen and...Rune. Devon, you're bringing Justin and Corbin. And Javaid! Alistair and Anubis. The rest of you lot are with me." After that, he turned around and broke into a run. Five or six of the Lost Boys followed him, while two followed a boy with scraggly red hair to the right, and two others followed another with dark skin to the left. Felix hadn't moved.

"Well?" I asked, squinting into the forest where Peter had disappeared. "Aren't we supposed to be going too?"

"We will."

"When?! Everyone else has already left!" Annoyed, I paced around in a circle.

"When Pan gives the signal."

"Shouldn't be long now," one of the Lost Boys interjected. Like most of the hunting party, he carried a bow at the ready. "I'm Tristen, by the way. I don't think we've had the chance to properly introduce ourselves."

I offered a slight nod. "Nice to meet you."

Before another word was said, the sound of a deep horn echoed in the woods. Felix broke off running with surprising speed, and Tristan and Gawen were close at his heels. I did my best to keep up, but the others knew the terrain much better than I did. Several times, I nearly tripped over roots or rocks.

"There!" the other Lost Boy, Gawen probably, pointed in front of us. Something big and black was running through the forest ahead. A long, fuzzy looking tail stuck out straight behind it.

"What is that?!" I demanded, wide eyed as I stared ahead.

"That's our hunt!" Felix explained. For once, he was smiling. His eyes gleamed with enthusiasm as he looked back at me. "Keep up! And don't fire anything until I say so!"

Now filled with adrenaline, our group pushed even faster after the beast. Whoops and shouts came from all around, a sign that the other teams must've already surrounded it. All that was left now was for us to close in.

As we drew nearer, I was able to catch more of what the prey looked like. A pair of large, feathery wings were folded at its side, and its legs were thick and hooved. Given my position at the back, it was difficult to discern more.

Suddenly, the beast reared on its hind legs and turned around, shaking the earth when it hit the ground again. I stopped running and stumbled back, caught between amazement and fear.

The creature had the snout of an elephant, but the face of a horse. Two, wide brown eyes on the side of its head took in its surroundings. There was no mistaking that it had to have been as big as a house. It was a mystery as to how it could navigate the forest on Neverland so gracefully and swiftly.

What are our weapons supposed to do against this?! I thought, notching an arrow anyway. But the horse-elephant-wolf-bird thingy made an elephant call, making me fumble with the projectile and drop it.

"Now!" someone called. A folly of arrows rained down on the animal. Angered, it started running towards my group. I scrambled to my feet and dove out of the way just in time to avoid being trampled.

"Seriously, what is that thing?!" I demanded, hurrying to keep pace with Felix when he ran by after it.

"The Elehorfird! Now quit asking questions and save your breath for the chase!"

Rolling my eyes, I followed. The animal - Elehorfird or whatever - was fast. It wasn't long before it was lost to the forest again. However, the Elehorfird was nowhere near silent. Thunderous pounding of hooves gave away its location ahead of us. Finally, we cornered it.

The Lost Boys had to know the island well if they drove it towards the base of the mountain. There looked to be no way to climb the mountainside. The Elehorfird realized it was trapped and started to panic. Swinging its trunk around, it warded off any Lost Boys who drew too near. It stamped its feet and trumpeted loudly, warning people that if anyone came closer, they'd be hurt.

"Fire!" Peter ordered. He stood in front of the group, grinning almost madly. "We've got it trapped!"

Taking a deep breath, I pulled an arrow out of my quiver, drew it back, and fired. I still wasn't a good shot, even if Felix had spent the time with me to practice. Someone gasped. Alarmed, I looked around and realized my arrow had disappeared into the forest. Warily, I stepped past the foliage to see who was there.

"Er, sorry for almost shooting you with an arrow. But, uh, who are you?"