I knelt down on the ground and put my hand into the cold dirt feeling the vibrations as a group of deer four or five of them, cautiously made their way southward, if they continued this path they would run right by me.
As quietly as possible, I slipped my sneakers off so my bare feet sank into the thick mud, my shoes were caked in mud and would make way to much noise.
I'd get them after I'd hunted, for the hunt itself, I was better off barefoot, plus if I had to chase the deer, I would move faster barefoot.
Of course my brothers had to pick the area with the deepest mud puddles they could find on our way to the herd from where we parked the jeep.
I could see Jasper about ten yards from my position and about ten from him, crouched Emmett. Obviously they knew the same thing about the deer that I did; Jasper looked over at me and gave me a thumbs up, which I slowly returned.
I turned my hat backward and returned my hand back to the ground, the deer had changed their direction; Emmett seemed to notice the change too because he took off.
Jasper looked back at me and bolted after him; I slowly stood up and grinned victoriously, Emmett's a great hunter; in fact he's probably the best in our family if not one of the best in the world. But there is one thing that I know that he doesn't, just by sensing the animals own emotions, at night, deer don't like going north. They will but only for a short time they'd rather go south, don't ask me why, I just know it's true, why is another story, one that I have never questioned.
By chasing after them, Emmett was driving them back…back to the north; eventually they would change directions and return back to the south.
It was a risk…waiting like this…with Jasper and Emmett chasing the herd they had a better shot of taking down the first one 'fore I even caught the deer's scent, but it was a calculated risk, one that I had to try, it was the only way I could avoid feeling the deer's fear for an extended period of time, a long chase would mean a long time of the fear and impending death the deer felt and would definitely make me change my mind.
I felt a vibration echo through my feet and I knelt down again…Emmett and Jasper may have the herd's scent, but one doe had rerouted her path. She was headed my way, going the direction the herd had originally intended.
I could hear her coming through the forest, galloping at full speed, but still graceful and quiet with her movements, but not so quiet that she escaped my strong hearing; I felt her movements slow as she entered the small clearing I also felt her alarm and uncertainty, she wasn't ready to give into flat out panic yet, but it was building.
From my advantage I could see her slow from a gallop to a trot as she gazed around, her ears nervously twitching, searching for any sounds, familiar or otherwise.
Quietly I crept closer.
I had promised Jasper that I wouldn't calmly take the animal down, that I would actually hunt it, but I hadn't promised I wouldn't stalk.
I could feel my body preparing itself; my mouth filled with my venom like saliva and my throat tightened a bit.
My body knew it only had to wait a few more seconds for the warm blood to enter my mouth, quenching the thirst that had begun to reach an unbearable point, especially knowing relief was so close.
With one quick second to calm my tense body, I crouched lower to the ground, preparing to become the predator that I usually kept strongly caged while hunting.
The doe turned her head, she sensed something… something unfamiliar and I wondered what she was thinking.
I could feel her fear, but I could not tell what she was thinking, did she know that her life was about to come to a violent end? Was that where her fear was coming from? Or was the fear just of the unknown.
This is why I hate hunting like this. To me, hunting animals is just as bad as hunting humans, suddenly the animals have the same emotions as a human would, the same fear and silent begging not the be slaughtered.
I literally have to force myself to remember that hunting is human nature. Once man had grasped the concept of weapons he became a predator a real threat to the other animals he shared the world with, instead of being the weaker species he became the dominate one. Humans have been hunting for thousands of years.
I had eaten meat when I was human and was very fond of it (when we could get it that is) and this shouldn't be any different than going out with a rifle and bringing home dinner to feed a family, but to me it is different, Jasper, Emmett, and Edward, they have fun with this, they enjoy it.
Heck, Emmett's favorite animal is grizzly bears and he purposely seeks them out to er… well, play with his food, ticking it off to the point that it attacks as he goes into a wrestling match with it in a life or death struggle that he will inevitably win, before he drains the creature of its blood.
And as someone who has also tasted bear blood multiple times. I'll be the first to admit next to moose, bear especially Grizzly Bear has a pretty decent taste and is my favorite after moose of course.
But being a hunter, to actually take down an animal to feast from, is tougher for me to follow through with I often find myself fighting my instincts, because added to those instincts is the very real feeling of an animal's emotions which I begin to empathize with and actually mimic to an extent. I have to force myself to remember that it's survival and that humans are by nature omnivores.
This was how Carlisle explained the alterative way of living when he changed me. He explained his own thought process when he became vampire and it made perfect sense to me, it still does, thankfully though, there is just no written law saying I have to enjoy what I do.
Of course when he explained all of this, it was before we discovered my ability to sense animal's emotions and alter them.
It takes a lot of willpower for me go through with taking a life, even though I know what could happen if I don't regularly feed on animal blood and when it comes down to it, I'd rather hunt animals than hunt humans, becoming the blood thirsty monster I see in movie portrayals of us.
True, a life is a life, and no I don't believe that a human life is more important than an animal's, to me all life is precious and needs to be preserved, but by us hunting deer and other animals, even the predators, I guess we're protecting those around us, animal and human alike.
Without blood from one animal to keep our willpower strong, more lives could easily be lost whether it be human or animal.
With that though on my mind, I grinned a little, allowing myself to slip into predator mode and perhaps even enjoy it.
The deer suddenly stood erect, she had spotted me or caught my scent…which I'm not sure, but she took off like a rocket, and instinctively I followed her.
She was quick, but her fear and confusion slowed her down and within seconds of the chase beginning, I took her down.
The ride home was silent…at least from Emmett. Jasper couldn't stop shaking his head and muttering to himself, while I sat in the back of the jeep arms crossed, unable to keep the smug look off my face.
Seconds after I took the doe down, Jasper and Emmett each had their own kills, but it made no difference, I had won the bet and they knew it. Jasper knew it the minute my emotions shifted from sickened and reluctant to victorious and content.
As we pulled down the driveway towards the house the silence had been going on for a good ten minutes and I wondered if I should even bother following them into the house, or just go straight to the side garage, with my building thirst now quenched I could easily concentrate on the ATV and give my brothers a cool off period.
As Emmett pulled the jeep into the garage, I noticed Edward's Volvo and for a quick second I felt relieved that maybe he was home, but my shoulders fell again when I realized that the Volvo was parked where Carlisle usually parks his Mercedes.
Edward must've switched cars with Carlisle at the hospital, it made sense, the Volvo's tank had been hovering above half full this morning, no way he'd make it to Alaska on that and Carlisle always keeps the Mercedes nearly full. He volunteers his medical services to hospitals and small clinics around our area of Washington and having a full tank made it easier to get up and go when he's called.
Emmett parked the jeep next to the Volvo and slid out. Jasper did the same, before opening my door I nodded thanks as I hopped out.
As we trudged out of the garage towards the house I looked from Jasper to Emmett waiting for a response.
When we neared the house, both turned to face me and I couldn't help but wince. I wasn't sure if I had really hurt their pride. Emmett considers himself a pro hunter, he was as a human too or so he's told me, and I wasn't sure if losing a bet on hunting to his little brother was going to be a downside to me, he doesn't really hold grudges, but he does take things personal when it comes to getting beat because he is VERY competitive.
In fact I think he was still testy about Jasper whooping him the other night, heck he still hadn't forgotten the homerun I hit back in 1946 off of his so called unbeatable cant hit off of it curve ball.
But to my surprise, both Jasper and Emmett were grinning, pride written on their faces; Emmett reached over and hit my shoulder hard.
"Excellent job Chris, never knew you had it in you, I was beginning to doubt you were a real vampire at all!" he exclaimed.
I studied his face, trying to see any hint of sarcasm, but to my surprise, Emmett was completely serious, well serious about the 'never knowing I had it in me' part. I slowly returned his grin as they ushered me into the house.
"That was great," Jasper replied as he opened the door "seriously, you need to admit you had fun with that,"
"I'll think about, it, ask me tomorrow" I replied dropping my still mud caked sneakers out the door onto the porch.
The last thing I needed to do was track mud into the house, all over the very white carpet, that kind of offense can bring on the wrath of Esme.
We walked through the house towards the TV, where Esme was watching the news, no one else was in sight. She looked up when we entered an expectant look on her face.
"We need to crown a new Lord of the Hunt," Emmett announced, still grinning, his arm slung around my shoulders "may I present, Master Hunter: Sir Christian Aiden Callaghan Cullen,"
"Sir?" I exclaimed "What, I've been knighted now!"
I suddenly had the image of Emmett dressed as the Queen, in full Elizabethan garb, knighting me at Westminster Abby and I started to snicker trying desperately to hold my laughter back I'd have to wait till Edward got home to tell him, then find out if telling Emmett would be a good idea, but Edward would love that one.
I swear if my body still could, my face and ears would have been red from embarrassment, but I couldn't help but grin, this kind of pride from Emmett was not something I was used to, so it was definitely not something I had come to expect on a regular basis.
Everyone in the family knows my feelings on hunting so I think tonight's rare occurrence, not only shocked Emmett and Jasper, but the others as well.
Suddenly Emmett reached over and lifted me up slinging me under his arm. He carried me from the front hall and lifted me high over the back of the couch, before gently dropping me on the couch feet first next to Esme.
I lowered myself to a squat and grinned sheepishly at her; she shook her head at Emmett, but she was smiling at all of us just the same. We definitely amuse our mother, Emmett and I particularly.
"Evening, ma'am" I said doing my best to pull off a cowboy Texan accent and failing miserably (at least according to the snickers coming from Jasper).
"Oh brother," Emmett muttered.
I tipped my hat to Esme, just as I had seen western cowboys do, when I was a kid in London going to the cinema to see movies from Hollywood.
My friends and I were fascinated by the American cowboy, most kids my age were. We'd spend hours imitating and acting out the scenes from the films, like Warner Baxter when he played the Cisco Kid or John Wayne…he was probably our favorite.
To us, that was America and that was what all Americans did, it was just day after day of riding horses, wrangling bad guys and fighting bad Indians and smoking peace pipes with good ones.
Even when I got older and learned more about America, I still had that image in the back of mind. It wasn't until I became a vampire and was brought to live in America that I received an eye opening experience.
"Figured I'd drop in to this here waterin' hole an' rest my achin' feet for a spell after I jus' wet my whistle, iffen that suits you all right, I'll be outta your hair in a jiffy."
Esme chuckled, as she leaned over and kissed my forehead. She tilted my head back gently, looking into my eyes for a few seconds.
"Much better," she replied with a nod. Ok, so Esme had noticed that my eyes were getting darker, I really didn't think they had been noticeable, but then again I don't spend my life in front of a mirror gazing at my reflection, I had just briefly noticed the dark this morning walking past the mirror in the hallway. "Do you feel better?"
I nodded.
"Definitely, mum" I replied.
I grinned at her and she pushed my hair around fixing it so my bangs were laying flat, I'm really not sure why Alice, Rosalie, and Esme always have the desire to play with my hair, the Denali girls do it too.
Esme looked over at Jasper and Emmett, just as Alice appeared on the stairs, she was grinning wide.
Seeing her grin, Emmett and Jasper exchanged a defeated look before looking back at Esme and me,
"Ah man…" Jasper groaned softly, shaking his head as I grinned victoriously, pumping my fists in the air.
I stood up and leaned against the back of the couch, staring my brothers down, giving them a goofy look as if to challenge them, not one to be taken serious, but one to rub in my victory.
"That's right," Alice sang "no Dr. Doolittle comments for two months!"
"Two months?" Emmett exclaimed, apparently Jasper had neglected to fill him in on the time frame of said bet and he was managing to glare at both Jasper and myself.
Before things could really escalate though, Esme spoke up; she stood up and turned to look at the four of us with the look of a mother breaking up an argument, the look in her eyes said 'I am speaking do not interrupt me.'
Esme rarely enforces her mothering role outside of loving us and wanting to make sure each of us is happy, but when she finds the need to be authoritative we all know to listen.
"I think there needs to be some ground rules with this bet," she paused and looked at Emmett and Jasper, though her words were more directed towards Emmett, since it would be him who would have the most trouble keeping up his end of the deal. "Rule one, for every Dr. Doolittle comment, whether Christian is around to hear it or not, for every Dr. Doolittle comment I, Carlisle, Rosalie, Edward, or Alice hear, said out-loud" she specified just in case Edward being able to hear thoughts and his side of the matter was questioned. "Whoever says it will give Christian ten dollars towards the parts he needs for his bike and or ATV and will help him work on them."
The last part of the condition wasn't really tough for them to follow, working on any of the vehicles we have is a good way to pass the time and both Emmett and Jasper are more than willing to work on them with me, especially the bike and the ATV, but parting with the money to buy the various parts I needed was the real catch in Esme's plot.
It would definitely make my brothers think twice before calling me Dr. Doolittle, at least I hoped.
"Fine," Emmett agreed crossing his arms, his expression softened a little, but I could see the wheels turning in his head, two months was going to be a long time and not calling me Dr. Doolittle for those two months was not going to be easy for him.
But I was surprised when Esme turned to me; apparently I had a condition in this as well as my brothers.
"Rule two. Christian, tonight you may gloat your victory, but I do not want you egging your brothers into calling you Dr. Doolittle, understood?" it was not a suggestion; this was a direct order from the mum.
Though I'm not the type to gloat…finally beating my brothers in a bet was a rare occurrence one that definitely deserved to be gloated upon.
"Yes Ma'am." I replied
"If you do, this bet becomes void." I nodded, but another look from Esme, told all of us that she was not finished "and when the two months are up, that does not mean you two can go back into full swing with the Dr. Doolittle, I am asking the both of you to ease up on it. Understood?"
Emmett and Jasper both nodded.
I reached across the back of the couch extending my hand towards Emmett.
"Deal?" I said, keeping my face still, for a second or two Emmett didn't move, but then he smiled and took my hand as we shook on Esme's ground rules, probably with the same thought on our minds, keeping our end of the bargain.
"Deal," he replied.
With that out of the way, I turned to Esme for a second,
"Is dad home?" I asked, secretly inquiring about the Volvo. She nodded and I returned the nod. Emmett had drifted to the chair, quietly obtaining the remote from under Esme's nose and changing the news to the last remnants of a hockey game. "Would it be really rude for me to go to him and tell him?" I said barley above a whisper, not that Emmett couldn't hear me, but bragging wasn't in my nature and I really didn't want to be obnoxious.
Esme looked over at Emmett and shook her head,
"I think he will be more proud and happy for you than anything. Go. He wanted to speak with you when you returned home anyways."
I vaulted myself over the couch and darted towards the stairs, I brushed past Alice who ruffled my hair a bit as I passed.
A/N: just wanted to thank "just4me" and the annoymous reviwer who have given me hope about this fic. Also I don't know if you guys would be interested in reading it, but I do have a shorter fic written of when and how Chris met Carlisle and became a vampire, there are two of them one from Chris's POV and the other from Carlisle's so if you'd like to see them as well I would be happy to post them. Take care, chapter 6 up tomorrow.