A gentle tap on my shoulder had my eyes open in an instant. Teko stood above me with a large grin on her face "Come, I teach bow" she waved her bow to signal what she meant. Smiling I nodded my head and put my clothes on ready for my bow lesson. If I was going to help them I needed to learn how to fight, Teko was the person to help me.
Smiling and waving at a few older females and children we made our way into the forest. Teko's first lesson consisted of trying to teach me how she moves with grace and agility. After a sore cut on my arm and a bruised ego, she let me stop and we moved onto learning how to use a bow.
After I had mastered how to use the bow she let me practise on some fruit she had tied to the trees. Holding my bow I raised it level with my eyes, set the arrow and gently pulled back. All the while keeping the tip of the arrow level with both my eye and the target, at Teko's command I released the arrow.
Fits of laughter could be heard behind me as I looked to where the untouched apple gently swayed in the wind. I had missed and badly, turning I gave Teko a stern look and picked up another arrow.
After all my arrows had gone, the apple was once again untouched. Sighing I handed the bow back to her and sat against a tree, my head in my hands.
Teko's voice sounded from next to me as she joined me "What matter".
I looked up at her and replied with a little annoyance in my voice "I didn't even hit the apple; I'm never going help Acid and Kant"
She placed her had on my knee and pointed to the darkening sky "You not one with bow, bow apart of you, you thinking too much" she picked up the bow, collected some arrows and made me stand and try again.
Taking a deep sigh I tried again and again, but the same result happened every time. When the forest was too dark to see Teko called it a day and we headed back through the forest. When we arrived back the chief signalled for us to go into the hut Teko had gone yesterday.
We sat round a burning log fire as he began to speak. Teko translated what he was saying and in the end we had come up with a first step plan, two scots would be sent to the camp to try and work out where they were being kept. If they were still alive then a plan would be set for more scots to be set and find a way into the compound and a rescue would be made.
Happy with the outcome and hoping the first part does not happen, we headed out for a meal with the rest of the community. Teko said we would continue the training in the next couple of days after the first scouts left tomorrow night.
Heading for the hut I slept in last night, I laid on the soft animal skins thinking about Acid. Was he ok, was he even still alive? The thoughts followed me into my dreams.
My eyes opened as darkness still filled my hut. I headed outside and noticed it was the early hours of the morning and the sun was slowly rising above the horizon. An idea made its way into my head as I snuck into Teko's hut, noticing her bow lay against the foot of her bed. Grabbing the bow and arrows I walked towards the forest grabbing a few apples as I passed.
Once again I got into position holding the bow with a steady aim, straight at the apple and released. A sigh of frustration was soon becoming a common noise as I couldn't get the hang of it. The arrows were going above or below the apple.
A twig snapping had my attention as Teko walked into the clearing, noticed what I was doing and smiled "Come I show you a trick" she stood next to me as I raised the bow "before firing, take breath in, hold, fire".
She smiled and stepped to the side letting me take aim. Taking her advice I took a deep breath in and held it as the arrow sent the apple flying towards the other side of the forest. My sighs became screams of joy as I jumped up into the air as achievement ran through my body.
Teko cheered then set up another apple for me to shoot. After a couple of hours id got the hang of it and was soon hitting the apple every time I shot. A large grin speared across my face as we headed back towards the rest of Teko's family.
As we reached the village we saw two males standing next to the chief talking, turning to Teko she confirmed my suspicions "scouts". I nodded in agreement, never taking my eyes from them as we sat down with the other women.
It soon became time for the scouts to leave; one hugged a woman and kissed his son on the head before heading into the forest with the other male. I couldn't sit still the whole time they were out, tea had been finished and most people had gone to bed.
Footsteps sounded from the forest as we all sat up looking towards the direction the noises came. The two scouts came into view and headed towards the chiefs hut, signalling for us to follow.
A deep sigh of relief came as they said that Acid and Kant were still alive and were being kept in the west side of the compound. A plan was formed for their rescue and more scouts would be sent out to find a way into the compound.
Three days later we were ready to go and rescue Acid and Kant. Teko and I were accompanied by six other males, the two who scouted the other day and four new ones. My aim with a bow had improved that a tradition was for me to get my own bow and arrow.
Teko had carved and made me my own bow and it was presented in front of the community by the chef. I was dressed up in war clothes and paint by the older women and we were blessed before we headed off to rescue my friends. A women's words echoed in my mind as she pulled my hand and gently whispered into my ears "Some not come back, may forest protect"
Hearing her words I walked into the forest, not a simple human but I determined warrior. I was ready and waiting.
