Emnunah sat near the cistern he built and began to shoot at vultures with the sling shot he was gifted by the Herald. He was able to catch ground animals a lot easier, but due to the larger wild animals coming about, there was a shortage of land game. "Aim…pull back….and" !!WOOSH!! The pebble flew right past the loitering bird. The vulture continued to circle the spot as if it was taunting the boy's lack of skill. Emunah let out a deep disappointed sigh as he stared at the ground and kicked a few rocks he had gathered. "Need a little assistance my boy?" Emunah turned to see a cheerful brown face riding towards him, waving hello. "Mr Herald! I thought you forgot about me!" Emunah shouted as he ran to greet his role model. He embraced the Herald with a big hug around the thigh, he was too short to reach much else.
"Now son, how in the world could I forget such a young man like yourself! With so much promise and potential to be a great leader one day. Surely only a fool would leave you alone to die!" The Herald stated with a large smile on his face. He had grown to truly adore the young boy. It had only been a few months since they had met in the beginning of fall. However, there was a special place in his heart for this random young man that he could not put a finger on. Somehow, since the day they met the young boy had a way of tugging on the Heralds heart strings.
"Hmmph, some man I will be. I can't even hit a damned bird with a foolish rock! No man should ever follow me, no matter how old I am. They surely will parish" Emunah turned away from the Herald feeling shame for his slow learning. The Herald felt for the child, and could not bare him to speak on himself in such a way. "Hey" the Herald said as he placed a loving hand on the child's shoulder. "Show me how you are doing it. Maybe I can help". Emunah reluctantly picked up his tools and did his steps to catapult the pebble into the sky. Another miss. The Herald pondered what he witnessed, and after a few small tips on technique, he and Emunah rejoiced over the young boy's first airborne kill. "Now! To show you how to prepare and cook it!" The Herald proudly exclaimed. Emunah rushed off to grab the dead bird, and both males retired into Emunah's small home. The sun was setting and The Herald planned on spending the night with the small boy since he had be gone so long. The Herald did not bother to explain to the child at the moment about how he felt as if he was under suspicion at the palace, he actually recently told him that he even lives in a palace. The boy was so in awe and in such a good mood he figured he would share his concerns with the child when the sun rose once again. For now they sat in front of the fire, and the Herald watched the child eat until he was content. He gave Doe a friendly pet on the head, and even read a chapter out of the beloved storybook to the child. He had been teaching the boy to read in case he needed to send written messages. As the young man slept near his male model, the Herald couldn't help but feel guilt once again.
"Look at him, his innocent little face. He must feel at least a bit of relief knowing at least one human cares about him…" The herald began to picture the joy on the child's face every time he accomplished a task he deemed for a man. The Herald took no joy in knowing he would have to rip away yet another piece of innocence from the poor boy's life. The Herald sighed, "sleep child. Sleep your last night of peace and safety. For when the sun rises, your world will again become a web of confusion." Without warning, he became emotional and shed a small tear that silently dropped onto the forehead of the child he held in his arms. He wiped the tear away, and before he knew it he had gently kissed the child on the forehead, and drifted off to sleep right after.
Semyaza watched the Herald fall asleep, through the slits of the blanket now used as a front door. He had followed the Herald on his entire journey without being noticed. He saw the Herald pack a few extra clothes and food that was more than what was needed for the trip ahead. He had a notion the Herald would happen to need to 'stay overnight in the wilderness' as he has been doing the entire fall season. Sure enough, The Herald unknowingly led the Watcher exactly to his secret dwelling. Semyaza began to make his way back to the forest. On the way there, he had to pass by the field of foods the child had been growing. Semyaza stopped and looked around in disgust. "How dare that heathen betray the ways of the king that I produced!! This town was to be destroyed with NOTHING left behind, not child nor cattle and here is this fool caring for BOTH….Surely the king will be too kind on the punishment of this, this poor excuse of a man! He is weak, allowing a child of the enemy to live! Simply for being a child. I say young blood is best for rejuvenation!" Semyaza paced back and forth a bit as he angrily ranted to himself in the garden. "Yes, surely the king will not allow harsh punishment for this ingrate. He dares betray my orders?! Pillage the towns of the names I give you, leave no living thing behind, and report any life found! How hard is that as an order? Well…i guess i will have to handle this then. Since I am the only one who shall be sure his treason is fully repaid" A sinister smile spread on Semyaza's face as he ignited a fire in the palm of his hand. He raised his arms and shot the fire all around the garden setting every single living plant on fire in the area, before disappearing into the forest.
The Herald thought he was dreaming when he smelled smoke from a wildfire. He woke up and peered outside to see if he was going mad, only to find a trail of smoke coming from the direction of the garden. The Herald stepped outside to get a better look and jogged down the trail that led to the garden. When he was met halfway with the roar of black smoke, he quickly turned back and ran towards Emunah's hut. The Herald was full of anxiety as he ran, believing his fears had become reality. "I knew someone was following me! How foolish can i be, letting my guard down so easily because i got away with a few extra trips!" The Herald rushed into the Hut and shook Emunah awake violently, Doe was nowhere to be found. Emunah sleepily blinked his eyes and asked what was going on. The Herald hurriedly told the boy "pay attention Munah, this is important. I know where your mom is…" Emunah's brain jolted awake after hearing this notion. "Wait? Huh? really???? " he responded excitedly. The Herald shook the child by the shoulders ``listen to me! There are bad men out there. Very bad, and they are the reason your town is gone. I was supposed to report any live people I found but my heart would not allow me to send a child to his death. I fear, young boy, that I have been followed and the bad men are back! Smell the air, that smoke is from the garden we've repaired! It is on the way to being ashes like the rest of the field!" Emunah snatched away from the Herald with a cold pained look on his face, "you knew about my mom this whole time and you LIED to me? Blasphemy sir! How could you!" Emunah could not hide the pain in his heart as silent tears rolled down his cheeks at the thought of betrayal. Harold looked into the child's pleading eyes, but was reminded of his urgency when the whiff of smoke hit his nose. "Son, listen…" Harold pleaded.
'I AM NOT YOUR SON! I WOULD NEVER BE THE SON OF A LIAR! BY BLOOD OR BY HEART." Emunah shouted through his childish sobbing. Harold took the child by the hand and damn near drugged him around the hut, gathering and packing items. Emunah fought to get out of the grasp but the male muscles were too strong. "Let me go!" Emunah struggled while Harold asked where Doe was. "I don't know! She probably ran off when she sensed the fire!" Emunah was still struggling to get loose. Harold sternly told Emunah to cut out the temper tantrum. "You need to listen to me! People are coming to kill you! You need to be prepared to run! Go to the edge of town, you need to leave this place." Emunah's eyes bulged with fear. "But…but…. I dont know how to get to the next town" he stuttered. The Harold looked him deep in the eyes and said "I know you are scared, but it's time to be a man, a FULL man. You have to go. I will come back for you I promise, I know every town for miles around here, trust me i will find you again. Now, go out and see if you can find Doe, if not I will have to give you my horse." Emunah ran outside and searched frantically for his goat friend. The thought of having to ride that huge horse struck a panic in Emunah, he thought surely he would die. Emunah went through all the neighboring homes and could not find Doe anywhere. Right as he was about to give up The Harold appeared with bags and horse in tow. "I'm sorry i can't find her!" he began to cry. Just then Harold pointed behind the boy. Emunah spun around and ran to greet his goat friend. "I thought I lost you forever," he shouted as he hugged Doe tightly. Harold rushed and packed the goat with all the bags he carried. " mmph….i got some clothes in there for you…hmph! And I packed you all the food you were able to store so make sure you guard these bags with your life." Emunah watched Harold finish tying the items onto the Goat. Emunah quickly hugged the man's legs and for a split moment Harold found himself smiling from his soul. He embraced the child and hoisted him onto Doe. "head this way and don't stop until you find a stream." he pointed in a direction. "I will come and find you when the sun rises highest in the sky." With that, Harold smacked the Goat on the behind and watched them take off in the direction he gave.