RP Log: Atobe Keigo & Hiyoshi Wakashi
Rating: PG for body count
When: Last couple of days
Where: The jungle
Summary: Atobe and Hiyoshi go hunting
Author's note: Meat tonight folks! And um, tomorrow and .... anyone know how to smoke venison?
Atobe stepped carefully over the tree root and scanned the thick foliage around them. It had been 24 hours and they had not sighted anything more substantial than a few rodents and a large parrot. Atobe was not prepared to break a sweat for anything smaller than a stag.
He turned to look back at Hiyoshi, stomping behind him carrying the two packs. Clearly, the amount of noise he was creating was causing every animal within a mile to flee.
“Silence,” Atobe commanded when he drew close. “A bull elephant has more grace than you do.”
Hitching one of the bags up higher Hiyoshi shot his erstwhile leader a disgruntled look before twitching his head to discourage some large bug to try and settle on his face. Thankfully at least he hadn’t really expected Atobe to carry his own bloody bag and had packed light for the other boy and himself. Still it didn’t help that so far into the jungle the air was thick with moisture, most of which seemed to have decided to sluice down his back apparently and the dim light tried to trick him to step into every nook, cranny or sinkhole this god forsaken piece of earth had to offer - the lack of having an arm to spare to steady himself most of the time contributing to much of the ‘noise’ Atobe was so snootily referring too. “If I’m holding you back feel free to go without me.” He grumbled out between gritted teeth, trying ineffectively to twitch his ear to get rid of a irritating trickle of sweat curving behind it.
“If I had realised you had seen fit to pack quite so little, perhaps I would have come alone,” Atobe said, dismissively. “How you thought we would manage without six full sets of cutlery, I have no idea.” He pushed aside a branch and stepped forward, balancing on a tree root to prevent submerging into the pile of mud just behind it. “I have also been wearing this shirt all morning, yet you say I have no clean ones left to change into.” The branch snapped back into place, swinging an inch from Hiyoshi’s nose.
“No you wouldn’t.” Hiyoshi barely bit back a sneer, used to branches almost taking his eyes out or smacking him in the face thanks to his companion. “You’d have to carry your own stuff in that case.” It wasn’t the fact that he had to carry Atobe’s bag that rankled as much as that that seemed to be ALL the older boy had brought him along for, some sort of pack mule or a make do replacement for Kabaji maybe. Still his temper was not frayed enough to just dump Atobe’s bag in the mud and stomp back towards the camp - that would be admitting defeat. No, no matter how annoying Atobe could be, he would persevere and come out stronger for it.
Atobe ignored him, walking on the upraised path of tree roots as he tried to find somewhere suitable to place his hands. Up ahead, light was pooling through the dense canopy above them, indicating they were approaching a clearing. Atobe threw out an arm to unnecessarily stop Hiyoshi and listened.
Water. The trickling sound of a stream reached his ears from the left and from the right ... movement.
Atobe turned to his companion. “Bags down,” he ordered him. “And pass me my racket. Plus the ball I brought.”
Coming to a stop Hiyoshi was ready to tell Atobe to stuff it when his own ears pricked, the same noise of quiet rustling of something moving through the underbrush reaching him. Before they had left he had scoffed at Atobe’s idea of hunting with a racket, but now - seeing that Hyotei’s king was actually quite serious he couldn’t help feeling curious and diligently set down the bags to silently pull the racket and the mentioned ball free to pass them over to the other boy. “What are you going to do...” There was no way in hell a single ball could kill a deer...was there?
Atobe took both objects and tossed the ball gently into the air, letting it fall back to his palm with a hard ‘thunk’. Satisfied, he stepped forward, making his way around the edge of the clearing to emerge into the sunlight on the opposite side to where the quiet rustling could be heard.
In the trees, a large dark coated deer stretched its neck up to pull leaves from a nearby branch. Its coat was dabbled with cream dots. Attractive, Atobe approved. It would make an adequate blanket.
Throwing the ball into the air, he served, smacking the projectile not on the sweet spot, but off the racket rim. There was a clunk as metal struck something hard and the deer looked up, but too late. The ball caught it squarely in the throat and it toppled to the ground, its legs twitching.
Atobe looked across at Hiyoshi. “If it is not dead, you will need to slit its throat. Do not use the steak knives.”
Watching the ball whizz through the air and send the animal toppling to the ground Hiyoshi had a moment of almost awe where he was once again impressed by just how well Atobe knew his way around a tennis racket. Of course any lingering feelings disappeared in a puff of annoyance as he was informed that he was now to kill the twitching animal - and that without using the only sharp knives they had brought.
Exhaling sharply he brushed past Atobe and descended into the dip past the tree roots to step into the clearing and carefully approach the not quite dead yet animal. Avoiding a flailing hoof he moved to the back of the deer and after considering his options - he really wished he had managed to purloin a machete from Sanada or Tezuka - knelt with his legs on either side of the long neck and, grasping the head with one hand close to the ears and the other on the nose, gave it a firm twist - the resounding crack of the deer’s neck snapping loud in the sudden silence of the forest.
Atobe walked calmly up behind Hiyoshi to view the carcase. It would undoubtedly make excellent venison. Bending, he examined the animal’s broken neck. Sticking from its throat in a gory mess was the tennis ball. Atobe picked up a stick and pushed at it. The yellow casing came free, falling to the floor in a torn, bloody mess. Atobe flipped it over with the stick. It was open on one side and empty. He lowered himself to the clearing floor, his sharp eyes raking over the wound. From within its fleshy depths, he could make out a sparkle of a shining object. It would have to wait.
“We should return to the camp,” Atobe informed Hiyoshi. “I suggest carrying the body over your shoulders. If you put the packs on first, it should not be difficult.”
“Yes.” Exhaling slowly Hiyoshi took a moment to close the deer’s lids over sightless eyes before getting up and brushing his knees off. If his hands shook slightly he didn’t show it as he walked back to pick their bags up again.
The way back was clearly going to be ponderous. Atobe waited impatiently as Hiyoshi juggled deer and packs into a barely passable balancing act. At least the size of the island made the route straightforward enough. If they walked east to the coastline, they could head north to the lagoon. Atobe glanced up at the sun and turned sharply, walking away from the clearing.
Grateful for the quiet, the sound of chirping insects and the wind rustling the leaves had returned once his heartbeat had stopped pounding in his ears Hiyoshi fisted a hand in the short fur of the deer to keep it from slipping off every time he took a step. Not that he had spent much time imagining it - he wasn’t a serial killer or overly violent by far after all - but he had always imagined that to take a life with your own hands would be a moment for reflection on everything that had led up to this point to make it necessary. But instead he had felt a moment of fierce, sharp pleasure at being able to take at least this much control back over his life - and the deers - even if it was just for such a short moment. Squinting as the sun began to break through the foliage overhead he lengthened his stride to catch up and even move past Atobe, eager to get back to camp and get rid of the carcass that had been already less than fragrant while still alive.
Atobe flinched in disgust as the furry object brushed against his face. He wiped the back of one hand across his cheek, as if he could flick away the contact. The hand came back damp and he saw dark splodges of blood on his skin. How unpleasant.
He strode wide of Hiyoshi to draw ahead of him once more. “You should take the time on this island to grow, Hiyoshi,” he informed him. “There are many here you could learn from, apart from myself.” Atobe stepped around a particularly muddy patch and walked directly into a spider’s web. Taking out a handkerchief he wiped his face down, grimacing. “For instance,” he continued, stepping forward once again. “You could learn a great deal from Tezuka. You should spend more time in his company, although do not draw his attention away from the games he plays with me.”
Shifting the deer once more Hiyoshi exhaled slowly, glancing at Atobe out of the corner of his eye and being somewhat pacified by the fact that this time it seemed like nature had it in for Atobe instead. Though hearing his former captain prattle on about Tezuka was enough to make a vein over his eye throb. No wonder Kirihara thought all of Hyotei had to be besotted with the Seigaku captain considering how Atobe seemed to fawn over him. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” He reassured Atobe curtly. Tezuka might be a great tennis player but as for everything else - he had his own opinion.
Atobe’s eyes narrowed at Hiyoshi’s abrupt tone. “Tezuka is not an individual to be taken lightly,” he said. “You should demonstrate greater respect. His skills on the court are such that few are even worthy of standing the other side of the net.” His eyes drifted for a moment as he remembered viewing Tezuka’s match against Kite at the Nationals in their senior year of middle school. Deadly accuracy. It was powerful, overwhelming and almost as beautiful as Atobe himself.
Tezuka, Tezuka, Tezuka. Hiyoshi gritted his teeth, years and YEARS of frustration of hearing little more than how awesome Tezuka was boiling up in him. “Respect didn’t win us nationals.” He hissed softly under his breath before jerking his head to the left, hearing something cracking in the woods off to the side. “Hold that.” He shoved the carcass at Atobe and with a leap disappeared in the brush, spurned on more by the desire to escape from the never ending accolade of Tezuka’s graces than by the need for more meat.
Atobe staggered back a step as the large deer was thrown into his arms. His eyes watered as the smell of sweat and blood coming from its pelt. Looking over its limp body, Atobe’s eyes swept the jungle for his team mate. A flash in the distance followed by a sharp ‘crack’. Atobe raised an eyebrow.
It didn’t take long after that before Hiyoshi emerged again, a few leaves stuck in the no longer impeccably kept bowl cut and another dead deer slung over his shoulder. Not wasting any words on explaining himself he simply nodded curtly at Atobe then started walking again.
24 hours of nothing but flies and parrots and now they had two deer. Atobe looked with distaste at the burden in his hands, but he was not about to waste his own kill. Bracing himself, he swung the creature over his shoulders and strode after Hiyoshi.
“The fact Seigaku won nationals that year is what makes Tezuka worthy of respect,” Atobe continued, as if the sudden deer addition had not occurred. “Under his leadership, the team were able to overtake Rikkaidai and claim the title.” He shifted one hoof as it threatened to enter his mouth. “To do that while recovering from an injury shows true tenacity.”
There it was again. Barely ten feet and the throbbing in Hiyoshi’s temple had returned, threatening to turn into a full blown migraine if nothing was done to shut Atobe up - soon. Gritting his teeth the second year was just about to try screaming at his former captain that he didn’t CARE about Tezuka when there was another rustling and some unlucky deer poked his head out from between the trees.
This time Hiyoshi didn’t even bother to hand his dead burden to Atobe and instead simply dropped it before pouncing gratefully on it’s living relative.
Atobe paused as the next crack of bone ripped through the air and his kohai reappeared with the resulting burden. Atobe noted he was in need of a comb. He watched as Hiyoshi managed to balance two deer on his shoulders and they set off again. Evidently, his successor wished to demonstrate his own tenacity. It was impressive, but he still had far to go to reach the level of Atobe or Tezuka.
“The injury itself is further evidence of Tezuka’s determination,” Atobe said. “I never expected him to complete that match against me. The pain he must have been in would have been extraordinary. Yet, he would not let his guard down. I barely defeated him even in such a state.”
Eyes scanning the forest around them Hiyoshi did his best to blend his old captain’s voice out. Blah, blah blah, Tezuka, blah blah blah, extraordinary. On and on it went like a broken record until Hiyoshi was willing to do just about anything for even a few minutes blessed silence and maybe the satisfaction of feeling the surprisingly fragile bones of a neck snap under his hands.
Logically he knew they would hardly be able to transport and more meat back to the campsite - as it were it was almost a miracle in itself that Atobe had deigned to carry one of the dead animals. Shifting one of his Hiyoshi took a deep breath before he was enveloped by the sharp musky smell of the fur. “We should build a sled.” He interrupted Atobe’s wool gathering remorselessly.
Atobe stopped mid-sentence and turned to stare at Hiyoshi. He looked at the two bodies slung across the younger boy’s shoulders in addition to the one across his own. It occurred to him that perhaps the other student had a problem.
Taking his eyes away from the red head, he scanned the area until he spotted two strong saplings. With an effort, he dropped his dead animal and walked across to one, testing its strength. “We can use these,” he told Hiyoshi. “Cut them.” He walked back to the deer.
Putting his own burden down Hiyoshi rolled his shoulders then dug through the bag that had been designated as Atobe’s bag, coming up with two steak knives. “Here.” Handing one to the older boy he glanced up the sapling for a good spot before starting to saw away at it with grim focus.
Atobe looked at the polish knife in his hand and then down at the heap of venison-to-be. “We will be needing these,” he pointed out. He watched as Hiyoshi completely ignored this and started attacking the tree. It swiftly became obvious how the deer had left this mortal coil. With a small exhale of exasperation, Atobe stepped over the bodies to join him, grasping the trunk as it started to fall. The steaks would just have to be cooked well.
It was amazing how well they actually worked together when Atobe didn’t seem intent on driving him into a homicidal rage. Finishing the first sapling quickly Hiyoshi started on the second, the teeth of the knife sinking into the soft fibres and parting them easily enough.
Once both saplings were down and arranged on the ground he glanced to Atobe again. They would need some sort of rope or fabric of some sort to tie them together and create a wooden frame. The thing that would be most easily accessible would be of course the fabric of the clothes they had brought along.
Atobe looked down at the wooden poles lying on the dirt. “You did not bring rope,” he stated. He could see the way Hiyoshi’s mind was working, but his shirts were silk. He ensured his eyes transmitted the message ‘no way in hell’.
Walking a few steps into the jungle, Atobe approached a tree with a thick vine tangled around its trunk. Reluctantly, he lifted his knife and started to prise it free. The thing painstakingly unravelled but Atobe was forced to dig into the leafy depths to loosen its determined hold.
As he reached for a part of the free hanging vine, the thick length suddenly squirmed and coiled. Surprised, Atobe turned to see that he had grasped not the plant but a green tree snake. He reacted instinctively, slamming his hand against the tree’s trunk once ... twice ... three times. The snake went limp. Carefully, Atobe cut the vine free and walked back to Hiyoshi.
“You may use this plant,” he said. “And the snake, if it will be useful.”
-Trust Atobe to go for a vine and come back with a snake. Hiyoshi eyed both thoughtfully then took the snake from his former captain first, beheading it in one smooth slice of the steak knife he was still carrying before adding it to their pile of booty. They could roast it later when they got back and maybe skin it to do something with the scales but for the moment the vine was much more useful in tying the tips of the saplings together and creating a net of sorts to carry the carcasses the rest of the way.
Once he was satisfied with the haphazard constructions he loaded the three dead deer plus snake onto it he tucked the knife away and grasped one of the saplings to pull on, leaving Atobe free to help himself to the other.
Atobe strode nonchalantly ahead, listening to the sound of the birds and the cracking twigs as Hiyoshi pulled the cart across the ground. He looked down at his hand that the snake had coiled around. It was bruised from him striking it against the tree. Carefully he flexed out the ligaments and held the appendage out for Hiyoshi to inspect. “This would be a trifling matter for Tezuka,” he told him. “The damage to his shoulder was almost irrevocable yet he kept playing. One can never tell how much passion is hidden within a man until you push him to his limits.”
Right. Hiyoshi stared down at Atobe’s hand for a long moment then stopped and slowly reached for the knife tucked away in his waistband.
* * * * *
Two figures entered the ring of shelters before nightfall. One was splattered with blood the same colour as his hair from head to toe. The other had a small smudge on his cream shirt. Behind them, a make-shift stretcher was piled high with ten deer carcasses, their spotty hides overlaid on another in a dark miss-mash of fur. On the top, lay a snake. It was dinner time.
When: Last couple of days
Where: The jungle
Summary: Atobe and Hiyoshi go hunting
Author's note: Meat tonight folks! And um, tomorrow and .... anyone know how to smoke venison?
Atobe stepped carefully over the tree root and scanned the thick foliage around them. It had been 24 hours and they had not sighted anything more substantial than a few rodents and a large parrot. Atobe was not prepared to break a sweat for anything smaller than a stag.
He turned to look back at Hiyoshi, stomping behind him carrying the two packs. Clearly, the amount of noise he was creating was causing every animal within a mile to flee.
“Silence,” Atobe commanded when he drew close. “A bull elephant has more grace than you do.”
Hitching one of the bags up higher Hiyoshi shot his erstwhile leader a disgruntled look before twitching his head to discourage some large bug to try and settle on his face. Thankfully at least he hadn’t really expected Atobe to carry his own bloody bag and had packed light for the other boy and himself. Still it didn’t help that so far into the jungle the air was thick with moisture, most of which seemed to have decided to sluice down his back apparently and the dim light tried to trick him to step into every nook, cranny or sinkhole this god forsaken piece of earth had to offer - the lack of having an arm to spare to steady himself most of the time contributing to much of the ‘noise’ Atobe was so snootily referring too. “If I’m holding you back feel free to go without me.” He grumbled out between gritted teeth, trying ineffectively to twitch his ear to get rid of a irritating trickle of sweat curving behind it.
“If I had realised you had seen fit to pack quite so little, perhaps I would have come alone,” Atobe said, dismissively. “How you thought we would manage without six full sets of cutlery, I have no idea.” He pushed aside a branch and stepped forward, balancing on a tree root to prevent submerging into the pile of mud just behind it. “I have also been wearing this shirt all morning, yet you say I have no clean ones left to change into.” The branch snapped back into place, swinging an inch from Hiyoshi’s nose.
“No you wouldn’t.” Hiyoshi barely bit back a sneer, used to branches almost taking his eyes out or smacking him in the face thanks to his companion. “You’d have to carry your own stuff in that case.” It wasn’t the fact that he had to carry Atobe’s bag that rankled as much as that that seemed to be ALL the older boy had brought him along for, some sort of pack mule or a make do replacement for Kabaji maybe. Still his temper was not frayed enough to just dump Atobe’s bag in the mud and stomp back towards the camp - that would be admitting defeat. No, no matter how annoying Atobe could be, he would persevere and come out stronger for it.
Atobe ignored him, walking on the upraised path of tree roots as he tried to find somewhere suitable to place his hands. Up ahead, light was pooling through the dense canopy above them, indicating they were approaching a clearing. Atobe threw out an arm to unnecessarily stop Hiyoshi and listened.
Water. The trickling sound of a stream reached his ears from the left and from the right ... movement.
Atobe turned to his companion. “Bags down,” he ordered him. “And pass me my racket. Plus the ball I brought.”
Coming to a stop Hiyoshi was ready to tell Atobe to stuff it when his own ears pricked, the same noise of quiet rustling of something moving through the underbrush reaching him. Before they had left he had scoffed at Atobe’s idea of hunting with a racket, but now - seeing that Hyotei’s king was actually quite serious he couldn’t help feeling curious and diligently set down the bags to silently pull the racket and the mentioned ball free to pass them over to the other boy. “What are you going to do...” There was no way in hell a single ball could kill a deer...was there?
Atobe took both objects and tossed the ball gently into the air, letting it fall back to his palm with a hard ‘thunk’. Satisfied, he stepped forward, making his way around the edge of the clearing to emerge into the sunlight on the opposite side to where the quiet rustling could be heard.
In the trees, a large dark coated deer stretched its neck up to pull leaves from a nearby branch. Its coat was dabbled with cream dots. Attractive, Atobe approved. It would make an adequate blanket.
Throwing the ball into the air, he served, smacking the projectile not on the sweet spot, but off the racket rim. There was a clunk as metal struck something hard and the deer looked up, but too late. The ball caught it squarely in the throat and it toppled to the ground, its legs twitching.
Atobe looked across at Hiyoshi. “If it is not dead, you will need to slit its throat. Do not use the steak knives.”
Watching the ball whizz through the air and send the animal toppling to the ground Hiyoshi had a moment of almost awe where he was once again impressed by just how well Atobe knew his way around a tennis racket. Of course any lingering feelings disappeared in a puff of annoyance as he was informed that he was now to kill the twitching animal - and that without using the only sharp knives they had brought.
Exhaling sharply he brushed past Atobe and descended into the dip past the tree roots to step into the clearing and carefully approach the not quite dead yet animal. Avoiding a flailing hoof he moved to the back of the deer and after considering his options - he really wished he had managed to purloin a machete from Sanada or Tezuka - knelt with his legs on either side of the long neck and, grasping the head with one hand close to the ears and the other on the nose, gave it a firm twist - the resounding crack of the deer’s neck snapping loud in the sudden silence of the forest.
Atobe walked calmly up behind Hiyoshi to view the carcase. It would undoubtedly make excellent venison. Bending, he examined the animal’s broken neck. Sticking from its throat in a gory mess was the tennis ball. Atobe picked up a stick and pushed at it. The yellow casing came free, falling to the floor in a torn, bloody mess. Atobe flipped it over with the stick. It was open on one side and empty. He lowered himself to the clearing floor, his sharp eyes raking over the wound. From within its fleshy depths, he could make out a sparkle of a shining object. It would have to wait.
“We should return to the camp,” Atobe informed Hiyoshi. “I suggest carrying the body over your shoulders. If you put the packs on first, it should not be difficult.”
“Yes.” Exhaling slowly Hiyoshi took a moment to close the deer’s lids over sightless eyes before getting up and brushing his knees off. If his hands shook slightly he didn’t show it as he walked back to pick their bags up again.
The way back was clearly going to be ponderous. Atobe waited impatiently as Hiyoshi juggled deer and packs into a barely passable balancing act. At least the size of the island made the route straightforward enough. If they walked east to the coastline, they could head north to the lagoon. Atobe glanced up at the sun and turned sharply, walking away from the clearing.
Grateful for the quiet, the sound of chirping insects and the wind rustling the leaves had returned once his heartbeat had stopped pounding in his ears Hiyoshi fisted a hand in the short fur of the deer to keep it from slipping off every time he took a step. Not that he had spent much time imagining it - he wasn’t a serial killer or overly violent by far after all - but he had always imagined that to take a life with your own hands would be a moment for reflection on everything that had led up to this point to make it necessary. But instead he had felt a moment of fierce, sharp pleasure at being able to take at least this much control back over his life - and the deers - even if it was just for such a short moment. Squinting as the sun began to break through the foliage overhead he lengthened his stride to catch up and even move past Atobe, eager to get back to camp and get rid of the carcass that had been already less than fragrant while still alive.
Atobe flinched in disgust as the furry object brushed against his face. He wiped the back of one hand across his cheek, as if he could flick away the contact. The hand came back damp and he saw dark splodges of blood on his skin. How unpleasant.
He strode wide of Hiyoshi to draw ahead of him once more. “You should take the time on this island to grow, Hiyoshi,” he informed him. “There are many here you could learn from, apart from myself.” Atobe stepped around a particularly muddy patch and walked directly into a spider’s web. Taking out a handkerchief he wiped his face down, grimacing. “For instance,” he continued, stepping forward once again. “You could learn a great deal from Tezuka. You should spend more time in his company, although do not draw his attention away from the games he plays with me.”
Shifting the deer once more Hiyoshi exhaled slowly, glancing at Atobe out of the corner of his eye and being somewhat pacified by the fact that this time it seemed like nature had it in for Atobe instead. Though hearing his former captain prattle on about Tezuka was enough to make a vein over his eye throb. No wonder Kirihara thought all of Hyotei had to be besotted with the Seigaku captain considering how Atobe seemed to fawn over him. “I wouldn’t dream of it.” He reassured Atobe curtly. Tezuka might be a great tennis player but as for everything else - he had his own opinion.
Atobe’s eyes narrowed at Hiyoshi’s abrupt tone. “Tezuka is not an individual to be taken lightly,” he said. “You should demonstrate greater respect. His skills on the court are such that few are even worthy of standing the other side of the net.” His eyes drifted for a moment as he remembered viewing Tezuka’s match against Kite at the Nationals in their senior year of middle school. Deadly accuracy. It was powerful, overwhelming and almost as beautiful as Atobe himself.
Tezuka, Tezuka, Tezuka. Hiyoshi gritted his teeth, years and YEARS of frustration of hearing little more than how awesome Tezuka was boiling up in him. “Respect didn’t win us nationals.” He hissed softly under his breath before jerking his head to the left, hearing something cracking in the woods off to the side. “Hold that.” He shoved the carcass at Atobe and with a leap disappeared in the brush, spurned on more by the desire to escape from the never ending accolade of Tezuka’s graces than by the need for more meat.
Atobe staggered back a step as the large deer was thrown into his arms. His eyes watered as the smell of sweat and blood coming from its pelt. Looking over its limp body, Atobe’s eyes swept the jungle for his team mate. A flash in the distance followed by a sharp ‘crack’. Atobe raised an eyebrow.
It didn’t take long after that before Hiyoshi emerged again, a few leaves stuck in the no longer impeccably kept bowl cut and another dead deer slung over his shoulder. Not wasting any words on explaining himself he simply nodded curtly at Atobe then started walking again.
24 hours of nothing but flies and parrots and now they had two deer. Atobe looked with distaste at the burden in his hands, but he was not about to waste his own kill. Bracing himself, he swung the creature over his shoulders and strode after Hiyoshi.
“The fact Seigaku won nationals that year is what makes Tezuka worthy of respect,” Atobe continued, as if the sudden deer addition had not occurred. “Under his leadership, the team were able to overtake Rikkaidai and claim the title.” He shifted one hoof as it threatened to enter his mouth. “To do that while recovering from an injury shows true tenacity.”
There it was again. Barely ten feet and the throbbing in Hiyoshi’s temple had returned, threatening to turn into a full blown migraine if nothing was done to shut Atobe up - soon. Gritting his teeth the second year was just about to try screaming at his former captain that he didn’t CARE about Tezuka when there was another rustling and some unlucky deer poked his head out from between the trees.
This time Hiyoshi didn’t even bother to hand his dead burden to Atobe and instead simply dropped it before pouncing gratefully on it’s living relative.
Atobe paused as the next crack of bone ripped through the air and his kohai reappeared with the resulting burden. Atobe noted he was in need of a comb. He watched as Hiyoshi managed to balance two deer on his shoulders and they set off again. Evidently, his successor wished to demonstrate his own tenacity. It was impressive, but he still had far to go to reach the level of Atobe or Tezuka.
“The injury itself is further evidence of Tezuka’s determination,” Atobe said. “I never expected him to complete that match against me. The pain he must have been in would have been extraordinary. Yet, he would not let his guard down. I barely defeated him even in such a state.”
Eyes scanning the forest around them Hiyoshi did his best to blend his old captain’s voice out. Blah, blah blah, Tezuka, blah blah blah, extraordinary. On and on it went like a broken record until Hiyoshi was willing to do just about anything for even a few minutes blessed silence and maybe the satisfaction of feeling the surprisingly fragile bones of a neck snap under his hands.
Logically he knew they would hardly be able to transport and more meat back to the campsite - as it were it was almost a miracle in itself that Atobe had deigned to carry one of the dead animals. Shifting one of his Hiyoshi took a deep breath before he was enveloped by the sharp musky smell of the fur. “We should build a sled.” He interrupted Atobe’s wool gathering remorselessly.
Atobe stopped mid-sentence and turned to stare at Hiyoshi. He looked at the two bodies slung across the younger boy’s shoulders in addition to the one across his own. It occurred to him that perhaps the other student had a problem.
Taking his eyes away from the red head, he scanned the area until he spotted two strong saplings. With an effort, he dropped his dead animal and walked across to one, testing its strength. “We can use these,” he told Hiyoshi. “Cut them.” He walked back to the deer.
Putting his own burden down Hiyoshi rolled his shoulders then dug through the bag that had been designated as Atobe’s bag, coming up with two steak knives. “Here.” Handing one to the older boy he glanced up the sapling for a good spot before starting to saw away at it with grim focus.
Atobe looked at the polish knife in his hand and then down at the heap of venison-to-be. “We will be needing these,” he pointed out. He watched as Hiyoshi completely ignored this and started attacking the tree. It swiftly became obvious how the deer had left this mortal coil. With a small exhale of exasperation, Atobe stepped over the bodies to join him, grasping the trunk as it started to fall. The steaks would just have to be cooked well.
It was amazing how well they actually worked together when Atobe didn’t seem intent on driving him into a homicidal rage. Finishing the first sapling quickly Hiyoshi started on the second, the teeth of the knife sinking into the soft fibres and parting them easily enough.
Once both saplings were down and arranged on the ground he glanced to Atobe again. They would need some sort of rope or fabric of some sort to tie them together and create a wooden frame. The thing that would be most easily accessible would be of course the fabric of the clothes they had brought along.
Atobe looked down at the wooden poles lying on the dirt. “You did not bring rope,” he stated. He could see the way Hiyoshi’s mind was working, but his shirts were silk. He ensured his eyes transmitted the message ‘no way in hell’.
Walking a few steps into the jungle, Atobe approached a tree with a thick vine tangled around its trunk. Reluctantly, he lifted his knife and started to prise it free. The thing painstakingly unravelled but Atobe was forced to dig into the leafy depths to loosen its determined hold.
As he reached for a part of the free hanging vine, the thick length suddenly squirmed and coiled. Surprised, Atobe turned to see that he had grasped not the plant but a green tree snake. He reacted instinctively, slamming his hand against the tree’s trunk once ... twice ... three times. The snake went limp. Carefully, Atobe cut the vine free and walked back to Hiyoshi.
“You may use this plant,” he said. “And the snake, if it will be useful.”
-Trust Atobe to go for a vine and come back with a snake. Hiyoshi eyed both thoughtfully then took the snake from his former captain first, beheading it in one smooth slice of the steak knife he was still carrying before adding it to their pile of booty. They could roast it later when they got back and maybe skin it to do something with the scales but for the moment the vine was much more useful in tying the tips of the saplings together and creating a net of sorts to carry the carcasses the rest of the way.
Once he was satisfied with the haphazard constructions he loaded the three dead deer plus snake onto it he tucked the knife away and grasped one of the saplings to pull on, leaving Atobe free to help himself to the other.
Atobe strode nonchalantly ahead, listening to the sound of the birds and the cracking twigs as Hiyoshi pulled the cart across the ground. He looked down at his hand that the snake had coiled around. It was bruised from him striking it against the tree. Carefully he flexed out the ligaments and held the appendage out for Hiyoshi to inspect. “This would be a trifling matter for Tezuka,” he told him. “The damage to his shoulder was almost irrevocable yet he kept playing. One can never tell how much passion is hidden within a man until you push him to his limits.”
Right. Hiyoshi stared down at Atobe’s hand for a long moment then stopped and slowly reached for the knife tucked away in his waistband.
* * * * *
Two figures entered the ring of shelters before nightfall. One was splattered with blood the same colour as his hair from head to toe. The other had a small smudge on his cream shirt. Behind them, a make-shift stretcher was piled high with ten deer carcasses, their spotty hides overlaid on another in a dark miss-mash of fur. On the top, lay a snake. It was dinner time.