Chapter three - Damn storm

What a horrible day Jacko and I have spent today. I write this at night, sat and taking a cup of hot tea while I stay dry thanks to the heat of the fire. Looking out the window, I see only what I have been seeing more than a week, since I last wrote you. Rain, rain and more rain. It's almost as if the earth was thirsty and needed to be satisfied. This amount of water is weird even for Gilneas, but hey, we are used to it right?

Jacko, the poor fool, is lying at my feet looking with nervousness to the door, and listening to the strange whistle that makes the wind slipping through the gaps. How is it that a big mastiff as him can be afraid of the wind? Well in this case is like all others, fear at the unknown.

This morning, seeing that the rain had no intention of slowing or cease, I went out to hunt so I would stay strong and hot with the meat. I was successful, as always, however I was lucky, too lucky. Want me to explain the reasons for what I say? Ok.

Jacko and I we were completely soaked, reaching the woods of Blackwald to hunt a couple of wild boars. You know those damn piglets keep themselves hidden inside the forest, and you have to delve too deep to even hear one. Well, I did no more than reach the edge of the forest, and started to listen to at least three of them running towards my position. They were not coming to me, they were fleeing in terror of something. Another hunter? I doubt it, because to frighten some pigs like that, they need to be shot, and if they had been shot, I would have heard it.

I took my luck, incredulous, and reached the boar closest to me, at 20 meters, with a firm and accurate shot in the head. He fell immediately, and I didn’t give an opportunity to Jacko to finish it off, and although if he had had it, he wouldn’t have done it. While I was on my way to pick our food, Jacko stood still in place, staring into the forest. I went to him, with the pray already hanging over my shoulder. When I got next to him, I realized that he was growling very slightly but steadily. I looked where he kept staring, but couldn’t see anything, just the dancing shadows that the trees casted with the little sun that was visible through the clouds.

Snapping my fingers at Jacko to get his attention, we turned around and started our way back home. The sun was almost entirely from view. It was a very peculiar image, the clouds above us throwing their tremendous fury, and the sun on the horizon, illuminating what could through the thick clouds.

The way home was quiet at that hour of the morning, with this kind of rain, it’s normal to not see anyone on the road. I started to think what the hell could have happened to have those boars run away for their lives like that. Wild boars are stubborn animals, with little or no fear of anything. When directly threatened, they show battle, they only run when they see a hazard, but not directly oriented at them. Those damned piglets fled in terror. I guess I'll have to go into the forest when these rains run out to see who is the one riding the fuss.

When I got home, and was completely changed, I sat by the fire, and Jacko laid down completely dried up on his blanket. Then suddenly I heard something that scared me to the bones. Something I had never heard, at least with such intensity. Howls, howls of wolfs, but not one or two howls, at least a dozen or more wolves, who came from all directions. That was what surprised me most, apart from that they were near the house, the sound focus didn’t come from a single point, it came from all directions. As if they had formed a circle, and the house was the center.

Jacko went crazy barking, the poor dog did nothing but go to the door and around the home in excitement of the fight he wanted to accomplish. I approached the window while listening to these beasts howl. But the moment I opened it and looked outside to try to see one, they stopped immediately, right away as if they were coordinated to do so. Damn wolves ... Or rather, damn storm, it’s starting to play with my head. I hope it stops raining soon, fuck.