Pain

The sunbeams hit Darren's eyes forcing him to open them. He gingerly sat up. The pot at his side was empty, under was nothing but ash. He noticed that people here weren't really fond of breakfast. Maybe they were just hunting or working in the morning and had no time for breakfast. No different from most people back home He thought. Oz went out of the door the next room in his usual green hunting outfit.

"Gd' mornin lad" Oz said cheerily. Darren got slightly annoyed by his tone, how could anyone be so cheery in a world full of pain? He would never know.

"Morning Oz" He groaned "You gotta teach me how to hunt sometime" he Darren said with a wry smile.

"aye, well the dwarves worship Ymjir and go to worship two days from now, if yer free ye can come with me on a hunting trip maybe you will have the luck that is not with me these days" he smiled

"oh by the way Oz do you have a knife on you?"

"Well all If yer thinking about a big knife I have nil, I got me a whittling knife, here" Oz threw a small five inch knife, it landed between Darrens legs.

"This is perfect, thanks Oz" Ignoring the pain to give him a genuine smile

Oz smiled and walked out the door closing it behind him, leaving Darren alone to think about whether he should go to work or just lay there and wait for death. He decided to work. He put the small knife in his bedroll, picked up his bag and walked towards the mine. passing the frogs lazing about, he reached them mine and nooded at Sore Eye before walking over to the ghorob pen to borrow his crystal.

"Good morning Faolen"

"Good day runt, are you here for your crystal?"

"No im here to see if you're doing alright" Faolen glared at him with heavy eyelids "Im here to get the crystal hehehehe" Darren corrected awkwardly, he took note that people didn't really respond to sarcasm here, what a shame he thought.

"Here" Faolen gave Darren the leather arm-band with a green crystal. Darren wore it and extended his thoughts toward the pen

Gimli!I

A clicking and squelching sound followed as the gohrob slithered slowly out of the pen.

Lets go boy Darren thought as they went into the mine

•••••

Oz stalked through the forest like a panther, his green clothes blending in with the thick underbrush of the Eladrian Wood. He'd been tracking the footprints of a irontusk for hours, then he saw it. A boar with a body thick with muscle hidden under fat, iron spikes running down its back and its namesake eight inch iron tusks with wicked sharp points in its lower jaw, having a drink in a pool of water. Oz knew that, that beast was good meat and the tusks and spines can fetch a couple of coppers at least. He knocked an arrow into his bow, pulled and released.

It missed.

The irontusk turned toward the source of the disturbance and charged, but Oz was prepared he knew that being gored by this beast would mean his death. He ran to the top of a nearby tree and shot an arrow, this time it connected with the irontusk's haunch. This only served to reveal his location and enrage the beast. The irontusk charged at the tree Oz was in and repeatedly rammed it, its sharp tusk making deep scores in the wood and shaking the tree, forcing Oz to hold on the the trunk. He knew that with the strong charges along with the sharp tusks the small tree would fall anytime now. He made a decision.

Oz jumped down at the iron tusk, pointing his dagger downwards aiming for the brain. The beast moved at the last second and the dagger struck near its spine. Oz pulled out the dagger with a roll. The enraged animal looked at him with bloodshot eyes then charged again. Oz dodged to the left and quickly shot an arrow at the irontusk .

This time the arrow hit it in the gut. Oz ran to the beast and quickly sliced its ankle. The beast roared and charged at him with killing intent but its severed hind leg slowed it down. Oz easily dodged it and cut the ankle of one of its front legs. The irontusk stumbled on the ground squealing, unable to get up. Oz walked towards it and slit its throat with his dagger "Thank you for the meal" he whispered, not to the gods for he knew they were not there, but to the irontusk for the fight it put up and the meat it gave.

He put the iron tusk on his back and carried it towards town.

"Eatins gonna be good tonight" He mumbled with a smile on his face.

•••••

Darren went inside Oz's house at well after dark, carrying five sticks about six inches in diameter. Then he smelled it. The scent of Lechon, roasting pig, filled his nose and his mouth immeadeately began to water.

"Whats for dinner Oz?" he called

"This be yer lucky day lad, caught me self an irontusk!" he said

Darren looked at half a carcass near Oz. He wondered where the other half was. Or if the old man really fought something with iron tusks.

"Sold half of the meat to the butcher and other bits and bobs" he said patting his pouch "sit down boy, lets eat" Oz handed him a peice of black bread and Darren dug right in, putting the hot meat in his bread. The meat was good really good, laden with spices only a person with Oz's army cook experience could find. The fat melted in his mouth and combined with the bread, filling his mouth with the divine flavor of pork fat, spices and meat If the gods of this world came together and made something this would be it. He thought while greedily devouring the meat and bread.

After the meat on the fire was stripped to the bone, Oz cut the raw meat at his side into strips and hung them over the smoke and embers. Were gonna have bacon tommorow! Darren thought with excitement, his mouth watering again.

Darren leaned on a wall and started whittling the ends of his sticks to sharp points. When he was done he set the sticks down beside him.

Just a few more things then I can finally have enough money for a drink Darren thought, the gods of this world knew he needed it.

With that he closed his eyes.