“Take that, and that, and that thou foul beast!” Torben viciously attacked an unsuspecting and innocent large leaf plant, slicing through with his sword. Several pieces of the broad leaf floated to the ground except for one thick sinuous leaf stem hanging in defiance.

            “Hmm, and that,” Torben swung again, yet the leaf stem withstood the slice from the sword, hanging on by its thick sinuous threads.

            “Grrrrr, and that, and that and that!”

            Still, the leaf remained attached to the plant. Torben furrowed his brow and looked at his sword.

            “Well, defend against this!” Torben said, reaching out with both hands and snapping the base of the large leaf. “I really need to sharpen my sword.”

            “Haha, do you think?” Enok said.

            Enok was Torben’s best friend. Torben had an energetic personality, which often came across as some might say, “annoying”, although Enok’s patient soul enjoyed the random entertainment Torben brought to their friendship.

            “Besides, what did that plant do to you?” Enok said in jest.

            “Well, that plant is a cousin to my father’s crops, and since working day-in and day-out on my father’s farm has slowly drained all sense of hope from my life one season at a time, it’s time for me to regain my life!” He increased his volume adding an extra flare to his voice. “It’s time to take control. The merciless tyranny of my father’s crops can’t keep me tethered to this small town any longer! It’s time for me to fly, for my independence, for my FREEDOM!” Torben yelled, holding his sword up in the air. He had a drive for dramatics if it meant he could make others laugh. His friend Enok stood by his side, laughing at Torben’s antics. “All plants beware!” Torben mimicked a cheering crowd.

            Torben was a smaller young man. Wavy dark brown hair with a brown-tan skin tone. His average physical presence made him like most young men his age, easily blending into the crowd, although his personality demanded attention, both positive and negative. The boy’s words could be as sharp as a dagger, although he mostly used the talent for fun and amusement, flexing his greatest strength by finding humor in any situation.

            Torben and Enok continued walking through the woods, talking about whatever random thoughts passed through their minds, a quickly growing pastime of theirs. Torben convinced Enok to go ‘hunting’ whenever they had their own free time. Not because Torben enjoyed hunting, not because he excelled at it, not because anyone needed him to hunt, but he figured it was his only way into the fighter’s guild.  

            The local fighter’s guild held a high standard of acceptance, since several well-known names came from their little town of Eknor. If they filled their guild with average fighters like the many smaller villages in the area, it wouldn’t be so difficult. As a village of warriors, Eknor had a standard to keep. An individual only makes it in if they have the proper training, proper schooling and have the physical presence to pass the skills test. Torben’s family didn't have the money or interest to enroll Torben in the fighter’s guild classes. Even if they did, Torben lacked the physical abilities to pass the skills test. He would need extensive training to be at the level they required. As the son of a farmer, his parents disapproved of his desires to join the fighter’s guild, expecting him to take over the farm when he got older.

            But Torben would never find fame and fortune being a farmer.

            Luckily, Enok’s father had the same attitude about the fighter’s guild and would not enroll Enok in schooling to become a career fighter. Enok had the physical stature and strength to be accepted, but his father wanted Enok to take over the ranch when he retired. Torben would never intentionally hold Enok back, although he knew Enok would easily excel if he joined the fighter’s guild, and Torben would lose his best friend. Torben found a sense of comfort knowing his friend shared a similar future, especially with their only other option to be accepted into the fighter’s guild.

            If a warrior encounters a beast or creature listed as a threat to humans within the fighter’s guild guidelines, and they vanquish said beast, and remain victorious (meaning only mild surface wounds), they could earn a warrior score. Each type of beast or creature can earn the warrior points, and if enough points are earned, the fighter’s guild would offer official training for free, with automatic induction into the guild once passing the skills test. The program helps nurture those with inborn courage and innate skills that might not otherwise afford the schooling within the fighter’s guild.

            Torben and Enok ventured out on these ‘hunting’ trips for years, so far collecting…. zero points. They hoped to cross a nasty troll, iyla cat, or some other rare exotic beast. If they could slay such a creature, it would thrust them into the attention of the fighter’s guild. As big as they talked, they spent most of their time goofing around, talking about people at their school, venting life’s frustrations, or seeing who could hurl the largest rock into the pond.

            “Stop!” Enok said, reaching out to his friend.

            “WHAT?!” Torben said, slightly annoyed.

            “Shhh shhh, not so loud!”

            “what?!” Torben said in an air of arrogance.

            “I thought I heard something?”

            “No, you didn’t. We never hear anything or see—” Torben froze.

            Wide-eyed, they both saw the creature.

            “It’s an iyla cat!” they both whispered.

            Iyla cats are large mountain cats, usually keeping to the higher mountain areas. They can be quite large, nearly the size of a horse, and occasionally come down to the lower hills and valley, causing issues for the local farmers and ranchers. If their teeth and claws were not menacing enough, they have long tails with several barbs that inject toxins into their prey. They hunt by surprising their prey, either pouncing or going for the throat, and will often whip their tails at their prey if it tries to flee. The neuro toxins aren’t enough poison to kill an animal, yet they can cause permanent nerve damage and slow down their prey enough to get hold of it. Luckily for Enok and Torben, it appeared to be a smaller iyla cat.

            “Uh, Enok, did you bring your bow?”

            “Nope, did you?”

            “Nope,”

            Unlucky for them, they were not prepared to hunt or defend against an iyla cat. They spent their time dreaming of the accolades they would receive for killing a wild beast, not preparing for an actual encounter.

            “Well, it looks like we have to improvise,” Torben said.

            “What do you mean, improvise?” Enok asked.

            “I don’t know. What else are we supposed to do?” Torben said.

            “Uhhh, get out of here as fast as we can! I didn’t think we would ever come across any kind of dangerous animal.” Enok replied.

            “Hiiiiisssssss groooowwwwllll!” The iyla gave a warning cry.

            “shshshshshsh, it’s watching us.” Enok said. “Okay, we need to back away slowly, keep facing the cat, and we will try to get as much distance between us… wait, what are you doing?” Enok watched, perplexed, as Torben held his sword in several positions.

            “I’m going to throw my sword, like a dagger.” Torben gestured to his sword as if his intentions were obvious.

            “Torben! Are you insane? That won’t work! Look, we have distance between us and the cat if we slowly back away.” Enok fell silent as he watched Torben’s sword fly tip over hilt, clanging on the ground next to the iyla cat, causing it to jump out of the way. The iyla cat hissed at the sword, then looked directly at Torben and Enok with a low purring growl.

            “Quick Enok, throw yours. Just make it count!” Torben encouraged his friend.

            “What?! Are you insane? We might need this to defend ourselves,” Enok said.

            “We should run!”

            Enok turned to look at the Iyla cat, now slowly creeping in their direction. “No Torben, like I said…”

            Torben took off running.

            The iyla cat began running.

            Enok took off running “Torben, why are you running? That makes the cat attack!”

            “Well, if it’s going to attack us, anyway. I wanted a head start!”

            “I’m going to kill you!” Enok shouted.

            “Yes, please do. I would much rather you kill me than the cat!”

            Running was the wrong choice, yet being separated would be worse, and now Enok had the only sword. Enok caught up with his friend as they sprinted over bushes, rocks, and the uneven terrain. He thought they might get to a safer place before the iyla cat caught up with them.

            Enok skidded to a stop as Torben launched himself into a tree and began to climb. “Torben! What are you doing?”

            REEEEEOOOWWWWW! The iyla cat sprinted towards them.

            Enok couldn’t abandon his friend. He jumped up and pulled himself up on the tree, and climbed alongside Torben. “What are you doing, Torben? You know iyla cats can climb trees! They are some of the best climbers in the wild. This isn’t safe!”

            “Yeah, iyla cats are also extremely fast runners. At least the tree is buying us some time!” Torben said, panting from their frantic ascent.

            Enok paused a moment, recognizing Torben had a point. The noise of thick claws digging into the tree trunk interrupted the brief pause. The iyla cat clawed its way up the tree, several steps closer to the moist morsels of human prey.

            Enok and Torben climbed as fast and as high as they could, but the branches became thinner and thinner. They were running out of places to go. Enok pulled out his sword, lodged his legs in place to stabilize. “Torben, get to a safe place!”

            “Way ahead of you, buddy!”

            Enok turned his attention to the iyla cat strolling up the tree as if immune to gravity. Luckily, as Enok and Torben ascended higher, the sheer number of the small branches made it difficult for the wildcat to leap for an instant kill, giving Enok time to prepare.

            “Wait for it, wait for it...” Enok thought out loud.

            “Swing, swing! Kill it, kill it!” Torben yelled out.

            “Not yet! I need a goo–” Enok’s words were cut short as the iyla cat oozed through the tiny branches and leaped at Enok. He swung his sword in defense, connecting a blow to its broad torso. The iyla cat hissed a screech that sounded more like a crying child than it did a wild animal. Enok swung again, but the iyla cat responded, clawing its way to a better location amongst the branches. Enok’s powerful swing intended for the wild cat threw him off balance, falling to a lower branch. He caught himself before inertia took over. Now Enok hung from the branch, exposed to a death pounce from the iyla cat. In mere seconds, it could have Enok by the neck dragging him to the ground.

            WHACK!

            The iyla cat quickly turned away from the helpless Enok.

            WHACK! WHACK! WHACK!

            Torben swat at the cat with a long, thin branch he broke off.

            “Enok, get up! I’ll distract it! You go for the kill.” Torben shouted.

            The iyla cat hissed growls at Torben, clawing at the branch whip. Enok pulled himself up and regained his footing. Enok planted his feet, grasped his sword, and lunged from his perch.

            “HAA! Got cha!” Enok landed an efficient piercing jab right into the rib cage. The angry iyla cat hissed, a screeching cry whirling about. Its barbed tail swung forcefully at Enok as the wild cat whirled around. The force from the cat twisting and Enok’s retreat from the swinging tail pulled the sword out of Enok’s grip.

            Clang, clink ding.

            Torben and Enok could hear the sword as it pinged off every branch it hit falling to the ground. The iyla cat launched a clawed attack at the defenseless Enok. Enok grabbed some branches swatting at the cat while avoiding a fall through the thin branches of the tree.

            “Enok how could you! Go for the head, the HEAD! Even the back of the neck could paralyze it! Seriously, didn’t you learn anything?”

            Enok continued swatting at the angry cat. “I was going for the heart, the heart!”

            “Go for the head!”

            “It’s a little late for that!”

            The iyla cat lunged at Enok, claws grazing his legs, breaking the skin.

            “Torben! Do something!” Enok yelled, climbing away from the cat without plummeting to the ground. The cat adjusted to get a fresh attack on Enok. The iyla cat crouched to pounce when it let out a piercing screeching hiss. Torben jabbed the blunt end of his branch into the cat’s wound.

            “C’mon kitty cat! Come get me!” Torben jabbed the wound again. “C’mon fresh human steak!” The angry iyla cat was a ball of hungry, angry claws and teeth. Quickly slithering through the branches, the iyla cat targeted Torben.

            “Torben!” Enok shouted, “What are you doing?”

            “I’m improvising!” Torben shouted back. Torben’s eyes glanced down.

            “Don’t do it!” Enok yelled back.

            “Don’t worry, if I fall, those branches will slow me down!” Torben retreated from jabbing the wild cat, now trying to balance on a long branch.

            Enok scrambled to get a better vantage point. If he could just get closer, he could try to knock the unsuspecting cat free from the tree with his weaponized branch. The iyla cat coiled up, ready to pounce. Torben glanced downwards.

            The iyla cat launched its death attack.

            Torben leapt from his branch perch.

            Enok watched as time seemed to slow.

            The iyla cat barely missed Torben, crashing into the fading branches of the tree. Torben clutched the lower branch with all his strength. Enok’s throat buckled. Torben made it! He didn’t fall! Luckily, the branch didn’t snap off under Torben’s weight, yet it lacked the thickness and strength to support Torben. He bounced like a fish at the end of a pole. Enok cheered at Torben’s success. Usually, Torben is not that agile.

            “YES!” Enok yelled out.

            “Oh, BICE!” Torben’s eyes widened. “I don’t think my plan worked!”

            Enok turned to locate the iyla cat. It fell several branches down but had clawed its way back to a stable branch. The cat coiled, ready to pounce.

            Enok froze. He hurled his branch at the ready to pounce iyla cat with no effect. Torben looked at the wildcat, then looked at the ground. He lifted his legs, then dropped them. Torben bounced under the tensile strength of the branch. Again. Torben locked eyes with the cat. He watched every movement the cat made. The iyla cat leaped directly toward the hanging, helpless Torben.

            The timing was perfect.

            Torben let go. The bent branch snapped back, hitting the iyla cat with a tremendous whip. Torben drifted through the air momentarily, and as predicted, he hit several branches on the way down, breaking his fall, then landed with a thud on the ground. The flinging branch sent the iyla cat full-force into the trunk of the tree. Knocked out cold, the cat hit several branches on the way down, then landed with a muffled thud. On top of Torben.

            “Torben!” Enok shouted. Enok jumped from limb to limb, descending as fast as possible. “Torben are you alright! Get up! Get up! Get away!” Enok immediately retrieved his sword and ran over to Torben and the iyla cat. The cat twitched, making a strange gurgling noise.

            “Torben, can you move!” Enok wanted to get a final death blow on the cat. Enok could hear Torben’s rapid breathing, although he didn’t respond. The cat jolted several times, causing Enok to jump. He had to get the cat off Torben before it woke up. Enok stepped in closer. The iyla cat suddenly went completely limp.

            “Torben?”

            Enok reached out, pulling at the cat. It felt completely limp. Enok got the cat partially rolled off Torben, then it stopped. It seemed to be hooked on something. Enok leapt to the other side to heave the cat off Torben. The cat wasn’t hooked on anything. Torben’s hands clenched the throat of the wild animal while he had his head buried under his arms for protection.

            “Hey, hey, Torben, it’s okay, it’s okay, you can let go.” Enok reached out to pry Torben’s hands from the iyla cat.

            Torben poked his head up and looked around. “I’m not dead?”

            Enok sighed with a laugh. “haha, wow, you had me so worried. You’re not, although I think the cat is.”

            Torben sat up quickly. “What, are you serious?” Torben looked at the cat, then jumped up, trying to keep his distance. “Wait, so that thing is dead?”

            “It’s not moving.”

            “Haha, we did it!” Torben raised his arms in the air.

            Enok stood up by his friend’s side. “No, that’s all you”

            The boys cheered in a celebratory slapping of hands and partial hugs.

            Torben smiled ear to ear. Suddenly, his expression went blank.

            “Torben, are you alright?”

            Torben staggered into the nearby bushes and vomited. He held out his hand. “Yes…. Well, wait.” Torben vomited again. “That should do it. Nearly facing death makes me sick to my stomach. You know how it goes.”

            Enok shook his head with a smile. Torben turned any event into something humorous.

            “C’mon, let’s get this cat to the fighter’s guild. We are sure to get some points for a kill like this!”

            “You know it,” Torben said, smiling, gently wiping at his mouth.

            Torben sat on a large rock overlooking Eknor, giving him an ideal perspective over the town below. The entire village funneled down the mountainside to the flatlands of the farms, following the rivers, reaching out to the ocean. The sun was setting. Torben stared off to the horizon in his typical daydream state. The sound of Enok climbing up the rock broke Torben’s dreaming.

            “Enok, my good friend, pull up a seat. Only the finest comfort Eknor has to offer,” Torben said.

            Enok chuckled and sat next to his friend.

            “So, what did they say?” Torben asked.

            “Well… you know what those guys at the fighter’s guild are like. They get hung up on particulars.”

            “Yeah, I know, but what did they say?”

            “They said they would award me the points if I wanted.” Enok said bluntly. “They said the wounds to the cat looked to be a typical sword attack. Since I was the only one with a sword, they want to give me the credit.” Enok held for a moment. “They just didn’t believe the rest of the story.” Enok stared off to the horizon. He hated bearing the bad news, although he felt Torben needed to know what he was up against. “They said luck doesn’t get you points to—.”

            “None of what we did was luck!”

            Enok held silent for a moment, unable to agree that luck had nothing to do with their success. Torben sat in silence. Not a common behavior for him. He thought for a moment, then nodded his head.

            “I guess I’m not surprised. When they asked me to leave, I figured something was up.” Torben thought for a few moments more. Then, with a quick snap, as if waking from a dream, Torben’s usual face returned. “Well, you deserve those points. I mean, I foolishly threw my sword, right?” Torben laughed. “Imagine if that worked, ha!”

            “I’m not taking those points. I didn’t earn them.”

            “No, no, it’s okay. We both look out for one another. You take the points. If we can get you into the fighter’s guild, you can help me get in. Don’t worry about it. Let’s take any points we can.”

            “Well, yeah, okay, I’m not sure that’s how it works.” Enok would do anything to help his friend, but the guild already accused him of trying to give Torben credit for his kill.

            “No, no, I won’t hear it. You take those points. Count it as a late birthday present!”

            “My birthday was ten months ago.”

            “Oh, yes, of course. Count it as an early birthday present then.” Torben laughed. Enok chuckled. “Besides, I don’t need those points, anyway.”

            “No?”

            “Nope, not me.”

            Enok stared at his friend. Torben’s determination was relentless.

            Torben continued, “I’ll do something. I don’t know what. I’ll do something that they can’t ignore. Something so big that it will force them to usher me into the fighter’s guild. Something so huge and amazing, they are going to hate me for it. But they can’t deny my greatness. Just wait, you’ll see!” Torben said with a smile.

            “I believe it!” Enok said. “You can’t keep a good Torben down, that’s for sure!”

            “Nope!”

            The two friends thought for a moment. It always impressed Enok to see Torben spin everything positively. It didn’t matter how the odds were stacked or what people said about him, Torben had a way of focusing on the positive.

            “Torben,” Enok said. “You’re already my hero. You don’t have to do anything great to prove that.” Enok thought for a moment. “You literally went out on a limb for me.”

            Torben burst out a genuine laugh

            “I thought you might like that,” Enok said.

            “Any time pal. I’ll take the fall for you anytime.” They both laughed. “I’ll always have your back. Friends forever!”

            Enok Smiled. “Friends forever!”

            The two friends watched the sunset for a moment.

            Torben took a deep breath. “Would you look at that, a world full of possibilities, a world full of adventure? There is so much I need to see and do in this life.”

            Enok nodded. “Yep, Eknor is a fascinating place, for sure.”

            Torben still stared off into the distance. “I’m not talking about Eknor. I’m talking about the horizon.”