Chapter 14: Punishment?

Chapter 14: Chapter 14: Punishment? Henry gulped, pointing his finger in Ivy’s direction, he began, "You..." However, before he could continue, Silas coughed, interrupting Henry midway. A look of understanding passed between them before Henry shut his mouth, leaving Ivy baffled. ’Do they think I am too slow?’ Ivy thought. Her eyes flashed with worry till she saw the disbelief flashing in Chloe and Amelia’s eyes. ’Oh sh*t! I exposed my skills too much!’ Ivy realised her mistake. Due to the faded memory, Ivy hardly remembered the skills she had showcased in front of Silas’s team a decade ago. She relied on her instincts and shot all the boars. Who would have thought that her thoughtlessness would give her away? For a minute, she was worried. What if they asked how she became so powerful suddenly? Silas’s steady voice drowned Ivy’s worry as he commanded, "Kill the remaining, tie up the ones who have fainted, and load them in the jeep." All the other team members nodded. Ivy stared at Silas in a daze. Soon, the remaining 7 boars were taken down. With a bountiful harvest, the team continued to hunt. Though each boar weighs around 100kg, and they hunted nearly 14 boar, when divided among 5 people, it wasn’t much. As the group trudged deeper into the forest, the air grew denser, laced with the musky scent of old foliage and damp earth. The sound of distant rustling brought them to a halt again. But this time, it was different. A low growl rumbled from the bushes ahead, followed by sharp, snapping sounds of twigs being crushed. Chloe leaned forward, eyes narrowed. "Something bigger," she whispered. Suddenly, from behind a thicket, a wild stag burst forth. Its antlers stretched wide, a majestic ten-point rack that gleamed under the faint sunlight. It wasn’t alone; two smaller deer trailed it, probably its herd. The stag paused for a moment, ears flicking, clearly alert. Before Chloe or Henry could react, Silas signaled for everyone to spread out quietly. "We’ll need to take the stag alive. The two others, if they charge, just drive them off. Focus fire on the big one." Ivy crouched low, her rifle tight against her shoulder, pulse steady. But this time, she hesitated. ’I should miss a few on purpose,’ she thought. ’I can’t afford to let them notice again.’ She took a sharp breath and aimed slightly off-target, letting the first dart hit just above the leg. The second grazed the flank. But even that half-hearted effort was better than most. The stag jerked but didn’t fall. Chloe’s dart struck its front leg, slowing it. Henry’s bounced harmlessly off a thick patch of fur. Amelia’s shot came next, clean and precise. But it was Ivy’s third dart, one she had intended to miss, that finally lodged near the creature’s neck, tipping the balance. The stag staggered and fell. Silas approached it carefully, checking its pulse. "Still breathing. Dart hit just right." He turned to Ivy, his tone unreadable. "Good job. Again." Ivy blinked. "I... didn’t mean," "You didn’t mean to hit the vital point?" Chloe cut in, one brow raised. Ivy paused before calmly looking at everyone and asked, "Were you all testing me?" How come suddenly it became difficult for Silas’s team to take down a wild stag? And why didn’t Silas even participate? It was clear. "Indeed." Silas nodded, causing Ivy to fall silent while Henry felt smug. Finally! Finally, Silas was going to scold Ivy. Though he felt a hint of pity for her, too, and a hint of admiration, that was all. "Ivy, if you are capable of taking down a stag on your own, don’t downplay your ability." Silas said sternly, "We are in a situation where hiding for one minute can result in not having food 2 years later." Henry chuckled internally but maintained a calm face. Now. Silas will definitely ask Ivy to run two laps; worst, he might deprive her of the food portion. There was one thing Silas hated the most. Hiding your ability because one doesn’t know how to explain it. According to him, if you have the ability, showcase it, use it to the fullest, so that the instructor can make different plans and help you improve. Otherwise, even with a head start, you will be nothing more than dirt. Henry was one of the idiots who had made that mistake, and Silas had punished him by not giving him food for an entire day. ’Go, captain! Go and punish her!’ "Ivy, I had changed the topic previously and gave you the chance now, so that you can showcase your ability, but you again tried to hide it. I am disappointed." Silas said softly. Henry rubbed his hand in excitement. ’Now will come the punishment!’ "So as a punishment, you will have to receive personal training under me for the next 2 days in my house," Silas said seriously. Henry: (ᅙ_ᅙ) Amelia And Chloe: (⊙.⊙)(⊙.⊙)