The Burning Sword Read Online Free Page A

the group, Helen, was next to her, all of them clutching their nets. 

The others were all crouched around the bases of various tree trunks, barely visible if you glanced over at them. The wild mushrooms they had all collected were in a pile right in the center of the small clearing they had chosen, the four trees they were sat in all conveniently placed to make it easy for them.

They had been sitting this way for half an hour when they heard something crashing through the nearby forest. Everyone tensed, suddenly silent. Something was snuffling nearby; Faith saw it coming closer. It was a boar, and a fat one too. She could almost smell the bacon.

It seemed the boar had realized that the mushrooms were already picked and ready for him, and he approached them eagerly, grunting. Faith felt almost sorry to kill it; it seemed to have quite some character. Banishing her silly thoughts by remembering what it would taste like, and what it would do if it found fifteen girls surrounding it, she raised her hand, holding up three fingers.

The boar snorted with pleasure as it gobbled up the mushrooms. Faith bent one finger down. Two.

Martha, Helen and Sibyl all watched her, waiting for the command. One. Go.

At once, all four of them dropped the net. Flying swiftly, it fell, landing right on target, so the boar was well and truly caught. It struggled, then squealed, thrashing about as the girls waiting on the ground dashed out, holding onto the corners of the net so that it couldn’t escape.

Faith scrambled down from the tree, straight over to where the girls were holding onto the boar. Helen was already down from her place, bravely keeping the boar’s head still so no one was in danger of becoming gored. It had stopped struggling, as was eating the remainder of the mushrooms. Faith wondered just how much this creature loved food.

“Who did we say would kill it?” she asked. Everyone looked at the boar wistfully, having grown ever so slightly fond of it. “Any volunteers?” 

Not one person spoke. Sibyl pulled out her knife. “I will,” she said bravely, motioning for some of the girls let her through.

Helen stayed in her position, holding the boar’s head still so the sharp tusks weren‘t endangering anyone, talking to it in a soothing voice. Faith felt a burst of guilt, wondering if she could justify killing the poor animal. 

Sibyl gritted her teeth, and cut the boar’s throat. The boar squealed, and flopped onto the ground. She had done a good job; it was neatly cut, with only a small amount of blood spilled. Faith patted her shoulder, and she smiled, rather weakly. The others stood round the dead boar. 

“We did it!” Isabel cheered, instantly lightening the mood. “We’re better hunters than those pathetic men!”

Faith couldn’t agree more, and they all worked together, tying the boar to two of their sticks, so Helen and Marian could carry it between them, while Faith and Martha folded up the net, making sure it wasn’t broken in any way.

The mood was bright as they made their way back to the village; everyone was anticipating the delicious meat that they would have for dinner, and Faith looked around happily. She hadn’t known many of the girls she was now spending so much time with very well before. Usually, she had gone about her jobs, snatching snippets of conversation with Martha, and sometimes Isabel, but the others had been about their own tasks, and in the evenings, sat with their own families, around their own fires.

The only time they had ever come together was at the various festival days. On some of them, the boys had spent the entire day building a campfire, and they would all sit round it, toasting bread and melting cheese. Then she had chatted a little to the other girls, but never had she had so much fun with them. Working together, they all shared a bond; they weren’t the ‘dignified ladies’ that Margaret so greatly promoted, but they got the job done, and they