Eoin sat to catch his breath, sweat dripping from every pour. His throat, raw and parched, felt like he had inhaled sand. The sun, still not at its zenith, was beating down on him furiously. His dehydration was severe and he knew he had to find more water soon as he took the last sip from his pouch. With a clenched fist he tried to push every last drop out of the water skin, but it was dry. His head sunk as he closed his eyes for a few moments to gather his thoughts, his tangled mop of hair dropped from his shoulders in a heap of grease and dirt onto his stomach . The sweat from his forehead ran down his face stinging his eyes and pooled at the end of his nose in a large droplet. He rose, tossed his hair back, and wiped his brow with his forearm.
He staggered for hours across the barren land, with each step he weakened but drew closer to his goal. Barely able to walk Eoin used the spear as a crutch, he grasped it with both hands and leaned heavily down upon it, no longer able to take full steps. Every muscle in his body tired, gritting his teeth with each pace he walked on. The blisters on his feet were becoming increasingly painful as he strode causing him to hobble and drag his left foot. "Even if I do reach the mountains will I be strong enough to find water or to hunt?" He drifted to other thoughts, visions of magnificent hunts and large gatherings in the village, anything to keep his mind off failure.
He could see several dark shapes ahead, they were moving but he could not make out through the haze who or what they might be. Eoin quickened his pace, it might be help or even game either way it encouraged him to move. The pain of the blisters intensified but still he broke into a hurried jog, the most he could muster. As he drew closer he recognized the shapes, "Vultures!" He proceeded even faster now almost coming to a full run. His approach did not go unnoticed and the scavengers took to the sky abandoning their meal. Eoin saw the stripped corpse of a water buffalo, it's hide was ripped to shreds and bits of innards littered the ground around it., still there was meat to be had. He pulled out his knife and knelt at the beasts side. Reaching into the creature's still warm torso he felt for the heart, grabbed it and used his knife to cut it free. He bit into it deeply, blood dripped down his cheeks and onto his chest, carefully he sucked all the liquid out that he could then ate the remaining flesh. Sated he sat with his back against the beast and slapped its torn hide with his open palm. "You my friend just saved my life." He smiled and laughed to himself while he rested for just a few minutes.
Feeling stronger Eoin knelt at the side of the beast and cut out several strips of meat and placed them in his pack. His feet still hurt but he got up and set pace toward the mountains. They were growing closer, in his estimation only a few more miles. Hope renewed he trudged on.
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