Professor Oswald came at early morning then led them back to central camp. Aresians and Athenenas had been here standing in rows. A boar, a deer and two cocks had placed there besides cages. They belonged to Aresian family and Athenena family. Aresians caught the boar Heracles and his fellows lost and a cock while Athenenas hunted the deer and the other cock. Amelinda and her friends made her way to go ahead put their two cocks and rabbit right besides others’. Later, the Herathyias appeared. They brought a hedgehog, a squirrel and a rabbit with them, and also hurriedly made their way to put them besides other animals. Their leader, Professor Linus quickly got in the central camp and kept staying in there minutes.
Professor Finn emerged after the curtain. He walked ahead then stood front of them.
“You all did very well.” he said, “Aresans are people who went to here first. They got a boar and a cock which bring to them thirty five points. Athenenas are also great. They are people right after Aresans hunting a deer and a cock and get thirty points. Zeusians are people after that. Yeah, they didn’t hunt a rabbit and two cocks which bring to them twenty points.”, “Well done.” he added looking at place Heracles and others standing, “You did your best.”
“The last people were Herathyias.” Professor Finn raised his voice, turned to Hank and his fellows, “They have hunted. Let me see.”, “A rabbit, a hedgehog and a squirrel. They bring to them thirty points.”, “Very good, all of you. No one is removed this year.” Professor Finn kept silent in moments. “It’s time to party.” he said loudly after that.
Professor Genevieve appeared right after that. She gathered then divided them in groups, asked them to find firewood, picked up fruits, herbs,… while she and other professors were responsible for these animals animal they had hunted. They hurriedly scattered. Heracles and Gwen went with some boy they were responsible for finding firewood. Amelinda and some girls also accompanied with them but they walked to find fruits and herbs. It’s not far for Heracles and other to find firewood there had many dry branches around the central camp. They quickly got stacks of dry braches and then brought back central camp. Some high piles of firewood were built after that. The animals at last were plucked, shaved. The boar and deer were skewered then were placed upon the piles of wood which were burnt before that a little. The others were put into pots and already to cook. Later, Amelinda and her fellows came back. They got some apples, bunches of grapes and some mushrooms. They also picked some herbs which after that were used to cook.
In the time they waited for everything to be cooked, people scattered in small groups, found their way to stand or sit around central camp chatting. Heracles and his friend, Gwen decided took a wander and then they saw Avery who was sitting alone under a tree at edge of the clearing. They approached him, had a short converse with him before they turned back gathering with the others of their family. It’s nearly noon at the time all things were cooked. The deer and boar were taken out from the fire, lay on leaves, were cut in pieces and then gave to people. They received the pieces of meat and ate them with the bread and milk they brought. There had no bowl, dish, knife and fork. Instead of them, they were offered to used leaves and their hands in order to make them closer to nature. The meal ended after an hour. They all were recommended to stay in the place and rest while their professors turned in the central camp.
Heracles and Gwen, on other side, didn’t stay still. They followed Amelinda going in the forest. She led them to somewhere quite far from the central camp.
“Where are we going Amelinda?” asked Gwen.
“Shhh!” Amelinda put finger on her mouth, “Don’t be noisy. I don’t want anyone follow us.” she said.
“Where is the place?” soliloquized Amelinda, “I remember it’s around somewhere here.”
“What is she finding?” said Gwen looking at Heracles.
Heracles shrugged, looked at Gwen. “Dunno,” he said. They kept following Amelinda in minutes. Later, they stopped at a place on which grew up many of herbs. Hurriedly Amelinda asked them to pick the herbs then dug roots and tubers under ground up. The things after that were stored in Amelinda’s space ring. They flattened their clothes, swept dirty from it and then made their way back to central camp. The others were still their places. Some were awake while some were in sleep on grass. Heracles, They separated. Heracles and Gwen made their way to boys while Amelinda strode toward girls. Heracles and Gwen hurriedly found a place. They lay down and then rested. It’s late afternoon as Heracles and Gwen woke up. They had light meals with bread and milk. A very high pile of firewood was made after that. It was burnt before sunset. People managed to sit around it. Professor Finn and the others also walked out and participated with them. While Professor Linus played lyre for some of them to dance. Some boys were attracted by Professor Oswald’s stories while Professor Genevieve and Elfleda who was leader of Aresan family were rounded by girls who found the way to ask them all things about Hippocoon. On other hand, Professor Finn sat only by the fire back turning to the central camp. He kept looking up the sky, observing stars. Sometime, he spoke few words but no one paid attention on it so then they didn’t hear what he said.
The camp fire finished at the midnight. People felt really tired, they managed to help them have places to rest. Professor stood up, grabbed his scepter, pointed up to sky. “Tholos-” he spelled. Suddenly, a golden light round area appeared upon his head. It turned bigger and then covered whole the clearing inside it. Later, the light around Heracles and other became the wall with transparent dome upon. Instead of gasses under their feet, there were chairs, branches and beds for them to sit and lye on. Professor Finn made his way went into the central camp. Other professors also followed him walking in it. The noises quickly vanished after. The forest turned silent. All people fell in deep sleep having their own dreams.
***
“So you are Heracles?”
“Yes, I am. Who are you?”
“You don’t need to know it. Only need to know that I am finding you.”…
!!! The above post is a draft of my first book on Heracles, Heracles and the Nemean lion in Hippocoon land. Its content can be omitted, modified or replaced. If you want to read the full version, click here buy a ebook: Heracles and the Nemean lion or click here to a paper book: Heracles and the Nemean lion by Hung Nguyen !!!
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