theworldofdreams.com

We hardly got started on our trip to the camp and Bronwyn replied to my call. She informed me that she was all right and did not lose any of her valuables. She thanked me for asking and told me to convey her appreciation to my brothers for their valiant efforts. I apologized for not helping with the rescue and she, as usual, down played my anxiety of not being there for her telling me that it was fine and that all ended well. I thanked her for her tolerance and lighthearted spirit and told her not to hesitate to call for any reason in the future.

Due to the direction of the wind, I decided to swing to the east and come around at them from the southeast. Even at this distance, the odor was foul. It was going to get more and more intense and I did not want to come at them from down wind. Knowing that we would run into little or no resistance by the shore, I guided Tracker toward the water and started to follow the coastline.

Bulls Eye was constantly on my mind as we made our way to the camp. As we approached a large open field, I recalled surveying the area. I had wanted to build on it but I would have had to clear too much land to make it worthwhile. I knew that just building the tower was going to be a major feat, let alone clearing land before even breaking ground.

A smile started to form across my face as I remembered Bulls Eye romping in this field as I surveyed. He would sprint and stop, over and over again. He ran around the clearing full speed a couple times as he enjoyed the breeze in his face. As I tried to survey, he would try to sneak up behind me and nudge me throwing me off balance and some times making fall over from my kneeling position. He was so funny … He would start out at my right or left acting like he was grazing on the deep green grass. He would slowly work his way to a position that he though I could not see him then slowly work his way up behind me. I could always hear his heavy footsteps before he got to me, but to make the game enjoyable, I always played along as if I hadn’t heard him. He would nudge me, I would whirl around in an appearance of being startled and he would trot off to a distance he knew I could not reach him. His whinny would resemble child’s play laughter.

My smile faltered slightly and changed to a face of appreciation as I remembered a few times when Bulls Eye had saved my life. I specifically remembered the time when an Orc Captain and I had been exchanging fighting techniques. We had each other just about exhausted when he decided that the odds were not in his favor. He then called to a nearby friend of his to help finish me off. Knowing my Strength was faultering, Bulls Eye threw me to the ground and started imbedding his hooves into the Orc Captains helm. Despite my attempts to stop Bulls Eye, he continued to pound away on the orc captain. Realizing I would not be of much use to Bulls Eye, I rested to regain my strength. By the time the other orc got to us, Bulls Eye had the captain in a pile. My strength had returned by then and we started beating on the captain’s friend. Together we made short work of him.

Another time he saved my life was when I had been engaged with a few ratmen in a dungeon's lower level. We had just been walking through to do a little mining and 4 of these ratmen jumped out of hiding at us. Knowing there was little to do other than fight them, I told Bulls Eye to stay put and I aolone engaged them. After beating down 3 of them, I was very weary and bloody. All of a sudden I heard the twang of horseshoes hitting armor behind me. I whirled around to see Bulls Eye engaged with yet another ratman. Had that one gotten to me, I would not have had the strength to keep him at bay, let alone kill him. Bulls Eye distracted him long enough for me to strengthen up and finish off the remaining ratman and help Bulls Eye with his ratman.

Bulls Eye and I had been through a lot together. Tears started to well up in my eyes as I traveled through my memories of him and of our times together. I felt myself getting very angry and frustrated with the loss of my friend. “He loved me unconditionallyâ€