TRIBAL SABUNG
Chapter 4. - Forest and Pig Bag. 1 - the

At seven o'clock in the morning, the group of young men began to set out towards the forest west of the village hall. The four children from the orphanage were in the middle row, flanked by those who were older and experienced.

They walked through the path, and had climbed the hill several times and crossed the small river. Every now and then one of the young men passed by with an old motorbike carrying their heavy equipment. There are two people using a motorbike who will put their camping equipment first.

Nyoman was busy wiping her air rifle, also occasionally aiming here and there before her head was grabbed by Basuki. For almost an hour they walked, the ground they were on began to loosen, wet, making their shoes dirty and heavy every step.

Not far from them, seen a motorbike falling with its luggage. Soon the front row ran over, two adult men helped lift the bike and tidied up the luggage.

“Thank you,” he said while wiping sweat as big as corn seeds. “You guys be careful, in front of the street must be getting slippery.”

“Yes, you too. Not to mention a lot of bushes. I'm sure it hurts once your face slaps continuously.” One of his friends said while laughing.

“That's why I don't want to take the bike. But unfortunately lost the same suit Sudrajat.”

The other two friends laughed as they patted her on the back. Then they parted, and the group resumed their journey. When they finally reached the camp, Sky and the other children rushed to help tidy up the luggage.

The sky used its machete, began to clear the thickets in several places. Basuki and Tio were busy setting up tents and tarps with green patterns to take shelter as well as being camouflaged so that no wild animals were aware of their existence.

Meanwhile Nyoman is busy assembling her long barrel rifle. He used a tripod as a restraint and several times adjusted the height to make it easier to aim, as well as scout prey through a small telescope on his rifle.

The sky looked around, the originally crowded group was now only four people left. There were no more village youths nor elders, leaving only those orphanage children. Feeling awkward, the boy immediately pulled the end of Tio's shirt.

“Di-where are the others?”

“Repscar.” Answer Tio short.

Among other children, Tio has eye acuity like an eagle. Since then he has not stopped looking around, lurking with his binoculars.in case one or two piglets enter into the radar surveillance.

“So not long, we are divided into three teams.” This time Basuki who spoke, “May we do not need to sleep in the forest.”

“Husshh!!” Nyoman berhus slowly, “you all quiet, dong. Something looks, here!” he said again, whispering.

“What? where?” Tio crouched down next to Nyoman. His sharp eyes began to narrow in the designated direction.

“Silence..,” almost Nyoman growled in annoyance.

About 3 km from where they were at this time, something faintly seemed to be moving between the bushes. About three large wild boars moved slowly westward. Tio immediately analyzed their target with his eagle eyes, before he muttered softly.

“Hm..., the weight is about 150 kg, the length is up to 6 feet, the length of the ears is 150–200 mm, and the height of the shoulders may be 450–700 mm. The other two tails are fortunately not as big as the first.”

Basuki whistled softly after hearing Tio's quick and accurate analysis. Nyoman gulped his saliva nervously, never thought it would be that big one. What about the king of the jungle?

“You two are scared?” Basuki asked as he patted slowly on Sky's shoulders.

Nyoman clucking softly, “Gugup possible, but not with fear.”

“Se-little,” Sky choose answer honestly.

Basuki grinned widely, “I like your courage, Nyoman. But there is no harm in feeling afraid to be more vigilant.”

“Fear does not mean cowardice. Just makes us more sensitive, more careful, so we are not careless and even hurt our own colleagues.” said Tio chimed in.

“Iya, yes. So, when do we attack them?” asked Nyoman indifferently.

***

The sun is getting down to the end of the horizon, turning noon into evening. Basuki turned his head towards the three waiting friends, asking them to prepare. Tio picked up the bow and arrow, Nyoman grasping the long barrel rifle with smoldering eyes, Basuki sighed softly and tightened his grip on the spear, while Sky, the, the boy stared at his reflection on the dagger before putting it into the sheath. Hunting time will start as soon as night falls.

The silence this evening was different. In addition to the sound of the night beast, the friction of the shrubbery was more often heard. Some animals raise their heads, their ears move restlessly, before coming back down, busy sniffing or eating grass.

Several pairs of eyes lurk behind the sidelines of the bush as high as the waist of an adult. Observing a small, four-legged mammal, busy eating at the wrong time. A second later, something hit him hard, making him bounce off several meters. Unaware of what was butting him, something coarse black-feathered, came back to attack. The little scream of the poor mammal split the silence of the night.

Not far from the scene of the attack, a person gulped nervously with a speck of sweat almost falling on the tip of his chin.

When the predator is off guard, busy enjoying the food. The figure hiding behind the grass immediately jumped up and attacked. The pointy metal spear tip slid like a bullet and scratched the right body. A loud scream could be heard breaking the silence of the night.

Not yet done, Basuki again carried out the attack. The spear he thrust with all his might forward, precisely punching holes in the left side of the pig bagong. Then he turned his hand, swung the spear outwards until it formed a curved line and stabbed it again from the bottom up.

The attacks that were given repeatedly made his opponent angry. With his large body and height exceeding Basuki, Babi Bagong attacked by swinging his head from the bottom up repeatedly. But the attack was not hit because Basuki first jumped back.

This time it was Sky's turn, after his friend retreated, the boy emerged from the top of the pine tree. He jumped right on top of the pig's head, piercing it with a dagger, but alas, missed a few inches from the targeted spot. The sky leaped backwards twice, then darted with a dagger in hand. The blue-eyed boy attacked twice, forming a large ‘x’ letter in several pig bodies. Then he jumped to and fro, moving agilely to avoid his opponent's large and long tail.

Behind the grass at the waist of an adult, Tio was ready with three arrows. His eagle eyes had since followed the movements of the Sky and its prey. When he saw his friend jump, lost from his sight, at that moment Tio released the bowstring and three pointed arrows darted quickly on the back of the pig bagong. The animal collapsed with a loud thumping sound.

The last attack was by Nyoman. The boy had been waiting for his turn. He was on a hill about 500 meters away from his friends, waiting. And when he saw the huge beast collapse, then Nyoman knew that it was time he pulled the trigger.

The sound of a gun rang out loud, two bullets shot through the skull to penetrate the ground.

Three seconds of silence, before a sigh of relief from Basuki, Tio, and Sky sounded. Different again with Nyoman who has clenched fists into the air and whistled cheerfully.

Tonight, one pig was defeated by Basuki's team.

***

A straight line of thin smoke split the starry night sky. A small campfire was set up on a barren hill, far from the dense jungle. The night was long, but hunger kept the four boys awake. After taking out the supplies and heating them for a while, Tio shared them with the other children.

Nyoman was still putting on a big smile, eating while humming cheerfully. Unable to praise himself, he opened his still-full mouth to speak.

“You all saw my greatness earlier?” Nyoman puffed up her chest, “I always knew that I was so great, talented, and of course, hunting pig bagong was a trivial thing for me!”

“For the size of a malnourished boy like you, it's great that you didn't miss!” Basuki embraced Nyoman's relaxed shoulders. “I'm ready to attack if the shot failed.”

“Follow! don't equate me with the Sky!” Nyoman tried to let go of Basuki's embrace and fiercely glared at the black-haired boy opposite her.

“If he hadn't failed earlier, we could have finished sooner and caught up with the team in front!” Nyoman pointed at the Sky with her index finger, looking furious. “He should have chosen a stronger weapon. Uh! no, he is weak, useless!”

“Nyoman,” Tio's heavy voice sounds serious. The teenager who had been busy tidying up the tableware suddenly looked at him sharply. “Jaga speaks of you, it is not good to make fun of your own friends. Sky had already done the thing he could, without making any fatal mistakes and no one was injured just because he missed.”

“True, you shouldn't insult your own friends.” Basuki.

“Like you didn't just insult me by saying I was malnourished!” reply Nyoman who finally can release Basuki's embrace.

The boy did not dare to reply to Tio's words, because all the children of the orphanage knew how scary this quiet man was if he was angry. As a result Nyoman just pursed her lips, grumbling softly while finishing her dinner.

Continues…