It is no easy matter to kill a hare with a slingshot from twenty-five paces, a feat accomplished by Deormund several times since childhood. A superlative combination of skill and eyesight is needed to achieve the exploit. When he rummaged through his storage chest to retrieve the weapon, he had a larger game in mind. The beauty of a sling is that it is lightweight and easily hidden on the person. Another of the secrets of its successful use lies in the choice of missile. The deer herder had chanced upon the perfectly-shaped smooth stone the previous afternoon. It lay snugly in his pocket.
On his way to collect the stag, again by noosing it and leading with the leash, he would search for other similar stones to test that he had not lost his slinging ability.
Used to rising before the dawn
