A Man and a Mountain
Jason lifted his heavy rucksack and looked up at the
peek of the mountain before him. The grassy peek stood out boldly in the bright
blue summer sky. Alone he was going to clime the peek, he was determined he could
do it.
"So you are going," a kind voice behind him said
"Yes Mrs Lofton I am grateful for you kindness in
letting me stay the night"
He took her hand in gratitude and with a cheery wave
he started his walk towards the mountain.
As he walked he thought, this was not the highest
mountain he had climbed but it was his.
It grew dark as he reached the base he smiled up at
the peek silhouetted against the red sunset.
"'Red sky at night shepherd's Delight'" He quoted as
he removed his pack and started to put up his tent.
The next morning he started his walk up the slope.
As he walked the path got steadily steeper and he had to help himself climb
with his hands.
Suddenly the rock he was resting his foot on gave
way and he fell tumbling down the slope. He felt a sharp pain on his head and
then darkness.
He woke to find himself in a bed covered in a rough
wool blanket. A Quick look under it he found he was wearing nothing apart from
his underwear and had bandages on his legs and arms.
He groaned as a pain went through his head. Putting
his hands to it he found it was also bandaged. He felt something touch his leg
and he looked up to see a wolf resting a paw on his leg. When he looked at the
wolf it gave a sharp bark, sniffed at the bandage on his head. Frozen in fear
Jason could not move.
"So you are awake now" A voice came from the door
Jason turned his head to face the voice and the pain
came again.
"Easy, easy" the voice said. "Hear drink this" A steaming mug was handed
to him
Smelling herbs he wrinkled his nose in disgust
The voice laughed "it smells bad I know but it will
help with the pain"
Jason quickly drank it down and the pain started to
fade.
He turned to finally look as the person and saw a
man about 5'10" with short dark blonde hair and strange amber eyes, he was only
warring rough brown breaches And the skin of his muscled torso was lightly
tanned.
"The names Cal" he said as he removed the bandage on
Jason's head to examine the wound "you're healing well" he replaced the bandage
and sat on a stool beside the bed. The wolf came up and rested its head on
Cal's lap. Jason's eyes flicked down to look at the wolf and Cal smiled.
"This is Taygo" he indicated the wolf "and it was him who found you laid
unconscious on the mountain, How in the gods name did get there wearing these
strange clothes" he picked up Jason's bright red jacket
"My name is Jason I was climbing the mountain when I
slipped and fell. But I must ask where am I?"
"In a small hut in the Grimhold Mountains on the
border between Scanra and Tortall, Five days from the city of the gods. Why
climb a mountain?"
Jason looked puzzled that morning he had started to
climb a mountain in the peak district in England and now he was in a place he
had never heard of before.
Cal saw the confusion on his face. "What's wrong?"
he asked
"What's wrong is I am not in England where I
started" he complained
"England? I am well travelled but I have never heard
of England?" Cal looked as confused as he did.
"Well we can figure out what has happened to you in time.
Will you stay hear until you are healed" Cal broke the silence
Smiling he held out his hand and painfully Jason
took it.
