Chapter 4
I can lead the way...
He is calling you you...
I hope you can hear me...
I can show you the way...
The world will need your strength soon...
We have to find the wise one...
Deep in the woods...
" Jeez kid! Were you hear this whole time? We thought you left"
Startled awake, still in the stable... did I really sleep here all day?
"How late is it?"
"Late? It's morning! Came to take our mom and new filly here to the pen, let it learn to run"
See the baby standing, little wobbly, really having a go at her mom's nipple, follow Talon just out the stables, still dark, sky getting bright
"Filled up the satchel with all the stuff we promised, filled your quiver, and all the dried goat is wrapped up"
Runs over to his workbench and back, hands me the spear, looks stained, wrapped some leather around, good grip
" Also traced a map of the area on a cloth, pretty accurate. Relative to the old world map, we should be under the sea"
That doesn't make sense
" According to another wanderer, we're in the Gulf of Mexico. And no one has seen the ocean and they've come from miles in every direction, we're the furthest settlement north, closest thing is the giant lake southeast of here"
Nothing for miles, I came from the north, nothing but forests, elevations changed everywhere? these should be swamplands, did the trees suck up the water? Wouldn't the salt keep stuff from growing? I don't know how nature works..
He shakes my hand, strong grip, rough hands, if he were anything other than a rancher before I couldn't tell now
"Thank you for helping us. Wife will serve you breakfast and get you a clean bandage, she's better at that stuff than I am. I'll tell Malon you said goodbye, she won't be up for another hour or so"
Walk across the ranch, warm fresh air, new world has it's moments, walk into the kitchen, wife is also up and about
" Wow, we thought you left"
Hands me a plate, eggs again, this time on toast, looks buttered, more milk
"Go ahead and eat in the room, I'll be there in a bit with a fresh bandage, just gotta get a plate over to Talon, he'll forget to eat otherwise"
Follow her direction, lean the spear by the doorway, sit as I pull of the bandage, taste the milk, not as sour, must be growing on me, let's eat
Wife walks in with a roll of cloth as I take my last bite, sits next to me, I turn the back of my head towards her
"I know your were out, but believe me, this is more awkward for me since I've seen your junk"
forgot about that, she made it weird, feel a stinging sensation, lifts my hair off the cut
"No bad smell, no puss, doesn't look infected, lucky you. Hold this"
Hands me the bandage, more stings, she wipes my wounds with a wet handkerchief, I hear the foal whinny from the pen, sounds excited, must be getting a kick out of running around
"Don't really have stuff to clean it with, or anything for pain sorry. Heard rumors that the big settlement was looking for herbologists, they might point you in the right direction"
Wraps the bandage around my head, not too tight, she's done this a lot, strong hands, but soft, she gives me a quick hug, can't believe she touched my thing
"Talon told me what happened out there, we truly appreciate it. From what Ingo has told us, trails are starting to form from all the foot traffic between our settlements, finding a path should be easy. Use the map and volcano as a reference if you get lost"
I get up, inspect the satchel, decent size, treated leather, must have traded it for something, feel bad taking it, grab my stuff, she leads me out through the kitchen and what looks like a living room, fully furnished, no decoration
" If you see a wagon on the way that should be Ingo, feel free to introduce yourself, It's a full days walk to the settlement, shorter on horse obviously, but I don't think we can spare one. You know how it is out there, so be careful"
I walk out, she closes the door behind me, walking towards the gate I'm thinking I'll miss actual cooking, I hear the filly whinny again, I look back, it's staring at me, she whinnys again, looks like it's gonna miss me...
End Chapter