Tahu's Journal
Chapter 6
In the distance, the others began coming into view. We weren't as close to the camp as we'd expected to be when we noticed them, but they had probably been walking or running toward us.
As we moved closer, we saw their weapons raised, but when we got even closer, they lowered them, realizing we weren't the Skrall. We pulled up the chariots beside them, and stopped.
"Please explain..." I started. "Why we were greeted by Skrall in OUR vehicles?"
"Well, you see, brother..." Pohatu said, "we were fighting those Skrall, and while our attention was turned, the Atakus managed to take the chariots..."
"We would've chase-followed them, but we'd used all of our energy fight-battling the Skrall," said Lewa.
"Fair enough..." I sighed. "But leaving that subject, get on. We've got to get moving again."
They all hopped onto the chariots, whether on the back or the wings, and soon we were back on the move. After an hour or so, we passed the battle field of the fight with the Skrall, where we took back the chariots. We weren't surprised to see the Skrall all gone, having taken the chariot we'd left behind as well. The sun was falling behind the hills, so we stopped once more near the overhang. We couldn't use the same one, however, it having been knocked down in the battle.
Our shelters having been burned earlier, we simply laid out whatever cloths we could find underneath the overhang. Tarduk and Crotesius drifted off quickly, but the rest of us couldn't fall asleep, expecting the Skrall to show up again.
When the sun rose again the next morning, we gathered up the few things we took out, and packed them away. Then we quickly got moving again. After a few hours of travelling, we left the plains and came across, strangely, a jungle. Getting nearer, the land around it began to turn into a swamp, with rivers flowing along the east and west edges.
We came to the edge of the jungle, and stopped. We made our plan, to send in Tarduk, Vastus, and Lewa first, as they knew what may be found in a jungle. The rest of us weren't as familiar.
"When we return," Vastus said. "We'll tell you what we can about the jungle, and what would be the best way through. But keep in mind, if what we find is... unpleasant... we'll probably choose to go around, like we did with the mountains to the south."
"And what if you don't come out for some time?" Gali asked them. "Should we follow?"
"If we don't come back out by the nightfall," Vastus said. "Then yes, come in. Tahu could easily create a light source so you'd see where you'd be going."
It was about noon now, so they'd have plenty of time to try finding a path through the jungle. We saw them off, as they made their way through the thick foliage along the edge of the jungle, disappearing into the shadows under the trees. We found a dry area among the swampy ring around the jungle, and set up our camp.
***
Omniscient P.O.V.
Vastus, Lewa and Tarduk drove slowly through the jungle. They had to take their time making their way around the trees, and a few times, got stuck in the mud or in between the trees. So far, other than the terrain, they hadn't met any obstacles that could cause huge problems
They came to a lake, that was somehow filled with fresh water, and not swamp water. All three walked up to observe it, confused. The water was clear; they could see the bottom of the lake's shallow edges, and the fish swimming in the water.
Tarduk reached for the water, but Lewa held him back.
"Don't get too close," he said. "I've seen lots of odd-strange things throughout my adventures... and I can tell, there's something not right here."
"He's right," Vastus agreed. "This water should be as dirty as the swamp around it; with all this mud, it would have to have seeped in and filled it."
"Maybe the fish keep it clean," Tarduk shrugged. "No one ever found anything out about nature by standing around and saying to be cautious."
"Even so..." Lewa started. "I can tell, I just know that something's wrong-different with this water!"
The lake stretched out very far from where the trio was standing, probably a good few kios, with the depth much the same. Looking out, toward the center of the lake, the three of them spotted an island.
They started circling the water body, looking for a possible path to the island in the center. If they could find out more about this lake, it would be a perfect place for the Jungle Tribe or the Le-Matoran to set up a village or two.
They came to the northern edge of the lake, when they found what they were looking for. There was a long strip of land reaching out toward the island, that ended close enough that one could jump from there to the island.
They made the crossing, leaving the vehicle back at the beginning of the 'peninsula' landing on the island in the lake's center, then rounded back to the southern edge they'd been looking at a few minutes ago. There was a small cavern on the side they now stood on.
"Tarduk," Vastus started. "Head back to the others. Tell them of this find, and bring them here."
"Alright," he said, running back to the chariot as Lewa and Vastus entered the cave. Tarduk went back the way they'd come, as the Toa and the Glatorian entered the darkness...
Stay tuned to ToaChristor on deviantArt, or Toa Christor on for the continuation of Tahu's Journal!
To the readers who've enjoyed this so far, sorry so much is in 3rd person. I just got sort of caught up in writing that part, and adding more 1st person would've made it a little too long in my view.