Day two began with the group getting up to their feet around the dead fire pit. Smith dusted off his Jupiter civilian wear then his pants making sure that not a pebble or sand remained. In Mason's case, all the dust and bits of piled dead leaves fell off his silver outfit as soon as he had gone up to his feet. There was breakfast waiting for them on a slab of rock with created eating silverware. Gale was standing guard from the two men standing on a large piece of rock that hadn't been there hours ago. The men finished their breakfast and drank from the cups to help some of the contents down.
Gale came down to the ground.
"Where did that rock come from, Gale?" Smith asked.
Gale held his hand up toward the rock then lowered it bringing the rock down to the ground.
"Why didn't you do that yesterday?" Mason asked.
"Yes," Smith asked. "why?"
"The floor would have given out beneath us," Gale said. "I can only use the rock around me."
"Ah," Smith said, walking along the space that once had been the rock. "That is a interesting development."
"Nope," Mason said, then walked ahead. "Nope, nope," he shook his head. "see you at the escape pod in the next two days!"
Smith shook his head.
"He is so young," Smith said.
Mason became a distant figure.
"He doesn't appreciate being around dangerous allies full time yet," Gale said.
Smith snorted in amusement.
"If you were paranoid as he was and knowing certain things about what you are that I don't," Smith said. "You would have done the same."
"Had I been born a mortal . . ." Gale grimaced. "I find it easier to imagine not being a mortal."
"Being a mortal means you can start anew," Smith said. Smith grew a curious look turning his head toward the warrior. "Gale, have you eaten anything before?"
"The last time I had eaten was at a feast," Gale said. "A grand one."
"And you didn't bother to feed yourself yesterday?" Smith asked.
"I do not require it," Gale said.
Smith glared toward the warrior.
"William must be under the allusion that you are human," Smith said. "You must eat."
"If that is what you want, then I will," Gale said.
"It is," Smith said. "Starting the next meal."
Smith walked on ahead of the warrior.
"To think I was going to be left on out on mortal functions this time around," Gale said, then shook his head and walked after Smith.
Gale looked from side to side, cautiously, during the long travel. Never knew when a wild rat could lunge out at them. There was a faint fog in the air that was easy to see through. It had strangely appeared in the afternoon. Fog typically began to form overnight then grew heavy and heavier as time waned on until the passing hours made it dissipate in the evening. Gale stopped, squinting his eyes, making the doctor stop ahead turning toward the warrior. Gale observed for the familiar shapes visibly bothered by the sheer phenomenon. Gale came to Smith's side.
"What is the matter, Gale?" Smith asked, his attention onto the Mezoniac.
"This is a very thin smoke screen," Gale said. "It is not fog. It is fog but it is not."
"Mason!" Smith called. "Mason, whatever you are doing, cease this right now!"
"I do not believe this is being conducted by Mason," Gale said, taking out his blades. "Stay here."
Gale stepped forward.
"Is this another ant?" Smith asked, visibly trembling.
"It is the Chippakaka," Gale said, then sent a wall up in front of Smith that curved and formed a small cave for him. "Be silent!"
Gale walked on into the fog gazing from side to side. He heard the sound of a small twig crack then whirred around taking out his blades observing the large and seven foot tall thin fur coated being running toward him on its feet. Long yet sharp hair came from the white mane, three extra arms, a blue painted face, long sharp fangs glistening from the mouth of the Chipakaka, and a long cured tail that resembled a spring. Gale leaped aside then used his blade as his sail in the wet, warm ground. The Chipakaka landed face first into the dirt then struggled to get up on to its feet. Gale heard the doctor's panicked thoughts struggling to reassure himself that nothing was going on from outside the improvised cave.
Gale yanked out the two blades from the back as the creature got on its two hind legs and turned toward him. The Chipakaka faced him then turned in the direction of the whimpering mound and back in the direction of the man. Their eyes locked for only a moment but the moment was all that it took for the next chain of events to happen. The Chipakaka ran toward the mound. Gale reached his hand out closing off the entrance way to the cave leaving only a long, wide crack from below. The Chipakaka landed against the mound entrance on to its back.
"Give my regards to Alucrapa!" Gale shot, lowering himself down withe blades tilted upwards.
Gale jumped with the long, shining blades shining twisted behind his back while screaming in the beasts direction. The beast turned toward him giving a good view of the furry torso. The long blades seemed to be embedded in the Chipakaka's shoulders. The Chipakaka screeched then punched Gale off its chest sending him falling to the floor which equaled Smith falling to his knees to the lower half of the mound then wrapped his arm around his knee with a hand on his chest looking up appearing to be concerned and distressed.
"Gale!" Smith called. "Are you okay? Gale! Gale!"
The Chipakaka struggled to take out the swords but they refused to budge. Almost like they were rock that had become embedded into the body in a grizzly manner. The beast cried dropping its claw and glared in the direction of Gale. The Chipakaka lunged toward Gale. Gale reached out grabbing his blades then cut off one of the beasts whiskers receiving a loud, pained yelp. The creature released fog stepping back as it began to fill the air.
It was increasingly difficult to see through from the fog. What Gale was able to use was his other sense. He heard the sound of rock falling. The sound of Smith's terrified scream from across. Gale charged toward the nose of the elderly man's voice, his swords turning to long and wide weights, then lunging against the creature. The weight was dropped onto the back of the Chipakaka's neck. The creature coughed struggling to get a breath.
The Chipakaka grabbed firmly on to his figure lowering their head down making the weight land on to the floor over the continued incoherent screaming of the old man. The creature turned around to face the annoyance then released a excess of fog and jumped out toward Gale. The Chipakaka clawed away into his suit tearing through the flesh handfuls of rock flying holding on to his wrists that tightly gripped the long swords. There was a loud, but swift noise from behind the Chipakaka. The grip on his wrists became loose.
The Chipakaka fell over landing to the ground with a thud. Gale's rocks returned into his body and the damage was gone in a matter of seconds. Gale propped himself up to see the dark figure of the elder who stood tall and composed, no longer trembling, holding on to the phaser. Smith was standing quite still but it was hard to see the expression on his face because of the heavy fog. Gale got up to his feet then slowly approached him.
"It has passed, Healer Smith," Gale said, approaching the figure of the older man. The Chipakaka was releasing fog out of the open mouth remaining still. "Lower the weapon."
Smith lowered the weapon.
"I never seen a creature like it before," Smith said.
"The Chipakaka tears skin off," Gale said. "Eats the insides and leaves the flesh behind as a snack for later."
"Oh dear," Smith said, visibly shaken. "That sounds barbaric. Even for you."
"I cannot die by natural means," Gale said, coming to the edge of the upside down mound and reached his hand out. "I can get hurt."
Slowly, but surely, Smith reached his hand out then placed it into the warrior's hand.
"What was that?" Smith asked.
"That was a smokescreen," Gale said. "The Chipakaka traps its prey that way. Makes it hard for any creature, animal or person, to retrace their steps. They live most of their lives in the fog and die in the fog."
Smith shuddered, then was unexpectedly picked up by the warrior with a startled shout, "Good heavens!" and placed out of the container discarded to his feet beside Gale.
"They hunt by sound," Gale said, then looked up toward the sky. "They do not normally hunt in the daylight." He lowered his gaze. "Something is driving them out of their dens."
"No," Smith said. "No," he shook his head. "We are not going to investigate!"
"We have to," Gale said. "Because the next time, we could be attacked by a pack and get killed. Don't you want to know why they decided to attack after a forest fire?"
Smith was silent, his mental barriers up, lowering his head giving it some thought with a sigh then looked back up.
"They hunt alone?" Smith asked.
"Normally," Gale said.
"What could do that?" Smith asked.
"Invasive creatures," Gale said. "Possibly."
"Or invasive plants," Smith said.
"Plants cannot grow in their burrows a they are well cared for," Gale said. "Their burrows are clean and hard. It is quite full of rocks so it is very difficult for plants to grow in. The outside of their burrows are the same way."
"So they live in holes?" Smith asked. "With their size?"
"They are similar to Kapaduhoopa but very large and less intimidating" Gale said. "Can squeeze themselves out of anywhere. They were used to keep buildings safe from pests and enjoye the reward of honey for their service."
"So they are similar to cats but they are bears," Smith said.
"Their hunting patterns do not change after thousands of years or hundreds when humans are not around," Gale said, observing the surrounding attempting to recall which direction the creature had came from. "Even when we arrived to this location long ago, they preferred hunting in the night," Smith hid the phaser from behind. "many drunken Mezoniacs went astray in the woods and never came back. Those who didn't have a debt sealed their fate coming here."
"Why did you not mention this earlier?" Smith asked.
"I believed they were extinct," Gale said. "I was wrong then."
"And fires don't drive them out?" Smith asked. "It could explain away their sudden change."
"They have a very unique system that keeps the smoke from coming in," Gale said.
"They fog it away," Smith rolled his eye following after Gale.
"Their fog is full of water," Gale said. "It promotes healing and growth in the surrounding environment away their burrow."
"So they spend forest fires blowing fog out of their den?" Smith asked.
"They never run away for that reason," Gale said. "It is a energy draining effort protecting their burrows."
The rock returned into the ground with a rumble as Gale's hand lowered to his side.
"Interesting," Smith said. "You happen to know where the nest is?"
"They never stray far away from their burrows," Gale said. "Even after being forced away from their old one."
"So they are a community dwelling species?" Smith inquired, as Gale walked on.
"That they are," Gale said. "If these creatures have their borrows being invaded then that means we have something worse to worry about falling into the home of."
"Worse?" Smith asked, keeping up. "Falling into their burrow and being eaten alive is not worse than what those parasites might do?"
"You have been in space for a good deal of your later years," Gale said. "You have seen worse."
"I have," Smith said, in a whisper then had a sigh. "Is this . . . universe. . . full of dark creatures? Is it all barren like planets I have been to?"
"Last time I checked, Healer Smith," Gale said. "It was all green."
Smith had a comforted smile walking on ahead with Gale while comforted by the thought of green planets.
Smith almost stopped in his tracks feeling overwhelmed by fear. Was Mason's reasons to be terrified, distrustful, and reluctant with the warrior warranted? Telling the warrior something that he may not like. If Smith and Gale were genetically bonded then it meant that they shared the same lifespan together. No secrets could be shared as they were in it together for the time being. His mental barriers were raised up acting as a shield for his most private thoughts from Gale. Smith looked toward the younger man then lowered the shields and let his mind wonder about freely regarding the past.
Smith heard the heavy foot steps belonging to the Mezoniac stop and stare at the back of his head. Smith had his eyes closed letting the dark tale continue to fall out. Smith heard a sharp intake of air from behind then walked on ahead and turn toward Gale. Gale only saw heavy, guilty and regretful eyes as the mind finished the rap sheet. Gale's features didn't change a bit. Smith let go of a sigh then turned away. Smith walked on ahead of the Mezoniac with a lowered head and his shoulders were even lower.
There was only silence that came from the Mezoniac.
Every step that Smith took felt lighter from telling the truth. His relaxed yet remained clasped together ever so loosely. The tightness in his chest, stomach, and intestines loosened vanishing all together allowing him to feel good. Even how fleeting it was to feel light weight under the circumstance, walking through the dark disaster stricken area didn't feel as sad and depressing as it would have. But the shame hung on.
"I told William the truth during a night of insomnia after the time traveling incident," Smith said, turning toward the Mezoniac in his stop. "He wasn't shocked about it." Smith cleared his throat. "I think the boy knew all along. He was waiting for me to admit it just as long as the major," Smith shook his head. "Shame he was asleep that night."
Gale looked toward the sulking elder.
"And the others?" Gale asked.
There was silence between them.
"I was . . . I was. . . I was getting around to it," Smith said, quietly.
"You were going to tell the others, were you?" Gale asked. "Were you?"
Smith closed his eyes, his head hung low, his thumb rubbing along his finger.
"Were you?" Gale asked. "Were you ever going to tell them?"
"I was getting around to it," Smith repeated, this time in a higher tone. "I was going to tell them. I was, I was, I was!"
Smith started to fall to his feet but only landed on a set up rock where he wept.
"There, there," Gale said, sincerely, kneeling down to Smith's side then patted on his back. "It's going to be alright."
Smith had a good cry on the rock hunched over. Gale held out a white handkerchief to the doctor that was quickly snatched. Smith blew into the handkerchief multiple times then handed it off to the Mezoniac. The Mezoniac waved the handkerchief above the ground that sent a pool of water falling to the dirt. Smith began to prop himself up with help from Gale with a visible tremble.
A soft small, shaky "Thank you" came from Smith. Gale could tell that Smith was almost ready to fall into another episode of weeping. His eyes were red and moist with tear stained cheeks. Smith wiped off the tears from his eyes steadying himself, trembling. Gale handed the handkerchief back then Smith sneezed into it. Smith handed the white fine fabric back to the Mezoniac. Gale cleared the snot from the handkerchief then put it away into his pocket.
The two men resumed their path forward until they came by a lake. Gale motioned his hand up then slid forth a improvised boat. Smith was looking on in the distance paying no heed. He tapped on Gale's shoulder repeatedly that quickly turned to Gale's chest. Gale looked on toward the hill then placed a hand on Smith's shoulder making him stop.
"Hide here," Gale instructed.
Smith looked over.
"Oh, please, not another barrel!" Smith protested.
"For your friend's sake, yes," Gale said. "Another barrel."
"There could be space crocodiles, alligators, hippos!" Smith emphasized.
"It's the best I can manage," Gale said. "I do not need you in danger."
Smith glared back at Gale, somewhat lowering his head, and his eyebrows raised.
"Then why are we here?" Smith asked. "Hmm?"
Gale looked in the distance.
"You will meet up with Mason faster than how we are going. If he is still alive and walking on this land," he looked toward Smith. "I understand your fear," Gale held out a long stick. The stick appeared to be made out of rock rather than wood in aesthetic. "That is why that you must hold this into the water to keep yourself steady."
Smith took the long, rocky stick.
"My anchor," Smith said, then looked up as realization dawned on him. "We are supposed to do this together. You did say that it would be nice to see what is responsible for that vile creature."
"Not in so many words," Gale said, helping Smith into the makeshift boat. "I just used you to get permission to clean up the infestation." Smith turned in the direction of the man. "You see, debters need permission to do things and you gave yours. We could have ideally continued but you would have died by the ambushes during our travel because of so many Chipakakas," Smith briefly narrowed his eyes toward Gale. "If they come this way then you must let go and let the Acostice river steer you."
Smith's eyes grew big as he leaned away from Gale.
"The river?" Smith exclaimed. "Oh no, oh no, oh no!" Smith shook his head. "RIVERS LEAD TO WATERFALLS!"
"I am sure you can manage," Gale said, patting on his shoulder.
"Help me out, right this instant!" Smith insisted.
"Do you want to be eaten alive by a massive insect?" Gale asked.
"What kind of insect?" Smith then held up his index finger. "And don't say it's a Chaheiskaubob."
"But. . . it is a Chaheiskaubob," Gale said. Smith smacked his face with his free hand in annoyance. "It drinks its prey alive."
"Animals can't sip out-" Smith stopped, his face growing horrified, clasping his hands on to the stick as he made a realization of what could do that. "You have my permission to clear away the infestation."
"Good," Gale said. "Wait here. If they come this way, you must slide the barrel into the river then let go of it."
"If they jump in here," Smith said.
"Fight like you are struggling to escape a black hole," Gale said, then turned away and headed toward the scenery.
"Good luck," Smith whispered, watching Mezonaic walk off into the scenery.
There wasn't much fog in the scenery only dead trees and burned ground. There were a few green leaves poking out from the black bed that seemed small and covered in little water droplets. Gale slid into the oldest, yet large burrow. He took out his blades then twirled them until strange text appeared on the swords and he stopped twirling them. The Mezonaic warrior raised them up as his lanterns to reveal the burrow had turned into a cavern that had several tunnels with massive webs. Gale leaped then performed several moves and landed back to the ground with the long swords aimed away from him dripping in strange liquid. There was the sound of several thuds. Gale got up to his feet resuming the walk.
There were egg sacs strewn about the walls that gave him a great pause. Gale knelt down to the ground then picked up a series of pebbles then slowly let them fall from his fist one by one. He raised his head up, expressionless, then held his hands up above the floor making it tremor beneath him. A assortment of material consisting of diamonds, cables, and dark beady rocks busted out of the floor with remains of cloth among them. The light in the twin blades went out from beside the mound. The cavern turned to pitch black filled by high pitch noise from around Gale. The camera moved up the layers of dirt until it were out of the cavern.
Smith looked both ways from where he stood. He looked over hearing a large ribbit to spot a frog on a lily pad cruising past him. He closed his eyes then took in a sigh fighting a grip back over himself. He opened his eyes looking over the edge of the barrel. Several minutes passed while remaining still inside the protective shield. The water gently lapped around the surface. From the distance, there was rows of smoke drifting parts of the landscape and the ground had a visible tremble. Smith's skin screamed in pain if only for a moment making him lean against the side closing his eyes again.
Smith opened his eyes spotting Gale running out of the hole with the long, twin swords into his back raising his hopes.
The hopes faltered watching Gale waving his hands screaming at him in the distance.
"I am not leaving without you!" Smith shouted, shaking his head keeping his grip on to the anchor.
Gale stopped in his tracks then turned away with his back to the doctor. Smith watched a sea of dark, thick spider like creatures speeding out of the hole that were creating the sound of a stampede. Gale took one out of his swords then moved a hand from behind him. The anchor slipped out of Smith's hands plummeting into the water then the barrel was shoved forward knocking Smith down. Smith staggered up to his feet grasping on to the edge of the rock looking over.
"Gale!" Smith shouted, watching the sea of giant spiders crash upon Gale. "Gale!"
There was fog in the air blocking view of the scenery as Smith sunk down into the barrel terribly scared.
His eyes looked up toward the blue sky that appeared to be a shade of gray.