I was walking around not really paying attention like I tended to do lately. I never completely lost my way and I always returned home before night. Not only was I using this as a way to cope with Nu'Jub's death, I was also learning the lay of the land by heart. You never know when that kind of knowledge will come in handy. One day it was going to save my life.
Summer was slowly making way for fall now. I needed to prepare for winter and it's months of staying inside. It wasn't going to be nearly as fun as it had been before. I wasn't looking forward to any of it. Honestly, I don't know if there was anything left in my life to look forward too.
Everyday I woke up, went for a walk, foraged and hunt along the way, take a bath in the river, then go to bed. It wasn't always in that order but either way I did it all alone. It's surprising how boring and unbearable things are when you are forced to do them alone. Add the fact that this solitude is forever and you just made the act of laying in bed soul crushing.
The highlight of my life is seeing an earth whale take down a big tree. Which I am lucky to witness at least two times a day. I walked through the jungle looking up at the sky through the tree tops. It was a some what cloudy day but there was no threat of rain. At least not for about an hour or two. I liked the rain, so if it did come sooner if at all I wouldn't be upset about it. It made the earth whales more active. I once saw one on the surface chilling in the rain pretty close to my home.
As I mused on wither I would get to see something like that again I became unaware of where I was heading. By the time I figured out where I was it was too late. There just beyond the trees was the Covenant ship. I turned on the shield bracelet sending it into standby mode. I could hear yelling in their tongue which made the hair on the back of my neck stand up.
I didn't think the yelling was directed at me. I should've ran away right then and there. Yet...just the sound of their voices lured me in. Sure they weren't friendly but they were still other beings that could talk and understand me! I just wanted to listen to them, even if they sounded pissed. Before I knew what the hell I was doing I had climbed a tree that allowed me to over look their camp. There was the Elite and five Jackals. The Elite and one of the Jackals were fighting with the other four. I had no clue what it was about since they were speaking their own language.
It looked like tension was rising in there camp. When the first of the four jackals attacked I wasn't surprised. In a blink of an eye and all out fight started out. I watched in awe as they turned on each other. The Elite was fighting rather well with the help of the one Jackal on his side. The way they fought without their weapons was brutal. Bitting, clawing, scratching, punching, kicking, slapping, you name it! It was a free for all down there and I was glad I wasn't apart of it.
I cringed when a Jackal grabbed another and pulled the top of its mouth and jaw apart. It hung uselessly on it's face spewing blood. Yet the Jackal didn't stop fighting despite his injury. No doubt if he didn't die today he would die eventually. The Elite stomped a Jackals head into the dirt as the other two where hanging on him. The Jackals head under his foot cracked and flatted by an inch or two easily. I felt bile rise up in my throat as his dead body twitched in the dust.
Having seen enough I climbed down the tree and made a break for it back home. The entire way I was looking over my shoulder scared they would find out I was there. The thought of them all teaming up on me as I was defenceless had me running at speeds I never knew was possible for me. I didn't slow down even as I tore through the front of my home. I skid to a stop slamming into the wall besides my bed. I quickly grabbed my Magnum and rushed out to the top of the mouth of my den.
I sat with my feet dangling over the edge panting as I looked all around me in paranoia. For hours I didn't dare move or make a sound too scared that they were somewhere in the jungle waiting for me. I hid the gun between my legs just in case so that should they attack, they would get a nasty surprise. The sun was sinking in the sky and nothing had popped out and said boo to me.
"Do you think it's safe Nu'Jab?" I asked looking over to his grave bitting my lip. I thought it over some more looking around before I got up. I still felt the need to be quite and sneak to my home. Once inside I laid in my bed and stared up at the ceiling. The place was hardly lit, being that the fire was out. Yet I could still see due to the light pouring into through the door and cracks in the wooden wall.
I felt my heart still pounding lightly in my chest as I thought of what I just witnessed. I found myself siding with the Elite and his one loyal Jackal. I hope they faired well and I hope the renegade Jackals didn't start lurking in the jungle. Before drifting off to sleep I decided to go and check up on them. Of course from a far as to not put myself in danger. However this time I would be going with a my gun.
NEXT DAY
With my gun tucked in the back of my pants I climbed up a tall tree some distance away from the enemies camp. It wasn't that hard thanks to its many branches and vines that clung tightly to it's trunk. Once I was high enough I sat on a branch and looked down at the camp. Here was blood on the ground, yet the bodies were all gone. It was still in there camp but I stayed and watched. My patience was rewarded when a Jackal came out. He was banged up, it was obvious by the limp even though he tried to hide it.
He walked off into the jungle, away from me thankfully. I watched him go and tried to keep track of his position as far as I could from my spot. I waited for several minutes after I lost track of him before returning my attention to the camp itself. Once again I was forced to wait for something, anything to happen. The wait was so long I found myself standing on the branch seeing as how my rear was becoming numb.
I shifted my weight periodically from foot to foot to ease my discomfort. I was really tempted to just go back home but I really had nothing better to do anyways. My patience was once again rewarded when the Elite came out of their ship. He wasn't limping like his friend from before but his arm was void of his armor. He had two thick sticks tied against his arm. His back was hunched and I noticed that he had his hurt arm tucked into himself. If I didn't look for anymore reason for this I would've missed the very small seem in his armor plating. From it I could see his florescent blood dried up around it.
I was surprised that he had sustained serious injuries like that. After all he was bigger, stronger and better armored than the Jackals. I guess his suit is loosing it's power or something. Maybe it's just the fact that there was more than one of them and it was a physical fight. Seeing him hurt too the edge of fear and danger I had always felt when seeing them. Then again, I had a pistol!
He walked to side of the ship and pressed a button. A side paneling popped open for him. I watched in fascination as he grabbed something from inside and slide it out. It looked to be a solar panel of sorts. It shinned in the light bright causing me to squint. He pulled it out all the way then moved to the side where he did the same to the next panel.
It was a slow process that showed just how he was effected by his injuries. I felt for him, at least he had a friend to help him out. The Jackal was probably off hunting for them or something. Truth be told I was also kind of envious of him at the same time. I sighed longingly and sat back down on the branch. When I did he stilled making me stiffen. 'Crap! Did he hear me or something?' I panicked preparing to run away should he spot me.
Then I heard it, a snap of a twig. Both me and him stiffened at the sound. He looked over his shoulder and I scanned the jungle around me. Off to the side of me too close for comfort I saw two Jackals with make shift spears in their hands. I held my breath and watched as they crept through the undergrowth towards the camp.
They nearly passed directly under the tree I was in. The elite turned around as they came into the camp perimeter. I watched as there was a still silence between the two opposing forces. It was like there was a conversation being had between them. Then with no indication of the end of their wordless conversation they sprang forward. With a gasp I decided I was going to go down and help.
It was stupid of me! They could all turn on me! If I help the Elite he could just turn around and take me on. There was no way I could know how they would react to me just popping up. Yet I continued to climb down the tree. I jumped down once I was close enough to the ground. Once I landed I sprinted towards the camp hearing their tussling. I pulled my gun out of the back of my pants and clicked the safety off.
I crashed into the camp and stopped just a foot inside of it. Three pairs of eyes went onto me. One of the Jackals detached itself from the Elite and came for me. To it and the other aliens surprise I lifted my gun and pulled the trigger. The running Jackals head snapped back and his body fell to the ground.
There was a pause in all movement from everyone as the echo of my shoot rang over the tree tops. I blinked at the scene before me. I couldn't believe what I just did. How reckless does one have to be to fucking charge into the enemy camp like I just did. I quickly snapped back to my initial goal and took aim at the Jackal left.
Seeing the end of the barrel aimed at him he hissed and jumped off the Elite. I followed his movement as he zig-zagged after me but could never get a clean shot. I stepped back as he gained ground on me. However the Elite was quick to chase after him. Before he could lunge for me the Elite stomped at him which made him falter. In that moment he was still and I took my opportunity.
The bullet went through the side of its head but never made it out the other side. Once again the sound of my pistol rang over the tree tops. I immediately looked to the Elite keeping a firm grip on my pistol. I was prepared to kill him or even shot him in the leg if need be. Me and him shared a long moment of eye contact. When he moved I slid a foot back ready to run off. He lifted up his unharmed hand non-threateningly. I looked to what he had moved to send me on edge in the first place. I nearly sighed seeing that he was just tucking his harmed arm to his side.
"What are you wanting?" He asked harshly me finally. I jolted looking at stupidly.
"I...don't know..." I forced out to spare myself from looking any more of a idiot than I already had. This seemed to have left him just as stunned as I had been. Our awkward moments was ended when the Jackal came crashing through the jungle. I gasped and took off in a panic.
"DEMON! HALT!" He called out but I wasn't going to seriously listen to him. I ran as fast as I could back to my camp. I didn't bother looking behind me this time. There was now two to one. I wasn't injured and I had a gun unlike them. They would be stupid to try and take me on. My mere existence probably left them baffled. They must've figured me gone long ago.
I plopped down beside Nu'Jab's grave once I arrived home. I panted and stared up to the cloudy blue sky with a goofy grin. Then, I started to laugh loudly. I didn't really know why I was laughing but I didn't care. It felt too good to bother wondering if I was insane or something. Once I had calmed down to the point where I was just chuckling lightly I rolled my head over towards his grave marker.
"Nu'Jab! If only you where there I bet you would've shit bricks!" I said beaming at his engraved name. That couldn't have gone any better than it did in my opinion. Sure they knew I was alive and armed now but who cares? The playing field had been made even! I bet they are wondering why I hadn't killed them when I had a chance! Oh my, how the look of surprise on their faces would amuse me for many days to come!