Kathryn I
She awoke without the slightest clue in the world where she was. Kate's head was pounding and her mind felt foggy, but there were still enough bits and pieces to clue everything together. She was sprawled on the ground, her face plastered with sand and her hair tangled with seaweed. She heard the gentle lapping of waves not too far away. The sea. . . how did I get here?
With a groan, she managed to roll onto her side. Her back was to the ocean and in front of her was a vast stretch of pale green jungle, with hints of yellow and orange mixed in. The air had the slightest hint of fall, but for the most part it was warm. With alarm, Kathryn realized she was wearing nothing but her underclothes. She sat up and immediately winced at the sharp pang of pain in her head. Taking herself in, she saw that her only clothes were rough and dirty rags that barely concealed her most sensitive parts. She grumbled at the sight. Fortunately the weather was warm enough that it was not uncomfortable, but she still would have preferred more protective clothing. Kate leaned back and surveyed her surroundings, with no more of an idea as to where she was than before.
Despite her headache, she had enough of her senses to register that this was a completely foreign land. The vegetation was wild and unruly, making the jungle an unwelcome home. Kathryn knew she didn't want to stay exposed on the beach for long, but she definitely wasn't diving headfirst into the deep woods either. Along either length of the coast, she spotted strange scaly creatures far in the distance, though they seemed peaceful. The giants were browsing on vegetation and minding their own business, so Kate assumed they would leave her alone. In either case, she decided to keep her distance from them. They seemed large and capable of great destruction if angered.
When Kate's headache had dulled a bit, she stood up and stretched. There was an underlying sense of panic and unease, but she tried to think rationally and keep calm. I should find somewhere safe. I don't like being out here alone. . . She slowly made her way over to the outskirts of the jungle, where she could take shade from the sun. Kate was not particularly hungry or thirsty. She just wanted to find somewhere safe and figure everything out. On a whim, she decided to head down the beach in the direction of the slowly setting sun.
Although she felt the pressure of night gradually dawning on the horizon, Kate made her way down the length of beach slowly to give her weary body a chance to recover. She picked up a sharp stick and that made her feel a little safer, but not by much. Along the way, she carefully kept an eye on the jungle. The rest of her attention was on the strange creatures she saw roaming the rest of the coast. She passed a few herds of duck-billed lizards grazing on patches of grass and jungle ferns. Another time she saw huge tortoises the size of boulders crawling out of the sea. Small flocks of flightless birds and huge bumbling swines also roamed the coast, but they seemed like no danger at all.
After an hour of travelling, Kate saw something that peaked her interest and simultaneously instilled fear in her heart: a human dwelling. When she spotted it in the distance, it was no more than a small brown blob. As she approached she first thought it was a beaver dam or a pile of logs. Finally, when she was close enough to make out the distinct shape, she recognized it to be a small wooden cabin. Undoubtedly the work of a human. Kate was curious and scared. On the one hand she wanted some answers to where she was but on the other, she was scared of meeting other humans in her current condition. She felt completely vulnerable and unprepared, should things turn for the worse.
As Kate mulled it over in her head, she began to notice small details about the shed. There wasn't any immediate sign of life. No fire, no movement. In fact, it almost seemed abandoned to her. When she was within a stone's throw, she waited and watched for a few minutes. Only when Kathryn had convinced herself that the structure was empty, did she venture forward. It might not have been the best idea, but she wanted to look for clues inside. Anything that will tell me where I am, or tip me off to what I should be doing. She cautiously crept forward, her makeshift stick spear brandished in front of her.
Kate circled around the shelter, trying to peer through cracks. Once again it seemed completely empty. She made her way to the front door and waited for a few minutes, but once against felt like she was wasting her time on a trivial cause. She glanced around and noticed the sun had dropped considerably. It would be evening in an hour at most, and then the sun would descend upon her. She didn't want to risk being outside with all the strange giants in the night. Steeling herself for what was to come, Kate gripped the wood plank that served as the cabin's door, and turned it over.
She backpedalled away and levelled her spear against the darkness, but there was no need, for the cabin was indeed empty. There was still a nagging feeling at the back of her mind that wouldn't go away however, so Kate practiced caution as she slowly entered the shack. Although cramped inside, it still made her feel safer than being out in the open. Kathryn just hoped that whoever had built the cabin wouldn't be back anytime soon. However, as she soon saw, perhaps she did not need to dread the owner's return.
Stacked on a tiny shelf were a number of items. Kate skimmed over them one by one; a half-filled hide waterskin, some dried jerky and stale bread, a leather tunic and leggings, some clean cloth bandages, and most curiously, a piece of parchment paper. Kate picked up the small transcript and looked it over.
"This shelter was built to safeguard new castaways like yourselves. Stay put. Help will arrive in a few days. We will explain everything then."
Kate gently placed the paper back onto the shelf and breathed a small sigh of relief. She didn't sense any malicious intent. Whoever had put all this in place, had obviously put a lot of thought and effort into helping out people like herself. She had a gut feeling as if she could trust the mysterious author of the note. . . but then again it would be best to remain wary. To ease her nerves, she went outside and did a quick circuit of the shack to be absolutely certain it was safe. When the nagging voice of doubt at the back of her head finally ceased, Kate returned inside. She picked up the clothing items that had been so thoughtfully folded on the ledge and shook them out.
Well, they aren't perfect but they'll fit. She stepped into the leggings and tied them up around her waist, then slipped the tunic over her head. With a basic layer of clothing over her body, Kate felt much safer than before. She eyed the other items on the shelf. The food wasn't particularly appetizing but Kate made herself take a bite of the jerky, for the sake of staying saturated if nothing else. She also took a swig of the waterskin and coughed. The water was stale and musky, but clean. She wiped her mouth and sighed in relief. The parched feeling at the back of her throat went away. With her basic needs taken care of. . . Kate found herself with nothing left to do.
So my best option is to wait here for help to arrive. What a dreadfully boring task. Kate sighed and slumped down to the floor, onto a soft straw cot. At the very least, it's safer than out in the open. She glanced out the open door at the slowly reddening beach. Kate fidgeted with the sleeves of her new clothing and frowned. If I'm just going to be sitting here for days on end, I might as well do something useful with all my free time. Kathryn glanced at her wooden stick leaning against the wall. That for one could use some work.
A few minutes later, with a sharp stone in hand and a bundle of long sticks laying by her side, Kate was ready to start preparing for the worst. Admittedly, she was no master of design, but then again it didn't take any particular amount of skill or knowledge to figure out how to sharpen a stick. Kate grabbed the first stick off the pile, pointed it away from herself, and started sharpening the tip with her rock. When her right hand grew tired, she switched to her left, and on again. Kate lost herself to the work. She was on her fourth spear when the ground started trembling.
Kate glanced up in alarm. Whatever was causing the disruption was far away, but even so, the tremors were gradually getting closer and closer. She glanced from the makeshift spears laying at her side, to the open beach, then back again. Do I run or do I hide? The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, and she was quickly losing visibility. She didn't want to be outside in the dark with whatever was causing that commotion. . . so the best thing to do was hunker down and pray it didn't see her. Kate grabbed the plank door and turned it on its side, so the shack was completely steeped into darkness. She subconsciously drew herself into the corner and continued sharpening her spears, now stopping occasionally to monitor the vibrations.
After a few minutes of steadily increasing, she realized it wasn't just one creature causing the commotion, but rather a whole herd. Twenty or thirty animals, she guessed. No carnivores then. That's good. Even Kate knew that predators couldn't travel in such large numbers. Whatever was coming toward her was a herd of herbivores, no doubt about it. They're probably just looking for somewhere safe to spend the night. Like me in a sense. Well except that they're enormous scaled behemoths and I'm just a lonely scared woman. Close enough in this strange world, she smiled to herself.
Eventually the herd passed by her shack, leaving it well and whole. They travelled through her stretch of coast by way of the sandy beach. There was still enough light outside to see and Kate was curious about the animals, so she opened her door a sliver and peered outside. As she had thought, it was a family of gentle herbivores that occasionally stopped to nip leaves off the trees. They were built like mountains, with legs thicker than most tree trunks in the forest, and they had long necks that seemed to stretch into the clouds. It was a truly amazing sight to see so many of the long-necked giants passing by her small corner of the world. They came in all shapes and sizes, from colossal adults that towered over the whole coast, to smaller juveniles that were only about as big as her shack. Kate smiled at the sight of the gentle giants passing her shack. She bid the group safe journeys and closed the door, leaning against her cot.
The sky was quickly darkening and she was growing tired. After a good night of rest I'll be in better shape to poke around the woods and get myself comfortable before help arrives. Kate organized her meager belongings into a neat row, shuffled the hay on her cot around until it felt comfortable, and settled into a resting position. She made sure to keep a spear right beside herself. What good it would do against one of those monsters remained to be seen, but at least it made her feel a bit more secure. Kate murmured a quick prayer to whatever gods might be listening, got herself comfortable, then closed her eyes and tried to sleep.
The screams started twenty minutes later.
Kate jolted awake to the sounds of the long-necked giants calling out to each other in pain. Their footsteps had receded into the distance but she could hear their high-pitched whines just fine. The family raised up a massive commotion, bellowing and crying out to one another in the pitch darkness. Kate shivered and curled herself up into a ball covering her ears. She did not even want to think about what sort of monster might be causing distress to the massive creatures. The distress calls echoed on for what seemed like hours. Kate listened wide-eyed, but eventually fatigue overtook fear and she drifted off into a deep sleep.
The next day Kate woke up feeling better. The headache from yesterday had completely faded, but the uneasy feeling in her gut had not gone away. What in the world did I hear last night? Anything capable of upsetting those giants does not bode well for me.
Kate tried to put the horrible screams out of her head. To keep herself occupied, she took inventory of her small shed. There was still plenty of dried food provisions, but her water was running dangerously low. That's a problem I need to adress. Kate glanced over to her spear and sighed, dreading what she needed to do. She would have loved nothing more than to stay huddled inside her shack until help arrived but that was just the thing ā she didn't know when or even if it would get to her. I could wait here for days and whither away in this shack. No, I need to take charge of my situation. I can't use the hope of outside help as an excuse for inaction. Kate folded the near-empty waterskin in half, tucked it into the hem of her pants, picked up a spear, and emerged outside.
The first thing she noticed was that the beach was calm. A few waterfowl circled around the beachfront lazily, some insects buzzed about on the periphery of the jungle, and a few tiny lizards scampered about in the undergrowth, but otherwise there was nothing of concern on the coast. Kate hefted her spear over her shoulder and glanced apprehensively at the jungle. As much as I despise the idea of going into that dark place, I very well can't drink the saltwater from the ocean. I'll need to look for a spring or a stream in those woods.
With a tentative exhale, Kate stepped foot into the woods. She immediately hated how damp and muffled the place was, how easy it would be to get lost and die alone. I could live and die without any human being ever knowing I set foot on this land. Kathryn shivered at the thought. She gripped the spear with icy fingers, determined not to let herself succumb to that terrible fate. Kate prowled into the jungle, careful not to make any distinctive noises that would give her position away to would-be predators. Her bare feet let her travel through the jungle as quietly as a ghost. Kate stepped on mushy fallen leaves and patches of moss to absorb any sound she might otherwise make, slightly reassured by the lack of noise. She tried to go in a straight line so getting back to the shack would be a trivial affair but there were so many obstacles in the way that it was nearly impossible. She found herself ducking under logs, taking detours around small valleys and ravines, and climbing over boulders.
Eventually Kathryn realized that she could just follow one of the small valleys to find water, since the liquid would pool at deep elevations. After carefully making her way down one of the inclines, she looked to either side and determined which way the valley sloped downward. To mark where she came from, she quickly stacked a pile of flat rocks in a pile. Then it was just a matter of following the lay of the land.
Kate was amazed by how tough and resilient the plant life was. Every tiny crack and crevice in the rockface was home to some form of moss, lichen, weed or flower. Slanted trees grew out from the valley walls, convention be damned, and the whole valley floor was covered in ferns and grass. The jungle was vibrant with gentle green hues, but also yellows and oranges that sang of fall. After a few minutes of following the valley, Kate noticed tiny rivulets of water trickling from the walls into the bottom of the passageway. The tiny rivulets eventually joined into a small stream, which gradually widened and deepened until Kate could skim her waterskin across without scraping against mud and rocks. She filled up the waterskin as best she could, trying to angle the opening against the current. She managed to get it filled almost to the brim. Kate also took that opportunity to drink directly from the stream, cupping her hands in the cool water and gulping it down until she could hold no more. As she drank, she noticed just how filthy her hands and forearms were.
Kate frowned and scrubbed the grime away. She knew she was stranded in some desolate foreign land, but her standards hadn't sunk that low. Kate stared into her reflection as she worked. She was slightly surprised to see her own face after having no memory of what she looked like. Although by no means beautiful, her face was not hard to look upon either. It was just a bit too square and masculine for Kate's liking. Her hair was a straw-coloured blonde and her eyes were a deep brown. Kate tried smiling at her reflection. After enough time spent obsessing over vanity, she got back to work cleaning herself. Kate had just washed her face and was busy trying to clean her hair when a chorus of distant shrieks pierced the forest. Kate froze for a few seconds, then got her senses together. I need to leave. Now. She snatched her spear and waterskin and bolted back the way she had come from. The sounds came from deeper into the forest. She glanced behind her shoulder, weighing her options. It would take her far too long to run through the valley until she reached the area where she entered, then cut back to the beach. I need to get back to the shores faster. Without time to think, she started scrambling up the valley slopes and beelined for the coast.
It shouldn't matter where I leave the ravine. As long as I go straight, I'll end up at the beach. Kate ran as fast as humanly possible, weaving past vines and trees, all while picturing bloodthirsty monsters hot in pursuit. She hadn't heard any shrieks or screams to follow up the first cluster, but she definitely wasn't sticking around long enough to find out whether the creatures were indeed after her.
Kate burst out onto the beach, starting a flock of chubby flightless birds. They squabled and flapped about in distress, stumbling away from the woods. Kathryn paused, her spear levelled against the vegetation, listening for any signs of pursuit. Nothing. Then off in the distance, a high rumbling moan.
It wasn't the same shrieks from the forest, but it wasn't entirely unfamiliar either. . . Kate was sure she had heard that noise before but she couldn't quite place where. She listened intently and it came again, a bit more subdued this time. The noise started off deep, then pitched upward to end as a high squeal. The long-necks, Kate knew at once. She eyed the jungle warily, then headed off slowly in the direction of the call. Curiosity got the better of her, and she wanted to find out what had happened the previous night that caused such chaos.
After a few minutes of honing in on the sound, Kate found herself at the edge of a bowl-shaped crater. In the middle sat fragments of a large black rock, all crumbled and broken up from some massive impact. Did that thing crash from the sky? Kate glanced up at the heavens just to make sure. Her attention was dragged back down to earth by another high-pitched bellow. Kate hefted her spear and walked around the edge of the crater until she saw the source of the noise.
A baby long-neck was stuck in the hole. The poor creature must have fallen last night and couldn't get out, despite rescue efforts by its family. So that's what the commotion was about. They were just trying to save this little one from the pit. The juvenile long-neck swivelled its head to glance at Kate warily, bleating in alarm. It was grey from head to toe, almost the same color as the rock in the center of the crater. The lizard was larger than Kate's shack, though not by much. It must have only been a few months old. Kate saw that the steep edge of the crater made it difficult for the lizard to clamber its way out. An adult of its species would have had no problem, but this long-neck was just a fraction of its full size. Even stretching its neck all the way, the top of its head just barely crested over the edge of the crater.
Kate felt bad for the creature. It was obviously in a lot of fear and panic after being left behind by its herd. She could see piles of loosened dirt from where it had tried to claw its way out, but the crater was just too large and the youngling too small. Kate frowned. The poor thing will starve or get eaten by predators out here alone. Kate glanced at the woods. There's plenty of leaves nearby. . . tragic that the lizard can't reach any food or water. She made up her mind to help the youngling out. Kate wasn't about to abandon the beast to its fate, but then again there was only so little she could do. At the very least, she figured she could keep it fed and hydrated.
The trees by the edge of the forest were fortunately low enough that she could reach the branches without overexerting herself. Kate remembered that the long-necks from yesterday had grazed upon trees, so she pried off leafy branches in hopes that the baby would accept them. Although fall was upon them, fortunately these jungle trees were a bit more stubborn to the changing seasons. Their waxy leaves were still mostly green, so Kate figured it would be fine for the long-neck to eat. With a bushel of greens in her arms, Kate went back to the edge of the crater.
At first the juvenile shied away from her, making its way to the far side of the crater. Kate didn't try to follow it to the other side, afraid she would only scare it even farther. Instead she crouched by the edge and waited. With a hungry stomach and no other real options left, the scaly giant tentatively ambled back to her. Kate smiled and held out a branch.
The long-neck slowly craned its head up toward her, its eyes glimmering with fear. Kate remained perfectly still. Finally seeming to accept that she was there to help, the lizard gave the leaves one last cautious sniff, before crunching down on them noisily. The little lizard made a happy rumbling noise and Kate smiled. She stuck out another branch and the baby accepted that one just as eagerly. Soon enough it was feasting happily on the leaves Kate had gathered.
"We're not so different, you and I," she smiled as the long-neck ate. "Both of us are alone and scared, without any idea of what to do. Well, we'll figure it out. I think we'll get out of this trouble just fine."
The creature's large dark brown eyes stared at her with curiosity, but compassion. Almost like it knew she was trying to comfort it. Kate smiled and brushed its scaly head the next time it leaned forward to accept leaves from her. The poor thing's positively famished. Good thing I stopped by. Kate frowned and looked around at the crater, trying to think of a way she could help it escape. She was definitely not strong enough to help dig out a path. . . but maybe when that promised human help arrived they'd be willing to give her a hand.
"Tell you what little fellow. The day I get rescued, I'll make sure to bring them here and help dig you out. How does that sound?" The beast rumbled affectionately. Kate smiled. "We'll both be free then. And maybe we can see about reuniting you with your family as well."
After all the leaves were gone, Kate managed to coax the infant close enough so she could trickle a quarter of her water down its mouth. It wasn't a lot, but then again, she didn't have a lot of water to spare. Hopefully the leaves would help keep it satiated. With the creature fed and relatively content, Kate knew she had done the best she could do with the limited resources at hand. "I'll be back tomorrow," she promised the animal.
The sun was about halfway up the sky by the time Kate made it back to her shack. Helping the trapped long-neck had made her feel better. Even though it wasn't quite the same as talking to another human, her brief conversation with the scared creature had been relaxing nonetheless. Kate had managed to put her mind off the forest noises she heard, at least for the time being. Hopefully those monsters stay deep in the forest, while I stay out here in the safety of the beaches. That sounds like a good arrangement to me. We'll just have to see if it stands.
With the water situation taken care of. . . at least for a few days, Kate wouldn't need to venture into the forest anytime soon. Once again, I just hope help arrives before I need to make that trip. With no other pressing matters at hand, Kate retired to her shack early. She felt a lot safer surrounded by those sturdy wooden walls, hidden from open sight and safely tucked away. Now it's just a waiting game to see how long these rescuers can test my patience. Kate smiled wearily and tried her best not to go insane.
For the next three days, she tried to leave the shack as little as possible, lest she miss her chance of salvation. Kate milled about the area, never travelling far, for there was really no need. Her supplies were in good condition, since careful rationing left her with enough bread and jerky to last for another week. To keep herself busy, Kate meticulously organized and reorganized her supplies, tried to straighten up her home, and of course paid visits to the trapped long-neck twice a day. Once in the morning and once in the evening. She had quickly discovered that the friendly giant loved berries just as much, if not more than leaves. She soon started calling her friend Berry, after the treats he so enjoyed. The long-neck seemed to appreciate her company, happily tromping over to her whenever she showed up by the crater. So far the beast hadn't given up hope and still had a strong fighting spirit.
Kate only ran into problems when her water ran out again. Although she tried to ration it, the sweltering weather combined with sharing what little remained with a huge herbivore quickly drained her small supply. Kathryn dreaded returning to the creek but knew it had to be done. So on the morning of the fourth day, Kate gathered up her tools and ventured into the woods again.
She kept stopping and listening for pursuit every few minutes, her spear never out of hand. Fortunately she made it to the valley just fine. Kate didn't want to descend to the bottom immediately. She felt slightly safer at the top, with a gorge between her and whatever lurked deeper in the woods. So instead she followed the curve of the valley from the top lip, keeping her eyes peeled for both water and danger. When she made it to the creek, she took a few minutes to carefully scrutinize the surrounding woods before descending when she was sure it was safe.
Kate had filled half her waterskin when she heard the shrieks. They were closer this time. Much closer. Without a second thought, she twisted the waterskin shut and bolted for home, scrambling up the side of the valley. Kate kicked up clods of mud and fallen leaves as she fled, casting backward glances into the jungle. This time she saw flashes of movement. Kate let out a small gasp and doubled her pace, twisting around the jungle foliage with renewed vigour.
She glimpsed a shadow keeping pace with her on the left, then joined by its twin on the right. Two pursuers. For a brief moment, as she passed in between two thin trees, she got a clear look at one of her assailants.
It was a lithe long-limbed bird with a huge menacing beak. The creature towered over Kate and had muscular legs that easily allowed it to tail after her. Light brown in colouration with beady yellow eyes, the predator kept its steely gaze firmly fixed on her as it ran. After that brief flash, the foliage obscured the predator again.
I'm never going to outrun these things, Kate realized with horror. If I can't run then I need to hide. Kate put her heels into the mud and skid to a halt, bracing herself against a tree to stop her momentum. The birds darted past, then quickly realized she had changed course and looped back around to charge directly after her. Kate's maneuver bought her a few seconds to scan the area, see a small cave, and dive inside.
Not a second after she had entered, a long clawed toe slashed the air where she had been a moment before. The avians screeched in fury and started lashing at her. Kate scrambled backward, trying to get out of reach. The predatory birds were too tall to fit inside, but their long legs had tremendous reach. Kate primed up her spear and stabbed at their legs. Her hands were trembling so bad that she missed the first few times, but when she finally connected a blow she was rewarded by a piercing shriek.
The monsters kept trying to gauge her flesh, but Kate returned in kind by pricking their legs. She wasn't strong enough to be more than a nuisance, but fortunately the spear did its trick. After a few minutes of furiously trying to dislodge her, the birds decided that she was too much trouble and stalked away. With a few last indignant shrieks, the monsters left her small burrow be.
Kate sighed in relief and collapsed on the floor. Her feet were bloody and scratched, and she was completely winded from the chase. Kate tried to calm herself by inhaling and exhaling. I made it out with my life, she managed to laugh uneasily. For that I should be grateful.
She stayed in the burrow for a few hours, carefully listening to the sounds of the forest. It was a small cramped hole, smaller even than her shed. Whatever had created the small hole couldn't have been any bigger than a human. Kate was just glad that she fit inside. Even if the owner of the burrow did return, she would much rather deal with a small burrower than those gaunt giants. After hours of waiting and listening for danger, Kate finally deemed it was safe. The birds had likely travelled far away by now and she could make a beeline back to her shed.
Kathryn travelled quickly and quietly. It turned out that she had been hiding in a cave close to the beach, for she quickly emerged onto the coast. Once she had her bearings, Kate made for home with all due haste. She scarcely dared to breathe until she was safely inside the shelter and the wood plank was lodged back in place. Then she collapsed on her cot, her breaths coming in raggedly and uncontrolled. Kate spent the rest of that day huddled inside her shack for dear life.
The next morning, after Kate had regained her courage, guilt dragged her out of the shack. She had neglected to feed Berry the previous night on account of being too petrified to leave her hovel. Kate felt obligated to take care of the long-neck, so despite every fibre of her body screaming at her to stay put, she set out to find her friend. Kate tried to stay optimistic, knowing that with each day that dragged on, she was closer to safety. The thought of finally meeting the generous people who had so thoughtfully provided her with a shelter put her in a good mood.
Unfortunately, her feelings of contentedness quickly died away. Kate could tell something was wrong when she was within sight of Berry's crater. Normally she would glimpse the long-neck's head bobbing above the edge of the hole, either excited to see her or too preoccupied with trying to dig himself free to notice her arrival. This time there was nothing. With a feeling of dread coiling in her gut, Kate peered over the edge of the crater.
Berry lay flat on his side, torn to bloody ribbons. The long-neck's ashen gray scales were encrusted with blood, and his entrails spilled out of his gaping underbelly. Huge flies were buzzing around the corpse, and a few tiny lizards were nipping at the remains of the corpse. Kate gasped and squeezed her eyes shut. That did little to get the image out of her head, nor the smell from her nose.
She looked upon the poor creature, curled up in a final pose that screamed of the terrible agony he must have endured. I led those monsters to this part of the beach, Kate realized with a stab of guilt. And when they couldn't eat me, they went after the next easiest target. She stifled a sob, her eyes tearing up.
"I'm so sorry Berry," Kate croaked.
She wiped away her tears and shook her head. Kate couldn't bear seeing her friend like that. She glanced at the jungle but there was no movement to be found. Kate sat on the edge of the crater, gripped the ledge, and lowered herself down. She slid the rest of the way to the bottom of the crater, scattering the scavengers with wild waving motions.
The lizards hissed but backed away, for they were no higher than her ankles. Kate swatted away at the giant flies as well but they insistently kept flying back to Berry's corpse, so she eventually gave up. Kate rested her hand on Berry's head. His eyes were glazed over in death, so she closed his eyelids.
"I can't imagine what your last moments must have been like," she murmured. "I'm so sorry. I just hope you found peace in the end."
There was more than enough dirt to cover Berry's corpse. All the dislodged soil was the efforts of his fruitless attempts to flee the crater. Kate scooped armfuls of dirt over Berry, her aversion to filth and grime temporarily out of mind. Kate worked as quickly as possible. When her arms grew tired she switched to kicking clumps of dirt. She made quick time, completely covering the long-neck after three hours of intense labour.
That should stop the beasts from getting at his body. She trudged over to the mound and respectfully placed her hand on the dirt pile. I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you when you needed me most. At least now you can rest. Someday you'll get to see your family again. Won't that be nice, she smiled solemnly. And I'll see you again when my time is up. Kate brushed away tears with the back of her hand. Rest easy my friend.
She turned to make her way out of the hole. Kate tossed her items onto the edge first, then tried to follow. Her arms were sore and tired, but she still had just enough energy to grip the roots of nearby trees and use them as handholds, her feet digging into the walls for extra purchase. After a brief struggle, Kate pushed herself out of the hole. She cast one last look at the dirt mound, then started trudging her way back home.
There was no room for anger in her heart; just sadness and dejection from where her only friend had once been. Kate made her way back to the shack miserably, dragging her feet along. She didn't bear any malice towards the terrifying birds that had torn Berry to pieces. They were carnivores and it was in their nature to feed. That's just the cruel truth of this island; the strong prey upon the weak. It's the vicious circle of life. Nature can be kind and beautiful, but oh so terribly cruel.
Kate was so lost in her thoughts that she barely noticed the rumbling sounds in the distance. Then she snapped her head up in realization of what it meant. Something's headed this way. Another herd of long-necks? She listened carefully. No, these ones are moving faster. Much faster. Her heartbeat started racing. Kate saw her shack in the distance and ran for it, but she had not moved fast enough. The incoming group rounded the corner, kicking up clouds of dust behind them. Kate had been expecting predators chasing a herd of fleeing carnivores. Instead she caught her first glimpse of other humans on the Island.
They thundered forward, men and women mounted on giant elk whose powerful hooves tore up the sandy beach. The party numbered at least ten strong, maybe more, but it was hard to tell amidst the dust and dirt and flapping grey cloaks. They rode in formation, with one man in the lead, followed by riders on either side, then a wagon, and finally more riders in the rear. A few sported metal helmets but most were lightly armored, wearing padded leather tunics trimmed with soft fur. The lead rider wore a glistening metal chestplate that caught the sun's glare. Kate raised her hand to shield herself from the flashing light as the party slowed down and pulled up beside her. Although her heart was pounding, she made no attempt to flee. This is my rescue at last!
The man in charge motioned toward the shack, and two riders peeled off toward it. Their saddlebags were stacked with fresh supplies, she saw; rows of bulging waterskins, neatly folded leather clothing, bandages, and satchels brimming with food. With those orders taken care of, the leader turned his attention back to Kate. Her heart skipped a beat when his daring dark eyes glanced over her. He was a tall and handsome man, with sharp features and curly brown hair. Kate beamed up at him. She didn't know what to think, what to feel. Just a few moments ago she had been in a deep pit of mourning, but the sudden arrival of help had greatly bolstered her spirits. She was feeling overwhelmed to finally be in the company of other humans, finally reunited with civilization. So this is the face of mankind. And what a handsome face that is. Kate found herself grinning ear to ear like a fool.
The man scrunched his nose and frowned down at her. "Is that foul odour coming from you? It smells like something died here."
Kate's heart sank. "Iā what ā"
"Alex, watch your bloody tongue," a woman behind him snapped. "The poor girl has been through hell."
The patrol captain scowled and dismounted from his huge buck. "Take care of this mess," Alex waved offhandedly and strode away toward the ocean. "I'm going to get some fresh air."
The woman sighed and climbed down from her own buck. She was slim but muscular, with black hair and warm brown eyes. Despite her friendly looks, she carried herself about with an air of formidability. "Sorry about that. I'm Cara." She extended her hand. "Do you remember your name?"
"Kate," she said, still a little taken aback by Alex's hostility.
"Well Kate, I hope we didn't keep you waiting too long. Welcome to the tribe."
A faint smile returned to Kate's lips. "I'm glad you finally made it. It's been terrifying out here alone."
"I know," Cara sighed. "Believe it or not, we were all in your position once. It gets better, trust me." She gestured at the wagon. "Come on, we'll get you some proper food. I know I could barely stomach the rations they put in those shelters."
Kate followed her to the carriage, which was hitched to two huge powerful stallions and driven by a thin man. Cara made her way to the side of the wagon and unfolded a ramp so they could both climb on top. There was already another man sitting in the wagon. A fellow rescue, Kate figured by way of his disheveled hair and tattered leather clothes. Kate exchanged smiles with the other man, though it was plain that they were both still scared and a little shocked.
Cara rummaged around in the apartments and retrieved some fresh fruit, handing Kate two pears and an apple. Kathryn couldn't help but bite into one of the pears right away, savouring the sweet juicy fruit. Cara laughed and closed up the food compartment.
"We'll be back on the move soon. I can ride beside the wagon to keep you company, how does that sound?"
"That would be nice," Kate smiled.
"Great. Find a seat and make yourself comfortable, we've still got a day of riding ahead of us."
Kate claimed a spot on the bench, opposite the other castaway. They exchanged brief greetings but Kate got the impression that he was one to keep to himself. After a few minutes, Cara pulled up beside the wagon on her giant elk, about level with Kate. The other riders had gotten back into formation as well. With a shout from Alex, the entire group started off at a steady canter.
The carriage ride was a little bumpy but a welcome reprieve from walking everywhere. They were going at a slow enough pace that Cara and Kate could talk over the wind. Kathryn felt a lot safer up there, surrounded by armed warriors on every side. The men and women all seemed like experienced soldiers, each equipped with their weapon of choice. Cara had an impressive bow holstered in her saddle and a quiver of arrows slung over her shoulder. She scanned the woods with sharp eyes that didn't miss any details. Kate felt another sharp pang of guilt when they passed Berry's crater. When Cara noticed something was wrong, Kate confided in her about the long-necks gruesome demise.
"It wasn't your fault. Don't be too harsh on yourself," the woman advised. "You did everything you could for the poor creature. Thanks to you, his last days weren't spent completely alone and afraid."
Kate nodded solemnly. "I just wish I could have done more for him."
Cara frowned. "You seem like a caring person, Kate. If it makes you feel any better, I could introduce you to the stablemaster at base. You'll have plenty of chances to help other wounded creatures and nurse them back to health."
That caught Kate's attention. She nodded thoughtfully. "It sounds like a rewarding task. I'd be happy to give it a try."
"That's what I like to hear," Cara chuckled.
Kate paused thoughtfully. "I'd love to hear more about this place we're travelling to, if you don't mind."
Cara smiled. "Get comfortable, it's a long story."
Kate listened attentively as Cara wove a beautiful tale about a tribe in the north, an altruistic nation that accepted people from all walks of life into its ranks. She was enraptured by the stories of scenic northern locations and friendly people, eager to learn more about the practices and customs of the tribe. Perhaps the most intriguing part was the legends of their founder, a man who could speak to hundreds of horse-sized wolves, and how he had created a safe haven for all sorts of people to find refuge. It pleased Kate to know that there were friendly and caring people out there who knew what she had gone through. If what Cara said was true, the Wolf Lord had created the safe haven after experiencing tragedy himself. Rather than let others go through the same thing, he had vowed to do all in his power to shield new castaways from experiencing any horrible fates. That led Kate back to where she was now; the recipient of the Wolf Lord's kindness and hospitality, on her way to join the tribe that she had heard so much about.
Kate was more than pleased to learn about the tribe's noble cause, and she was excited to join their ranks. With every new crumb of information she learned, she pestered Cara to tell her more. I'm like a little child, Kate scolded herself. Yet she found herself hopelessly giddy all the same. For her part, Cara obliged, and taught Kate the current state of the tribe after she ran out of history to share. From the creation of the coastal patrols to their route for the rest of the journey, Kate eagerly soaked up all the information like a sponge. According to Cara, the Wolf Lord had built shelters all along the coast, patrolling them regularly to rescue any stranded castaways who found the structures. As more people joined the tribe, they were able to improve their resources. At first there had only been twenty wooden hovels. Over time, the number of shelters had tripled to sixty, and checkpoints had been built in between to provide rest and relaxation for the patrols.
The greatest of these was a castle in its own right called Open Hearth, home to nearly two-hundred survivors by now. It was the tribe's southernmost base and one of the fastest growing castles, owing to its close proximity to the beaches. In fact, Cara said they had just departed from Open Hearth recently, after spending the previous few days combing the beaches to its south. After dropping their new castaways off at Open Hearth, they were now headed north to the rest of the tribe. It had taken them a day and a half to ride this far north from Open Hearth, and there was still plenty of distance to go. Fortunately, to provide travelling patrols a safe place to rest for the night and restock their supplies, three way-castles had been built along the coast; Fort Orchid, Fort Pine, and Fort Northgate. Each way-castle was home to a permanent garrison of seven survivors; mostly stewards, cooks, and stablekeepers, complemented by a few guards. Their job was to take care of the castle and manage the supplies for the rangers, who frequently stopped for rests, while occasionally sheltering fresh castaways who found their way to the checkpoint on their own merit, until patrols could take them to a proper castle.
Fort Orchid was already behind them. The patrol had slept there overnight and departed this morning. Their next destination was Fort Pine, which Cara guessed they would arrive at by evening. After that it was onto Fort Northgate, and then the north itself. Kate learned they were headed straight to the main castle, a beautiful mountaintop stronghold called the Hotspring Hold. And the home of the Wolf Lord himself. I want to meet this man and thank him personally for giving me a fighting chance in the wilderness. I doubt I could have lasted that first night if I had been exposed out in the open, with all those terrible creatures. Not to mention I wouldn't have the slightest clue what plants were safe to eat or how to hunt for my own food. I'm alive today thanks to his generosity, as are countless others no doubt.
As a matter of fact, Kate was fortunate enough to see the shelters provide safety for other survivors. There were ten shelters between Fort Orchid and Fort Pine. Kate's had been the fourth one. After less than an hour of riding at a steady pace, they arrived at the next shelter. Unfortunately this one was empty, so the rangers restocked the supplies and moved on. The next shelter, however, held life. A timid skinny man peeked out of the door, and the rangers coaxed him outside to join them in the wagon. Kate and the others greeted him warmly, and he managed a nervous smile back.
The group stopped at every single shelter on their way to Fort Pine. The wooden cabins were spaced about an hour's ride apart, and the patrol would take a brief rest every time they stopped to check on the shelters. They rescued two other survivors besides Kate herself and the man who had already been on the wagon before. The four fresh castaways sat contentedly all the way to Fort Pine, each harbouring a mixture of shock and elation at having been rescued. The others were pleasant enough but not much for conversation. Kate respected their boundaries, knowing that they might have witnessed worse horrors than she ever cared to know. In time, she hoped they would recover and liven up a bit. Once again, Kate found herself regretting that Berry hadn't lived long enough to taste freedom again. But Kate tried to keep Cara's words in mind. I did the best I could for him. . .
Fort Pine was built on a round and sturdy hill, which also happened to house a small cave underneath. The stronghold got its name from the small grove of pine trees that grew nearby, the first indication that they were nearing the north. Kate stared in amazement as the formidable stone tower loomed closer. She loved the small cozy feeling to the round tower, not to mention the welcoming forest nearby. It was a place she could imagine herself growing old in. Who knows, maybe if I get tired of life at the Hotspring Hold, I could request to transfer here and help new castaways on the front lines. It would be nice to live here and keep everything in order for the patrols.
"Just wait until you see one of the bigger castles," Cara laughed when she saw Kate's expression.
After a long day of riding, the patrol finally pulled up beside the checkpoint. It was evening by then, and the sun was beginning to slip under the sea, casting enchanted pink and purple hues all over the world. A pair of men came outside of the tower to greet the party, taking weary mounts off their riders' hands. Behind them followed the castle commander Bryan, who laughed easily with the rangers and invited them into the castle for food and refreshments. Kate stood up and stretched, then hopped off the carriage for the first time since getting picked up. In her elation after being rescued, she had been too excited to care about getting out and taking walks during their frequent stops. But now the half-day of travel took its toll on her body. Her back and bottom were sore from sitting down all the time, and her legs felt like dead wood from the lack of exercise. Kate walked it off outside, taking a chance to explore the waycastle.
The small spruce forest was interesting to look at. Their small dark green needle-like leaves set them apart from the jungles all around. Kate particularly loved the fragrant scent of pine and sap. After strolling through the tame forest, she looped back around to get a look inside the cave, where all the tired mounts were being corralled. A sturdy fence gate guarded the entrance from the outdoors, but it was open to allow the mounts to enter. There were already half a dozen megaloceros inside, safely tucked inside a row of pens. A stablehand noticed her curious stares and explained that sometimes when a ranger's mount was too exhausted to continue, or if they were in a particular hurry, they could swap out for a fresh mount. Their current mount would stay behind and rest up, often as good as new by the time the next patrol stopped by. Kate thanked the man and made her way around the stables, petting the more docile creatures that welcomed her touch. Each pen had hay, a trough of water, and food for the animals to enjoy overnight. After she was satisfied with her small tour, she went back outside to reunite with the others.
Kate smelled the delicious aroma of stewed meat carried by the air. She followed the scent up the hill, where a few of the rangers were relaxing. Some of them were casually lounging on the grass, watching the sun go down. Others were gathered around a table enjoying drinks or tossing dice. Cara was among the soldiers by the bench, arm-wrestling against a ranger her size and winning by the looks of it. A few of the survivors waved for Kate to join their antics, but she smiled politely and declined. Although she would have loved to join them and spend the night laughing, she was also feeling tired from the sudden chain of events today.
Kate followed her stomach inside the castle, to where the cook was stirring a kettle of soup. She eagerly grabbed a bowl and held it out, to which the cook smiled and ladled a generous portion inside. "Fresh bread and butter's over by the dining tables," he told her.
Kate thanked him and found the table with the rest of the food. As promised, fluffy loaves of fresh bread sat steaming beside a few blocks of butter, along with fresh fruit and chilled water. Kate loaded a tray with the goods, licking her lips in anticipation. The round tower was small but did not lack space. There were four rectangular tables in the center of the room, tools and weapon racks in the corner, and of course the kitchen and storage beside the door. A spiral staircase wound its way along the edge of the circular tower, leading upstairs to sleeping quarters on the second floor, and an open balcony on the third. There was plenty of space at the dining tables, so Kate took her meal there beside the other castaways, rangers, and castle staff.
The broth was thick and savoury with carrots, potatoes, tomatoes, and meat. Kate wolfed the food down, dipping chunks of buttery bread into her soup. It was the best thing she had ever tasted. The meat was soft and tender, a welcome change from the hard chewy jerky she had been eating for the past week. The broth was warm and filled with flavour, going down easily in her stomach. Kate finished her meal off by peeling an orange and eating the zesty slices one by one, while sipping cool fresh water. The meal was absolutely luxurious and Kate had trouble making her way up the stairs, heavy with the delicious food.
Kate decided to get an early sleep that night. It felt like heaven to slip into one of the soft linen beds, though probably anything would elicit the same feeling compared to her old scratchy hay cot. Kate closed her eyes and tried to sleep, but the dull rumble of laughter below kept her awake. Her bed was close to the staircase, which wasn't the best when she just wanted to rest. Kate begrudgingly climbed out of the bed, which was no easy feat, and started making her way to the far end of the circular room. She stopped in her tracks when she heard some hushed voices talking upstairs. Curious, Kate crept up the stairs to get a better idea of what they were saying.
"I like this not," a voice muttered. Alex, she realized. It took her a moment to realize that. He normally spoke with the arrogance of authority, but now his voice was hushed and uneasy. "The woods are far too quiet."
"Well that makes your job easier, doesn't it? I've never known a ranger to complain about lack of danger."
"That's not what I meant Bryan." The castle commander, Kate noted. Am I listening to things above my station? I should leave them be. But curiosity held her there at the top of the steps.
"I feel as if something looms on the horizon," Alex continued on. "This is just the calm before the storm."
"I've never known you to be the superstitious type Alex."
"Tell me, Bryan. Have you noticed anything strange by Fort Pine?" Alex prompted.
There was a pause. "No. Not that I can say. What gives you reason to ask?"
"It's been weeks since Lord Joseph left to investigate the south. My patrol stopped by Open Hearth just two days ago, and there's still been no word from him."
"It does little good to dwell on these matters," Bryan said. "All we can do is prepare for the worst."
Kate heard a long sigh from the patrol leader. "The others think conflict will find us soon. The words have been left unspoken but everyone in my patrol group thinks so. Why else would Lady Jeyne double the size of our patrols?"
"Well ten rangers makes for a safer convoy than three or four, wouldn't you say?"
"Safer sure, but slower as well. It took us an entire day to get here from Fort Orchid. Normally it takes my group half a day at most," Alex fumed.
"It must at least help deter wildlife," Bryan tried to reason.
"You'd think so but when it was just the four of us, we still weren't troubled by the beasts. All I'm saying is that ten rangers in one patrol is a bit excessive. Not only does it slow our progress, it also halved the amount of total patrols. You've noticed too haven't you?"
"Aye. Fort Pine only receives about three patrol groups a week, instead of seven."
"More work for fewer patrols. And our results are worse as well. We only rescued four castaways between Open Hearth and Fort Pine. Two whole days of travelling and only four to show for it."
"Look Alex," Bryan sighed. "I'm just a lowly waycastle commander. If you want change, you should ask Jeyne or Otto."
Alex scowled. "Otto's not likely to heed my words, but I might have a chance with Jeyne." There was a pause. "Thanks for the advice. I'll try testing it soon."
"Sleep easy, my friend. I'll see you the next time you stop by. You can tell me if it worked then."
Kate scurried down the steps and dove into one of the beds at the far end of the room, just as Alex rounded the corner and came into view. The patrol captain didn't spare a glance at the sleeping quarters, instead heading directly downstairs. Bryan stayed at the top floor, presumably having drawn watch duty for the night. Kate breathed a sigh of relief when the danger of discovery had passed. She didn't fancy the idea of getting caught eavesdropping by the sullen patrol captain.
It sounds as if the patrols are struggling. She frowned. Kate hadn't gotten that impression from the merry band that rescued her off the beach. Cara and the others had seemed content and happy. But if what Alex said was true, then she could see why they had reason to be on edge. It must have been a recent change to their patrol structure. I never would have known from the way the ten of them worked together like they had been doing so for years. It's just the discipline of the rangers, I assume. Kate sighed into her pillow. Then again, it does explain why it took them five days to get to my shelter. If there's less manpower to spread around the coast, other poor castaways like myself will have to wait longer for rescue.
Kate stared into the darkness, uneasy with that thought. Perhaps when I make it to the Hotspring Hold I can attest to the flaws of the new system. It would be nice to help out the future waves of castaways that wash ashore. That made her feel a little better. Kate placated herself with the idea that she would be able to play her own part in helping others, drifting off to sleep with all sorts of new ideas in mind.
After a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, fruit and bread, the patrol left at the crack of dawn the next morning. Kate had slept well for the first night on the Island, dozing peacefully until Cara roused her in the morning. She was feeling well-rested and ready for another day of travel. We'll reach Fort Northgate by today. Then I'll finally get to see Hotspring Hold in the mountains.
It might have been her imagination, but Kate thought she could already see mountains very far off in the distance. The faint blue shapes might just as easily have been due to the thick billowy clouds constantly drifting around, however. In either case, Cara promised they would be able to see the mountains by the time they reached Fort Northgate. Kate was excited to gaze upon them with her very own eyes after the grand stories she had heard.
As they travelled along the beach, she tried to brush up on her knowledge of the creatures that roamed the Island. Cara very helpfully answered any questions Kate had, and soon enough she knew at least a dozen of the animals by name. They mainly passed herbivores like parasaurs and iguanodon, with the occasional carnivore sighting farther inside the jungle. The group drew all their weapons when Alex spotted a carnotaurus lurking in the bush, but the monster left them alone, for their group was too much of a challenge for the beast to handle alone. That reinforced Kate's idea that only the strong survived in this brutal place. If you were a weak and helpless target, you were as good as dead meat to all the vicious carnivores around.
After passing their third shelter, they spotted another patrol group of about ten in the distance. This group however, was travelling in the opposite direction. Alex hailed the leader, who returned his wave and brought his own group closer. Kate learned they had departed from a different castle called the Lookout Keep and were headed to Open Hearth. Alex and the other patrol leader stopped briefly to warn each other about dangers from their sides of the beach. Kate saw that this group had three castaways in their wagon, who would eventually end up at Open Hearth. Kate found it a curious thought that you were bound to end up in a different home, depending on which patrol picked you up. After the brief talk, both groups continued on in opposite directions.
The rest of the journey went relatively smoothly. They made good time riding past the jungle and beach, although they didn't rescue any other castaways from the shelters. That was to be expected however, since the other patrol had just swept past. Instead, Alex ordered his group to keep their eyes peeled on the jungle and the coast for any castaways that might be out and about. Everything was going well until Alex spotted a second group of mounted rangers combing through the jungle forests.
Kate thought nothing of it at first, until she looked around and noticed the behaviour of the rangers around her. They were all staring ahead in trepidation, their hands on their weapons. "What is it?" she asked Cara.
"It's too soon. . . We just passed a patrol a few hours ago. These aren't our people."
Kate glanced back at the group. She caught glimpses of their mounts, half-hidden by the jungle foliage. Parasaurs. Not the giant elk that the northern tribe favoured.
"Who goes there?" Alex shouted when the others were within earshot.
One man pressed his mount onward slightly. Kate saw that he was armored head-to-toe in steel plate armour, with only the visor on his helmet drawn up to reveal two dark eyes. He carried a lance in his right hand, the reigns to his parasaur in his left. A red shield was strapped to his arm. Kate couldn't make out the heraldry, but there was some black shape in the center of the shield.
"We are the rightful owners of this land," the knight bellowed, his voice amplified by the helmet. "You are trespassing."
Alex scowled, edging his own buck forward a few steps. The huge elk tossed its antlers and pawed at the sand. "We have patrolled these beaches for over a year, these lands belong to us. State your business or leave."
In response, the enemy leader lowered his visor and made a sharp hand gesture toward his followers. Then, lowering his lance, he charged from the jungle. A wave of armor-clad enemies came streaming after him, their shields and spears glinting in the midday sun.
Alex cursed and wheeled his elk sideways to address the rangers. "Cara, defend the wagon. Everyone else on me. Wedge formation."
Whatever else she thought of Alex, Kate had to admire his bravery and quick thinking. The patrol captain kicked his heels into his mount and led the charge himself. The northern forces poured after their commander, shouting at the top of their lungs with their weapons raised.
Kate's heart pounded as she watched the two groups advance toward each other. They were evenly matched in numbers, with each side standing about ten strong. The northerners had the advantage of being mounted atop megaloceros, whereas their enemies were mainly on foot. Only three of them rode parasaurs. The northerners will prevail, Kate told herself. They know these beaches inside and out. They're experienced rangers who have fought worse before.
Her hopes were dashed almost immediately.
When the two forces were within a stone's throw apart, the three parasaur knights gave their reins a sharp tug. Rearing back, the huge duck-billed lizards released a high-pitched groan that shook the very coast. Even from her distance Kate cried out in pain and clasped her hands to her ears. It was a horribly shrill sound that seemed to bore all the way into her skull. Kate saw the northerners and their megaloceros recoil from the ear-piercing shriek, clutching their helmets in agony. A few riders managed to keep charging forward, but the group's formation was in complete disarray.
Before they could recover, the enemy spearmen advanced. The screams of man and beast echoed down the beach as the sharp iron tips found their marks. Two megaloceros collapsed in a sea of scarlet spears, their riders rolling to the floor and meeting the same fate. Foot soldiers dove away as the corpse of a massive elk crashed into their ranks, crushing the legs of one unfortunate soul who was too slow to act. Frantic voices from both sides pitched into a crescendo as sharp antlers punctured mail, swords and axes crashed through wooden shields, and blood stained the beach red. Alex and five other rangers swerved away from the bloodbath, their nimble megaloceros changing directions in the blink of an eye. Likewise, the surviving spearmen retreated a few steps and locked shields together, standing shoulder to shoulder in anticipation of the next assault. Half a dozen bloody corpses remained in the vacant space created by both forces. Kate's heart sank when she realized most were northerners.
Before the mounted rangers could regroup to launch a counterattack, the three parasaur knights charged. Their heavy war hadrosaurs thundered down the beach, mountains of rippling flesh and muscle. Kate's heart sank. No. No, this can't be happening! I just met these new friends. They have to live. She watched one ranger take a knight's lance through the back, falling stiffly from his saddle. Another got crushed beneath the sheer weight of a parasaur, his ribcage giving a sickly crunch as the three-ton herbivore trampled over his corpse.
Alex and the others quickly realized they were no match for the heavily armed and armored parasaur riders, and scattered before the trio, only to get charged by the spearmen. With quick reflexes, the mounted rangers spurred their mounts into full-out gallops and circled around to take the infantry by their flanks. Kate caught onto a brief glimmer of hope, only for it to be replaced by dread when she realized the parasaur knights had found a new target: her wagon.
Cara cursed. "Get out of here," she shouted to the carriage driver. "I'll hold them off."
Even as the carriage began rolling away, Kate watched vividly as the ranger tried to delay their pursuers, desperately hoping that Cara would make it out safely. With her bowstring drawn all the way back to her ear, Cara traced the path of the lead parasaur rider. Her arrow punched into the man's armpit, causing him to lurch unsteadily on his saddle. After a moment he regained his balance, seething with pain. Cara's next arrow sprouted from the chest of the man's parasaur, but the herbivorous giant barely gave any indication that it felt the arrow aside from an angry grunt. Kate was so transfixed on the action that she didn't notice the danger until it was right above her.
One of the parasaur knights had split off from his companions to catch them by surprise. His monstrous mount slammed into the wooden carriage, splintering off huge chunks of wood and overturning the wagon. The impact jolted Kate's very core. The entire world flipped upside down and she found herself laying on the soft sands, the breath completely knocked from her lungs. Her ears rang from the sudden impact. Very distantly she could see her fellow castaways spilled out on the beach beside her. Their wagon was a splintered ruin and the driver was a bloody pulp from taking the worst of the hit. One of the equus had broken its leg and squirmed feebly on the ground; the other hobbled away from the collision, its head rolling in terror.
Cara appeared beside the wreckage, mounted atop her doe. The ranger looked around, realizing all was lost. She tried extending a hand for Kate to take. . . only for a spear to sprout out from her chest. Cara's eyes went wide and she toppled over sideways from her elk.
"No!" Kate screamed.
She tried looking around desperately to see if the other northerners were coming to the rescue, only to spot their corpses littering the beach. Instead of help, only more enemies were converging on the crash site. One of the other castaways grabbed a shard of wood and tried to ward the invaders off. He was rewarded for his efforts with an iron spearhead to the stomach.
Kate scrambled backwards as the spearmen approached. Malice and mischief glinted in their eyes. Kate managed to get to her feet and turned to flee, only to run into another soldier's chest. The man twisted her arm with a vicious sneer and wrestled her to the ground. She cried as the men ripped the back of her shirt like a pack of hungry raptors. Kate kicked and flailed to get her attackers away but she was firmly pinned to the sand. She squeezed her eyes shut, tears streaming down her face as she tried to close out all the terrible sensations around her.
The weight was suddenly thrown off her back by some unseen force. Kate glanced up to see Alex standing over her protectively, breathing raggedly with streaks of blood running down the side of his temple. He had lost his mount, his helmet, and his lance, but the patrol captain clutched a blood-stained sword in its place.
"Stay away," He roared at the enemies encircling them. "These castaways are under my protection."
The others seemed to find that amusing. One of the parasaur knights scoffed down at Alex's display of bravery from the top of his warbeast. He cocked his head, and his underlings swarmed the lone ranger.
Alex made a desperate last stand, trying to put himself in front of Kate and the other two castaways. He cut down the first man that rushed forward, slashing the spearman from neck to groin. The next attacker interposed his shield between Alex's swordstroke, then jabbed his spear forward. The patrol captain jumped back to avoid the strike, but another soldier lunged and speared him in the back of the leg. Alex went down on one knee with a cry of pain. A third enemy buried his spear in Alex's stomach.
The captain slumped forward, gritting his teeth as he struggled to stay upright. His hand unclenched and his sword fell onto the sand. A round of laughter echoed from his tormeters. The spearmen were about to finish him off when the lead parasaur knight brought his mount forward.
"No. Let the man live."
"Sir?" One of the soldiers questioned.
"He'll scurry home and warn his friends not to trifle with us. That should keep them off our land" The knight gestured toward one of his fellow parasaur riders, who ambled closer holding the reins to a frightened megaloceros.
The spearmen heaped Alex's battered body onto the elk and gave the beast a good whack on the rear. Alex managed to cast a sorrowful gaze back toward the castaways he had failed to protect. You tried your best, Kate wanted to say. She had gained new respect for the captain's brave last stand, but even now she could plainly tell there was no more hope of Alex putting up a fight. The man's strength had completely left him. He coughed up blood and slumped forward, clinging to the neck of his mount as the frightened beast carried him away. Another bout of laughter followed the poor brave man.
Kate watched her last and only hope fade into the distance as her gut swelled with increasing dread of what was to come.
Author's Note: The results to the animal companion poll are in! We have Hawk leading with 42% of the votes, followed by Winter at 28%, finally Shina and Argentum tied with 14% each. A new poll is available on my page, this time asking for your favorite side character! I encourage you to take a look and vote, as this one is bound to have the most diversity in options. (It will also act as a really good cheat sheet so you can remember who's who!)
DinoNerd89, Glad you enjoyed Otto's choice and the chapter. And for sure, all three characters have big plans coming up. . .
Nateman364, Don't worry we won't have to wait much longer for answers to Argentum's identity! I swear I'm almost done toying with everyone who figured it out years ago. . . Anyone I'm glad you enjoyed the past two chapters and I'm looking forward to hearing your thoughts on this one!
Loremaster Endercreeper, Haha nothing wrong with Minecraft. But yeah, there's a lot going on in the rest of the Island that our characters don't know about. For instance, this chapter is a good example of something happening outside the main characters' scope (although paradoxically Kate herself will be a new POV character so not really). As for the matter of ASOIAF I definitely agree with your assessment of all the characters having muddled morality but to that I respectfully present two counterarguments. Even despite all the evil characters, there are 3 POV characters that stand out to me as being almost purely good: Ned (yes he did have his shady secrets but otherwise he was a very upstanding and honorable guy), Brienne (who is the truest and most noble knight in the story despite not actually being a knight), and Davos (who's a really down-to-earth character uncorrupted by the evils of those around him). My second point is that you have to keep in mind that all the main characters we read about are the high lords and ladies in positions of power, who have the luxury to scheme and just generally do evil things to advance themselves. Sort of analgous to the politicians in our world. If you think about all the characters we don't see, the honest farmers, peasants, innkeepers, etc... there are plenty of normal people who aren't evil but following their tales would admittedly make for a boring story. Anyway those are just my own thoughts, feel no pressure to agree with me!
Epicwriter88, Glad I inspired you to make an account! I don't plan on adding flintlocks or muskets, but we will get to see flares and crossbows, as well as siege weaponry like catapults, scorpians, ballistas, etc... Hope that compensates.
SF Uberman, Thanks for the concern I'm doing fine! No COVID-19, just found myself lacking time to sit down and write. Great analysis on the recent chapter, reminding me of a professional essay with the citations to all the chapters lol. I think the power of the megalosaurus was greatly exaggerated in my story. . . haven't actually used them in the game but I'd say to still be cautious if you're going out to tame some. Anyway I'll take a look at your story when I get the chance!
Thanks for taking the time to check out my work, I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Feel free to comment, ask questions, or criticize my story, review is always welcome! If you liked what you saw, make sure to check out the other ARK stories on this site! Have a great day!
- DaRumpyBurr
