Sorry for the long(ish) delay, I'm back for good, now that my studies are over.
Joseph II
Sarah stamped her feet and bellowed nervously. Otto urged the timid green Triceratops onwards with a gentle tug at her reins. "It's alright, girl. Easy now," Joseph heard him mutter from the front of the saddle. He had to admit, Weiss seemed to have a natural talent for befriending the island's creatures. Even as he had the thought, Winter came padding back from up ahead. He barked twice, turned again, and impatiently stalked around the corner.
"What do you think he's found?" Joseph asked from the rear of the saddle.
"I have no clue," Weiss replied. "But whatever the matter is, it has to be important enough for him to drag us all the way out here." What indeed, Joseph thought. The white Direwolf had perked up at least a few hours ago, howling into the heavens and then barking like some feral hound. He had bounded off soon after that, tail flapping behind him like a great white flag. But the only time that Winter had ever howled before was when the Direwolf found Joseph himself. It was a curious thought that the wolf might have sniffed out yet another human. Only the Gods themselves knew when they would get off this island, and Joseph would not mind the presence of another survivor until they did. So is it too much to ask that he's found another human?
"We're almost there," Otto assured, stirring Joseph from his thoughts. "Winter's getting impatient. We must be close." Joseph nodded, though the motion was wasted against the other man's back. There was truth to Otto's words, especially if Winter was acting up again. By now, Joseph trusted the wolf as much as Weiss himself.
Hawk suddenly shifted from her spot in the saddle. She slowly unwound her thin tail, stretching it to her full length. The small Dilophosaurus chirped in greeting as she unfurled her orange ruff. She settled back down, bathing in the sun after her short nap. Joseph risked getting bit by gently stroking her scaly back. The Dilo froze at his first touch but soon relaxed once more under his gentle touch. Slowly but surely, the orange Dilophosaurus had warmed up to him over the course of the past week. Joseph had seen the loyal bond between Otto and Winter firsthand. Having a faithful friend on this island, he decided, was enough to save your life one day. Whenever the time for a meal came, Joseph always made sure to set aside a portion for Hawk. She had developed a liking to cooked meat, and always accepted scraps from his plate.
Suddenly, the Dilophosaurus tensed up and hissed. Joseph flinched back, fearing he had done something wrong. Hawk hissed again, taking an aggressive stance as her bright orange frills fanned out. Joseph made to cover his face with his arms but quickly realized the beast wasn't even facing him. She stood straight as an arrow, snarling dead ahead of them.
Otto glanced over his shoulder from the front of the saddle. "What's the matt- "
Sarah snorted and tossed her back, jolting everyone in the saddle. She bellowed in alarm and dug her feet into the ground. Weiss cursed as he turned back around, straining to get the Triceratops under control. She snorted and shook her head, huge frill nearly knocking Otto off her back in the process. "Hey! It's okay, calm down," he shouted.
Weiss gripped the reins and pulled back, never releasing his grip until Sarah calmed down again. "I don't like this," he muttered. "All the animals acting up."
Joseph agreed, still tightly clutching the rim of the saddle. Otto cursed again as he drove the Trike onwards, murmuring under his breath. Winter chose that moment to reappear. The great white Direwolf snarled, growled and barked, dancing around Sarah as if he had gone mad. Finally, he seemed to give up and bounded ahead, turning the corner around a rocky cliff. Joseph had noticed the landscape slowly getting more rugged as they journeyed south. The gentle hills beyond the hidden lake had given way to rough rises and steep drops, swift rivers, and deep trenches. They had been going uphill for a while now, and Joseph suspected they would drop into another canyon soon.
Otto tugged at the reins and Sarah grudgingly gave way, grumbling as she plodded forward. The bulky Trike's affection for Otto had to be the only thing that kept her moving. She had been opposed to the ranging from the very start and had already made her opinions clear by refusing to move and bellowing her disapproval. Dozens of times, Joseph arduously recalled. Only hushed reassurances and gentle pats from Otto kept her going. Sarah had been utterly devoted to Weiss ever since he helped her recover from the brutal Carnotaurus attack.
The small party gradually approached Winter, who was still vigorously barking at them. He snapped and growled, chasing his tail and frisking back and forth. The wolf would disappear behind the corner and then pounce back out with a fierce snarl. If he didn't know better, Joseph would have thought the beast was half mad. Otto exhaled sharply as Sarah rounded the cliff. "What..." He heard Weiss gasp. Joseph shifted so he could see over Otto's shoulder. He released an exhale of his own.
An absolutely titanic skeleton stretched out in the canyon below. It was at least a few minutes of riding away, but every detail of the corpse was easily visible due to its sheer size. The frame was long and thick, with a neck that was easily half a dozen times Sarah's length from beak to tail. The huge pale ribs formed a ghostly arch high above the ground, easily large enough to swallow their whole group. The extensive tail was just as long, if not longer than the neck, although it narrowed out to a whip-thin end. The massive skeleton made Joseph feel like an insect in comparison. He shuddered to imagine the size of this monstrosity in life.
Otto gave the reins a gentle tug toward the fallen behemoth. A gentle slope snaked down toward the gravelly floor. The canyon stretched from left to right, farther than Joseph could see. The craggy cliffside was pockmarked by shallow dents and steep overhangs with the occasional shrub clinging to the rugged landscape. A chilling wind drove in from the right, ringing off the canyon walls and howling like some ghostly wolf. Apart from a few frail Pteranodons and some feathered Dimorphodons, there was no life in the spectral valley. Sarah picked her way down the slope slowly, carefully avoiding any rocks or shrubs that might send their group tumbling down to the canyon floor.
The massive skeleton was straight ahead, in the very centre of the valley. The distant cries of seabirds and the soft lapping of waves came from the far left. Joseph couldn't see the ocean, but he could certainly hear it. To their right was nothing but eerie silence, broken only by the ghostly ring of the wind. Otto turned his head from side to side, making similar observations. He paused for a moment before urging Sarah to continue in a straight line. Winter was already at the other end of the valley, barking at them to hurry. Massive boulders and chunky rocks pockmarked the land on either side of the skeleton. To go around was to waste precious time, time that they might not have. The sun was already straight above them, casting its scorching rays upon the land. It would take nearly half the day to get back to their camp, and Joseph certainly didn't want to be caught in the wilderness when night fell.
The fastest way to cross was right through the bone archway. Otto gave the hide reins another tug. Sarah snorted and stamped her feet, nearly throwing Joseph from the saddle. He clung desperately to the frame as Weiss reined the Trike back under control. Hawk hissed and Weiss cursed, but Joseph could not blame the beast for her reluctance to proceed. Just looking at the sheer size of the skeleton sent every one of his hairs standing on end. Joseph shuddered as they pulled to a halt before the open ribcage.
Sarah shied away again, bellowing and stamping her feet anxiously. "Come on girl," Otto said. "I don't like it any more than you, but it's the fastest way." The Trike ignored him completely. Sarah shook her great head and reared up, nearly throwing her passengers from the saddle. By some miracle, Weiss managed to get her under control again. "I'll have to dismount and guide her through," he sighed.
Sarah refused to advance a single step, no matter how insistently Otto tugged at the reins. Joseph nodded and swung to the side, his feet finding the wooden rungs across Sarah's flanks. The saddle had taken the labour of nearly a week, but the investment was well worth it. They could stay mounted atop the bulky Trike, safe from the dangers below. Logs and planks could also be hitched to the saddle, providing an easy way to transport goods. Joseph took the first rung and jumped the rest of the way. Not yet fully grown, Sarah was only a little taller than himself. He had seen some of the adult Triceratops though, and Joseph knew that it was only a matter of time before the gentle green Trike would tower over him.
Hawk followed him off a moment later. The Dilophosaurus could not use the ladder, but managed to make-do with the uneven ridges along the saddle. Long enough to safely jump, at least. Hawk landed with a thump by his feet. Otto gripped the first rung and pushed himself off, sending up a cloud of dust as he landed on the floor. He took ahold of the hide reins and pulled Sarah forward. She shied away at first, but after much insistent tugging, she grudgingly plodded along. The wind rattled off the bone archway with a sinister ring while ghostly echoes howled at them from every side. Joseph unholstered his spear and swiveled his head from side to side, carefully scanning their surroundings.
Weiss took the lead with Sarah following closely behind. The green Triceratops had strained to get away at first but now seemed resigned to say as close as possible to Otto. Joseph brought up the rear with Hawk at his side. He made sure to keep a careful eye on their back and flanks, lest some demon sneak up on them. Hawk joined him in the efforts and Joseph felt all the better with her alert eyes watching their surroundings. He hefted his spear high, ready to stab or throw at a moment's notice.
Their footsteps echoed ominously across the titan's grave, magnified by the massive bones on either side. Joseph shuddered and imagined all the different monsters that could be lurking behind those ghostly pillars. It was only then that he realized there were slashes and scrapes along the length of the skeleton. Joseph cursed and pointed them out to Otto. "What sort of monster would have been able to take that beast down?" He shivered and subconsciously edged closer to Sarah. The huge Trike seemed to have noticed the scrapes long ago, and bellowed in dismay as if saying 'I told you so'. Weiss frowned and called Winter back.
"Best if we stay together," he declared, shooting the scratches a dark look. "I don't like this place, and none of the beasts do either." Joseph agreed and made sure their surroundings were clear.
Luckily they pulled to a stop at the other end without incidence. Sarah and Hawk seemed to relax, but Winter only grew more aggressive. He barked and snapped, dancing back and forth with a primal ferocity. There was a narrow opening up ahead, and Winter made sure to point it out. He bounded through and barked at them to follow. Naturally, they had to force Sarah through.
Otto frowned at the gap after a few unsuccessful attempts. "Go on ahead," he said to Joseph. "It'll be a while before I can join you. Take Hawk and Winter too." He sighed and turned back to Sarah.
Joseph nodded and called for the two. Hawk immediately stepped up to join him, but Winter remained firmly planted by Otto's side. Only after a few words from Weiss did the Direwolf join them. Joseph hefted his spear and gingerly picked his way through the opening. Hawk followed him through, although Winter pushed past and bounded up ahead barking wildly. Joseph sighed and followed the wolf at a brisk jog.
Although the opening was narrow, the walls of the canyon eventually widened out. At least that's good, he thought. Weiss should be able to get Sarah through. Winter disappeared around a bend, only to send up a frenzy of howls an instant later. What could that be? Joseph's curiosity got the better of him, and he ran after the Direwolf. Hawk hissed in frustration, but managed to keep pace. Joseph rounded the bend, red-faced and breathless. Though he was at the peak of his health, the sun made every step feel like ten. It had been abnormally hot before, but in the dry canyon, the sun seemed to simply radiate fire. Joseph took a moment to catch his breath. Winter barked so suddenly that Joseph lifted his head. The Direwolf stood at the centre of what appeared to be . . .
"Winter!" Joseph called. The great white Direwolf turned to face him. "What is this place?"
The wolf barked and tossed his head toward a bush in response. He took a menacing step forward and began growling, low and deep. Hawk picked on, raising her frills in aggression while hissing at the undergrowth. That was when Joseph noticed it. The bush was trembling. His spear was immediately in his grip, the sharp bone spearhead leveled at the shrub. Whatever was inside that bush must have done something to the person who lived here.
There were many obvious signs of a previous inhabitant strewn about the small clearing; a burnt out fire near the side, flint, seashells, and a pile of leaves to sleep on. However, there wasn't any sign of a struggle. Joseph directed his attention back to the bush. "Show yourself!" He shouted, "This is the end for you, beast!" Hawk hissed and Winter began barking, but neither made a move to attack. They simply stood rooted in place, blasting the bush with a vocal barrage. And then the beast appeared. Or rather, the lack of one.
The man was short and frail, with a grizzled face tanned brown by the sun. A tousled patch of shaggy hair clung to his head, white as Winter's fur. A few similar tufts converged along his chin to form a wispy beard. He had a gaunt frame, so skinny that Joseph could count every single one of his ribs. The man was completely naked, save the same undergarments that both Otto and himself had washed ashore with. The old man had a fist sized rock tightly clutched in his grip, although his scrawny arms trembled under the weight. The man took one look at Winter and his eyes widened.
"Yield!" he rasped, throwing the heavy rock away. "Yield! Mercy, please!" The man swayed on his feet as if he could not bear to stand for a moment longer. Joseph was about to respond when the old man lurched forward, his eyes rolled back in his head. Joseph managed to catch the limp body before it crashed into the ground. He set the man down gently, taking care not to crush his skinny frame. Joseph checked for a pulse, his heart pounding. Gods have mercy. Don't take this poor man's life when I've just found him. There was a tense moment when the man was completely still, but it was quickly followed by a weak pulse. Joseph let out a relieved gasp.
"The Gods are good," he muttered. "He's still alive." Winter barked and Hawk chirped in response. Joseph took one look at the blistering sun and dragged the man back under the shade.
"He's waking," Otto said. Joseph nodded and produced his hide waterskin. Luckily for the old man, it was still partially full. After spending nearly half the day under the glaring sun, it was a wonder that any water remained at all. Joseph held the skin nearby as the frail body convulsed.
The old white haired man blinked to life, sputtering and coughing like a fish out of water. It was thirst that plagued his racking coughs. Joseph immediately pressed the waterskin into his frail hands. The old man's eyes widened at the sight of him but he still took the skin nonetheless. He tipped his head back and took a few deep gulps, water running down his stubbly chin. The man only paused long enough to catch his breath before pressing the hide to his mouth again. He finally coughed and handed the empty waterskin back to Joseph.
For a moment, the man just sat there dazed. His eyes swept across their group; past Otto with his spear in hand, past Joseph himself, past Sarah who snorted from somewhere behind them, past Hawk who chirped and cocked her head, and finally, they settled on Winter. The man's eyes widened as he stumbled to get away. "It's alright," Joseph called. "He won't hurt you." The old man looked back at him cautiously. Joseph offered a hand. The man paused for a moment uncertainly before taking it.
"Much obliged," he said as Joseph pulled him to his feet. His voice was still dry and hoarse from thirst.
"Of course," Joseph replied. Winter growled and the man seemed to remember that the Direwolf was still there. He backed away, eyeing the beast uncertainly. "I yielded!" He reminded them.
"So I heard," Weiss spoke up. "And you're free to go anytime. We aren't taking prisoners." The old man glanced from him to Joseph and back again. Perhaps he saw the truth in his words, for the man relaxed and bowed his head in gratitude.
"Thank you, kind friend." he backed away carefully, as if Weiss might change his mind at any time. The old man was scurrying away to grab his things when Otto went on.
"You could always join us, you know. If you wanted to, that is," he added. "We always have use for another pair of hands around the camp."
The old man slowly turned around and regarded Weiss with a hopeful look. "Would you truly?" He shook his head and looked down at his wrinkled hands, turning them over. "These hands are old and frail. Besides," he sighed "My memory has failed me. I cannot remember anything from beyond washing up. I am of no use to you."
Joseph exchanged a quick glance with Otto. All three of the men had washed onto the island with no memory. Otto gave him a slight nod, as it to say they would discuss this later. He turned back to the old man. "We have strength and manpower enough," he nodded back at the rest of their group. "What we really need is another pair of eyes to watch the camp, another voice by the fire, another ember of civilization on the island." He met the other man's eyes. "It matters not whether you have strength or skills to offer. Us survivors need to stick together." Otto held out his left hand, the wrist still bandaged with thin strips of hide.
The white haired man paused for a moment before finally nodding. "I'm with you." He clasped Otto's outstretched hand. "Willam."
Weiss grinned and gave his hand a firm shake. "Otto Weiss. The other man is Joseph," he said with a nod backwards.
Joseph stepped forward and shook the man's hand, imitating Otto's gesture. "An honour."
"The honour is mine," Willam replied. A faint smile tugged at his lips. "I'm grateful, truly. To both of you." Otto smiled and clasped him on the shoulder.
"You're with us now. Whether you like it or not." He glanced at the sky and frowned. The sun was three-quarters of the way across the horizon. "We should get moving. We have a long way to go."
Joseph nodded and holstered his weapons. He stopped by Sarah and Hawk where the small Dilophosaurus chirped at him expectantly. Joseph kneeled and cupped his hands together to form a human staircase. Hawk chirped happily and picked her way up towards the saddle. She has too much pride for her own good, Joseph decided, although he still smiled nonetheless. He gripped a wooden rung and pulled himself up, following Hawk into the saddle. Joseph turned to offer Willam a hand, only to find the old man hesitantly backing away.
"Not just yet, my friends. There's, ah, a … matter that I must attend to first." He nodded at Weiss. "If you would be so kind as to lend your strength. It's just this way."
Otto shot Joseph a quizzical look before following Willam into the bush. Now, what could this be about? Joseph's curiosity got the better of him, and he leaned over to hear better. The bush rustled and there was a surprised gasp followed by some hushed whispers. The bush went still for a moment, followed by an encumbered grunt and more shaking. Now Joseph really wanted to know what was going on. He was about to jump off the saddle when Winter started growling softly. Hawk hissed by his side and Sarah rumbled from beneath them. Joseph paused at the rungs hesitantly, only for Otto to emerge a moment later. Only his back was facing Joseph, and Weiss appeared to be cradling something in his arms. A bit peeked over from behind his frame, and Joseph caught a glimpse of something round and smooth. Willam followed him out a moment later, clutching the other end of the object. The two strained under its weight; Willam slowly advancing while Otto retreated. They shifted sideways and Joseph caught his first clear glimpse at what they were holding.
The egg was nearly the size of Hawk curled up; a large misty grey orb that gleamed in the sunlight. Large as it was, the egg had to weigh as much as a boulder. Otto and Willam strained under its weight, feet digging into the ground for purchase. They were both red-faced and puffing from the exertion, yet somehow, the two managed to haul the egg onto Sarah's saddle. Joseph immediately moved to steady it, wrapping his arms around the smooth shell before it could roll over. Willam collapsed against Sarah's flank, while Otto gasped and kneeled to catch his breath.
"Where..." He finally choked out, "Did you find that?"
Willam took a moment to recover before responding. "The canyon opening. Just outside," he panted between breaths. "When I first got here. Rolled it in."
Joseph spoke up from his spot on the saddle. "Why did you take it?" He was curious to know the answer.
"A feeling, you might say," Willam replied. He pushed himself away from Sarah's flank. "I felt I had to protect it. The egg was all by itself, an easy meal for any passing predator."
Weiss got up as well, more or less recovered from earlier. "If you plan on taking it with us, hold it tight. The way home is rocky at best, treacherous at worst."
Willam nodded as he climbed the rungs. He took the egg back from Joseph when he swung into the saddle. Otto took Sarah's reins to lead her by foot. The large Trike bellowed in delight, happy to finally be free of the land. Winter stayed with the group this time, calm once more now that they had successfully found Willam. Hawk chirped contentedly and curled up by Joseph's side. He rested a hand on her back as the group set off at a slow lumber.
Joseph looked at the egg, still tightly cradled in Willam's arms. It had a misty grey complexion, although it was broken up by dashes of blue that ranged from cobalt to cerulean. Joseph wondered what sort of beast could produce an egg that large. After a bit of thorough contemplation, he decided it would be better if he never found out. Joseph could not help but remember the gashes on the massive skeleton. Gods help us all. If that thing hatches into some sort of colossal monster... The grim thought trailed off ominously.
Joseph glanced back up at Willam, who sat opposite from him in the wide saddle. The old man's eyes were fixed on the massive egg. Joseph cleared his throat. Willam met his eyes and bestowed Joseph with a thin smile. "Anything I can help you with, friend?"
Joseph shook his head. "I was just wondering if you would take a second skin of water. We have an extra up here."
The old man smiled. "You're truly a kind soul, you and your friend both. I would thank you kindly for another skin of water." His voice was still hoarse from earlier. Joseph passed him the extra skin, still nearly full. Willam nodded gratefully and tipped his head back to gulp down a few mouthfuls of the precious liquid.
"You've been without water for a while now," Joseph observed as Willam wiped his mouth. The old man nodded.
"Three days ago from now, if my memory hasn't failed me. There was a shallow pool by my camp on the very first day that I washed up, but it dried up quickly, curse the scorching sun. After seeing the weather around here, it was a miracle that I found any water at all. There must have been some monster of a storm to leave that big of a puddle," he chuckled. Joseph grinned and nodded, recalling the brutal storm that had held them inside for nearly three days.
"The worst I've seen my whole life. Not saying much, though. I've scarcely been on this accursed island for a dozen days. Thirteen to be exact, if my memory serves correctly."
The old man blinked. "Really? I'd have thought you lived here for longer." He glanced at Joseph's hide clothing and the weapons strapped to his figure.
"Oh," Joseph said, noticing his gaze. "I have Weiss to thank for most of this," he nodded at Otto farther ahead. "He's been here for nearly a turn of the moon. Winter, Sarah and Hawk were all befriended by him."
"The wolf and... lizards?"
"Aye. He has a gift for taming the beasts."
Willam nodded, though something seemed to be troubling him. "These creatures. Though I have no memory of my old life, I'm absolutely certain I've never seen the likes of them before. A wolf the size of a pony, and those two. Whatever they are."
Joseph shrugged. "I know what you mean. Weiss does too, though he seems to get along with them better than anyone else. We've never seen these creatures before either. I think we've washed upon some sort of forgotten island, far from the rest of the world."
Willam nodded. "I've also thought of something along that line. It makes you wonder if we'll ever g-"
Sarah snorted and stamped her feet, jolting the saddle. Willam cursed and clutched his fragile cargo closer. Hawk, startled from her nap, uncoiled and hissed at an unseen attacker. Joseph glanced up to see what had caused the disruption, only to find that they had arrived before the enormous ribcage. He could hear Weiss from somewhere up ahead, gently reassuring Sarah with hushed whispers. The group patiently waited for Otto to coax the Trike into advancing. Sarah eventually lost the struggle, and let Weiss lead her through the titan's grave.
Willam gasped in disbelief as they passed below the bone archway. "What could it have been?" He pondered aloud. "A beast of that size. I shudder to imagine it in life."
"That's not the worst of it," Joseph said as he pointed toward the nearest rib. The long gouges in the bone were still there, just as he feared. So my eyes weren't playing tricks on me in the heat. "What do you think could take down something of this scale?" He gestured at the massive skeleton they were passing below.
Willam cursed softly. "I pray that I'll never find out."
"We all do,"Joseph sighed. "These scaled demons, even the smallest ones. They can rip a man to shreds in seconds, overtake the swiftest horse and leap unimaginable distances. If there's any hope for survival, us humans need to stick together."
Willam nodded solemnly. "I'm just glad you gave me a chance at life. Only God knows how much longer I would have survived on my own."
Joseph was about to reply when Sarah lurched to a halt. They pulled to a stop at the other end of the titan's ribcage. Joseph could hear Otto shuffling around somewhere below them. A moment later, his head peeked up over the side of the saddle and he braced them with a grin.
"We're finally free of this hellscape. It'll be easy-going from here on out." Weiss pulled himself into the saddle and took his seat at the reins. He gave them a gentle nudge and Sarah picked up her slow shamble once more. The sun was just beginning to slide behind the distant horizon, casting a soft orange glow over the land.
Otto scrutinized the sky carefully, then made some mental calculations in his head. "We'll reach the camp before dawn," he announced.
Willam looked concerned about the setting sun. "This camp of yours. It's safe?"
"As safe as anything on this island gets," Weiss replied with a quick glance over his shoulder. Willam didn't look very relieved.
"We've staked and ditched the borders with the sturdiest logs we could find," Joseph assured him. "Besides, if anything gets in we have Winter and the rest."
Willam nodded, only looking slightly better than before. "Are there any others at the camp?" He looked at Otto hopefully.
"I'm sorry to disappoint, but as far as I know, we're the only humans on the island."
The old man looked downcast. He was silent for a moment before some other thought occurred to him. "If I may ask, how did you end up on this island?"
Weiss remained still for a while before answering. "I don't know. That's the short answer. I've thought about it before, tried to recall what happened. Every time I turn up with nothing."
Joseph shifted toward his friend. "I can't remember anything from before I woke up either," he added. He turned to Willam. "And yourself?"
The old man sighed and shook his head. "Nothing. As far as I know, my life only started a few days ago."
Otto nodded. "I know what you mean. It's strange. I can remember my name and some other details, but not much else. It's almost like an instinct, or second nature."
The sun had finally set. Joseph fumbled in the dark for a torch. His hands closed around a thick wooden handle and he brought it to his chest. Otto passed him a shard of flint and a smooth rock from the front. Joseph struck the two stones together to produce a spark. It landed on the thatch head of the torch and took fire, casting an orange glow on their nearby surroundings. Weiss nodded his thanks and turned back to steering Sarah.
"So, Willam. If you don't mind me asking, how did you end up in that canyon?"
By the light of the fire, Joseph watched the old man scrunch his face up, as if recalling a painful memory that he had tried to erase. "I woke up on the beach, four days ago from today, wearing nothing but this," he gestured at the cloth undergarments wrapped around his abdomen. "All I knew was that I had to get out of there, and fast. I saw the scaled demons, a horde of them. There were big ones and small ones, feathered and scaled. Most of them were only interested in the grass, but there was one group, a pack really."
Willam paused, his face as pale as the moon in the orange glow of the torch. "They were big, larger than me although small compared to the others. They had bright feathers and powerful legs, jaws like iron and claws like daggers. There had to be half a dozen at the least. Everything on the beach was grazing peacefully until they came charging out of the jungle. They barely hesitated before going after a massive lizard with a back of bony plates and a spiked tail. They dove in from all sides, biting and clawing. I ran inland while they were distracted, for it was the only direction free of the demons. None of them followed." Willam tilted his head back and took a few gulps from the waterskin before going on.
"I walked through the canyon and found that small opening, the only place that looked safe. It dwindled down to a small clearing, cliffs on all sides, but you already knew that. Anyways, there was a puddle in the clearing. More of a pond, really. The bush back in my camp was full of sweet red berries when I first saw it. The food and water were enough to last me a scant few days. But the berries ran out, and the pond dried away. I managed to make a fire out of the few bits of wood that I could find. I would light it every night with the hopes that another survivor would see it. I used all the wood in the area after just two nights, and no one turned up."
Willam took another gulp of water. "I found the egg while out looking for firewood. Unguarded, all by itself. So I took it back to the camp with me and hid it as best I could. From there, I hid in the shade and prayed that nothing would find me. I had grown weak from my lack of food and water, too weak to get up and look for more. It was only a matter of time before I starved or died of thirst. There wasn't much to do but hope some stroke of luck would fall my way. And luckily you found me in time. I don't think I could have lasted much longer," Willam finished
"We're lucky to have found you as well," Otto replied. "But it's Winter you ought to thank. He was the one that led us to you."
"Your wolf?" Willam asked.
"Aye. A Direwolf, really." Winter barked from somewhere up ahead, as if he could sense his name being called. "You've told us your story, It's only fair that you know ours," Otto said. "I'll begin."
Weiss spoke of his life on the island, right up from he had woken on the beach nearly a moon's turn ago. Even though Joseph had heard it all before, he still listened intently as Otto regaled them with his tale. Weiss recalled his discovery of the dossier and how he slowly warmed up to Winter during his first few nights. He described the fight against the Terror Birds so vividly that Joseph felt as if he were really there. Things calmed down a bit after that, and Otto remarked on how he befriended Hawk and met Joseph. Weiss had inclined his head at the last part, and Joseph took over from there.
He recalled his own first day on the island; waking up on that rocky beach in the north and heading down south. Joseph relived being chased by the bull-horned Carnotaurus and the herd of horse-like Chalicotherium that fought it off. His hairs stood on end as he recalled watching the massive Tyrannosaurus Rex slaughter the pair of Stegosaurus. Joseph continued on, recalling his search for human life along the coast and how up until he met Otto, his efforts had turned up next to nothing. From there, he and Weiss would take turns catching Willam up to speed. They told him of how they had fortified the camp, waited out the storm, and befriended Sarah. Joseph shivered as they recounted the discovery of the blue Dodo, or at least the remains of it. The death had eventually been dismissed as the Yutyrannus and its Carnotaurus pack, but Joseph still felt a sense of foreboding whenever he thought of it. At the very least, the walls had been refortified in response.
After that, their lives had calmed down substantially. Many things that they could not have accomplished before were now possible with the help of Sarah. The huge Triceratops could haul logs that were too heavy, even for the rest of their group put together. Advances in the camp had been mainly due to her; stronger and taller walls, a refurbished lean-to, a wooden overhang from the cliffs to give the beasts a shelter, and a new pot for the fire. They had found one of the giant turtles, the Carbonemys, dead on the beach. It had only been a juvenile as well, and the shell was perfect for a cookpot. Yet it still weighed as much as a boulder, and neither Otto nor Joseph himself could have carried it. Luckily, Sarah had been with them and they managed to haul it back to the camp.
Otto was just finishing the story when they were hit with a rank odour. Willam nearly choked on the fumes. "Dear God, what is that stench?"
"Ah. We've made it to the hidden lake. Not much further now," Weiss said. The moonlight gleamed off ripples in the water, casting a faint silver glow in the darkness. Hawk suddenly rose from her corner of the saddle. She hissed at the darkness, bright frills unfolding as she took an aggressive stance. Sarah snorted and tossed her head, breaths coming in ragged bursts. Even Winter reappeared in the circle of light cast by Joseph's torch and started barking. The beasts produced a great cacophony of harsh cries in the dark of the night. Joseph was certain that every creature within a league would be woken by the commotion. "What's the matter with you all?" Otto asked, his face slightly pale.
Joseph scanned the darkness toward the direction they were all baying. He gasped and pointed. But we saw it alive and well just earlier today! What…
"A scorpion," Willam said. "A freakishly large one. What of it?"
"That," Joseph said as he pointed toward the pool of fresh green blood, still slowly oozing over the moonlit grass.
Author's Note:
Moon's turn/turn of a moon = one month
DevoutRelic: sorry for kinda botching your advice about the pacing, this was already planned near the very start. I'm looking to go back over and edit everything when the story is completed, so I'll be sure to actually take your advice when I do that ;) Anyways, took your advice about Joseph bonding with Hawk, and I'm looking forward to more of your helpful comments in the future!
Tall-Gothic-Guy, thank you for the name suggestion and the continued support
Guest, thank you for the continued support, unfortunitely I had already chosen a name, but feel free to leave more suggestions in the future!
RedLightningD608, thanks for the supportive feedback for both my story and life. I hope you enjoy the chapters to come!
Deven, thank you for the supportive comment.
ItsJustCrow, thanks for the supportive comment. I geuss I already answered your question about riding the tames, but as for the other one: Otto and Joseph (now Willam too) will get to around the mid-game tier level. None of them come from a time with guns, but there will definitely be a blacksmith in the story later on.
Thanks for taking the time to check out my first fanfiction, I hope you enjoyed the chapter. I will try my best to upload every Friday. Feel free to comment, ask question or criticize my story, review is always welcome. And if you like what you saw, make sure to check out the other ARK: Survival Evolved fanfictions out there. Have a great rest of your day or night.
-DaRumpyBurr