Chapter two: -
The next day Jason felt well enough to get out of
bed. He got dressed with clothes out of his pack that lent against the wall and
went in to the next room and found that there were only two rooms to the hut
and that his rescuer had slept on the floor in the second room. Which served as
a kitchen, dinning room and living room in one.
He walked out of the hut to find Cal with an axe
chopping firewood. He sat down on an upturned pail to watch.
"What do you do?" Cal asked as he picked up the logs
he had chopped and added them to the large pile beside the hut
"How do you mean?" He asked
"What's your profession, your work?" He put a log on
the chopping block and swung to axe hitting it dead centre the two halves fell
either side of the block.
"I'm a Cartographer, Map maker"
"That explains why you were climbing the mountain, I
think?" Cal smiled at him "how are you feeling today? He asked with some
concern
"Better, thanks"
"We have to do some thing about your clothes though.
I am sorry but you do stand out in them"
He was wearing red waterproof trousers and the
jacket with a navy sweater with the slogan The Mad Mapers showing though his
open jacket.
Cal smiled and led him in to the hut leaning the axe
against the door. He picked up the pack that had served him as a pillow and
puled out a second pair of breeches and a tunic.
"You can have these" he handed the clothes to Jason
"change and come and help me with the wood" he smiled at Jason and went outside
again.
Jason changed putting his clothes in to his own
pack. The clothes were worm and easy to move in. he stretched a couple of times
enjoying the freedom of Cal's clothes. He went back out side and sat back down
on his pail.
"You look much better" Cal smiled "Help me stack
this wood"
Just as he stood up Taygo who had been laying in the
shade of the hut, stood up and started to growl his fir rising on his neck as
he looked toward the trees to one side of the hut.
Cal took one
look at the growling wolf and rushed in to the hut. He came out again carrying
a wooden staff and set his amber eyes to scanning the tree line. Nervous Jason
also scanned the trees unsure of what to expect.
A rider came galloping out of the trees wearing some
kind of official livery Jason stared at the rider as he approached the hut
gently slowing his horse.
Cal relaxed as the rider came out of the trees and
lent on his staff waiting for the rider to approach.
The rider stooped near to the men and looked from
Cal standing leaning on his staff to Jason who had sat down on the pail again.
"Which of you is the Shang wolf?" he asked
"I am" Cal said and approached the rider "What's
up?"
"A message from Sir Myles of Olau" the rider handed
him a wax sealed document
"Myles?" Cal broke the seal and read the message.
With a smile he crumpled the peace of paper and nodded to the messenger who
turned his horse and left.
"If you are well enough tomorrow we head to Corus, Myles is a scholar and an old friend he may be more able to help you than I am. Agreed?" Cal asked Jason
"Agreed" Jason replied a bit confused