Chapter Two

~ Adora ~ ~ 13 months later ~

I quickly made my way from the ship. Thalia would meet up with me later, but I wanted to move among the people now.

Each tribe of the Nacirema content had a special gift and I had been making a record of the tribes on the journeys.

Hagoth loved exploring both land and sea and in the year Thalia and I had traveled with him I had picked up seven languages of ten tribes or clans we had come upon.

I sighed, but after this we would be heading back to where we started and I could only imagine the state my can was in, for the war had not ended yet, and many had died.

I heard the quick pat, pat of feet behind me and turned to see Thalia running to meet me.

She looked excited about something and was holding two funny looking objects.

She was grinning like a child who had snatched an ashcake without getting caught.

"What is it you have there?" I asked.

She handed me one of the objects. It looked like a pack with two straps to go around both shoulders. It was about the size of a large child's back with two adjustable straps on top for a weapon. It had two pockets on the side, then a flap that opened into where larger objects could fit. It was made of a soft material died to a dark green.

"Thalia, what on Nacirema do we need there for? They don't look like they would carry more than a week's worth of provisions.

Thalia grinned, "That's the neat part of it. These will hold more than that, much more."

I looked from my friend to the pack in my hand that felt like it couldn't hold more than a body's belt without tarring.

"Trust me." She said slipping the one she held onto her back. "I'll show you tonight. Lets go find a place to sleep tonight instead of the boat."

I copied her by slipping the pack onto my back then followed her.

~ Thalia ~

Now, Nacirema isn't the most advanced place on the face of this planet. Our people are just in the beginning stages of development. Some tribes have began to farm and store, others live near the sea and fish and trade. Others believe in the old ways and continue to be ever wandering, following the herds.

Adora and I were born into those tribes. Adora belonged to the arrow hunters, who made arrows and bows of the finest wood and toughest medal, known as the Rorreds. My tribe was the Eidem, gathers mostly. We were known for the fine texture of our clothing and our ability to communicate with nature.

The tribes or clans along the coasts have built buildings for both business and residential purposes. There aren't many clans since most are families brought together by a common goal or interest, but the wealthiest one was the one Hagoth belonged to. They were in both exploring and trading, not to mention shipbuilding.

For the most part we all live in peace, unless something happens that gets one of the tribes mad at another, then war breaks out. All was peaceful until a few years ago when my aunt and Adora's uncle ran off together. Our tribes blamed the other for what happened and that's what started the war.

Pitiful I know, but my aunt had a rare gift among all the people, she could heal wounds within seconds with just a touch of her hands. But it wasn't just her; Adora's uncle could wield the elements at whim--something amazing that hadn't been seen before. Then when the tribes lost their main source of trade they blamed the closest thing--the tribe of the other.

Pride and greed controlled the tribes and they've quickly begun to drag other tribes into the conflict.

That's why Adora and I sought escape. That's why we ended up on the ship Tarunania under Captain Windrunner.

He certainly wasn't a likable person. He sent Adora and I down below as the crew cooks. Not that bad of a job, but after a month I wanted to work up on deck.

After six months of traveling Adora was called to take over in the cow's nest. Johneton had come down with a fever, as most of the crew had, and I was called to nurse the sick. Being only five-foot made me a useless sailor in Captain Windrunner's view.

But in less than an hour of the change of jobs I heard Adora call out: "Land Ho!"

Among the sick I heard a lot of thank to many different goods of worship. But what concerned me was when all was silent again. I could hear a subtle scraping on the wood. Without much thought I ran on deck towards the west side of the ship.

Somewhere a fog had risen up clouding the water, but a large visible form off in the distance told of land. I scanned the water for signs of sea animals but saw nothing. Then a wave crashed against the rocks.

I stared at the rock dumbly for a few moments, with a jolt I realized what was going to happen.

I quickly ran over to where Captain Windrunner was.

"Captain Windrunner!" I called as I got near. "Captain Windrunner!"

He then realized who was yelling and tried to slip off.

I caught up with him and grabbed his arm. "Captain Windrunner!"

"What is it girl?" He asked sourly, pulling his arm from my grasp and folding it and the other across his chest.

"Captain, I don't think this is the safest way to get to land." I said glancing at the edge of the ship.

"Why?"

"Because there are rocks in the water and I don't think we're going to make it through. Down in the Healing Chambers I could hear them scraping the side, them when I ran up onto deck I saw them jutting our of the water."

"Well, maybe you're just imagining things." He said ignoring my cry of protest. "After all you have been attending the sick."

"For one hour!"

"You know how quickly that illness can spread, girl."

I scowled and wondered vaguely in my mind whether or not he even knew my name.

Just then an enormous shudder ran through the hull of the ship knocking everyone off his or her feet. My head hit the deck and I knew no more.

~Adora~

I woke to the sound of water lapping against land and a raging headache. I rolled over onto my back and my muscles screamed in protest. My mouth felt dry as if I had eaten a crop of cotton. I heard a groan beside me and I chanced to open my eyes.

I was greeted to dark rain clouds looming threatening over head. I could hear the thunder in the distance threatening to rain on us. The wind blew around us a cool breeze bringing the smell of wet earth. I looked over to my right and saw Thalia She lay on her stomach her face turned towards me, caked in dried blood and sand.

"Thalia!" I cried sitting up and then gasped in pain as my muscles and head screamed from the sudden movement. The memory of last night came rushing back and I gasped again. Thalia had been the first tossed from the ship. I crawled to her side and gently trolled her onto her back. She gave a moan of protest, but eyelids fluttered open revealing her familiar forest green eyes.

"I feel like I've been trampled by a herd of oxen." She said hoarsely, then groaned, "several times."

I couldn't help it, I laughed, even in her state she could make a joke. I helped her sit up, then we both stood up.

"Ugh, I'm a mess." She complained brushing off the sand.

I laughed. "We'll need to find a clean stream. I don't think that salt water will help us any. We need to have a look at your head also."

She touched her forehead and crinkled her nose making her look even more like a child than she already did. "No wonder my head is pounding. I must have hit my head on one of those rocks that idiot captain wouldn't listen to me about."

I smiled a little. Thalia might have been twenty winters old, but sometimes she didn't act it.

"Stop it." She said glaring at me.

I laughed. "I wasn't doing anything."

"Yes, you were. You where thinking how childish I am."

I laughed again. "You know to much for your own good."

She made a humph noise then looked around. She bit her lip in thought and took a look around as well. Hilly plains surrounded us with bolderish rocks scattered everywhere, and small clumps of trees scattered around. The wind was beginning to pick up and the smell of rain was becoming more distinct.

"It's going to rain." She said voicing the obvious. "We should find shelter. We don't really know how bad the storms are here."

I glanced up and down the beach and was grateful to see the dark blue and light green of our packs not far down.

"Thalia, look." I said pointing to them.

She grinned up at me. "See I told you they were worth the money I spent on them."

We hurried over to them each grabbing the one that was ours. They were still damp, but when we opened them everything in them was dry and still there.

"A very good investment." I said agreeing with her comment.

She smiled. "Finally, something I've done right."

I nodded and we both turned to face the plains ahead of us.

Thalia didn't move. "Adora, we're somewhere I've never seen on a map. We don't know what kind of people or animals live here. We don't know their languages. We're in a lot of trouble."

The heavens opened up and rain poured down on us. The rain poured heard enough that it was washed away most of the sand and dirt from our bodies, but it didn't make finding shelter any easier. We were able to find a group of rocks that formed a shelter from the pounding rain and also that sheltered a small spring.

Once we were clean we took a better look at our supplies. My pack was mostly weapons and blankets. Thalia's bag carried a weeks worth of dried meat and fruits and several bags of biscuits and six water skins.

"If we don't find a village or some form of civilization within a week we'll have to hunt." I said aloud.

Thalia nodded in agreement, then yawned. "Right now I think we should rest." Then looking outside she added: "there isn't much to do than that."