Daylight poured out of the blue sky, covering the plain of Hercor from one end to the other. An occasional cloud drifted overhead, casting its shadow to the ground below. And on this day, there were more than just cumulus clouds in the air.
Van Horn's head broke the surface of the water ninety meters downstream from the burning wreck of the Darter scout car. He looked around warily, to see of the Blakest Peregrines had noticed him. As he looked up, he saw one of them hovering near the town, but it was pointed towards his destroyed scout car, rather than down river. Van Horn gave a small prayer of thanks at that, before s sudden realization hit him. Where's Mikula?
Again he swerved his head everywhere, this time to scan the river. There! Oh, shit! He saw Mikula by the gray-green tunic he wore and the gray fur on his neck, which was all one could see as the lupar was facedown. Fuck fuck fuck!
Van Horn heaved his 'bug-out' bag so that the strap would fit over his shoulder, and then began to furiously swim towards the lupar, who was further downstream. It only took a few seconds to catch up, however, and van Horn quickly yanked Mikula's head up and out of the water. "Mikula!" He fairly shouted into the young lupar's ear.
Mikula's eyes opened wide, and he began to choke and cough, spitting up water from his mouth and nostrils. Van Horn let go of Mikula's head, and his practiced eye looked him over. He decided that the lupar would be okay enough for now. At least until we get to shore.
Again, van Horn looked around, a bit less frantically this time. He found, to his dismay, that the river seemed to have picked up speed as it bent around Hercor, and they were already past the town's rocky mount. Even as he looked, the town and the smoke clouds that billowed from it and the Darter seemed to grow more distant. Shit!
"We have to get out of this river." Van Horn said and looked towards Mikula, who was still looking pale, even through his fur. The lupar nodded his head to show his understanding, but his appearance and coughing showed that he couldn't talk for the moment. At least he's treading water well enough. Though van Horn as he took another moment to search the riverbanks. All muddy, good. May be a mess to our clothes, but we shouldn't have too much trouble getting out. Sparing Mikula a glance, van Horn waved and indicated that they should swim towards shore. The lupar's quick nod was all van Horn needed, so he turned and quickly set about swimming his way to a mudbar he had spied.
When he couldn't hear Mikula swimming behind him, van Horn stopped and turned in worry. Then he saw why he didn't hear Mikula and nearly laughed. The lupar was doing the doggy paddle. You've got to be kidding me. Unfortunately, that particular style wasn't known for speed, and Mikula was behind van Horn a bit. "Is that the best you can do?" Van Horn asked as Mikula got close.
The lupar gave him a poisonous look. "I nearly drowned, give me a break." He said between breaths. Van Horn just rolled his eyes and reached out as the lupar got close. Grabbing Mikula by the scruff of his neck, van Horn began a one-handed backstroke and pulled Mikula faster than the lupar had been going on his own. Mikula let loose a panicked yelp before he realized what van Horn was doing, but he soon got control of himself.
They soon got to the mudbar, and van Horn released Mikula as he felt his feet gain decent holds on the gooey surface. Taking careful time, van Horn pulled himself up onto the mucky surface of the bar and simply sat down, facing the river. Mikula dragged himself up right after, and sat down beside the human, although he was clearly in a foul mood. Van Horn ignored him for a minute, and listened hard. No VTOLs. Did they leave, or are they just approaching from downwind? "Mikula, can you hear those VTOLs anymore?"
Although irritated, the lupar took a second to hold his head at various angles and twist his ears around all the while. The end result was that his face changed to look more confused than angry. "No. I don't hear them at all." He looked towards Hercor, which had grown as distant to them as it had appeared from where they had started the day. "Of course, we could be so far that we can't hear them."
Van Horn shook his head. "You all heard them in the camp earlier today, didn't you? And we're just as close now as then." Mikula looked embarrassed, his ears sliding down on his head. "Oh, right. I guess I forgot in all the excitement." Suddenly, his faced changed to anger again. "Speaking of which, you could have killed both of us, do you realize that?"
Van Horn turned from Mikula and faced the river again. He leaned back a bit before responding. "Yup."
Mikula's anger again drifted back into confusion, which then melted into simple contemplativeness. "Hmm. Yes. Well... Your plan worked... To a degree..." He looked from the human and, like van Horn, stared across the river to contemplate just how close they did come to dying.
They sat like that for about ten minutes before van Horn slowly stood up, wary of the treacherous surface of the mudbar. "Well, we should probably head for the town, given our predicament."
Mikula gave van Horn an unreadable look, then shrugged and stood himself. "You're right, of course. Besides," he indicated his wet clothes with disgust, "the walking would at least dry me out."
Van Horn chuckled a bit. "You weren't kidding when you said your kind don't like to swim, eh?" He said and turned to carefully make his way down to the end of the mudbar.
Mikula followed him. "No, I wasn't. And I can see you weren't kidding when you said your people like to swim a lot."
"What makes you say that?" Van Horn asked as he reached the sport where the bar went below the water's surface. It was another two meters of wading in the water until they got to the shore proper, so van Horn carefully entered the river again.
"A couple of reasons. For one, you just entered that water with only the slightest hesitation. For another, you're carrying a bag, and managed to drag me through the water." Mikula said this as he himself hesitated at the water's edge. "Which was rather embarrassing. I haven't been grabbed like that since I was a cub and my mother had to keep me out of things."
Van Horn laughed a bit as he waited in the middle of the water. This drew a look from Mikula, and van Horn quieted down. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't laugh. It's just that it's a funny image, you begin dragged by your neck."
Mikula continued to give van Horn an irritated look as he finally began to walk across the water that separated the mudbar from the shore. "Well, I suppose so. But it still is rather annoying when I'm fully-grown."
Van Horn shrugged and turned to walk the rest of the way through to shore. "Would you rather be swimming in the river longer?" He asked as he turned his head back a bit. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Mikula shudder.
"No, I suppose not." Mikula said. "Just- well..." He paused for a minute as he walked carefully through the water. "Could you not mention it to anyone?"
Van Horn had to stifle another laugh before responding. "Certainly. Now," he paused himself as he climbed up the low bank to stand on firm ground, "we should rather focus in on what we need to do next."
Mikula quickened his pace and climbed out soon after van Horn did. "Next? I thought the idea was to head for Hercor?"
"Well, sort of." Van Horn said. "But remember, the whole reason for me staying behind was to keep them from overreacting. Now they've been attacked, and they saw us in my car... Well, they didn't see us per se, but they saw the car, and they can see I'm different. It doesn't take much to out two and two together, you know." Van Horn finished by translating one of his favorite idioms into Lupari.
Mikula nodded. "I see your point. Still, the others in the caravan have been there for some time, and the group with the wounded will be heading there as fast as they can. Even if we are not welcome, we can at least meet up with those who do welcome us."
Van Horn absentmindedly nodded. "True. I suppose there's really no point about discussing it." He hefted his bag a bit to shift it to a better resting position on his back. "I suppose we should start off now... Unless you have any reason for us not to?"
Mikula shrugged. "No, not really. Let's go."
Mikula was regretting having gotten into the metal wagon earlier in the day. He and van Horn had been walking for two hours, following the river, which had, surprisingly, carried them almost to the next forest that marked the edge of the plain. So they had walked, and now it was nearly sunset as they came close enough to see individual buildings along the edge of the town. Details, though, were lost at this distance.
What made the trip especially annoying to Mikula was the wet clothes and fur, both of which made a terrible rasping noise on the meter-tall grass that grew along the river. The two travelers had little choice but to venture through the thicker patches, as there seemed to be no paths, and van Horn didn't want to leave the river too far away should the Blakest VTOLs come back.
Mikula sighed. My feet hurt, my clothes and fur are stained with mud, and I have no weapons to defend myself. He thought gloomily to himself. Still, better than being dead, I suppose.
Van Horn heard Mikula's sigh from where he walked, which was about a meter in front of the lupar. He had decided on this because his height would let him pick out a safe path easier, though there were few paths to take at all. God, it's boring though. He suddenly yawned as he thought this. Okay, boring and tiring. I should find a spot to rest.
Providence seemed to shine on the two, as van Horn saw a small clearing ahead in the tall grass leaves. He turned his head back to look at Mikula. "Feel like taking a break?" The lupar's silent nod was all that van Horn needed, so he turned and bent the path he was pushing through the grass to angle for the clearing.
When he got there, van Horn took a second to look around. The clearing was a small area that had been clearly cut out by someone. Van Horn tensed and looked around, sense open to the environment. But he neither heard nor saw anything, save Mikula as the latter walked up.
"What's wrong?" The lupar asked as he stepped up to stand next to van horn. Then he looked over the clearing. "Oh." He said quietly, and he, too, used his senses to scan the area.
Van Horn waited a minute to see if the lupar could sense anything he might have missed. However, Mikula took a few seconds, and then stood more erect. "I think it's safe. I don't hear anything, and the scent is old. Perhaps a week."
Van Horn nodded in agreement; having come to the same conclusion himself after noting just how tall the cut leaves had regrown. "Yeah. Should be safe. Anyway, let's sit." He said and then walked slowly into the small cut in the grass.
The area was little more than two meters across, and the middle had a dark area that was easily identified as a spot where a campfire had burned. Van Horn went and sat down near the spot, since the grass there was shortest. Most likely trampled a bit by whoever camped here. He thought as he sat down and settled into a cross-legged position.
Mikula warily followed, and sat across the small fire spot from the human. "It feels good to take a break, and rest my feet." To illustrate, he rubbed the footpads on his digigrade feet.
Van Horn smiled for the first time since they had left the river. "Well, I'd imagine so, given the fact you aren't wearing shoes. Although," he began to pull off the still-damp shoes and socks with a grimace, "they aren't doing my any favors at the moment. Damn, I'm going to have blisters."
"Blis-ters?" Mikula asked curiously.
Van Horn nodded, his face showing the discomfort he was in. "Yeah. I don't have pads like you, so I wear shoes. Unfortunately, when they get wet, they rub against my skin more than they usually do, and that makes blisters." He pulled off a sock to check his left foot, and sucked in some air through clenched teeth. "Yeah, I'm going to have a nasty one on my foot." He said and rubbed the spot tenderly.
"They sound - and look - painful. Surely your people have found a way to prevent them?"
Van Horn smiled at Mikula's comment. "Yeah. It's called 'do not get your feet wet and walk in wet shoes.'"
Both of them shared a chuckle at that. "I can see your point." Mikula said as he shifted and leaned back to be in a laying position, resting on his elbows. A sigh of contentment came from the lupar, and he closed his eyes for a moment to revel in the feeling of not-walking.
He opened them soon after, however, as he heard van Horn rummaging in the bag he had been carrying. "What do you have in there, anyway? And how did you manage to bring it with you?"
Van Horn chuckled at that. "Well, after I threw you out the hatch, I Reached for the spot where I keep this bag, which is right next to the escape hatch."
Mikula grunted at that, and memories of the Darter's crash in the river came back. A cleaver trick, having an emergence door out the bottom of the wagon, he thought as he remembered the way the hatch had appeared in the middle of the compartment. And that loud noise it made... I thought we were dead! Mikula chuckled a bit at that.
"What's so funny?" Van Horn asked good-naturedly. Mikula shook his head a second. "Just... Remembering." The lupar then sat upright on the grass and faced van Horn. "In any case, what's that bag for, anyway?"
Van Horn smiled a bit. "It's what's called a 'bug-out' bag." He said, trying to translate the term into Lupari. "It's something that people like me have to pack before arriving on this planet to study your people." The smile disappeared. "I never thought I'd use it... Hell, I can't remember what exactly I have in here."
Mikula indicated the west with his hand. "Perhaps now would be a good time to look at its contents, while we have light left."
"Have you become a mind-reader now, Mikula?" Van Horn asked with another smile. As the lupar blushed, the human went on. "You're right, of course." And he unceremoniously dumped the contents of the bag into the grass.
Several objects fell to the ground, al of them dry. Thank God for waterproof polymers, van Horn thought as he looked over the contents, his spirits rising as he noticed that the biggest object was a miniature solar converter that would recharge batteries. Of course, it'll take all day to recharge just one battery, and that's only if the sun's out all the time. But at least it's a good start. He picked up the device and set it aside before looking at the next object. Another smile came over his face as he saw what it was. "Good, a rescue radio.""I'm sorry?" Mikula asked, not having recognized the English. Van horn looked up and a sheepish look came over his face. "It's a special kind of those radios I showed you. This one screams as loudly as it can - over the radio, mind you, not out loud - so that you can call attention to yourself."
Mikula sat back a bit with a look of great puzzlement on his features. "But- I thought you didn't want to be noticed by the Wobbies?"
"Yes, and that's the operative noun, here, the Wobbies. My own people, when they come, will need to locate me, and this will let them do it." Van Horn held up the small, green box to illustrate, and then he gently placed it next to the solar charger before picking up the next item.
Mikula recognized this one. "Isn't that one of your Em-are-ees?"
Van Horn nodded. "Yes. Macaroni and Cheese, apparently." He set it aside. "We'll deal with that later. Now, let's see what's left." He reached down and pulled up a lethal-looking piece of equipment that Mikula hadn't seen before. "Another one of your fancy weapons, I presume?"
Van Horn nodded. "Yes. Very fancy, indeed. It's a Hold-Out Needler." He made sure the weapon was loaded and safed before going on. "It works by shredding- Uhm, I don't think you have a word for what it is, but my people call it 'plastic.'"
"Plassstic?" Mikula mimicked as best he could. To which van Horn replied with a nod and a small smile. "What is this 'plassstic?'"
Van Horn shrugged. "It's kind of- well, it's a material completely made up. It doesn't exist in nature."
Mikula looked puzzled again, then shook his head. "You know, whenever I talk to you about these things of yours, I get a headache."
Van Horn chuckled. "Well, don't feel too bad. Hell, you think I was born knowing all this stuff?" He paused as Mikula perked his ears up from their lowered position. "I had to learn all of this, too. It's just that I started learning from childhood, and you're trying to catch up." The human shrugged. "So again, don't feel bad. I've just had a head start."
Mikula smiled a bit. "Thank you, Earl. Now, what else is there?" He asked, indicating the last few items.
Van Horn looked back at the small pile. "Hmm. A couple of battery packs, some Narrow Joes for snacking, and the best thing of all," he picked up a small green bundle. "An extra pair of socks." Van Horn fairly beamed at this, and held up the socks in both hands, as if they were some sort of lost relics.
Mikula laughed at that. "Funny. I suppose now you can keep from getting more 'blis-ters?'"
Van Horn shrugged. "Depends. My shoes need to dry out a bit more, but that will be done soon enough. Sooner than the socks, come to think of it..." His voice trailed off for a second, and then he looked towards Mikula. "That raises a question. Would you mind staying here a bit longer than a simple break?"
Mikula tilted his head quizzically. "I suppose. But why?"
Van Horn nodded to where his shoes were. "Those will dry out, but they need time, and they won't dry fast enough if I'm wearing them. And if they're still wet, then even with dry socks, I can get more blisters. If we wait until they're dry before continuing, then I might have a few blisters from earlier, but it won't be too bad."
Mikula waved his hand in the air. "Why even ask? If it means you won't be hurt any more, than I don't see why we can't wait a bit."
Van Horn smiled. "Thank you my friend. Now," he turned back to the rolled socks in his hand, "time to put these puppies on." He began to unwrap the socks when he finally noticed that there was something wrapped in the socks themselves. "What the?" He pulled the device out, and stared at it for a minute.
Mikula looked from the small silver colored device to Van Horn. "What is it?"
Van Horn looked back at Mikula with one of the widest smiles the lupar had ever seen him have. "It's my musichip player!"
Mikula again tilted his head in a quizzical manner. "I... Will not even try to pronounce that. But what does it do?"
Van Horn chuckled at Mikula's comment. "It plays music. Man, I forgot I even packed this with me." He paused when he saw that Mikula's expression had changed from quizzical to confused. "What is it?"
"How does that thing play music? Is it like a flute?" Mikula asked. Van Horn shook his head in response. "No, not really. It's not actually an instrument."
The lupar looked even more puzzled. "But if it's not an instrument then how can it play music?"
"I'll show you." Van Horn turned back to the small device, and flipped the recessed switch into the 'on' position. The player's LCD screen lit up and displayed its status. With a few selections on the touch-sensitive screen, van Horn checked to make sure the volume was low, and hit the 'play' command.
Mikula jumped back as the opening strains of classical music began playing. "What the?!" He exclaimed, but calmed himself as van Horn sat there... And as the music played on, which grabbed his attention and wouldn't let go. "What... What kind of song is this?"
Van Horn smiled. "It's called "Hymn to Red October." It's some music from an old, old, old form of entertainment."
Mikula just nodded a bit. "Are- are those more of your people singing in that?"
Van Horn nodded. "More humans, yes. But the singers are speaking another language altogether, so even I have no idea what they're singing."
"Then why have such a song?" Mikula asked, looking at van Horn, but training his ears to listen to the strange music.
Van Horn shrugged. "Because it sounds good."
I can agree with that, Mikula thought. It sounds... Amazing. Well... Not so good as some of the better chao music I've heard, but still... Amazing. "How does it work? This device?"
Van Horn hesitated. "It is... Well. You remember that the door to the car would open up to my hand?"
Mikula nodded. "Yes. You said it had some kind of... Memory..." The lupar looked up from the dying strains of the song. "This has something similar?"
Van Horn grinned widely. "Exactly. In this case, instead of remembering my hand, it remembers music played by others. And not just by single people, since that song you just heard was made by dozens of people playing all sorts of different instruments."
Mikula looked back at the small device. "Amazing. Simply amazing." He looked back at van Horn. "Can we hear some more?"
Van Horn tried not to laugh. "Sure, but not all of my music is as nice as that song. A lot of it you might not even like."
Mikula shrugged. "I like most music."
"Yes, but you haven't heard nearly the same amount of variety as I've experienced, so you will undoubtedly find something you don't like." Van Horn said. Then he shrugged and continued. "But the only way is to find out is to listen, so I suppose we can listen to some more music as we wait for my shoes to dry."
Mikula smiled at that. "Sounds good to me."
It was well into the night before they managed to get going again. Not only did van Horn's shoes not want to dry, but also Mikula was enjoying himself listening to the music player, having gained an unlikely affection for country music. Still, they managed to get going after a time, and now they approached the base of the rock formation that the town sat upon. However, they were coming up from where the rock blocked the view of the courtyard, which faced away from the river. Probably to prevent floods from wrecking their buildings, Van Horn thought. Good idea, but it still is a pain in the ass. His mood wasn't the best because they had approached the area between the rock and the river only to find it blocked by a fast moving stream. It had turned out to be a spring, which explained the faster current the river had once it passed Hercor, but it also meant that its channel was too fast and deep for them to cross, so now they were walking around the town the long way.
It took us long enough to walk here, and now we gotta take more time 'cuz of that damn spring. Van Horn gave out a silent sigh. Well, it could be worse; at least we're still alive. That thought kept him a little happy, despite his predicament. Stuck on an alien world, with natives who are being attacked by religious fanatics, and I've got no equipment, save what's on my back and maybe whatever I can get from the wreckage of the Darter. Another sigh. Well, at least we're next to a somewhat safe place to stay, and the Wobbies think I'm dead. So maybe things'll go decent for a while.
"Is there a problem?" The question in Lupari jostled with his internal monologue, so van Horn had to stop for a second to sort it out. He then turned to Mikula with a sheepish grin on his face. "No problem. Just thinking about my situation."
"Ah. Well, I kind of understand, I think." Mikula said, giving his lopsided grin, as he stood net to van Horn.
"Oh? How so?" Van Horn asked good-naturedly. He sat down on a rock as he asked, deciding it was a good as time as any to rest a bit.
Mikula followed his lead - sitting down on another rock - before replying. "Well, before you showed up, I did spend some time alone in Kuamket. Well, alone in that I was the only lupar." He sat back and stretched his arms over his head. "It felt so strange, seeing everything so familiar, yet so different. Having everyone look at you so strangely, fearing and hating you." He shrugged. "Fortunately, they got over me pretty quick. But that was mainly because I was a guest, and I was at least something they've seen or heard of before... Unlike you."
Van Horn nodded and smiled. "Again you impress me with your mental flexibility, Mikula." He waited while the lupar did the equivalent of a blush before continuing. "And you have it right. It is very alien to me, yet so familiar as well. And the way both gatón and lupar react to me is unsettling at times..." His voice trailed off as he looked off into the plains. The moment stretched as van Horn just sat quietly, both thinking and letting his mind take in the quiet beauty of the moonlit vista before him. "But, you know," he turned back to face Mikula, wearing a smile, "I don't think I'd rather be anywhere else."
Mikula tilted his head. "Seriously? Even with the fact that there are people out there who want you dead? Or that you have none of the things that helped make everything so easy for you?"
Van Horn's smile grew broader. "All of that, and add in the fact that I'm tired, hungry, dirty, and my feet are sore, I can't picture myself anywhere else."
Mikula looked at van Horn a minute, and then began to laugh. Although it was lower and less barking than human laughter, it was still enough to get van Horn laughing as well. The two went on for about a minute before they finally quieted down. "Oh, man. I hope we did not wake anyone up." Van Horn said as he looked up towards the town above.
Mikula looked up as well. "Well, I don't see any lights on, so I guess we're too far down." He looked back at van Horn and smiled. "Although I wonder what they'd think, hearing two people laughing. And one of them not sounding like a lupar at all."
Van Horn chuckled. "You have a funny imagination, Mikula." He said as he stood and stretched. "And I think we've spent enough time resting. We should get to the town before the sun rises, after all."
Mikula chuckled himself and stood. "Indeed. Well, let us go then."
With that, they again started walking, following the curve of the rock formation. Van Horn took a look at the rock from time to time, trying to figure out what made it. Hmm. I don't see any striations that would indicate sedimentary rock... And it's in the middle of nowhere. I'd have to guess it's volcanic. Probably the plug of an old volcano. Although he was a sociologist, van Horn did take some of the hard sciences to get a good grounding in alternate methods of thinking. He had liked geology, to a degree, and so he remembered some of the calluses he took. Since the rocky spire that Hercor sat on rose from the middle of a plain, with no other mountains around, it seemed logical that it was the leftover from an extinct volcano. Such things were common on any planet that was geologically active, and from what he remembered of the planetary survey he had read before arriving at Bowman's Planet, the place was active enough.
That would explain the spring, then... A volcanic plug like that would breach all sorts of aquifer layers, thus allowing such a strong current. Van Horn grunted softly. Makes it a pain in the ass to get to the town, though.
They had traveled onward for another hundred meters or so, when Mikula stopped suddenly. Van Horn turned around at the noise, and saw the lupar standing still and smelling the air. "What is it?" Must resist urge to say 'boy' after every sentence.
"I smell something... It's strange... It smells like Lupar, but... Different, somehow..." He continued to sniff in the air for a few more moments, and then his ears twitched. "Wait, I remember that smell now... It's what lupar smell like when they're using a scent-masker."
"Scent masker? Trying to hide themselves?" Van Horn asked quietly now as he tensed his muscles slightly, in case instant action would be needed.
Mikula nodded to the inquiry. "Indeed, that's the only purpose for scent masking. Usually, it's only used for hunting, but many armies use it when they need a small group to go in and raid a special target."
Van Horn nodded. "'Commandos,' we call them in my language. Do you think a lupar army would be trying to raid the town?"
Mikula tilted his head in thought, and then shook it. "No. The smell is a cheap scent mask; otherwise I would not be able to smell the lupar through it. The people who use that are usually those who want to be stealthy, but cannot afford the good stuff."
"Bandits." Van Horn came to the easy conclusion. Mikula nodded, and then indicated the wall and courtyard of Hercor's ground entrance, which had only just became visible a few minutes ago. "The wind is coming from that direction, and it makes sense." They had both dropped into whispers by now, and had begun to crouch in the plain's tall grass. Van Horn still could see above the blades easily, however, and he noted movement near one side of the wall. I wonder what's going on?
Vilini walked across the courtyard at a fast pace. He was not in a good mood, having had to walk up and down the Rock in less than an hour. What irritated him more was the reason for his hurried movements. Stupid gatón. Can't they just stay in their damn forest and be happy? No, they come here with stories of metal giants and creatures from their myths. He snorted to himself as he approached the gatehouse. And yet, the maegister believes them! Yelled at me, even, for obeying the rules, so I ran out of their without even my helmet. He had dropped his headgear when he had run into the doorframe at the maegister's house, which only piled on top of the ill mood he had.
He tried to push aside his thoughts for the moment as he walked up to the guards on duty. "Frayter, Jenk, go wake up the others in the barracks. We'll need them to open the main gates."
Both of the lupars twitched their ears, which stuck out through holes in their helmets. The one identified as Jenk responded. "Why? It's the middle of the night."
Vilini looked at him crossly. "I suppose you don't hear that noise, then, of a group of people arriving at the gate?" It was a rhetorical question, of course, as they could all hear the noise of wooden wheels rattling on the cobblestone apron that sat just outside the gated entrance.
"Uh, yeah. But the standing orders are-"
"-Are not to open the gates unless it's an emergency or ordered by the maegister. I know, and I just came from the bloody maegister's house and I am bloody telling you that he wants those people inside now. Since they are carrying wounded, and they have carts, they will most likely need to come through the main gate. So get your tails in gear and get the men out of the barracks now!" Vilini snapped at the two guards, his temper stretched thin from earlier in the night. He did feel a bit better, however, as the two guards quickly leapt from their positions and raced towards the barracks, which formed the south side of the courtyard square.
Vilini watched the two guards go into the barracks, and then he went into the walkway that went to the person-only door that he had come in earlier. With the guards gone to the barracks, Vilini had to lift the heavy bolt on the door himself. Damn thing's heavy, e thought as the bolt slipped down into a recess in the wall that had been crated to hold it. With a sigh, he pushed heavily on the four-inch-thick wooden door to get outside.
He stepped through the entrance as soon as the space was wide enough, not bothering to look. Then he was outside and he stopped in his tracks at the scene before him. Three carts were there, all of them carrying wounded of both gatón and lupar. Members from both species stood next to each other, either tending the wounded or standing idly around the carts, carrying large bundles and looking dead on their feet.
Vilini hadn't been awake when the main caravan had come in, as he had had the night guard shift for a while, and so had missed the unusual mix of the two peoples. Now he was just a bit bewildered, not having seen the sort of cooperation that the group before him displayed.
He shook his head to clear it. Then he walked towards the group, where he had noticed - with more irritation - that his guard partner and the two outside door guards had gone to talk. Morons. "Varshi, Gree, Herk, why are all three of you not at your posts?"
All three of the armored lupar cringed in surprise, as they had had their backs turned towards the gate. All three now turned around, and stood more erect, almost at attention, since Vilini was the ranking member of the night watch. "Uh, sir, we didn't think they're be a problem, and we thought-"
"You are not to think, soldier, you are to do your duty." Vilini said crossly at the one called Herk, who was the one who had spoken. "I want you and your partner back at your posts now." The two indicated lupar nodded and hustled back towards the gatehouse door.
The one remaining was Vilini's partner. "Vil, aren't you being a bit too harsh? They only came out to offer their water bottles to anyone who needed some."
Vilini gave his guarding partner and friend a slightly less cross look. "Damnit, Var, they know the rules. And so do you, as a matter of fact, which has me wondering why I had to lay down the law when you were here before me."
Varshi tilted his head back slightly to get a clearer look from underneath the lip of his helmet. Damn things never fit right, Vilini thought just before his friend spoke. "Vil, what's gotten into you? You're not usually such a stickler for rules' exact wording."
Vilini looked at Varshi for a second, then his face melted from the cross look to one of simple tiredness. Vilini shut his eyes and tilted his head forward so that he could rub the space between his eyes. "I know. It's just all the stuff going on. That attack, the visitors we have to put up with, and now the maegister just yelled at me to open the gates because they have wounded."
Varshi chuckled. "He yelled at you, eh? Well, perhaps you won't be such an ass to the next gatón then."
Vilini opened his eyes and again gave his friend a cross look. "Listen, just because I wanted to follow the rules-"
A large creaking noise came from behind, causing Vilini to pause and look back. He saw the gates were opening now, and several lanterns had been lit to provide light in the entranceway. Well, at least something's going right, he thought.
Just then he heard the unmistakable sound of an arrow flying past his head at about an inch's distance. The observation was confirmed easily when the arrow clattered on the cobblestone apron in front of the gates, eventually bouncing to a complete stop.
Training took over and he jumped down to the ground, Varshi right behind him. "Arrows! We're under attack!" Vilini screamed as loud as he could, given that he had nearly knocked the wind out of himself. Still, it was enough that her noticed frantic commotion at the gatehouse. He spared a look towards the personnel door to see what the two guards were doing.
It was enough to make his stomach flip-flop, as three arrows stuck Gree to the door itself, blood trickling down visibly from the obviously fatal wounds. The other guard, Herk, had taken an arrow in his left arm, but he too had dropped to the ground to avoid further attack. Unlike Vilini, he was in a crouch and had his sword drawn.
Spurred on by Herk's stance, Vilini rolled onto his back and got into a crouch himself. He drew his sword and looked around frantically to take in the situation. Around the carts, the gatón and lupar had both taken to ground, although he saw a few gatón crouching and shooting their own, accurate bows into the night. The panicked scream from out in the gorongo field that was the source of the attack told him that the gatón were living up to their reputation as great bowmen. The wounded on the carts had rolled themselves off and took cover behind the wheels, save for the few lightly injured, who were helping gatón and lupar alike to drag the more badly hurt people off of the exposed carts.
A noise brought Vilini's attention back to the field, and he saw dark shapes running towards him and the others in the group. One was coming right for him, wielding a wicked looking crossbow that he discharged towards Vilini.
Vilini ducked a bit and avoided the bolt, but that put him in a bad position when the bandit got close and drew his dagger. A part of Vilini's mind noted that his attacker was lupar, but it went uncontemplated as he brought his sword up, clumsily deflecting the downward thrusting dagger. His enemy, moving at a good jog, had to do a pirouette and take a few steps so he wouldn't trip over his own feet as the counterblow unbalanced him. This was enough for Vilini, who leapt forward with sword held back. As he got off the ground, he began to bring the sword forward, aiming to slash the intruder's belly open.
The bandit saw this, and managed to take a half-step back, putting him just outside of the sword's reach. However, Vilini kept moving forward, and he let the momentum of his swing twist his body so that his shoulder came up to ram the enemy straight in the stomach. Both lupar collapsed to the ground as the impact destroyed both of their senses of balance.
Vilini rolled off of the bandit and stood up in a half-crouch, sword in hand. The other lupar was a bit slower, and he was still trying to stand when Vilini swung his blade. The forged-steel of his sword cut deeply into the neck of his assailant, and a stream of blood flowed from the severed arteries. With a jerk, the body went limp and Vilini yanked his sword out, intending to look for a new target.
He didn't get a chance, however, as a blow struck the back of his head. Although not enough to knock him out completely, it stunned him greatly and he fell forward to lie next to the bandit he had killed not three seconds before. He didn't have time to contemplate as rough hands grabbed him on the shoulder and spun him about so that he faced upwards and into the face of an angered lupar.
The bandit growled as he put down the crossbow he had used to whack Vilini with. "Bastard, you killed my brother. Now you die." The somewhat slurred language came from the lupar's mouth as he drew his own dagger. Kneeling, he held his dagger high with the intention of plunging it into Vilini's throat. I can't move! I'm going to die! Vilini's thoughts raged as his body refused to move.
Then suddenly, two arms came from around the bandit lupar's back and grabbed his neck and the end of his muzzle. Before the surprised bandit could do anything, the hands moved in opposite directions at a fast speed. Vilini managed a wince as he heard the unmistakable sound of vertebrae being snapped.
The lifeless body was yanked to the side so it wouldn't fall on Vilini, and he received what was possibly the greatest shock he ever got in his life. Kneeling next to him was a large, furless, snoutless being with a skin color that Vilini didn't think could exist in nature. Gods, I'm dead and this demon has come to torment me.
But the thing simply laid a hand on Vilini's throat and felt around for the artery. "Are you alright? Can you hear me?" The Lupari words, though a bit slurred, brought Vilini some hope. That and the quickly returning feeling and control he was getting from his own body. He managed a nod. "Fine... Hit... Head..." He managed to say to the furless thing.
The thing nodded his head. "Alright. Just relax, and don't force anything. I'll be back." The thing then stood and with a look around, left Vilini's frame of view. That left him with only one thought.
What the HELL was that?!
Van Horn reached and grabbed a crossbow and some bolts off of the lupar he had just killed. Although unfamiliar with the medieval contraption, he managed to figure it out enough to load the bolt and cock the weapon. Looking up, he saw a pair of bandit lupar near the wounded guard at the gate, obviously hoping to take him out with a concerted attack.
Fat chance assholes, van Horn thought as he aimed the crude weapon and let fly. Although it wasn't up to a rifle's level of accuracy, the crossbow's bolt flew accurately enough to impact the lower right back of the lupar on van Horn's right. As the wounded lupar fell, van Horn leapt up from his position and drew the bowie-style knife that he had taken to carrying strapped to his ankle. The wounded lupar's partner turned around in time to see a large, unidentifiable being coming at him, and he hesitated. The hesitation cost him his life, as van Horn swung the knife down in an arc that intersected the hapless lupar's neck. The hardened endo-steel blade was hardly slowed by the lupar's muscles, arteries, or larynx, and it came though the neck after severing all of the above.
Clutching his neck, the doomed lupar collapsed to the ground, and his twitching stopped almost immediately. Van Horn then turned to the other bandit, who had propped himself up on an elbow so he could draw his dagger. He, too, however, had a moment of hesitation at the human's appearance, and so he only sat there with his blade drawn, not knowing what to do.
Van Horn made the decision for him, as he stomped on the bandit's wrist that held the bladed weapon. With a yelp of pain, the bandit dropped the blade and fell back to the ground.
"Good boy." Van Horn couldn't help to say in Lupari. He kicked the dagger away from the bandit and turned to look at the guard, who looked good, despite having an arrow in his arm.
"Stay here, and kill him if he moves." Van Horn said to the guard, indicating the stricken bandit with his bloody knife. The guard, despite his wild-eyed stare at van Horn, managed to look at the bandit and back, nodding his understanding.
Van Horn nodded back, and then sprinted for the carts. He got there just in time to see one of the last bandits being taken down by multiple clawed hands, as the fool had made the mistake of ignoring the wounded as he headed towards Reyato and the bow that had snuffed out the life of his friends. Before the bandit could do anything about it, several jaws tore into his neck, silencing him forever.
Van Horn kneeled down behind the carts. "And how is everything this evening?" He asked flippantly. Reyato and the others spun about, not having heard the human's approach. They all looked wide-eyed at van Horn for a solid half-minute before anyone could speak. "Wh- wh- what? Vanhorn, is that really you?" Came the voice of Kendo, who crouched next to some of the wounded.
Van Horn smiled broadly. "Yeah, it's me. Seems you have a pro-" He cut himself off in mid-sentence as another bandit raced at the group, clearly intending to take advantage of their temporary distraction. In a single motion, van Horn flipped the knife around and flung it towards the bandit, nailing him in the face. The now-lifeless body fell to the ground in a heap just a foot short of the nearest wounded gatón. All of the natives started at van Horn's move, and then at the noise of the body hitting the ground.
All of them looked back and forth between the dead bandit and van Horn, clearly trying to decide which was the more unusual happenstance. Van Horn, meanwhile, concentrated on his hearing. Don't sound like there's any more out there. But let's ask the experts. Do any of you still hear any more of those bandits out there?"
Reyato looked back at van Horn, and then turned his head a bit. Most of the others followed suit, though a few had the presence of mind to simply keep looking with their eyes in case another bandit tried to sneak up on them.
Kendo responded first. "I hear some footsteps running away and- Wait! There's one coming from the field!" He whispered urgently.
Van Horn tensed, and was about to make a run for his knife when he heard something that brought a smile to his face. "That's okay, don't attack. It's only Mikula."
The others crouching between the two carts again looked incredulous, but Mikula's arrival broke the silence. "I heard you, Earl." He said as he reached the cart and kneeled. Near the lupar that van Horn had killed with the knife throw. "'Only' Mikula? I'd thought you'd be happy to hear what I have to say."
"And what is that?" Van Horn asked.
Mikula smiled a bit in reply. "They're running. Apparently, when I took out their two good shots, they lost their nerve. They're running towards the fields at a panicked pace." Mikula edged a bit closer, which allowed everyone to get a better look at him in the moonlight. Van Horn noticed that, like his brother in the last bandit attack Mikula had used his muzzle full of teeth effectively. "I also think that your appearance alone scared them, Earl. The second one I took out muttered something about a demon before I took care of him.
"That, and, well, you took out their entire right flank." Mikula gave van Horn the kind of tired smile that those who've survived battles could have. Van Horn grinned right back. "Thanks, but I wasn't alone, entirely." His smile disappeared. "Which reminds me about the task at hand. No one can hear any more of the bandits?"
When all present shook their heads, van Horn stood upright, prompting the others to follow suit. "Then we need to take care of the wounded, old and new."
Alexis rushed down the ramp at a dangerous rate, given her tiredness and inexperience with the path. But the sounds of battle being joined were unmistakable, and despite her own misgivings and those of her escort, she hurried.
When she had begun her rush, Alexis hadn't understood why she was propelled towards the fighting. As she rushed, though, part of her began to understand. It was the same part that had felt anger over the loss of Mikula, the part that had sworn a form of revenge. And now that part drove her forward.
"Damnit! Wait up girl!" The armored lupar hollered from behind her. He sounded out of breath, which made sense given he was one of the gate guards from the town itself, and was armored heavier than Vilini or the other guards in the courtyard, wearing as he was greaves and gauntlets in addition to the helmet and breastplate. His spear seemed to be pretty heavy too, or so Alexis thought as the guard had taken to dragging it down the sweeping ramp instead of carrying it.
Alexis ignored the call, instead focusing more on the path ahead of her. I need to get down in one piece if I'm to help, she thought. How she could help was still undecided, but that didn't matter at the moment. What she considered the most was the idea of loosing her family, who were undoubtedly in the midst of the fighting, since the sounds came from near the gatehouse front. The thought of loosing anyone else made Alexis' stomach ache with the weight of an icy ball, and that as much as any desire for revenge made her heedless of her own safety.
The sounds of battle then faded and stopped altogether. At first, Alexis thought she had simply gone around the rock formation, but then she realized that she could still see the glowing lights from the courtyard below. Alexis paused then, coming to a halt only after checking her forward momentum, lest she trip by slowing down too fast. She peered carefully down at the front of the gatehouse, just outside the courtyard's wall. All she could see, however, was a few figures and the shadows they cast as guards with lanterns swarmed out the gates.
Alexis was still trying to discern anything she could when the lupar guard caught up and she too slowed to a stop. He, however, did so mainly because he was out of breath. His heavy breathing interrupted on Alexis' thoughts, and she turned to face the guard. "I would think that a guard at the main gates to his town would be in good enough physical condition to get down the hill." Alexis couldn't help but needle him, though the harshness in her voice surprised her.
The guard didn't seem to notice the look on her face. "Fuck you. If you're so good, then maybe you can jump the rest of the way down?" The guard's short breaths kept interrupting his sentences, but he got his anger across.
Alexis turned from him and faced down the ramp, not wishing to look at the lupar just that moment. Instead, she started back down again, increasing her pace as she went. The guard's moan of displeasure was expected, but even so, it brought some sort of grim satisfaction to Alexis. At least I can get down a bloody rock without panting like that.
It was another ten minutes before she finally reached the bottom of the ramp and the courtyard that it merged into. Alexis stopped to catch her breath for a minute, and also to let the guard catch up. Where the barns sat to her right, and the hostel to the front and left there came several small groups of lupar and gatón, armed and obviously willing to go help defend the place. However, lupar guards from Hercor were already swarming around the main gate, and so the caravan members simply gathered in the middle of the courtyard, waiting to see what would happen.
Before Alexis could decide on what to do, a lupar guard came running from the front gate. Running on all fours, he moved so fast that he zipped by Alexis and up the ramp in only a few moments. She turned to see him disappear up the ramp just as the guard from above came jogging down around the last bend. She decided that she shouldn't wait, and so she began a fast walk towards the main gate, a walk that increased to a run when she heard a call in Lupari. "Wounded! We have wounded!"
Alexis broke into a full run, fearing the worst, that one of her family had been hurt or even- No! I can't think that way, not until I know for certain one way or the other! Prodded on by her worries, she managed to pass through the group in the middle of the courtyard without any of them recognizing her until she had passed them by. A few of them called to her, but she ignored them as she moved towards her objective, the main gate, which was now opening.
She had gotten close before the press of Hercor guards blocked her route. The taller lupar also blocked her vision and the noise of their armor and footfalls made it hard to hear anything, either. With all her senses cut off, Alexis could only guess at the activity to her front. The obvious noises of the gates opening and the sound of cart wheels rattling on the cobblestones were enough for her to gather that somebody from her little group had survived, and her hopes climbed a bit higher. She was about to push through the guards when they began to back up, and so she was pushed with them.
Then she heard a voice that made her knees weak and her stomach twist itself in knots. "Make way! Make way, damnit! We need doctors!" Frantically, she pushed through the guards, shoving one so hard that he nearly fell, and growled at her back. She ignored him as she reached the front of the group and gawked at the view in front of her. Oh, my GODS.
Several gatón and lupar were all around the carts, and the wounded from Kuamket were sitting or walking alongside a couple of injured guards from Hercor. But what had her attention entirely were two figures she had thought she'd never see again. Van Horn, for one, was walking along, holding up a lupar that seemed unhurt, but wasn't walking well. Her mind noted that, then promptly went into a blank stare as she saw Mikula helping along one of the wounded from Kuamket walk into the courtyard, and then handing him to a Hercor guard who wore a blue armband.
Alexis rubbed her eyes, wondering if the poor light was playing a trick on her. But, no, it was Mikula. Back from the dead. Before she could think, she raced out and ran towards him. "Mikula!" She called.
Mikula turned in time to see a green and brown shape rushing at him before Alexis ran into him and wrapped her arms around him. She hugged him tightly as he momentum brought both of them back to hit one of the carts that had just been stopped inside the gates. Alexis held onto him and just kept her eyes screwed shut so she wouldn't start crying, although tears started to well up at the corners of her eyes.
Mikula, meanwhile, had recognized Alexis by scent and her unusual blonde hair. Sitting there, leaning back against a cart and being hugged by her, he felt a flood of emotions run through his head, everything from relief, to guilt, to embarrassment, and to even a fear of sorts. They all threatened to overwhelm him, and he desperately tried to get things under control. "A- Alexis. Uh... Nice to see you too?" He said unsurely, not having any idea on how to proceed.
Alexis kept holding him. "I'm so glad you're safe." Mikula just looked around in embarrassment, his ears folding down and his tail tucking itself between his legs. He saw that most of the gatón and lupar from the caravan were desperately trying not to smile, as was van Horn. The latter even had turned red-faced, which Mikula had learned was a sign of embarrassment, amongst other things. All were studiously looking away, or focusing on their work, no matter how trivial; just whatever they may be doing at the moment. The guards from Hercor stood around the group in clusters, their faces displaying a range of emotions from confusion, to amusement, to even faint disgust.
Mikula finally squirmed a bit in Alexis' arms. "Alexis, I'm really glad to see you too, but it would be nice if I could breath in the next few minutes."
Alexis suddenly realized how the whole thing might look. She let go and took a step back quickly. "Oh, I'm sorry. It's jut that, well, we all thought you were dead."
Mikula could see on her face, the way her eyes moved around looking at others and the way her ears and tail were positioned, that she was embarrassed at the display. He decided to try and lighten the mood, if he could. "Well, a few times, I thought I was going to die, with the way Earl drives."
This was the opening van Horn needed to rescue Mikula from his sticky situation. "Well, my people have a saying. 'Any crash you can walk away from is a good crash.'" As the lupar laughed, he repeated it in Gatonese for the Kuamket natives, who soon joined in the quick chuckle.
Alexis felt a little better now that the attention was more on the human than her own actions. Poor Mikula, I must've scared him half to death. Not to mention embarrassed him in front of everyone! Oh, what a mess. She looked up from where her eyes had settled on a single cobblestone to look at Mikula. "I'm sorry, for acting like that. It's just that I- we all never thought we'd see you again. And then I heard noises from battle, and then I worried again for my family, and then I-" She couldn't continue, as she realized she needed to check on her family. "Gods, are they alright? I'll be back." She left before Mikula could say anything,
Mikula meanwhile, just stood there dumbstruck. What... Has just happened? The flood of emotions continued through his head, but they were under enough control for him to think a bit, now that Alexis was gone. Alexis... Why did she worry so much? Why is she so happy to see me that she forgot about her own family?
Before he could think further, he felt a prodding on his back. "If you don't mind, you're leaning on my good leg." He turned to face his brother, Kanu, who had been forced to sit on the cart the whole way from the forest due to his leg. Although this had made him indignant earlier, that he couldn't be allowed to walk, even with someone helping him, he now had an irrepressible grin on his muzzle. "What are you so happy about, Kanu?"
Kanu's grin grew a bit wider before he replied. "Nothing. Just still happy to see you've cheated death, again."
Mikula started to feel embarrassed again. "Look, it's not like I want these things to happen to me. They just... Do." Mikula noticed that Kanu was trying not to laugh. "What? What did I say?"
Kanu shook his head, buying time to control himself. "You really don't know, do you?"
Mikula frowned, then waved his hand dismissively. "I'm tired, Kanu, so don't play games. What are you talking about?"
Kanu shook his head again. "You're right, you're tired. In fact, we're all tired from today's events. Perhaps we should talk about this tomorrow when we've all had a chance to rest and adjust to everything that's happened."
Mikula continued to frown at his brother for a moment, then rolled his eyes and sighed. "Very well." He turned to look into the crowd that was gathering in the courtyard. Torches and lanterns were now everywhere, which made for haphazard lighting conditions as shadows bounced to and fro, and the lights themselves ruined any chance of a person's eyes adjusting to the darkness. Mikula thus didn't see the stream of guards rushing down from Hercor proper, nor would he have cared, save that it would mean that the place would be much more safe for the immediate future. Hercor guards were moving all about, many forming a barrier outside the main gates until they could be closed. Mikula's trained eyes easily noted that they weren't expecting a serious attack, just were there to provide reassurance and to ward off any weak enemies that might still be out there.
There won't be any, though, Mikula thought as he stood there, the exhaustion of the day finally getting to him as his adrenalin wore off. He was trying to figure out what he should do, or at least where he could curl up and sleep when a figure came through the crowd and walk quickly to where Mikula stood next to his older brother. "Pavlo, nice to see you woke up. That is, after the fighting's already done." Kanu's jib came quickly as the youngest of the three brothers got into conversation range.
Pavlo stuck his tongue out at Kanu before replying. "At least I didn't ride here on my back." He teased, which made Kanu growl. Pavlo ignored it as he turned to Mikula. "Well, you look like you're worse for wear. I guess whoever attacked you guys didn't figure on you being there."
Mikula wondered just how many times one could feel embarrassed in the same night before your brain melted. "Well, it helped that we were behind them."
"We?" Pavlo asked, confused. "I thought they attacked you, not you attacked them?"
Mikula realized that his brother probably hadn't known hat he was in the Darter earlier. "Yes, me and Vanhorn. We got separated when we fell into the river."
Pavlo's eyes widened. "What? Vanhorn's alive? You were with him?" He sounded incredulous.
"Yes, he was. Scarred us for life, he did, though we should know by now that it takes more than overpowering attacks to kill Mikula here." Kanu said from behind Mikula's back. Pavlo chuckled, but it was strained. "Yeah. Your luck has been rather unusual lately, hasn't it?" He said, trying to change the topic.
Mikula shrugged. "I suppose. Now, Although I'd love to stand here all night talking, seeing as I'm tired and muddy and bloody and have been walking all afternoon, but perhaps we could find a place to sleep?"
Pavlo grinned. "Well, the Hercorians are a bit more hospitable than we figured, once we told them about the attack we suffered at Kuamket. They have a hostel of sorts, and everyone who doesn't have a place to sleep on a wagon is in there. Of course, we do have a wagon in the family, and mother's up staying at some special leader's house, or something, so there's plenty of room."
Mikula thumbed over his shoulder. "What about Kanu?"
Pavlo grinned. "We can just cover him over to keep the dust off of him, and he'll be fine."
"Wiseasses." Kanu grumbled. Mikula and Pavlo laughed and they both turned so that they could face each other and Kanu. "Oh, I'm kidding, Kanu. Although I'd love to fit you in, too, I think that there will be some special area for the wounded." Pavlo said. As if in response to his words, a pair of lupar from Hercor walked up, both wearing a blue armband and nightclothes. The lead one spoke first. "Okay, who's injured here?"
Kanu meekly raised his hand, prompting his brothers to grin again. The Hercorian rolled his eyes and motioned for his partner to go around the cart to check on the others, while he went to look over Kanu.
Mikula took a step back. "Well, Kanu, I think we'll leave you to the doctors."
Pavlo shook his head. "Poor guy, and he looked like he was going to pull through, too."
Kanu gave them an obscene gesture, which made the younger brothers laugh as they turned and walked towards the barns where the wagons sat. On the way, they found van Horn sitting down by one of the carts parked in front of the hostel. He looked up and waved towards them when he recognized the pair. "Ahh, the brothers Farkas. Well, two of you anyway. I hope Kanu is alright?"
The concern in the human's voice touched Mikula. "Yes, he's fine. In fact, so is most everyone in the group. Only that one guard was killed, the others just got wounds."
Van Horn smiled slightly. "Good. Nice to know that we did some good out there tonight."
Pavlo looked at the human. "So I gathered. I talked to Kendo, and he mentioned that you seemed to be able to kill at will."
Mikula chuckled. "No, not at will, just a flick of his hand."
Van Horn's smile died. "I suppose I impressed him with my little trick."
"What trick?" Pavlo asked.
Mikula grunted in amusement. "He threw his knife and impaled a luckless bandit in the face. Not only that, but I did manage to see him save a guard's life."
"Two, actually." Van Horn said and then yawned. It proved infectious, and the two brothers followed suit. "In any case, I think we all need some sleep."
"A good idea. We were just heading to the hostel for that very reason." Pavlo said good-naturedly. Then he paused as a thought hit him. "Wait, Vanhorn, you don't have your wagon anymore, do you"
Van Horn smirked. "You might say that." He said wryly. He waited for Mikula to chuckle a bit before going on. "And you can call me Earl like Mikula here, you know."
Pavlo grinned sheepishly. "Thanks, uh, Earl. In any case, if you want, we have space in our family wagon tonight, since my mother is staying at some place up in the town proper. We'd be honored to have you stay with us, since you've done so much for all of us, and especially our brother."
Mikula nodded before van Horn could say anything. "Indeed. In fact, I'd like to insist if I might. After all, you let me sleep inside your wagon enough times, as well as all the wounded."
Van horn felt warm inside. "Thank you, gentlemen. I humbly accept your offer." He stood stretched. "Although I should warn you, I've been told I snore."
Mikula chuckled. "Can't be any worse than Kanu. He'll probably wake us up from wherever they stick him tonight."
They shared a laugh as they began to talk towards the barn.
Vilini sat upright on a bench near the gatehouse. It was one of several placed nearby so that guards could catch a moment to rest their feet. Of course, it was out in the open of the courtyard, so that their superiors could make sure that the guards weren't slacking off, either. Now, however, it was a good spot of Vilini to rest while the doctors attended the more gravely injured.
His friend Varshi walked over. He hadn't been hurt himself, which was fortunate as he had fought and killed a bandit that was with the one that had cold-cocked Vilini. "How are you doing, Vil?"
Vilini winced. "Not so loud. My head feels like a thousand waterfalls are pouring through it all at once."
Varshi couldn't help but smile. "You always have a way with words. Nice to see that that hit didn't knock it all out of you."
Vilini grumbled. Then he looked up - slowly, as his head was in serious pain - to his friend. "Var, did you see anything... Strange, out there?"
"You mean the creature with the furless body?" Varshi asked. Vilini raised his head quickly in surprise, and then grimaced and slowly set his head back down into his hands. "I take it, then, that it isn't a figment of that hit on my head?"
Varshi shook his had. "No. I was busy most of the time, fighting what was the bandits' only swordsman. Damn spawn of a zugert wouldn't let up. I got him, but when I saw you lying there..." His voice trailed off.
"Var, I know what you're thinking, and I want you to stop it." Vilini wanted desperately to raise his head, but he couldn't find the strength. Instead, he made sure his voice was strong. "You did the best you could, I'm sure. I got myself into the situation by forgetting my helmet, otherwise that blow wouldn't have knocked me so badly." He sighed. "In any case, you're changing the subject."
He felt Varshi shift on his feet. "You mean the furless one?"
"Yes, Var. All I saw of him was when he broke the neck of my attacker with his bare hands. Did you see him do anything else?"
Varshi gasped a bit. "Broke a neck with bare hands? Even with his size, I wouldn't think that was possible."
Vilini shrugged. "Well, I saw it plain enough, since my head was facing in the direction at the time, and I heard bone snap."
Varshi took a second to digest that. "Well, I shouldn't be so surprised... After all, he managed to save Herk from being skewered by a pair of Kurrnaki."
Against his own pain, Vilini looked up. "Kurrnaki? That's who attacked us?" He asked incredulously. His friend nodded. "Yeah, no mistake. I looked over a few of the bodies, and they have al the classic markings. The attack pattern matches what we've heard about, as well. And finally, that furless thing took one of them prisoner."
Vilini had brought his head down while Varshi had talked, but now he brought it up again, despite a new wave of pain. "You're kidding? Kurrnaki? Prisoner? That's unheard-of."
Varshi tilted his head and shook it a bit. "I'm not making this up, Vil. You'll probably see him in the hospice, since that furless thing did a number on him. I think he scared the crap out of him, too, since he hasn't tried resisting or even to take his own life like they're supposed to."
Vilini just sighed and laid his head back down into his hands. "One day, Var. One fucking day and everything changes." Sha'na'kree help us all.