Chapter 3: Long Road Ahead
During the late afternoon several miles ahead of Gu Ming, the weather seemed rather strange for the summer season. It was cloudy which puzzled Hui as he observed the skies above him, that covered the early stars and the sunset with a blanket of grays. Hui rested his feet while Long Legs continued the journey, Okhin padded alongside the ostrich horse still silent and non-communicative with the prince.
Hui paid no attention to Okhin after what happened in Gu Ming, they remained silent and unspoken for the past few hours. Okhin stretched out her arms and yawned, she scratched her head lightly and smacked her lips as she continued to footslog. Hui glimpsed at her for a brief moment and hopped off the ostrich horse. He tapped Okhin's right shoulder, she pivoted to face him.
Hui pointed at Okhin then curved his hand to the left, he crossed his arms and tapped the bottom of his shoulders with his hands. Hui pointed at her again lifted his index and middle finger and then ran his right index up and down across them. His indexes touched each other and then spread out, he repeated the hand signs for legs again. Then he pointed at himself and made a walking motion with his right hand.
"It's your turn to rest your legs and ride Long Legs while I walk," said Hui.
"Wait did you call it Long Legs? Why Long Legs?" she wondered as she furrowed her brows she thought it was a strange name for an ostrich horse. Especially not a serious one, what kind of name was 'Long Legs'?
Hui shrugged and pointed at himself, he crossed his arms and shook his head, he pressed his left hand on his upper chest and slid it down to his diaphragm. Hui pointed at the ostrich horse and lifted his index and middle finger, and then ran his right index up and down across them. He slightly formed an O shape with his mouth while he moved both indexes up and down twice. He shook his head and waved his left pinky up and down without moving his hand. He lifted his thumb and pinky on his left hand and motioned it forward.
"I don't know it has long legs, it was either that or Can't Fly," shrugged Hui.
He handed the reins over to Okhin then he moved on forward she mounted the ostrich horse while she held onto the reins and a handle on the other side of the creature's saddle. Hui made signs that Okhin was unable to read because he was far up ahead. Hui whistled to Long Legs so that the creature would catch up to the prince while Okhin dosed off.
Several hours later, Hui felt the chill crawl on his arms he opened his eyes slightly to see that the sky transitioned from a black color to purple and orange. The clouds were far more noticeable as yellow radiated from the east. Soon the sun will rise and morning will commence, Hui scanned his environment he noticed that Long Legs clopped up a slope and that the poor ostrich horse was exhausted and possibly hungry.
His eyes looked down to see that Okhin's arms were wrapped around his waist, while she rested her head on his back. He gasped because he didn't expect this, his gasp awoke the young barbarian woman, she realized she slobbered on cloth and then she abruptly wakes up and notices it's Hui's tunic. Her arms are still around Hui's lower torso, Okhin let go of his waist and apologized, "I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to!"
Hui shook his head then he gave a thumbs up and nodded, he pointed at himself and crossed his arms twice. He put his thumbs and indexes together and close to his eyes and separated them apart like he motioned awakening then he pointed at Okhin.
"No, it's fine I didn't want to wake you," declined Hui.
He lifted his index and middle finger and then ran his right index up and down across them. His indexes touched each other and then spread out. Hui pointed at his eyes with two fingers and then outward, Hui tapped his left fist onto his inner right elbow while he wrinkled his eyes shut and frowned. He pointed at himself and Okhin twice then lifted his left hand open and pointed to a ledge on the mountainside.
"Long Legs looks exhausted we should stop on that ledge," pointed Hui.
The ledge was large enough for all three of them to rest, Hui had hoped it would fall apart with all that weight added to it. A breeze picked up and Hui saw goosebumps on Okhin's skin he took a stance Ping Ma stance, he shoved his arm forward and inward collapsed the wall of the mountainside. Hui clopped forward and repeated the motions two more times. The new cave was deep enough for Okhin to stay warm while within. He also bent a post that he was able to tie the reins of Long Legs onto it.
Hui pointed at himself and tapped his left hand with his index out on his right palm then he pointed at her. He slid his left index from his nose to his chest and out in front of him. He pointed at her and tapped both fists twice, his left on top of his right. His hand arched over him as he looked up then he formed a small space and looked straight past it. He pointed at her again then his index went straight down past his right palm which was faced toward him and positioned sideways. He cupped his hands near his ribs and smiled.
"I'm guessing you'd like to be alone so I made you a small cavern. If you go deeper inside it'll be warmer," guessed Hui.
After Okhin went inside the cavern Hui rose his arms up and brought them down as he stomped his foot on the ground. This shot out slanted slabs of earth that formed a tent and front and back walls that formed the covers of the tent. Hui slept safely inside the earth tent a resourceful move that every earthbender is taught at a young age.
It was the early afternoon when Hui crawled out of his tent and held his stomach as it rumbled. Okhin groaned as well as she held hers too it was time to feed. If they were hungry then Long Legs would need a meal soon. Hui pointed at himself and Okhin twice and then motioned a circle with his left index motioned feeding himself some food.
"We should go find some food," suggested Hui.
"Wait they gave us an ostrich horse but no food?" inquired a distressed Okhin.
Hui waved his left index in front of his nose twice, tapped his index to his horizontally positioned right index, then crossed his left index and middle finger before waving them down. He pointed in a random direction, he waved two thumbs up and down before he moved both hands forward as he motion something was offered.
"There's feed for him," mentioned Hui.
"But none for us, and there are no towns nearby," she frowned.
Hui tapped his index on opened right index, middle, and ring fingers, then it tapped a right pinky finger. He lifted his left index and pinky up and overturned them to the right as he gave a slight frown. He frowned as his left and right hands steadily run across his stomach. He lifted his left index and pinky and lifted them over his head, the hand returned palm flat and motioned around in front of him.
"A prince and a barbarian starve in the wilderness," commented Hui sarcastically.
"You're not exactly the hunting type, you struggled to get yourself food back in Gu Ming," Okhin brought up.
Hui formed a claw with his right index and right thumb, the back of his hand gently touched the right corner of his mouth. He pushed his claw forward then pointed at himself, his left fingers touched his left thumb as he pressed them together. He tapped his left hand onto the open and diagonally positioned his right hand twice. Hui pointed at Okhin then back at himself he ran the side of his left hand across the palm of his right hand. His hands formed into clawed hands and he motioned a crawl.
"Nonsense, I assure you I've slain many beasts!" bragged Hui.
"Your carved animals aren't real," protested Okhin she crossed her arms and turned her back on the prince. Okhin rolled her eyes at him she knew it was obvious in his step that he wouldn't have known the first thing about slaughtering an animal for dinner.
Hui rose his downward-facing left palm up to his collar bone, his thumb separated a bit further from his fingers. He slid his hand to his right pectoral and tapped the back of his fingers against it twice. He waved his left in front of the balled fist of his right hand. His left hand motioned like he turned a knob then crossed his left index from right to left while his right palm faced down and the thumb was separated from the fingers. His arms crossed below the waist, he brought them up to his chest while his face formed a terrified expression. His left hand tapped his left temple.
"Enough, the shadow on the dais is creeping," fretted Hui.
Hui inhaled and then exhaled as he made jutting movements on the slope he left behind words written. So when they passed through they'd remember this is where they were camping. Hui swaggered to the southwest past the camp while Okhin lurched about as she observed the environment. As a natural hunter it was important that she kept her eyes peeled for any danger while they hunted for game. After several minutes of quiet skulking about the mountainous road that continued endlessly. Okhin lifted her arm to her left which stopped Hui from going further, he turned his attention to the girl. She pointed down at the wide and stubby-toed tracks on the dirt.
"No way, I found our dinner," mentioned Okhin.
Hui quickly pointed in different directions.
"Where?" he inquired.
"These tracks heading east belong to a womkhor," answered Okhin.
Hui cupped his left hand over his nose then he lifted his thumb, index, and pinky out, he closed those fingers only leaving his index out with it slightly curled he tapped the left side of his forehead with a slight smile. He pointed at Hui and then crossed his index and his middle finger on his left hand before he shook his hand three or four times, while his tongue touched the back of his teeth. His left ring finger then tapped his left thumb five times.
"Womkhor? What is that?" he wondered, he was confused he never heard of that before. It sounds like some kind of dangerous monster.
"The most exciting hunt of your life, the locals out here use their cud to fight off snakebites. Just watch out for their claws and teeth...oh and the horns," beamed Okhin.
Hui pointed to the left before he spun his index in a circle and then pointed to his right, he furrowed his brows and waved his index in front of him left to right. He slid his index finger beside the left side of his head then he tapped the left side of his cranium. Hui waved his hand in front of himself.
"What am I looking for? I need a mental image," Hui asked, he needed to be sharp on his toes.
Okhin rested a hand under her chin while she stood she had to think of a simple way to explain what a womkhor looked like. She explained, "Well...think of a fox antelope, with stubby legs, sharp claws, sharp teeth, and corkscrew horns. Ironically, while looking fierce they only eat plants but don't underestimate them they're still deadly."
Hui pointed in a random direction, he flipped his right hand and curled his fingers to form a fist. His inner palm faced up while he only curled and uncurled his thumb a few times.
"So they're small?" he guessed.
"I wouldn't say small they're big and wide but as far as height goes yes they're short because of the legs," Okhin put her hands on her hips as she further described the creature's measurements.
"When my clan goes hunting they usually bring one or two earthbenders along. It's recommended that you either sink it deep enough and crush it or trap its legs so I could come in for the kill," Okhin confided the secret of safely slaying a womkhor.
Hui's left index curled in as he shook his hand up and down, while he shared an expression of joy. Hui pointed at Okhin then back at himself he ran the side of his left hand across the palm of his right hand. He raised his index and middle fingers on both hands, while the right hand's fingers faced down he ran the left hand's fingers straight down. Then he gave a thumbs up with his left hand and smiled. His hands formed into clawed hands and he motioned a crawl. Hui's left index curled in as he shook his hand up and down, while he shared an expression of joy. Hui rose his downward-facing left palm up to his collar bone, his thumb separated a bit further from his fingers. He slid his hand to his right pectoral and tapped the back of his fingers against it twice.
"That should be an easy kill, trapping animals seems easy enough," commented Hui.
"Easy enough says the hunter buried under the earth by his fellow tribesmen," Okhin recited a quote she learned from the Chono clan. It was mainly about the hunters who underestimated their prey and were killed by those animals.
Hui felt anxious after what Okhin recited not too long ago, he attempted to focus but the thought was still on his mind and it scared him. They followed the tracks to the east and eventually, Okhin found droppings. They were cubed and dry, it a pretty big pile and she believed they might've been fresh. Which meant the creature was nearby she whispered to Hui, "The droppings look recent our prey is nearby, ready yourself."
Hui changed into a Ping Ma stance and magnetized the earth beneath his feet onto his body like armor. Okhin pulled out her battleax from her back while Hui snuck around the tall grasses trying to find a good position for when Okhin gave the signal. Okhin herself crept around steadily as she stalked the vegetation. After a few steps, she saw the womkhor only a few feet from where she crouched. A wide and large creature nibbled on the patches of grass in front of it. Its stubby legs were planted firmly on the surface of the ground, its corkscrew horns protruded out of the corners of its cranium. Its whiskers hadn't sensed the predators that were about to endanger the creature's life.
Okhin rose her hand and signaled Hui to commence the encounter with the beast, the womkhor had its back turned to the barbarian girl. It was unaware of what was to come, Hui slightly nodded, two tremors burst out of the still ground and crawled over to the front of the beast. The tremors trapped the forelegs of the womkhor in place, the large creature's anxiety spiked as it felt the danger after its predator bent earth and trapped it. It was time for the beast's fight or flight response, it was trapped so fleeing wasn't an option. Hui jumped out from behind the tall grasses and slammed his right fist into the ground which created another two tremors that crept around the beast's body and sunk its hind legs into place.
The womkhor violently swung its head at Hui, its body attempted to break free from the earthbender's grip. All to no avail, however, it felt like it was cornered the charging battlecry a girl rung in the ears of the womkhor. Okhin's battleax rested behind her head with her hands wrapped around the lower part of the pole weapon. Okhin brought the battleax down on the womkhor's tale but missed, when she tried again she chopped at it, and cut open the top part of the tail although was unsuccessful in its complete removal. The surge of pain caused the beast's right hind leg to rip out of the ground, now it swung itself more, the earth around its limbs cracked soon it'd break free.
Okhin went for another swing but this time around the creature timed its defense and kicked Okhin. It knocked her to her right, and the barbarian girl crashed onto a rock that knocked her out unconscious. Hui witnessed the sight and now had to focus and ending the womkhor's life, while the beast continued to wriggle around to break free. He inhaled and focused because he knew that Okhin needed immediate attention.
Hui encased the right hind leg in the earth once again upon the exhale he swung his arms into a clockwise motion while in a Ping Ma stance. His legs were firm and shoulder-width apart, the weight of the creature only plunged it further into the earth. The beast continued to shake until it was unable to move its body, only its head was free. It shook its head, its horns puncturing nothing but the air then suddenly it stopped moving. A small hole was left on the side of its head, Hui blew a rock straight through its skull and destroyed the brain of the womkhor.
He ran over to Okhin instead of celebrating his victory, he wrapped his arms around her while her eyes fluttered before they slowly opened. She questioned him, "Wh-what h-happened?"
Hui pointed at the dead womkhor he motioned and grabbed air and brought close to his diaphragm, then he slid an open palm to his right then ended at his left. Hui pointed at her face then he pointed at the rock he sat nearby.
"The beast swung at you and you hit this rock," replied Hui.
He tapped his fingers on her chin which had two scratches made by the womkhor during combat. He showed her the tips of his fingers. She eyes the wiped blood on Hui's index and middle fingers that skidded over a tad bit to his ring finger. He reached into the pocket of his tunic and pulled out a long piece of burlap. He wrapped it around the barbarian girl's head just to cover her chin's wound.
She smiled and whispered, "Thanks."
Hui lifted her and gently placed her near the dead womkhor, he ripped the earth around her and the dead creature and lifted it. She tightened her grip on the pommel of her battleax which he hugged so she wouldn't leave her beloved weapon behind. An exhaustive move that would leave the prince worn out by the time they reach camp. Hui had amazing endurance but he was only human, after two miles of walking and lifting the heavy slab that finally returned to camp where Long Legs rested.
Hui heaved as the slab went up the slope and halted once it reached the ledge, he collapsed gasping for breath. The entire way back he took no breaks and pulled the slab back to camp. Long Legs' feed was half gone, he was uninterested with his food because he was full. Hui bent down alongside the slab and lifted the injured Okhin. She jiggled in his arms and freed herself from his grasp, she disapproved immediately of his care, "Stop! Stop...I can walk I'm not dying.."
She hurried inside while Hui stood by the slab he was going to signal to her that she forgot her weapon but instead he picked up the slab again and brought it inside the cave. It was darker inside the cave now that the outside was darkening after they've spent almost the entire day hunting for a meal. He stared outside where the extinguished campfire rested. He ran outside and ripped it out of the ground and darted back inside with it. He formed a rack from the dirt inside and restarted the campfire both for warmth and lighting in the tunnel.
He grabbed Okhin's weapon that rested beside the dead womkhor and began to chop at the limbs of the dead beast. With earthbending, he removed the skewer off the rack and stabbed it through the severed foot of the womkhor.
He returned the skewer on the rack and used his bending to turn the skewer without having to touch the fire and burn himself. Okhin thought to herself, "Wow that's quite creative I didn't give him this much credit but I'm impressed!"
Hui sat in a nomad position while Okhin sat down with her knees to her chest, they gazed at the campfire as the foot cooked above it. Long Legs joined Hui and Okhin inside perhaps he was cold, the barbarian took a gander to see the ostrich horse walking in. The animal laid down near the fire and enjoyed the heat that the fire offered. Hui formed a bowl out of the ground and then removed the skewer from the cooked womkhor foot. Okhin grabbed the bowl and thanked the prince, "Thank you."
Hui repeated the chopping of the womkhor with another foot and replicated the process all over again. Okhin bites into her food while she waits for Hui's to cook, "It could use a bit of salt but this isn't bad," commented Okhin.
Hui rose his eyebrows and glanced back at her he didn't hear her he shook his finger at her with a quizzical expression on his face.
"What," he asked.
"I said it could use a bit of salt but it isn't bad," she repeated.
Hui pointed at himself then motioned like he grabbed something in front of him. He pointed at himself again and then motioned a grab again but with both hands.
"I'll take what I can get," said Hui.
Time flew by again this time Hui leaned back and rested on Long Legs who was in slumber, Okhin still sitting extended her legs after she felt more comfortable. Hui kept his eye on her for a brief moment he smiled at her she caught on and looked right back at him and shared the smile. She felt a strange chill which now seemed to get her scoot closer to Hui and Long Legs for an inviting spot next to them that offered more warmth.
The sun rose and the birds chirped outside, the campfire was extinguished once again while smoke floated out of the cave entrance. Long Legs was still asleep while Hui and Okhin cuddled beside the ostrich horse. Hui's steadily opened he tucked in his chin and saw that Okhin had her arm wrapped around his belly and her head rested on his chest. Her eyes opened and she looked straight at Hui who gave her a toothy smile.
She gasped and used her hands to push herself away, Hui rolled his eyes and sighed he then patted Long Legs to wake the animal. It shook its head and stood up on his legs, Okhin gathered more meat for herself and Hui and placed it inside an empty burlap sack that she tied to the saddle of the ostrich horse. Hui made the feed was also tied to the saddle before they abandoned the camp, he grabbed Okhin's battleax and minced over to the barbarian and the ostrich horse outside the cave.
He mounted Long Legs as did Okhin and they left the camp he didn't want to spend too much time in the mountains. Not only was it chillier up there but also could've been more dangerous and with what little supplies they had for themselves they wouldn't survive much longer. A few hours later, they found themselves on a boring and tedious journey to the south while Long Legs continued to gallop down a mountain path.
Meanwhile, a group of three leather armored men covered in animal skins stopped nearby a ledge on the mountainside. The slope that led up to the ledge was covered in ostrich horse tracks, there was an abandoned earth tent, a small hole in the center of the ledge, a post made of earth, and a tunnel to the left of the hole. Inside the men saw a dead womkhor with missing feet on the stumps of its hind legs. One of the men noticed ostrich horse droppings he brought it up, "Ostrich horse excrement, it's dry."
"Someone must've killed this womkhor and consumed its feet, you don't think it was the Silent Pawn?" commented the second barbarian.
The leader of the group wore the head of a bull ram as a hood, the horns curled back he looked intimidating. He noticed droplets of blood that led south he wiped his finger on the blood and put his finger in his mouth. He smiled, "Tastes like raw womkhor, if the Silent Pawn was here he's going south."
"What's south?" asked the first barbarian.
"South is Xu province but Biapo is even closer," said the leader.
"Or he could go past it and into Xu," retorted the other one.
"No you idiot, he didn't take much from the dead beast inside the cave. He has to stop somewhere for more food," scolded the lead barbarian.