The Doctor and Laura reached the top of a high hill and looked down at golden grass and gray trees below them.
"Doctor, this is so beautiful." Laura said, her words soaked in awe.
"It is." The Doctor's joy was all over his face. He was quite pleased with himself. "Though, if you really want to see something truly gorgeous you should see the twin sun rise of Centuri Eight! The color pink is never more pink!"
"I think I'd like to see that. Oh! I wish I brought my supplies! I want to paint this moment so badly."
The Doctor caught a glimpse of figures in the distance. The Doctor watched as they slowly made their way behind an animal. "Hunters." The Doctor said under his breath.
"Huh?" Laura asked as she turned her eyes toward where the Doctor had his.
"They've out exhausted their prey and now they're in position for the kill. The strategy that made humans so feared. Such forceful determination." The Doctor said all this seemingly not to care if Laura heard him or not. The Doctor began to slide his way down the hill.
"Hey wait up!" Laura shouted as she followed The Doctor down the hill.
The humans, four in all, made their way around the exhausted beast. They slowly moved in closer, as the animal kicked as much it could with its tired legs. The circle of hunters grew smaller and the beast tried its best to head but and twist away. Anything to escape. But it was all for not. The tip of the hunters' spears pierced the creature's skin. It tumbled to the ground and let out a small shriek. It died. The humans had an antelope.
As the hunters began to pull their spears out of their kill, The Doctor strode into one of their eyelines. "Hey! Stop!"
The Doctor stood still and stuck his arms up into the air. "I'm stopped."
"This is our kill!"
"Yes. I know. I saw that. Very nice."
"What do you want?!" Another hunter shouted.
Suddenly Laura came up from behind of The Doctor. "What is going on? Laura spotted the hunters. The four were dark skinned and muscular, three men and a woman. They looked like sketches from a natural history text book. "Whoa..." Laura said, her mouth dropped open.
"You stay where you are!" Shouted the hunter closest to them.
"Okay!" Laura stuck her arms up to match The Doctor's.
"We don't mean you any harm. We're travelers. Nomads. We've only just come to this valley."
"I see and how are you no threat?"
"Doctor I can understand them..." Laura whispered.
"Yes I know." The Doctor whispered back.
The hunters had their spears pointed at The Doctor and Laura's throats. "Well? Why'd you come here?"
"I told you we're travelers. My name's The Doctor and this is Laura. We've only just come here, well, because we could. "
"Why can I understand them?" Laura whispered again.
"The TARDIS. I'll explain later." The Doctor whispered back.
One of the hunters that looked like the youngest of the men stepped forward. "I think you've come to steal our kill. "
"No. I assure I haven't."
"How do we know that?! You could have been following us for days!" The young one shouted.
The Doctor took a deep breath. "Would I just walk up unarmed and try to steal someone's meal? That's not just idiotic, it's also rude. I spotted you at the top of the hill and thought I'd introduce myself. In retrospect it may have been a bit foolhardy. Though I've always been a bit foolhardy."
"Liar! You're a thief! You're strange looking and dangerous!"
"Please. We merely wished to talk. I'm a healer."
The hunters lowered their spears and looked at each other.
The woman stepped forward and leaned in to look at The Doctor. "A healer?"
"Yes." The Doctor said, calmly.
"And what about this one?" She pointed at Laura.
"She's my companion."
The woman leaned in and looked Laura in the eyes. Laura looked back and saw eyes that looked like they were made of pure steel. She quickly turned her attention back to The Doctor. "You're coming with us." She turned to two of her comrades. "Grab the kill". They complied, throwing the animal over their shoulders and carrying it between them. She then turned her attention to the young man. " Follow behind them, I'll be in front. We don't wanting them getting away."
"Right." The young man said, quickly moving behind Laura and The Doctor, his spear at the ready.
The woman turned her razor sharp focus back on The Doctor. "This better not be a trick, thief." The Doctor just looked back at her. "Alright. Let's go!"
They started off, marching through the valley, the sun making it's slow journey toward the horizon.