4
Just as Chuma said, there was a small village at the bottom of Lei Chen Mountains. The residents there mostly consisted of farmers and traders. People come and go through the village almost every day, either to get supplies for the hike ahead or to rest before heading to their next destination. Millikan had to make sure his tarks didn't wonder off, most likely to snatch up livestock to feed on. Like children in at a grocery store, Millikan had to bark at them to behave. Rain just kept quiet the whole time, just giving Millikan looks every now and then. Eventually the tarks had calmed down enough to the point that they just followed their leader and kept quiet.
"Where is your father by the way?" Rain asked as he picked up an apple from the fruit stand, rolling it in his hand as he tested the firmness of it.
"He's either trying to hunt me down or on his way to the wastelands." Millikan looked back to make sure his men stayed close. They kept looking everywhere, from the peasants to the roaming stray dogs. Now Millikan realized why his father preferred to go to a local place by himself, because taking the horde with you required all your attention. Making sure your men didn't get into something they shouldn't. At least Chuma and Jabari behaved and kept the others in check. The last thing Millikan needed was the tarks pillaging the village. "I didn't catch that…" Millikan looks at rain, realizing he was talking to him again.
"Did you run away, is that why there are only a few of you?" Rain asked again. He placed a couple fruits in a small satchel and pays the stand owner a couple jade koins.
"Yes. I couldn't stay with the horde anymore. I had to get away…go out on my own." Millikan noticed one of the tarks snapping at a women who walked pass. "Chuma, get him please." He called out. Chuma smacks the back of the snapping tarks head. "Makes me a Jambazi now."
"A lone tarkatan." Rain walked off and Millikan follows after him. "Not really alone when you got a few of your kin with you."
"Like most tarkata who turn Jambazi end up dying about 2 days later from some unfortunate circumstance. And that's because they actually went off on their own thinking they can handle it. I on the other hand know outworld isn't the type of place to be venturing on your own…"
"Especially for a tarkata?" Rain walks towards a clothes stand, looking at the selection of tunics.
"I don't know if that was an insult or a compliment?" Millikan snickered.
"A little bit of both. You were smart enough to take some with you but you are dumb for not packing enough resources…such as koin." Rain grabs a light purple tunic off the rack and places it over his shoulder.
"I only took what I thought was necessary besides I don't need much koin. We sleep outdoors and hunt our own food." Millikan looks at the tunics and noticed a black one that was his size. Rain quickly grabs the tunic and holds it against Millikan chest.
"You tarkata are so…primitive it's laughable. If you are going to travel with me at least dress decently...for starters wear a shirt. Walking around with your chest puffed out is just asking for a fight." Rain looks back at the other tarkata. "Same goes for the rest of you." He added. Millikan takes the tunic from Rain and puts it on grumbling. He grabs couple more tunics off the stand, each a different color and hands it to the other tarks. Rain digs into his Koin pouch and hands the stand owner a couple gold and silver koin. "We should stay in the village for the night and rest up. Then we can head south towards the pier and catch the dragonfly from there."
"The dragonfly?" Millikan sounded a bit hesitant. "I don't know if we can do that?"
"Why not? The dragonfly will get us to the fortress in four days unlike a ship that takes almost a week to get to the shores. Then three more days of getting to the fortress depending on the transportation." Rain explains.
"It's just…I don't do well on those things." Millikan rubbed the bald side of his head nervously. Rain looks up at Millikan with squinted eyes before rolling them.
"Well then. I suppose we better get moving if we want to get a ship." Rain shook his head as he turned on his heel and walked off. Millikan looks at the other tarks and shrugged. It wasn't his fault that he had a fear of flying, it was a perfectly rational fear. "Unless you get seasick to?" Rain paused to look back at Millikan who shakes his head no. "Good, let's get moving."
"You know, I would have figured that you would have a portal amulet like most of Shao's generals."
"I left mine back at the fortress."
"Smart." Millikan quipped. Rain just ignored him as he kept walking.
By the time they arrived to the pier it was already sundown. Fishermen and traders alike were already boarding their ships, getting ready for their voyage ahead. The overseer of the pier was already in the process of closing up his little shop when Rain and Millikan approached him. The rest of the tarks were told to stay outside of a nearby inn just in case they had to stay the night there.
"Just as I was about to call it a day…what can I do for you?" the old man sighed as he turned around to face them.
"We need a ship, preferably one headed east." Rain explains. The old man raised a brow at Rain then looks over at Millikan.
"Aye, I be honest ain't no one going to take tarkata on their ship. No offense sonny."
"None taken." Millikan snorted.
"But I tell you what. There is a trader who lives in a hut just at the end of the pier. Maybe he be willing to take you two. Goes by the name Varanus, doesn't talk much but he is one of the best captains around. You might want to hurry up though, he sets out around midnight to deliver his shipments."
"Thank you sir." Rain nods in the direction the old pointed out and ran off. Millikan runs after him, looking at the sky. Hoping they reach this Varanus guy in time. "I think that's the hut." Rain pointed out as they reached the end of the peir. A small hut with a lit torch outside of the entrance. The door was wide open as they saw short man come out carrying a satchel full of scrolls. He was dressed in grey linens covering his whole body. He even wore a hood and mask to cover his face. "Varanus?"
The man head jerked in their direction as he heard his name being called. A pair of red snake like eyes looking them over. He placed his scrolls on the ground beside him and stood up straight, facing them. Rain and Millikan exchanged looks, wondering if the guy was going to say anything.
"The overseer told us that we could come to you about transportation. Me and my associate, along with 12 of his men need to go the eastern shores. We are already to go so we won't take up your time." Rain takes out his koin pouch and holds it towards Varanus. "This is all I have, but I can get you more as soon as we get to our destination."
"…No…" Varanus shook his head.
"Really…" Millikan snapped his teeth. The guy didn't even take a moment to think about it. Varanus looks at Millikan and hissed.
"No need for koin…help me deliver my ssshipmentsss…and I will take you to your dessstination tarkata." Varanus points to his left, a large ship with a grey trader symbol flag. "Leave at the end of the hour." He turns around and enters his hut.
"Well that went better than expected." Millikan shrugged as he turns around and heads to the direction of the inn to get his men. Rain placed his Koin pouch back on his hip and follows after Millikan. "I wonder what species of zatterran he is?"
"What?" Rain looks over at Millikan in confusion?
"He talks and smells like Reptile."
"Zatterrans are supposed to be extinct, Reptile is the last of his kind." Rain wasn't really sure, he only knew what Reptile had told him. Maybe there were more Zatterrans scattered in Outworld. Living in plain sight but not easily enough to be targeted. "The one who informed you of Shao assassination. Did they tell you what happened to your mother?"
"Her whereabouts are unknown. She might still be at the fortress and that's why I have to get there."
"And what if she's not there?"
"Then I keep looking for her until I find her or have proof that she…Either way, my current goal is to find my mother." Millikan spots his men outside of the inn as he instructed. Doing a quick headcount to make sure they were all there, thankfully they were all there. "We got a ship. Let's get moving." He called out.
"I will you there, I need to get a few things for the voyage ahead." Rain tells Millikan before walking away. Millikan shrugs and heads back to the ship with the tarks in tow.