The Long Road To... - 3. Two Bulls One Fright

I woke first, facing the sleeping back of Kjartanei, Thorn snored lightly on the back of my neck. I didn’t sleep very well as I was not used to sharing accommodations with a potential enemy. I had drawn toward Thorn and away from Kjartanei all night and had no idea how Thorn was even still on the bed at all. Being awake first, I had time to think. Thorn was right, he always was when it came to his instincts. I plotted accordingly.

Kjartanei rolled onto his back and his eyes slowly fluttered open. He looked around himself, turned his head and saw me up close looking at him. Kjartanei jumped back tangled in the blankets and fell off the bed. I jumped back so hard in response that I knocked Thorn out onto the floor.

Kjartanei continued to fumble trying to extricate himself, loudly spewing curses in his native tongue.

“What the hell?!?” bellowed Thorn standing up.

“It’s alright…” I started trying to placate both as Kjartanei finally stood up on his side of the bed. “Calm down…”

The door burst in as a couple of Bruisers pounded through into the tiny room.

“It’s alright,” Thorn pleaded to them. “Just surprised. No one is hurt.”

I could only imagine what they thought as they looked over the scene. Two Bullmen, mostly naked, and an entirely naked blue man standing in the corner. Yes, it might have been funny except the Bruisers had weapons drawn.

Twenty tense seconds later, the leader of the group shook his head and then jerked it toward the door indicating to his comrades that he didn’t want to know and let’s get the hell out of here. On the way, he picked up a pair of trousers from the floor and threw them at Kjartanei. After he left, one of the others propped the door over the opening.

After a few moments of silence, Kjartanei leaned back on the wall and slid down on the floor. Thorn ran around the bed to him. Kjartanei slid away quickly.

“It is alright, I am not going to hurt you. How do you feel?”

Kjartanei put his head in his hands. “My head hurts.”

“Yes, I bet it does.” Thorn winked at me as he helped Kjartanei to sit on the bed.

“Who are you?” Kjartanei asked simply looking up at Thorn.

“Thorn.” I said.

Kjartanei turned slowly to look. “Talon?”

“Yes.”

“How long have you been here?”

“We arrived yesterday.”

“You were in the bar…” added Thorn. “…you had a little too much. We got you cleaned up, and put you to bed.”

“Both of you?” Kjartanei wondered. “I only remember you I think,” he said pointing to Thorn.

“I made you something for your head.”

“Oh… it still hurts.”

“Here have some more,” Thorn said, handing the mug over. “It will probably work a little better now to help push it out of your system.”

Kjartanei dutifully drank. “Speaking of getting it out, I have to piss.”

“Down the passage,” Thorn said.

Kjartanei pulled on the trousers.

“Are you going to be ok?” asked Thorn.

“Yes, I can make it.,” he mumbled.

After a few moments of struggling with the leaning door, he disappeared into the hall.

Thorn turned to me. “We should get dressed.”

“He’s wearing my pants.”

Thorn laughed. “Well, just hope he doesn’t pee in them before making it to the hole.”

I leaned back on the bed with my hands behind my head and watched Thorn get dressed. One of the old battle scars showed on his broad back. Others were neatly hidden within the rich tones patching his skin. Thorn had finished dressing and was repacking his gear when the door moved and Kjartanei returned. He carefully propped the door back over the opening.

“Umm…” he stammered. “… these aren’t mine.” He pulled at the trousers.

Thorn chortled a bit and pointed at me and began handing Kjartanei’s clothes to him. While he got undressed and redressed, I could see how his race was so different and still similar. Kjartanei was hairless except for some around the face and groin. Under all the blue dyes, his natural skin was extremely fair, catching every stray shaft of light.

When it was time for me to dress, Kjartanei politely excused himself to go and see if we could get food downstairs.

Thorn picked up his gear. “We’ll meet you down below.”

~ ~ ~

The same innkeeper was there.

“ dey is out. U pay door ‘n tow’ls,” he said without looking up.

I paid him.

“U t’ree no come back.”

I walked out towards the docks. The pair was sitting on a couple of crates talking. As I approached, Thorn tossed an apple from the large sack beside him.

“Kjartanei said that he has never been here before,” Thorn said gesturing all around.

“Everyone knows where it is,” Kjartanei interjected. “It is not that hard to find it.”

“Here.” I tossed him the armband. “Your gift.”

Kjartanei took it and muttered a thanks before shoving it into his vest. I frowned at Thorn.

“Assuming that you will not be hunting us now, what are your plans? Where are you off to?” Thorn quickly flashed a silencing look before I could interject.

“Well, I am not really sure, exactly.” He looked down dejectedly before biting into his apple. He looked sad, or at least what in my mind looked sad. Thorn made the gestures to his head and heart again.

“Talon and I were thinking of going to the tundras. Maybe do some hunting and exploring. We’ve seen some of the areas near the coast. We liked what we saw the last time…” I gave Thorn a dirty look and bit my apple. Thorn continued undaunted, “…far away from here, less war and more time to be ourselves…”

I knew what was coming. I had spent the early morning hours expecting it.

“You should come with us. No worries about factions or reputations, you know, traveling with the enemy. At least not as much.” Thorn had said it, and with that wonderful combination of genuine care and crap eating grin that only Thorn could produce.

Kjartanei perked up a little. “You would let me travel with you? Why?”

I did not even try to answer, only shrugged at Thorn. You started it, you explain.

“We move around quite a lot. We really do not consider any place our home. We like to make our own rules. You can join us for a while and then go off on your own later. Consider it a learning experience. Reconnaissance on the enemy.” Thorn laughed at his own weak reasoning.

“Is that alright with you?” Kjartanei said to me with a palpable combination of respect and hope.

“Sure.” I tried to sound a little stern, only to be undermined immediately by Thorn.

“I knew we could convince him!” he exclaimed to no one in particular.

“Is it really ok?” Kjartanei said more somberly.

“Yes.” I said trying to sound confident this time. “Finish eating.”

“Lets get out before this city robs us of every cent we have.” Thorn laughed.

~ ~ ~

We were finally on the way. The provisions for the trip had been easy enough to find, only costly. Not a soul seemed to take notice of the three of us leaving by the cave and after the first turn, we were alone. I led the way, Thorn and Kjartanei followed behind. Kjartanei was not saying much and Thorn was talking about nothing in particular. No animals in sight, not that we couldn’t handle any that roamed in this region, but the easier the trip the better.

Approaching the stone walls of the abandoned arena, we remained silent, crept off the road, and circled around behind the structure. We settled down for food and rest.

“Cross to the strand. Follow the shoreline. Stay in the trees. Ford shallows at river mouth.”

“Sounds like a good plan,” Thorn said. “We will not be passing any forts and we should be across the waters before the big base is fully awake.”

“That large encampment there, it’s one of yours right?” inquired Kjartanei.

“Yes, but once across, we won‘t be visible anymore. We can make it through the region along the river and only have to watch for animals or poachers.”

“That does sound like a good plan,” said Kjartanei.

“He is a good at that stuff,” interjected Thorn laughing. “That is why we work well together. I keep throwing things at him and he works to accommodate almost everything.”

There was a short pause.

“How long have you been… running together?” Kjartanei asked cautiously.

“Oh, I don’t know…” Thorn scratched his head. “… on and off, what, fifteen years or so.”

“Seventeen.” I corrected.

Thorn grinned widely.

We made it to the shore and proceeded along side just inside the tree line. I could see Kjartanei scanning around, as if recording the new trees into his brain. We proceeded for a while in this way when suddenly Kjartanei raised his hand to stop. We waited as he seemed to watch an empty area to the our side. Quickly and quietly, he armed himself with his bow and stood still. I gripped my sword and waited.

Without a word, Kjartanei let an arrow fly and then another and another. There was a growl and wail and Kjartanei ran off a couple dozen yards. We chased to follow. By the time we caught up, Kjartanei was already pulling his dagger out of the big cat’s dead throat.

“Wow, I did not even see it!” exclaimed Thorn.

“I am not used to the animals here, but these,“ Kjartanei said as he pulled out an arrow and pointed to a second dead feline. ”…are similar enough to some of the ones familiar to me. Hunting in packs. Unusually aggressive to be stalking us like that. My tracking instinct must be tuning in to this region. I think any others were scared off.” He went over and pulled his other two arrows out of the second animal.

“Good job!” Thorn said slapping Kjartanei on the back.

“Thanks.”

“Keep the lead,” I said.

A few more hours and we were up around the side of the inlet, where the exit of the river meets the sea with shallows. We found a secluded spot and settled in for the night. It was warm enough not to need the full tent or any other shelter. Kjartanei finished butchering up the panther flank for dinner and I started a fire. Thorn, who was going to take the first shift, leaned up against a tree near the water and whittled some wood down to start making arrows.

I cooked the meat that Kjartanei provided.

“Why are you doing this?” Kjartanei whispered.

“What?”

“This, taking me along with you all. Making me feel taken care of. Treating me like a good friend. You know.”

“Hard to say…” I said softly, not looking up from the fire.

Kjartanei frowned and did not reply. We looked at a now dozing Thorn.

“Thorn‘s idea.”

Kjartanei looked away.

“You are welcome.” I doubted if that settled it, but did not want to get into it any further. “Wake Thorn. Time to eat.”