stand.
Chief stood up with a growl.
“Alright, alright,” said Tyson. He let go and held up his empty hands. “Feikinstafir, you two are jumpy. Stay—we can help you look for this girl of yours if you want.”
Talon took a few paces left and then right, not knowing what to do. He was tired of being alone, and though he had Chief, it wasn’t the same as someone who talked back. He liked Tyson well enough…and he had given him half the coins… He wasn’t sure how much they were worth, but he guessed a lot. The guard had been dressed in nice clothes, and the sword didn’t look cheap.
“Don’t you have plans of your own?” Talon asked.
“What plans?” Tyson extended his arms wide. “I been in Agora about as long as you—what plans would I have? Up until last night, I thought that I was doomed to a life of slavery.”
“Well…we’re gonna gain more notice as a large group. We look a lot different than these people. Look at Thorg—he stands heads over any man I have seen here, and Windy is nearly as tall as him.”
“Marcus looks more like them than any of us, with his blonde hair and all. He can pretend to be our master.”
“Where are our chains?”
“It ain’t always like that. Once slaves are broken, there ain’t no need for chains. I even heard on the slaver that we Skomm slaves are the best ones, and the most loyal. Ain’t that some shyte?”
Talon absently pet Chief’s head. “I don’t know.”
“At least stick around till Marcus is in shape for travel. Him and the others could really use your wolf’s protection and hunting skills.”
“Alright. For a little while anyway. But I’m headed back to the coast—I have to find Akkeri.”
A wide smile grew on Tyson’s face. “Excellent! Now how about those rabbits you were talking about?”
Chapter 4
The Sleepy Sailor
Friends he shall find, and enemies as well. – Gretzen Spiritbone, 4991
Talon woke to the smell of meat cooking on an open fire. He sat up with a start and felt for Chief’s figurine in his pocket—his hand clasped the relic, and he gave a sigh of relief.
“Mornin’,” Tyson said. He was slowly turning a stick over the small fire in the center of the room. Three rabbits were skewered and browning over the flame. Fat hissed and crackled as it dripped from the meat into the fire. The others were awake as well and sat huddled around watching the food cook.
“Where’s Chief?” Talon asked, rubbing the sleep from his itchy eyes.
“Watching the perimeter. He came back with these three beauties a little after you fell asleep. Hope you don’t mind I used your knife, needed it to skin the rabbits.” He tossed the leather bound blade back to Talon.
“You went through my things?”
Tyson shrugged. “Didn’t want to wake you to ask for the knife—figured you wouldn’t mind. We’re starving, and the sword is too big for that kind of work. I seen the handle through the top of the bag.”
Sure you did, thought Talon. He always tightened his pack shut with the draw string, out of habit.
Tyson pulled free a piece of meat and popped it in his mouth. He huffed as if it were too hot and licked the grease from his fingers. “Rabbit’s done! Get it while it’s hot!”
Talon’s stomach pangs made him forget his anger. He took a seat with the others and ate his portion. The rabbit meat was greasy and delicious. The five of them tore into the meal and didn’t let up until they’d sucked all the marrow from the bones. Talon found his water skin full and glanced at Tyson, who sat back with a content grin on his face and said, “Filled her up in a crick a bit south of here.”
Talon nodded a thanks and downed large gulps of the cold water. He passed off the skin to Thorg. The lot of them sat back for a time, enjoying their fullness. Windy gave a giant burp which left them all giggling, and soon it became a belching contest. Talon hadn’t laughed in a long time, and it felt good. For a while he forgot
Chief stood up with a growl.
“Alright, alright,” said Tyson. He let go and held up his empty hands. “Feikinstafir, you two are jumpy. Stay—we can help you look for this girl of yours if you want.”
Talon took a few paces left and then right, not knowing what to do. He was tired of being alone, and though he had Chief, it wasn’t the same as someone who talked back. He liked Tyson well enough…and he had given him half the coins… He wasn’t sure how much they were worth, but he guessed a lot. The guard had been dressed in nice clothes, and the sword didn’t look cheap.
“Don’t you have plans of your own?” Talon asked.
“What plans?” Tyson extended his arms wide. “I been in Agora about as long as you—what plans would I have? Up until last night, I thought that I was doomed to a life of slavery.”
“Well…we’re gonna gain more notice as a large group. We look a lot different than these people. Look at Thorg—he stands heads over any man I have seen here, and Windy is nearly as tall as him.”
“Marcus looks more like them than any of us, with his blonde hair and all. He can pretend to be our master.”
“Where are our chains?”
“It ain’t always like that. Once slaves are broken, there ain’t no need for chains. I even heard on the slaver that we Skomm slaves are the best ones, and the most loyal. Ain’t that some shyte?”
Talon absently pet Chief’s head. “I don’t know.”
“At least stick around till Marcus is in shape for travel. Him and the others could really use your wolf’s protection and hunting skills.”
“Alright. For a little while anyway. But I’m headed back to the coast—I have to find Akkeri.”
A wide smile grew on Tyson’s face. “Excellent! Now how about those rabbits you were talking about?”
Chapter 4
The Sleepy Sailor
Friends he shall find, and enemies as well. – Gretzen Spiritbone, 4991
Talon woke to the smell of meat cooking on an open fire. He sat up with a start and felt for Chief’s figurine in his pocket—his hand clasped the relic, and he gave a sigh of relief.
“Mornin’,” Tyson said. He was slowly turning a stick over the small fire in the center of the room. Three rabbits were skewered and browning over the flame. Fat hissed and crackled as it dripped from the meat into the fire. The others were awake as well and sat huddled around watching the food cook.
“Where’s Chief?” Talon asked, rubbing the sleep from his itchy eyes.
“Watching the perimeter. He came back with these three beauties a little after you fell asleep. Hope you don’t mind I used your knife, needed it to skin the rabbits.” He tossed the leather bound blade back to Talon.
“You went through my things?”
Tyson shrugged. “Didn’t want to wake you to ask for the knife—figured you wouldn’t mind. We’re starving, and the sword is too big for that kind of work. I seen the handle through the top of the bag.”
Sure you did, thought Talon. He always tightened his pack shut with the draw string, out of habit.
Tyson pulled free a piece of meat and popped it in his mouth. He huffed as if it were too hot and licked the grease from his fingers. “Rabbit’s done! Get it while it’s hot!”
Talon’s stomach pangs made him forget his anger. He took a seat with the others and ate his portion. The rabbit meat was greasy and delicious. The five of them tore into the meal and didn’t let up until they’d sucked all the marrow from the bones. Talon found his water skin full and glanced at Tyson, who sat back with a content grin on his face and said, “Filled her up in a crick a bit south of here.”
Talon nodded a thanks and downed large gulps of the cold water. He passed off the skin to Thorg. The lot of them sat back for a time, enjoying their fullness. Windy gave a giant burp which left them all giggling, and soon it became a belching contest. Talon hadn’t laughed in a long time, and it felt good. For a while he forgot
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