As I was about to make the first step, I stopped when I heard something. At first, I thought it was another rustle, but it was too gentle and consistent for steps. It was… a soft burbling sound. With the flashlight still in hand, I turned with Fell in tow and highlighted the area in question. Light bounced back like striking a mirror.
Water.
Chapter 7
Even in the daylight, the nightmare-bear was impossibly dark. The sun offered enough contrast to make out the furry form, but the sight was still jarring. From where I stood, it was like I was looking bear-shaped void in the very fabric of reality as if the thing was cropped out. I think the shade of black used for the coat was Vantablack. Only the pink tongue and white fangs stood out. And good thing it was dead. Had it gotten my head in its mouth, it would have crushed my skull like a grape.
The only bad thing about it being dead was the smell. God the smell. It was so bad that my eyes watered, the scent like a dead skunk stuffed full of rotten eggs and left to ferment in a ditch. With the bolt carrier I lost from last night in hand, I retreated from the decomposing creature and headed back to camp.
The little stream we found almost brought tears to my eyes, or maybe it did. It was hard to tell after dunking my head in, drinking till I felt close to bursting and cleaning all the accumulated filth off my face and hair. Should’ve boiled first, but I couldn’t wait another second. The girls and I were still fine over twelve hours later, so the water had to be pure.
Rejuvenated and ecstatic, like I very well drank from the fountain of youth, I busied myself by securing all our gear and carrying it down. Then, without waiting for the sunrise, we followed the stream for half an hour until it flowed down into a river. After following a bend for a short while, the area opened up and onto a pebbled bank boxed in under a small cliff, the sediment carved away from when the river must’ve been much larger. It was a spot where we wouldn’t have to worry about something sneaking up on us. Again.
Good thing we camped upwind. Even after walking for ten minutes, I could still smell the monster’s horrid scent. The root of the smell must be a biological characteristic because even the blood had a pungent odor. Bad news for my shirt and pants.
Once we settled down, I tried to wash the creature’s blood off my clothes, but the oil-like crimson refused to come out, regardless of how hard I scrubbed against the rocks. Wanting to be rid of the scent, I stripped down to my skivvies and tossed the top and bottoms into the fire; they were that bad. At least I still had one shirt and my jacket left.
I saw Meriel soaking her foot in the river’s chilled water when I came onto the pebbled bank. She continued to track me with her steel-blue eyes, ever-smiling, as I came to sit beside her. Knowing what I came for, she shifted her weight onto the rock and rested her foot on my lap. The swelling had gone down tremendously, but there was still some slight bruising. Walking shouldn’t be too painful after another few days or so.
“Try not to be a burden, and watch your step, okay?”
Meriel rested her hand over the one I had over her ankle. She kept firm contact with her shining eyes, brushing her thumb lightly along my wrist. I pulled away and cleared my throat, not quite expecting that.
I looked back to where Fell was resting, the fire looking a little low. I stood and jutted my chin toward the camp. Meriel nodded and, fanning her lashes, held out her hand. Not finding it in myself to deny her, I pulled her up and helped her navigate the bank.
Fell still slept. By the time I got everything squared away last night, it must’ve been well past midnight. Sleep came easy without the stress of dehydration or the accompanying headache. And I finally got a decent rest considering it was around or past noon by the time I awoke. Reaching over, I brushed away her blonde lacks and checked her forehead. Still warm, but an improvement from yesterday.
Looking away from the sleeping fox-woman, I gave our humble camp a once-over. The naturally eroded rock offered some peace of mind, but did little to protect us from the wind, which was stronger without the crowding trees acting as a barrier.
In the wall was a deep crack, maybe three inches wide that goes in at least a couple feet. With shelter in mind, I got to work.
The branch for Fell’s stretcher worked well for what I had in mind; plus, it meant I didn’t have to go walking around. I got the branch firmly wedged into the crack. Using a rock as a hammer, I whacked the end a couple times to get the wood secured. Next, I got out the other tarp and lined up the eyelets and fed in some paracord. As I went, I used my knife to pry apart the fibers without tearing them, and then fed the cord through, joining the tarps with a crude stitch. A quick tug confirmed they wouldn’t come undone. And with that, I threw the large covering over the branch, then secured the edges with the readily available rocks from the bank.
Before me was a large, A-frame tent. Barebones and beyond simple, but there was enough room for all of us, and rain wouldn’t be a problem. Might help trap some residual heat from the fire.
Fell sat up, awoken from my efforts. She didn’t show any annoyance; instead, she offered her praise for the construction. Well, if her smile was anything to go by, I assumed it was praise.
Meriel said something and then chuckled. Fell gave me a long look, her eyes taking on a mysterious gleam, the corner of her mouth curling into a sly smile. She looked back at Meriel and deadpanned something, which caused Meriel to go all sheepish and mutter with a half-hearted chuckle. Fell tittered to herself, and then stopped with a groan. She held a hand over her roaring stomach. As if there was an echo, the elf’s stomach growled.
What has it been? Five days since I ate a proper meal?
There was that bear thing. Then again, it has been dead for half a day. That and I’m not sure if the meat was edible; we’d probably get poisoned. While thinking, I mindlessly stared at the river.
Duh.
Leaving the camp and approaching the edge of the bank, I peered into the sparkling surface of crystal clear water. Sure enough, I saw big ol’ fishies swimming. Oddly enough, I saw a shoal of fish crowding close to the shore. As soon as I was within ten feet, they scattered. The rock they congregated around was the same one I used as a washing board; part of the stone surface was stained brown, a dark trail of blood runoff leading into the water.
That monster might have some purpose, after all.
Oh. Son of a bitch.
Good thing I hadn’t eaten because I probably would’ve barfed it out. Cutting a hole in the bear-monster’s neck was like opening a garbage can on a hot summer day. I was hoping for a quick incision, but the creature’s hide was thick like I was trying to cut heavy-duty rubber with a butter knife. But, through the use of a lot of elbow grease, I prevailed.
No wonder my pistol hardly had an effect.
With a canteen cup full of blood, and another long branch I found on the way, I was ready to fish.
The water got a little splash of blood to keep the fish interested while I took a few minutes to split the branch in quarters and sharpen each segment. With another stick holding the sections apart, and a few inches of paracord, I had a four-pronged spear.
Pulling off my jacket, pants, and boots, I waded out further into the water with the spear and cup of blood, sucking in a sharp breath as the water numbed everything below my knees. At the river’s deepest point, it looked to cap out around my chest, but I didn’t need to go that far. Once in position, I chummed the water with the foul blood, tossed the canteen cup back on the bank, and then went still.
Some time passed before one swam within fifteen feet. Then another swan within ten feet. And they just drew closer and closer as time ticked on.
“You’re not always going to have what you need. Sometimes you’ll just have to make do.”
Dad rarely spoke unless we were doing something. Sometimes a stray thought slips out, but it usually only pertained to whatever he decided to show me. He explained how fish can react to shadows and vibrations, and how to adjust for water refraction. We waited in the
river, twenty feet apart for about an hour before a catfish swam in front of me, just like now.
I resented him sometimes in the early years for how we couldn’t just talk or do remedial things like playing catch or something. He always had to be busy; there always had to be a buffer. I knew it was his way of dealing with things, but it didn’t mean it didn’t frustrate me once in a while. Though, I can’t argue the value in some of the things he showed me.
Exhaling as I launched the spear forward, I pinned a thrashing fish into the riverbed. After a few moments, the fish stilled. Hefting the catch, I gauged the weight at a solid seven pounds. Definitely not a catfish; no whiskers and too silvery. A shad, maybe.
I shrugged and tossed the fish to the shore. Next to the fish, I saw two pairs of bare legs. Following them up, I saw Meriel and Fell huddled together; Fell’s cloak wrapped tightly around them. Looking back to the camp, I saw the clothes they laid out in the sun.
The pair stared at the fish I caught with reverence, each giving me a wide grin at the promise of a meal. Fell stuck her arm out of the cloak, not revealing anything explicit, but confirming they were completely bare under there. I blinked several times and focused on the fox-girl’s gestures: Going upriver.
Her eyes took up that gleam and sly smile again. She pointed to her eyes and waved her finger. No peeking, she meant.
I nodded. Shifting my gaze to Meriel, I caught her watching me keenly. Realizing I caught on, she shifted her eyes elsewhere. They exchanged words, but, again, I knew not what they meant. The pair shuffled off slowly, Meriel managing with a small limp.
As they left, I was reminded of Fell’s additional appendage. The tip her fluffy, butterscotch tail swishing side to side beneath the cloak.
They weren’t human. Honestly, I don’t know what the hell they are, and I don’t like that. But what can I do? Ask them? Right. That’ll be one hell of a game of charades.
Whatever they are, Judge thought they were worth saving. I still hate him for that, and I still kind of hate the girls.
Sighing, I stared into the river, waiting for the fish.
If Judge had been less of a virtuous prick, I might’ve been able to mend the artery so that it could’ve clotted. If he hadn’t decided to help the wizard, we’d all still be alive and on Earth. If I had taken better aim, I would’ve completely obliterated that thing with on the carpet.
If.
If anything. Anything at all.
My reflection distorted when I nailed another thrashing fish. Once it was dead, I hauled it out and tossed it next to the other. Given the size, two should be enough for all three of us. Though Fell needs to get her energy back, and Meriel has been toughing it alongside me. I’ll keep going until the fish lose interest.
It’s not like they wanted it to be this way, either. I didn’t want him to go, but he was ready. Let’s not make it a complete waste.
When the bear creature attacked, I feared for the girls. When Meriel and Fell hugged me, I felt relieved.
I blew out an even breath and got into position again, enjoying the tranquility of nature and fishing. I have people to feed, after all.
The girls returned a while later, just after I secured the sixth fish. There was another round of smiles on their wet, hair-plastered faces at the fish pile. They said some words of praise, I think, then excused themselves to the tent after gathering their clothes. It wasn’t until Fell gave me a knowing look that I realized I was staring. She stretched the cloak out and hung it on the end of the branch, making a much-needed tent flap for a little extra security. Or privacy, in this case.
I directed my attention to the late afternoon sky. I must’ve slept for ten hours since last night if the day was already winding down. A gentle wind rolled by then, causing me to feel the noticeable drop in temperature. Being in a foreign world, I couldn’t tell if autumn was approaching, or if spring was still trying to get started.
While contemplating calling it a day, another fish swam into range.
Might as well.
Getting into the zone, I controlled my breathing and got the proper tension ready in my arms and back. Meriel was in my peripheral vision, clothed. Knowing that I’m in the middle of getting another catch, she said nothing and quietly gathered the other fish. I was thankful that she had at least some sense.
I got my attention back solely on the fish and waited until it got in the right spot—the most direct path for the spear. A beat later, I had it skewered — lucky number seven.
I reached into the river and claimed my prize. Getting ready to wade out, I stopped once there was a splash from behind. Jerking around, I didn’t see anything sneaking up on me, or saw anything on either side of the shore.
There was a violent splash, and a heavy weight clung into my right arm, followed by a strong pinch and sting. Yelling and thrashing, I fell into the water and rammed my free fist into the fleshy, scaly side of the thing that chomped on my arm
A barracuda-sized fish had seized me up to the elbow. I managed to crawl out of the water just as Meriel had limped over with a dagger ready. Grabbing a stone from the bank, I clocked the fish over its head once, and it ceased thrashing. The jaws relaxed, then it promptly slipped off my arm and into the shallow waters of the bank. Despite all that, my hand still clutched the other fist it tried to devour.
Gasping, I plopped down to rock, waiting for my heart to stop pounding against my ribcage. I breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the damage. Or lack thereof. The monster-fish’s teeth had barely broken the skin. If anything, the most harm that thing caused was the near heart attack. I tossed the fish from the water’s edge, my right arm feeling and moving fine.
Meriel took a cautious step forward, worry and fear clouding her expression. I grabbed the fin of the substantial fish and hefted it up; the thing weighing a good twenty pounds.
“Dinner,” I said with a dry chuckle.
The fish gave one final hurrah and nailed me in the face with its wide head, knocking me from the rock and into the river. Sitting up, I wiped the water from my eyes, glaring at the now-dead fish. Meriel approached, her mouth wide open, her gaze going from the fish to me a few times.
She snorted, trying to suppress a laugh with her hand, but it escaped. And more followed. Soon, she was holding her belly and laughing boisterously.
“Yeah, yeah, real funny, bitch,” I said, smirking despite myself.
After taking a moment to collect herself, Meriel approached and smiled down while offering a hand, which I accepted. Her smile diminished, and she lightly brushed her fingers along the bite marks. I waved her off and worked my arm a little, showing that it was fine.
There was a breath of wind, and I shivered; the mild air was a lot more noticeable now that I was soaked.
Good thing I took off my—
That thought ended when I saw my clothes floating lazily next to the rock I set them on.
Shit. At least I have spare bottoms.
With a sigh, I scooped up my sopping clothes and boots in one arm, and then nabbed Mini-Jaws with the other. Meriel snickered but contained anymore laughs.
Fell was poking out of the tent on all fours but dropped back down once Meriel commented something. They must’ve moved the sleeping bags in while I was fishing. Speaking of which, most of the other fish were on a flat stone near the fire, cleaned and gutted.
Someone was keeping busy.
Meriel took the large fish from my hand to set it by the others, then she took my wet clothes and plopped it near the fire. She pressed a hand to her chest and then gestured to everything around the fire. I was about to argue, but she pressed her hand to my chest and shook her head slowly. I met her cool gaze, then conceded.
Now that dinner was handled, onto the next order of business: a bath. Going over to my rucksack, I nabbed soap from my hygiene kit, and then the spare underwear and pants. I gave Meriel a heads up and then went upriver behind the bend to bathe in peace. Even though I was just in the water, the dunk back in almost put me into shoc
k, but dammit if it didn’t feel good scrubbing off all the sweat and dirt.
Dressed, I padded back barefoot over the rocks, teeth chattering. I stood as close to the fire as possible without cooking myself to chase the chill away.
Meriel had added a simple wooden rack over the fire during my wash. I was curious as to what it was, but then I saw her laying thin strips of Mini-Jaws on the slats.
I didn’t even consider drying them. Smart.
Once done arranging the meat to dry, she checked the three skewered fish roasting over the flames. With a nod of approval, she called Fell, then handed me a fish. Taking the proffered stick, I took a moment to appreciate the smell. Food. Actual fucking food. And enough water to drown in.
Together, we did nothing but devour fish, taking hearty mouthfuls of water to wash everything down. Ravenous, I ate every single gram of meat, going so far as to eat some bones, too. Hard not to feel self-conscious when the girls ate just as fervently.
Sated, I tossed my stick into the fire. I rubbed my hands and held them near the flames, trying not to shiver. At least we got food in us before dark.
Fell tossed her stick into the fire and then said words that made Meriel stop mid-bite. She finished chewing meekly, and then prodded the coals with her stick, staring as if she had something heavy in mind. She muttered something, and Fell responded with a smile and some soft words. Meriel shot me a glance and then returned her gaze to the fire. After sitting quietly for a couple minutes, Meriel looked to Fell with a shrug.
It always feels like they’re plotting something when they talk like that.
Fell dismissed that notion quickly when she set a gentle hand on my shoulder. With a light tug, she pointed to the tent.
“Uh,” I mumbled, looking to Meriel. She waved me away and made a motion to the fish and fire.
Wanting to get some feeling back into my skin, I followed Fell into the tent. I contemplated taking my rifle or pistol in, but space was tight, and I didn’t want accidents.
Heart of the Resonant- the Soldier's Tale Page 9