Free Trader Complete Omnibus

by Craig Martelle

Micah was anxious to go west, but she understood the burden that Braden carried. She recommended that they take Mel-Ash with them and maybe one of the younger women. If Village McCullough wanted to grow, they needed more men, or at least the opportunity to decide whether they wanted to invite men into their village. The opportunity, she thought, and smiled to herself.

  32 – Loading Up

  Braden loaded the cart quickly, hurrying Mel-Ash and Ipso-Ter, the younger woman, to their positions inside with the trade goods. Micah was concerned that he was angry at something.

  “Slow down,” she said, trying to calm him. He looked at her, his face showing near panic. She pulled him into a hug and whispered in his ear, “It’s going to be okay. Wherever we go, that’s where we were meant to be.”

  He relaxed in her arms. He pulled back a little so he could look into her big brown eyes. Yes. Everything was okay.

  He smiled. “What would I do without you?”

  “I don’t know. Make bad decisions? Do stupid things? Be bored out of your mind?”

  He slapped her firm butt cheek, lingering and thinking how good she felt. Shaking those thoughts from his mind, he knew that getting to the west would wait. He had other trades to complete.

  It was time to get back to work.

  “You ready?” he asked, pointing at the two women in the cart. They waved back, smiling. They sat among bags of mushrooms, a great deal of the Lizard Man rope, and a small sampling of McCullough’s special material.

  As Braden resigned himself with the trip to Village Dwyer, he became curious about many things. He looked forward to seeing Tom’s progress on the smithy, Betty Dwyer’s progress with the three miscreants, and if there were any trade stalls completed. That would show the villagers on both sides what trade was all about. They’d set up the rope in one stall and the mushrooms in another. And then start hawking their wares.

  Micah saw the change in Braden’s demeanor. He was happy and looking forward to a trip that moments before he was dreading. ‘What changed with Braden, Golden Warrior?’ Micah asked with her thought voice.

  ‘My human is excited about the prospect of normal trade. Arriving in a town, as we used to. Setting up in a trade stall, like we used to. Calling all near or far to trade, as he loved to do. This is less about saving the world and more about normalcy.’

  ‘Am I good for him, G?’ she asked.

  ‘Yes,’ the ‘cat replied simply, then added, ‘Hungry.’

  “Yes, G, I know you’re hungry. Go on ahead, we’ll be on our way shortly. You know the route we’ll take.” Braden watched as the ‘cat jumped from the cart and bolted away. “Good hunting, my friend.”

  Micah wondered if Braden heard the rest of her conversation with G-War. No matter. Between them, there were no secrets. The companions guaranteed that.

  33 – Market Square: Open for Business

  As they pulled in to Village Dwyer, Braden and Micah both let out sighs of relief. A number of trade stalls had been completed. The village and the people looked clean.

  A cheer went up from those who saw the caravan arrive. Others rushed to the square. The three village leaders--Mick, Destiny, and Fen--pushed to the front of the group to welcome the visitors from Village McCullough.

  This trip was good for them all. It reinforced what Braden was trying to teach them. This is what good trade was all about. Trust, not fear.

  Braden asked for a little time to get set up in the stalls and asked people to bring the items they were willing to trade. In the meantime, he introduced Mel-Ash and Ipso-Ter to the leaders of Village Dwyer. They talked as they unloaded and prepared to trade.

  People looked curiously at the rope, but the mushrooms drew furled brows. Micah strolled up next to Mel-Ash. “We may have to give out samples. Once they try them, they’ll be hooked,” she said confidently.

  Micah stood back and watched her partner as he turned into Free Trader Braden. He moved with a purpose, set up, always watching for customers. G-War’s observations were perfect. This is what he loved.

  When they were set up, Braden climbed into the back of the cart to stand taller than the growing crowd. “Come one, come all! See these magnificent products, fresh from the Lizard Men of the Amazon Rainforest! Free Trader Braden’s Caravan knows no limits to the trade! We bring you treasures from across Vii! Come! Look! Rope, stronger and lighter than you’ve ever seen before! Look! Mushrooms that take the place of meat. They last longer, an easy meal to keep up your strength while you work away from the village. You’ve never seen anything like them! What do you have to trade? Come one, come all!” Braden projected his voice and waved his arms, entertaining more than driving trades.

  The villagers had limited items, although Ipso-Ter eyed a number of the men. She picked out potential ‘volunteers’ to move to McCullough.

  Braden hawked and cajoled, but most importantly, he taught them that nothing is free. Trade had a price, even if it was only time. In some cases, he traded things now for promises of items in the future. That wasn’t the best trade, but it was the right thing to do by Village Dwyer.

  Old Tom stopped by, delighted with the prospect of the ropes. He needed something strong to help him build his bellows. Braden traded him a few spans of the rope for an axe head, nails, and a hammer that Tom would produce at some time in the future. These were necessary if Braden ever wanted to build a home. It also showed the villagers that Braden placed a high level of importance on building.

  Tom had plans to produce weapons, swords and spear tips, but those would take time. Braden wanted him to work on more important items like the metal parts necessary to build carts and wagons. Many in Village Dwyer saw how such vehicles would help them, even something as simple as making their lives easier moving vegetables from the fields to the village. Braden assured them that he had a good lead on getting beasts of burden. When they left, they’d begin that quest.

  Braden had earned their trust. They believed he would deliver for them, so they could help him expand the trade, build routes that the Free Traders would use.

  Some children stood around, mimicking what Braden was doing. “We want to be Free Traders!” they cried as they bargained among themselves, for rocks and sticks. Micah ruffled their hair and traded a mushroom each for a good rock, which all the children were able to produce.

  The other children spent their time playing with G-War. The villagers took mercy on the cat and made sure that the dogs were under control. They were either closed in the huts, or away from the village with the workers.

  Aadi and Skirill watched from afar. They weren’t fully accepted by the village, but they weren’t shunned. They wanted to give Braden his moment.

  After the trades were complete, they loaded the cart with vegetables, various wood items, and promissory notes that Braden drew up. He read them back to the villagers, one by one. They giggled at their words as they were memorialized in charcoal on stripped bark.

  With one last wave, the caravan rode from Village Dwyer.

  34 - Karma

  They welcomed the vegetables, the wood plates, and the utensils. But the best thing that came back were the stories that Mel-Ash and Ipso-Ter told about Village Dwyer’s friendliness. They felt welcome and had already made friends. They looked forward to returning. They knew they could make it on foot, without Braden, they assured him. They could trade with the Lizard Men without Aadi as well.

  Micah knew what they were doing. They were helping Braden be free. To do what he felt he needed to do, find more villages and bring back creatures that could pull the wagons and carts that Dwyer committed to building.

  They weren’t sure what the terrain was like for the trip west, so they decided to leave the cart behind. By traveling light, they could go further faster.

  They decided to leave when the sun rose. As the villagers were getting accustomed to, whenever the caravan returned from a successful trade, they celebrated. This turn was no different. They celebrated together and then Micah and Braden celebrated in privat
e, with the minds of their companions keeping them company.

  ‘Don’t you feel bad listening in?’ Micah asked over the mindlink after they were finished. She had thrown off their blanket as she was covered in sweat. Braden was already drifting off to sleep.

  ‘We’ve already had this conversation,’ the ‘cat answered.

  ‘Sorry, just thinking.’

  ‘That is how you are afterwards. Your mind is excited and difficult to follow.’ G-War had grown friendlier after their interactions with Village Dwyer. He was almost personable.

  She still felt like he looked down on her as he talked, like a parent talking to a child. ‘Are you and I bonded, G?’

  ‘Yes. When you partnered with my human, you became my human too.’

  ‘But we didn’t partner for a long time after we met, and you talked with me right away,’ she said, a bit surprised.

  ‘In your minds, you did, the moment you met. It was very Hillcat-like. I was impressed.’

  ‘I didn’t know. How could you feel what I couldn’t?’ she asked, confused.

  ‘Because humans are stupid,’ the ‘cat said without hesitation.

  “I guess we are, compared to the all-knowing ass, I mean ‘cat. At least I didn’t get sick at the smell of dog,” she countered out loud.

  ‘Despite the size of human noses, they are poor at what they do. I can’t imagine the meaningless existence of humans who don’t have a ‘cat to tell them what’s important.’ Micah felt Aadi in the background of her mind, laughing the slow, full laugh of a Tortoid. Skirill’s quick chirps of laughter were there, too.

  When Skirill saw her fishing all those moons ago, karma took over and brought her to this point in her life.

  And she wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

  35 – Mutie Birds

  They left as the sun rose. Braden felt lighter than he had in many turns. He galloped ahead, Micah raced to catch up while G-War crouched low, hanging on during the wild ride. Aadi bounced along happily behind Micah. Skirill soared overhead.

  Things were as they were meant to be.

  They passed the rainforest road quickly and kept going, keeping the edge of the Amazon in their view to the left. They took a break at mid-daylight so each could hunt. Even Aadi was successful in his hunt, when he found grubs infesting a sodden tree trunk. The daylight was perfect. Not too hot, not too cold. The sun shone brightly.

  They should have known that perfect wasn’t meant for them.

  ‘They come,’ was the first warning they received from G-War. ‘From the north, coming fast.’ They looked, but couldn’t see anything.

  ‘The sky,’ Skirill added, panic in his thought voice. They looked up and saw a cloud that wasn’t a cloud. Black birds packed a spot in the sky so densely, light couldn’t get through. The dark spot in the sky bobbed and weaved as it approached.

  “Skirill, I think you should get down here.” The Hawkoid agreed and made a turn to come back, flying as hard as he could.

  Suddenly, the cloud of birds stopped their dance in the sky and headed directly for them, cutting Skirill off.

  “Find cover!” Braden yelled as he and Micah jumped on the horses and raced for the tree line. Aadi was already there and G-War was under a tree, safe from any attack from above.

  The cloud of birds arrived as Braden and Micah reached the edge of the rainforest. Sharp claws hit, but their tunics protected their backs. Their exposed arms and heads were raked, as were the horses’ flanks. Max and Pack plunged into the woods, crazed from the pain. The humans jumped off. Micah pulled her sword and started waving it in a circle around her. Braden had his recurve bow out, swinging it like a club, knocking down some of the grisly creatures.

  A thunderclap sounded in the opening before them, knocking a great number of birds from the air. The rest flew out of the rainforest, but circled for another attack. The humans stomped the birds on the ground to kill them. These weren’t normal birds.

  Mutants.

  Their wings had some feathers, but were mostly fibrous skin. Their claws were oversized and sharp. They had faces with mouths, not beaks. They looked like bats, but with the bodies of ravens. Braden thought this in an instant before the mutants were back. He pulled his long knife and swung it, trying to cut their wings. Micah was jabbing fiercely and rapidly with her sword. The ‘cat prowled the ground, dispatching wounded mutants. The scratches on his back and bite out of his ear suggested he was less than successful in avoiding their attacks.

  Skirill screeched as he attacked the cloud from behind. He was far bigger than the mutie birds, but he was vastly outnumbered. Skirill used his speed and size to crash against them, knocking many out of the sky, before trying to fly away for another attack. The smaller mutie birds were on him in a heartbeat. He rolled, attempting to shake them off, but failed. They went down in a heap.

  Braden’s long knife was a blur as he sliced his way through the biting and scratching cloud. Micah stopped their attack as her sword danced in a tight circle around her, too fast for the eye to follow.

  Another thunderclap and a large hole was punched into the cloud. The attack let up as the mutie birds quickly flew from the woods to regroup.

  Braden ran toward Skirill, using his long knife to peel two of the mutants off the Hawkoid. Skirill raised his head and a dead mutie bird dropped from his beak. A mutant struggled in each claw as he shook one to death and bit the head off the other. He staggered a few steps and flopped over.

  Braden stood over him, ready to face a new attack.

  The remaining mutie birds had no stomach for more. They left their injured fellows behind as they flew away to the north.

  The companions made quick work of the survivors. Aadi was the only one not bleeding. He swam after the horses so Braden and Micah could tend to the ‘cat and Hawkoid, as well as to their own wounds. They needed Aadi to come back quickly with the horses because their numbweed was in the saddle packs. They had some in their belt pouches, but not enough. Even with that on the horses, there wouldn’t be enough to treat all the wounds.

  G-War was in pain, but his wounds weren’t bad. The bite out of his ear wouldn’t grow back. He was scarred for life. It added personality, made him look mean.

  Skirill had the worst of it. His feathers were pulled out and he bled from numerous bite marks. It would be a while before he would fly again. They rubbed numbweed on the bites at his wingroots. These were the most important to heal properly. They used almost all the numbweed on those wounds, which left the ones on his neck and chest. They needed their flasks to wash the injuries. Where was Aadi?

  Micah tried to rub the last of her numbweed on a deep scratch on Braden’s neck. He winced and pulled her hand away. If anyone was going to get the last of it, he wanted it to be Micah. She adamantly refused, so they settled on using the last of what they had on a deep cut in G-War’s side.

  36 – Treating Wounds

  Micah stood guard over the Hawkoid and ‘cat as Braden jogged into the woods in search of Aadi and the horses.

  The Lizard Men found him first, surprising him as they materialized out of a tree. The Lizard Men looked alike to him, so he wasn’t sure if he had met this one before. It wore no leggings, so maybe he hadn’t. They stood there looking at each other. Braden realized that he still had his long knife in his hand. He put it into the sheath on his belt, then reached forward to touch the Lizard Man’s chest. The Lizard Man raised his spear in a flash and knocked Braden’s arm away, then thrust toward him. Braden twisted just enough so the spear hit him at an angle and slid off the firm fibers of his tunic.

  Braden grabbed the spear with one hand and the wrestling match began as they each tried to throw the other off. Braden would have liked to take his long knife back out, but feared he couldn’t hold the spear with one hand. They pushed and pulled, trying to knock the other from his feet. Braden was starting to weaken, the Lizard Man gaining the upper hand.

  Micah’s sword chopped through both of the Lizard Man’s forearms in one
mighty downswing. He looked at her, confused, before running off into the rainforest, dark red blood spurting from the stumps of his arms.

  “What the crap was that about?” Micah blurted out. “Aadi!”

  Aadi finally showed back up with the horses in tow. They told him what had happened with the Lizard Man. Aadi was not surprised. Not all of the Lizard Men believed in Zalastar. There were some renegades, but they were very few, Aadi assured them.

  “You couldn’t have told us this before?” Braden asked incredulously.

  ‘How would you have acted if I did?’ The Tortoid answered the question with a question.

  “We would have been more careful!” Braden exclaimed.

  ‘Exactly. You would not have trusted all of the Lizard Men because of the beliefs of very few,’ the Tortoid responded. He was right, they thought. The Lizard Men as a whole did not hold the actions of the young mother against her when she kicked at one of them. The humans should show the same level of trust.

  “You continue to be wise, Master Aadi, I mean Aadi. Thank you for that, but next time, please be wise before I get a spear through my heart, not after.” He patted the Tortoid’s shell, before stroking his neck a few times.

  They used the remainder of the numbweed on Pack and Max, who had significant rips across their flanks. Braden and Micah would do without. They used all their water washing out their wounds. They put Skirill into one saddle, using some of the light Lizard Man rope to hold him in place, and put G-War on the other. Braden and Micah walked to keep the load light on the injured animals.

  “Creatures like that exist? They’re horrible,” Micah offered. It was still the same daylight from when they left Village McCullough earlier. Braden absentmindedly turned back the way they’d come.

  “The world conspires against us. I guess we’re not allowed to be too happy.” Braden rested his hand on her shoulder. She winced as claw gashes criss-crossed what had been milky smooth skin. Her wounds would leave scars. The scars on his back from G-War were far worse than the scratches from the mutie birds. What’s one more scar, he thought.