Untamed Gift (Book One of the Items Trilogy)

by H. Lee Morgan, Jr

Chapter 15

  Both of their backs stiffened as they abruptly stopped from the sound of the deep, commanding voice.

  Lily looked to Alex from under long pallid lashes as her left hand went down to the handle of her rectangular sword. Alex tightened her wrapped arm to his ribs and shook his head almost unnoticeably. He on the other hand tightened his grip on the staff as Lily reluctantly removed her hand from the short sword. She was putting her trust in him and that is difficult for her. She would rather cut first and ask questions later. She liked being in control of the situation, every situation, but her unique methods were still an option if things went sour.

  Slowly turning around, Alex stepped back and Lily stepped forward to spin and face the voice. As they spun they realized it wasn’t the guard who called to them but actually a middle aged man in his early fifties. She looked at Alex approvingly and smiled because she would have killed an innocent person. She squeezed his arm in return, but didn’t let go. She instead moved slightly closer to appear they cared for each other. It made his heart race because his feelings were genuine, even if she was only acting.

  The man before them wore a worn out brown tunic and pants. There was something oddly shaped, bulging from his pants pocket, but no weapon other than a small knife in his boot threatened them. Recognition hit the lad from one of the bearded men they passed earlier, who was working on a fishing net down at the docks. His beard reached a broad breast and he was used to hard labor for his physique exuded that fact. He had a large barreled chest and even larger legs. He stood a cautious fifteen paces away, with his arms crossed over his chest. Dark brown eyes carefully scrutinized the pair.

  Alex smiled at the man and made sure they were alone with a swift scan of the dark streets; they were. “Is there something we can help you with, good sir?”

  His voice was husky. “Maybe,”

  “Does this have any reason to do with you following us from the docks?” Lily stiffened slightly, not realizing they were being followed for so long.

  The man broke into a grin. “That it does.” Then he looked around the surrounding as well before speaking casually. His stance didn’t relax though. “Is it just you two or are there more?”

  Lily then spoke. “It depends on what you are after from us.”

  “Well said young lady. I’ve been following the two of you ever since I saw those special rings you are both wearing properly.” Alex’s fist tightened even more on the staff and Lily’s hand slowly came to rest on the hilt of her sword once again. “Easy now, there is no need to be frightened of me. Let me show you why.” He uncrossed his large arms to reveal scarred and calloused hands. On his right index finger was a single silver ring with an engraved leaf. “As you can plainly see I’m one of the good guys.” He then slightly relaxed his posture. “I’ve heard that you have need to cross the lake and I’ve got your solution to cross it. I’ll help, but I’ll need some help in return. By the way, I’m Kallel.”

  “Just because you have the ring doesn’t mean all that much to me.” Alex stated casually and Kallel grinned with cryptic respect. “Answer me this one question. In Trade City, who is the very first person one must meet to get the approval to join?”

  “Ah, you are one who mistrusts. That is a good quality to have. It will keep your head on your shoulders that much longer. Very well, Lad. The answer is Takka. Only he can give permission for the first step of the journey in that location. There are others, of course, but not within Nicronane’s mightiest city.”

  Alex looked at Lily and nodded, he was indeed correct. Lily understood the look he gave her; Kallel was a friend, maybe. She unwove her arm from his, but now he wanted the connection back. She stood completely straight while still grasping her items. She spoke clearly to Kallel. “We will be glad to help if it means making more progress in our journey. Aye, there are three others who are with us, but some of our companions might…frighten you.”

  “All the same, I must meet who I’m to travel with.”

  “Alright Kallel, follow me.” Alex looked at Lily. “You take the rear.”

  Casually Alex walked silently down the street, Kallel followed his steps cautiously, and Lily took the back. If the man were to do anything against Alex he could trust Lily to strike the man down before he stepped one hair out of line.

  They passed through Greeton without any danger and they soon spotted Clift grazing on some grass and Marlin lounging on the side of the road. Since it was so dark, Marlin couldn’t see them all that well. He saw three bodies walking towards him and he stood, cane at the ready. “Alex, is that you?” He sighed in relief once he found out that it was his friend and Lily and they had a visitor. “Thank goodness. I couldn’t get anywhere while scouring the town. Not a single person wanted to help nor were there any available jobs as deckhands or anything closely resembling honest work. I hope you found better luck.”

  “I did. Marlin, this is Kallel.”

  Kallel and Marlin grasped the other’s wrist. They exchanged greetings and then Kallel asked the group “So who else is there? You said there were two more.”

  “Clift, come over and meet Kallel.” Clift stopped grazing and walked over to scent the new person. And the new member looked at Alex strangely. He didn’t understand what Alex had done.

  “Did you just…” He stopped once Clift began sniffing the back of his head. “Is this horse to travel with you?” Marlin said Clift was a valued companion and goes with them everywhere, without sounding angered. “Alright now who is this third one who’s supposed to frighten me?”

  “Shade, I know you’re behind those bushes. Rise up behind me.” It wasn’t that Alex could necessarily see him, but it was like he could feel where Shade waited. Their connection always allowed the other to know where they were. It was a comforting feeling. A shadow streaked from under some bushes, crossed the road and ran underneath Alex without making a single sound.

  “Why did you just make those awful…” Kallel’s eyes widened when his question cut short. The wide eyes of Kallel looked at the ground behind the tall young man and slowly followed Shade as he appeared from behind. Kallel’s body began to shake in fear as Shade laid his head atop Alex’s right shoulder. The curved sabers easily missed his chest. “Is… is that a… a…”

  “Shadow Fang?” Alex asked to finish Kallel’s questioning sentence. “Aye, he his,” Kallel went sheet white, even under his dark sailor’s tan. “This is Shade. You do not need to worry about him, he will not harm you. You have my word.” He glanced between Shade and the other Freelan member. “Kallel, come up and meet him.” When he didn’t move Alex spoke to Shade. “Go over and introduce yourself properly.”

  Shade grinned, which almost made Kallel faint. Shade took his head off his elder brother’s shoulder and walked around to make an introduction. Shade carefully walked to Kallel and looked him in the eye while taking in his scent for future reference. He then turned his large head to meet Alex’s gray sight and stated “He smells almost like the shipping boat we took to reach the mainland. He smells of fish, wood and salt.”

  “That he does. Come back here and give him time to process us.” Shade turned and walked back over to his side.

  Shade sat on his haunches by Alex’s side. Lily came up and began stroking his bulky head absentmindedly. Then she began humming a beautiful melody which sent Alex’s pulse fluttering. Both Marlin and Clift also walked over to stand with them. Kallel just stood there gawking at the group like they were traveling performers or traders with the strangest wares. They all waited silently while he processed their pack.

  It took almost an hour before Kallel could speak coherently. “So you’re saying all five of you need to go together?”

  “I am.” Alex stated while finally being glad Kallel’s awkward silence ended, but disheartened that Lily quit humming a slow cheerful melody for a fourth time. It seemed she only knew the one, but it remained forever sweet. “Will there be any problems with my companions?”

  He cleared his throat
. “Nay, but do you remember our agreement?”

  “We help you and you’ll help us.”

  “Good. Follow me and I’ll explain what needs be done. Can your fiend hide? Like before?” he was referring to Shade and Alex nodded.

  Soon all of them walked back into the torch lit town of Greeton, but they stayed to the outskirts and the shadows to avoid detection. The entire group had to remain absolutely quiet as they followed Kallel.

  A half hour later they spotted a hidden trail behind an old abandoned building. It was also a stone’s throw to the lake. It was dark, but Kallel borrowed a torch to lead them down a dreary path. Shade and Alex walked in the back of the line while Marlin, Lily and Clift stayed close to their guide. Once they were completely alone Kallel began telling what the outlandish group needed to do for him. “It has been many seasons since I’ve seen another member of Freelan who has needed help in crossing the lake. I have been stationed here for several years to aid those who need to get deeper into Alluan. Because of the lack of people requesting my aid, I’ve been a little too lax myself. The boat that I’ve got needs repairs before we even think of casting off. So with your promise to help it’ll be in worthy form that much faster.” He then glanced back at them all. “By the look of it, you have been traveling for a very long time.”

  “What gave us away?” Marlin asked jokingly, but Kallel took it an honest question.

  “You are all quite fit and your clothes look to be falling apart at the seams. Even your leader seems to have worn his shoes clean off.”

  “Who? Alex?” Lily asked and then turned to look at his large, bare feet. “He never wears shoes to begin with.”

  Kallel turned and looked in the back. “So, Alex is it?” Alex nodded and continued walking along with everyone. “I admire your courage, but isn’t it dangerous to walk barefooted all the time?”

  “It can be, but it is my problem if I’m ever injured.”

  He said “Hmm” and then went back to his earlier subject. “As I was saying, you all have traveled a very long time and must need new clothing and supplies. If you’ll help me harvest from my garden or find some wild game, I have a store owner who I use, when I need to sell my goods. Whatever I make can go to getting your supplies and repairs to my ship. What do you say?”

  Marlin and Lily looked to Alex for advice. He looked at Shade and told him what was said. Shade grinned and said “Tell him it will be more than a fair trade. We need soap and you need to get your own knife to help me with my prey. Oh and Lily has been explaining about a fascinating item called a brush. Could you get one for me?”

  Changing his voice back to that of a human Alex said “Shade says he’d like that. So our answer is aye.”

  “Glad to hear it.” Kallel said while laughing. “So you can communicate with a fiend? That sure must be a special item you’ve got.” Marlin and Lily looked at Alex again and he shook his head slowly. They knew not to explain his abilities to a stranger; even if he is Freelan. Too much is still at stake. “I wonder what Mary has cooked us up for supper? She’ll be astounded about our new guests, after so long. Not to worry, we have enough guest rooms inside my home for each of you.”

  They walked the trail for another hour while listening to their guide babble on and on about himself until he finally stated “Were here.”

  They followed his lead as they entered a suitable sized farm from the west side. There were two large buildings, one was his two story home while the other was mainly a horse and chicken barn. The home had several candle lit windows, which meant someone was home and busy with something because smoke and other delicious scents blew out from the chimney. The stalls and coop were just the right size to stable up to four horses, but there were only two already stabled within.

  The farmland itself was separated into two different plots of growing resources. One held harvestable vegetables and the other held fruit bearing trees and berry bushes. It was a nice piece of property for a man to own who didn’t have many farmhands to help. It was slightly larger than Alex’s old home, which brought back both happy and terrible memories. The worst memory was reliving a brilliant tower of flame consuming his home.

  The building clouds above stole Alex’s attention and he stated “It is going to rain very soon. Maybe we should pick up the pace.” Everyone took his warning seriously and quickened their gaits.

  The lake’s waves were lapping against the nearby bank, but Alex was unable to see the water through thickly overgrown bushes. Off to the south end of the farm was a wide path, leading to the main road presumably. It was easy to realize that was how Kallel usually travels to the town, to remain hidden in enemy territory, but be in plain sight. They had taken a secret route to his home.

  They all made it to Kallel’s home and he stopped on the entry way. “Alex, I’m sorry, but my home isn’t large enough to fit your fiend. I’m sorry but he must stay out here. There is plenty of room inside my barn for both him and your horse.”

  “I understand. I’ll stay out here with them then.” Alex said in complete understanding because of their large size, but Kallel took it like he’d insulted a guest. “I didn’t mean it disrespectfully. It’s just…” he stammered.

  “Don’t worry about me. I’m used to it. We’ll be just fine.” Alex looked to Lily and Marlin. They didn’t want to separate from him, but he said “The two of you go ahead on in. It will feel good to have a bed to sleep on after so long. Enjoy the respite he’s offered, the two of you deserve it. You’ll know where to find me if anything should occur.” Tension and pity crossed their faces, but he truly wanted them to relax after such a rough journey. “Besides, I’ll have a roof too.”

  He made his expression say; go on ahead. We will be fine. It won’t be the first time I’ve stayed outside for a night. Please enjoy yourselves. You need it more than I do and I hope it feels great.

  Alex patted Clift’s flank and Shade’s rib to gain their attention. With a simple gesture for them to follow they did so without any regret or grumbling. As they walked towards the stalls Clift eventually said “Do we have to stay in there?” because he had too many memories of being confined inside because his human slavers only let him out when they needed to keep his strength.

  “The gate won’t be shut on you, I’ll see to it. You may do as you’d like, but Shade and I need to get some much needed rest, plus it would be welcome to have a roof over our heads after so long.” Shade agreed with Alex’s assessment and his golden eyes were getting heavy. He was about to drift into his dreams if he stayed awake for much longer.

  Once the other horses saw Shade they began to spook. They neighed in terror while trying to kick their way to freedom from the closed stall. Clift trotted up to them so they could understand that Shade wasn’t going to eat them. Shade chuckled at his well deserved reputation. It took very little time as Clift calmed his brethren. Then Shade and Alex made their way inside the barn when Clift said that they would do their best to remain calm with a predator in their midst.

  They arrived at the stalls moments before the rain began to pour. The stable door remained open as Clift entered an empty stall and began eating some fresh hay. Alex gathered more dried grass, from a fresh pile in the barn’s corner, and tossed more inside Clift’s stable. Once he was content for the night it was time to make up the last stall for the two of them.

  More hay was used in the last open stall, to make a softer pallet on the solid soil ground for them. After spreading it out evenly, Shade tested the work by laying down first. He grunted, in relaxing pleasure, and then looked to his brother. “Good work. Now we can finally rest in comfort after so long journeying. I’d like to hear what all the man said.”

  As he laid on his side Alex laid his head against Shade’s ribs, listening to his powerful breathing and heartbeat. For the next thirty minutes Shade and Alex discussed what Kallel said and figured on what they could possibly do to assist him. During their slow discussion someone came sloshing through the rain, coming in their immediate di
rection. The steps were quick, to avoid the rain as much as possible. The person wasn’t being silent.

  As Alex sat up, Shade turned his head in the same direction. They wanted to know who chanced coming to see them in such dreary weather. Someone was using a lit torch because the dark ceiling turned into a flickering dark orange. The flames came closer and rounded the stall they resided in. Then a petite head poked around the corner, carefully. “Oh my; my husband wasn’t joking about a Shadow Fang being in our barn.”

  Before them was their host’s wife, Mary. She stood shorter and thinner than Kallel, but she seemed pleasant and welcoming. Her hair was a soft brown that laid down her back and across her shoulders. She wore a nightdress that was wet from the rain, but why had she come out? Then her arms moved and drew their attention away from her presence. In one hand she held a burning torch and in the other held a large covered wicker basket. She had a motherly aspect to her expression which was comforting.

  Standing up in greeting, he asked “May I help you with something, Mary?”

  She was still looking at Shade in wonder. Since he is one of the Big Three, it is unknown to see such a wild predator lurking inside your barn. Then she looked up at the tall boy and smiled. “Oh I’m sorry for my conduct. I wanted to bring you out some of the dinner that was remaining from our evening meal. I couldn’t have any of my guests going hungry with so much food in our home, now could I? My husband told me that your group was traveling with an actual Shadow Fang and I had to see it for myself.” She sat the basket down and said “There is much I still need to do. We haven’t had guests in a very long time and I need to prepare the rooms for your companions. Rest well…umm…both of you.” She smiled and then left without either of them able to tell her thanks.

  Inside the basket were three large loaves of bread, two carrots and a large piece of salted meat. Shade ate two of the loaves and they split the remaining evenly. After eating their meal, they resumed talking before falling into their dreams. Before they fell asleep though, neither Marlin nor Lily came back outside to see if they were alright.

  Alex truly hoped they were enjoying the guest rooms.

  Before the sun graced the sky Alex awoke, feeling remarkably sprightly. The hay bedding had been remarkably softer than the hard ground he’s slept on for months. There was a string that wasn’t being used in the barn so he took it to wrap on his staff. He put the sling over his chest and the staff didn’t get in the way as his body moved. Alex now understood why his uncle wrapped his item this way when his hands were both occupied.

  Wanting an early start, Alex found the wagon behind the barn and it had been rained on all night. It was larger than his old wagon and could be pulled by the two steeds still asleep in their stalls. The wagon had four large wheels made of wood and reinforced with metal. The bed was made from worn wooden planks, but it would still work adequately for transportation. The harvesting tools were on the side of the building, fortunately they were still sharp and in good condition. He tossed three pairs of well worn work gloves onto the wagon seat along with a hand held scythe, a pair of shears and a hoe. Alex held the hoe for a few moments in remembering his uncle’s. After placing the tool inside the wagon he grabbed several large wooden baskets that were stacked neatly inside the barn.

  After checking that he had what would be needed Alex pulled the lead ropes until the wagon began rolling. He learned to roll up his pants legging in wet weather long ago. The rain turned the soil to mud and it made pulling the wagon slightly more difficult. As he pulled the wagon it suddenly became too easy.

  Alex stopped and the wagon did as well. He had gotten stronger, but his struggle with the mud made it too difficult for the pulling of it to be this easy. His suspicions were revealed when a large and furry, ebony head with golden eyes lifted itself above the bed of the wagon. “I just wanted to help.” Shade said with a wolfish grin.

  “I appreciate the assistance.” Shade grinned even more and butted his head against the wagon again, once Alex began pulling.

  There was a large path between the vegetables and the fruit plots. They moved around the front of the silent house. With Shade’s help, they moved the wagon onto the muddy path and stopped when they were close enough to the harvestable crops.

  At this time of year Kallel had planted carrots, cabbage, squash and tomatoes. The only ones that could be harvested right now were the carrots and the tomatoes. On the other side were apple and orange trees along with red raspberries, mulberries and blueberry bushes. Only the raspberries berries could be picked because the other plants had only begun to flower.

  Sliding on a pair of gloves first, he grabbed a basket and the hand held scythe.

  As Alex began walking across the field Shade said “I’m unable to assist you in harvesting the vegetation, but I’m capable of something else.” His head turned towards to the tree line, his ears attuning to begin the search for food. “I’ll go hunting and see if I can bring back some meat. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  Shade then sprinted into the woods while avoiding the more delicate crops. Then with a powerful leap, he cleared a bush and vanished.

  Walking up to the tall row of wires that the tomato vines had crawled onto, he began the familiar task. The wires reached five feet high. There was a ladder nearby but it was unneeded. The tomatoes were red, plump and juicy. They were almost all ready to be harvested, only a few needed more time. The vines are hard to cut without ripping the fruit from the green stem so it requires a sharp blade to harvest it and keep the tomatoes beauty, without bruising the meat. He knew he’d need to be careful dealing with the scythe.

  He sat down the bucket and gripped scythe more securely to begin collecting the top row of tomatoes. It took a few tries to get the technique down again, but tomato picking became easier. When picking the tomatoes he’d hold four at a time in one hand before depositing them in a basket carefully, before doing it all over again.

  On the fourteenth deposit, the first bucket was completely filled. He left the scythe by the ladder while he lifted the bucket of tomatoes. The work was strenuous and he quickly began to perspire. After loading one bucket he grabbed five more to bring over. It had gotten warmer, even at this early hour, so Alex left his tunic on the wagon. He became almost instantly cooler without it and he still wore the staff slung over his exposed back.

  By the time he finished filling the eighth bucket a familiar voice shouted in the distance. “Good morning, Alex! Already working I see.”

  Morning had broken as Marlin walked over with a mischievous smile etched on the corners of his mouth. Someone had a great night. He was in freshly washed clothes and had shaven properly. It had been three days himself so Alex’s beard was still short and bristled. Even Marlin’s hair had been cut shorter than last night’s style. He was wearing a new, but old, pair of leather boots. Kallel probably loaned them so that Marlin could work the farm.

  He finally made his way over. Alex hooked the scythe on one of the wires so he could speak casually. “You’re looking great this morning. How was it inside?” Like I really needed to ask? You look to be bubbling over with joy. I’m surprised you aren’t doing back flips or doing a jig. Your spirits are refilled, and being well rested helped you too. I know the feeling all too well. At least don’t start explaining everything too quickly like a child who’s eaten too many sweets. Alex thought wildly.

  Marlin stretched his neck while smiling. “It was wonderful to be inside a home once again. The beds were all stuffed with down feathers and it was paradise for sleeping. I haven’t slept that well in ages, least not since our journey began. And then there were two buckets and a mirror when I woke up this morn. I shaved and cleaned up. It is the simple luxuries you miss once you don’t have them.” He praised the hosts and the home for several more minutes before going quiet. His favorite subject was the home cooked meals that reminded him of his mother. It only served to remind Alex again that Marlin too has lost his family. Then Marlin scanned the surroundings. “Wher
e is Shade?”

  Alex told him what Shade was up to and Marlin understood. He then asked “Could you give me a hand carrying these back to the wagon?” Pointing to the last three filled buckets.

  He said he would. Alex hoisted one bucket up and Marlin had a much more difficult time holding the heavy food, while walking through the mud. By the time he made it to the wagon Alex was already back with his second filled bucket. Marlin still needed help with lifting his load above the bed’s ledge.

  Marlin sat down and wiped his forehead. “What’s next, Alex?”

  “If you arrange the buckets, I’ll start gathering up the carrots.”

  He liked the idea and Alex walked over to grab the hoe.

  It was difficult to not to hear Marlin shuffling and sliding the heavy buckets into a reasonable configuration. While he did that, Alex began pulling up carrots with the hoe. The gloves protected his hands from the greenery that announced where the stems of the root tubers lay underneath the soil. Whenever one carrot was too stubborn to be pulled, the hoe was used to dig it out. When a bundle was large enough he’d scoop them up and place them inside the wagon.

  While his friend continued working Marlin walked over to check on Clift.

  It seemed Clift enjoyed his night as well, despite being in a stable again.

  Not long after Alex’s second trip of carrot carrying, he felt that someone was watching him. His stomach felt off and all of the fine hairs on the back of his neck stood on end to alert him to being watched. Someone kept staring at him, but there wasn’t any threat from whoever it was.

  He slowly turned around to see Lily watching with a curious expression. It was only an hour after the sun cleared the eastern trees when she came out. There was a faint breeze that shuffled her pure white hair. Her hair had also been cut, but was trimmed evenly to the nape of her neck. Her violet eyes seemed to be studying something odd about Alex. Her fair complexion, beauty and expression sent a chill down his spine. Still she wore his old clothes and they were still a little big on her, but they too had been washed. She was also given a new pair of leather shoes, but they were smaller than Marlin’s pair. Kallel and Mary were being so generous in their hospitality. Lily stood with a hand on each hip; and hanging to each luscious curve were her items. She couldn’t remember where she’s seen someone that holds such a striking resemblance to Alex. It was the first time she’s ever seen him without a shirt on and he was indeed built solid.

  Alex stood and her curious eyes followed the transition. He walked up close to her, smiled and then asked “Is there something on your mind?”

  Lily eyes narrowed slightly while looking at his torso. She spoke in an even voice, but he could hear inner frustration. “You are well muscled now, compared to looking like a skeleton upon our first encounter.” Then she looked at his face more closely and studied it almost in a new light. “You really look much like someone I know, but I cannot quite remember where I recognize those features… I can swear I’ve seen someone like you before. The two of you look so similar, but I cannot quiet place who the resemblance belongs to.” Then her voice turned to complete irritation. “This is frustrating…”

  A disarming smile appeared on his lips. “Does that mean he’s looks good too?” Lily’s face flushed, but she didn’t look away.

  She then changed the subject. “Are you finished loading?”

  “Almost, I just need to put this last bundle in the wagon.”

  “I will inform our hosts then.” Lily turned and walked back to the house.

  Once the wagon was completely loaded Kallel and Mary came out to see the finished progress and results of the morning’s work. His wife now wore brown pants and a brown tunic and so too did Kallel. Apparently they were aware that Alex completed almost all of the work by himself. They then walked over to the barn to strap their horses to the wagon. They asked where Shade went and Alex told them how he went out to hunt.

  Before he realized it, Mary was urging the steeds forward. Alex grabbed his tunic just in time before she left with the supplies. Kallel laughed when he voiced his opinion about her going alone to the market when there were so many hidden dangers. He then told Alex that her item could stun multiple opponents and she was more than capable of protecting herself.

  Once Mary rode out of sight, Marlin, Lily and Alex listened to Kallel. “… comes back you’ll get your money. While she’s gone though, how about we get started working on repairing my boat? I have some spare materials in the barn and once my wife comes back she’ll have more.”

  With four hammers, a bucket of nails, tar, and wooden planks they left the barn to begin another chore that would speed their progress. Clift was grazing over in the soft grass, not paying anyone any mind.

  There was a path to the lake, but it had been overgrown by the bushes. Kallel stated that he was sorry about not keeping things trimmed. Like shrubbery would stop us from continuing on? He didn’t know what they’ve been through nor did he know their capabilities. Alex walked right behind Marlin while carrying the heavy bucket of tar and the nails. Lily carried the hammers while Kallel and Marlin carried several of the planks together. It took several minutes to finally get out of the thick bushes and onto the trail that led down to the expansive lake.

  The sounds of the water splashing the shore became louder and the moist breeze calmed everyone’s mind and cooled the body. That was alright until they got a good look at the boat Kallel spoke of, if you could call it one. Alex couldn’t stop himself from exclaiming in a horrifying tone “That boat looks more like a barely floating log!” Marlin struggled not to laugh, but once Kallel started, he couldn’t stop himself.

  While they laughed, Alex turned around to look at Lily. She was peering over his shoulder and then she grimaced once she saw what he did. Her purple eyes shifted to meet his grey. Her understanding was an understatement. “We have a lot of work to do.”

  They continued walking down the trail that led to a dock, which looked to be in the same miserable condition. The dock rocked under foot and there were many missing planks, those that remained felt coated in slime. Alex’s toes didn’t enjoy the sensation. The wood was still slick from rain, which meant they all had to be more observant where they stepped. They continued walking until arriving at the end, where the ship was anchored and tied to the dock.

  The boat was battered and weather warped from neglect and inactivity. It was a moderately sized vessel that could carry all of them easily, but it would take some time to repair. The single rudder at the aft of the boat was barely connected to the ship by a single rusty hinge. Algae had encased the entire underside of the boat while the sides had dangerously warped wood that had torn the nails right out some of the ships ribbing. Then there was the two masts, they were each broken to a degree and the smaller forward one looked more like a sharpened spike because it had broken in half, the remaining rotten pole laid in the water.

  Kallel picked up a wooden ramp and laid it across to the boat. He and Marlin then walked up the ramp and soon Lily and Alex followed. The deck was in the same, if not worse, shape than the outside of the boat. Many of the panels were warping up and some had rotted holes within the wood. On one corner was a dissolving sail that was completely unusable. A deformed steering wheel on the highest level at the back of the boat also needed repairs. There were only three wooden handles on a half ring that connected the wheel to the post. Alex didn’t even want to see the shape of the forward broken mast, that mostly lay in the lake, but the one that still stood could be repaired, without being completely replaced. It would be feasible to repair it. Then there was a hole to the lower level, because the door panel was also missing.

  This ship was pitiful to behold.

  The boat rocked with the lake’s waves as Kallel spoke. “We first need to fix the lower levels before anything else.” He then led the way down the hole.

  The only thing on the boat that was in modest condition were the stairs. On the lower level they all sighed in relief. There was only an in
ch or so of standing water and the lower level was lit from the holes and cracks on the top deck. The air was damp and musty, but bearable. Algae grew rampantly down here, but not enough to worry about at the moment.

  For the next few hours they patched the small holes with the planks that were below the water line. Then there were several wooden buckets down here, which they used to scoop the water out and dump the contents back in the lake. Once most of the water was bucketed out, they watched where the water trickled in through small cracks; they were then plugged with the sticky tar. They continued patching every other hole with the dark putty because the planks were all used. There weren’t any more visible leaks below the water line just as the sun began to hide behind the trees.

  Kallel called their work to an end, for the day.

  When the group returned back to the farm, Mary had returned and so had Shade. The wagon sat by the barn and was loaded with more repairing material. Lily about lost it when Kallel saw what his wife was doing. He went sheet white again at the sight because she was petting Shade, smiling tenderly.

  Shade sat on his haunches while Mary reached up to scratch his head, especially behind his ears to make his foot thump. He towered over her, even as he sat. She looked like a small toy doll comparatively. It was a welcome and innocent sight. His golden eyes were closed and his head was down because he enjoyed the attention and all the affection. His sabers were touching his chest and Alex could actually hear him rumbling in pleasure. She had on a childlike grin as she gave him even more interest by cooing sweet nothings in his relaxed ears.

  Kallel’s voice quivered as he asked “My love, what are you doing?”

  She stopped scratching as she finally noticed their arrival. Shade lifted his head and grinned. “Did I do something wrong? He arrived here a few minutes ago and he allowed me to come up and greet him. He looked lonely and this is the first time I’ve ever seen a Shadow Fang, let alone pet one. He seems so calm and gentle that I just wanted to try. Come close, his pelt is so soft…”

  Lily, Marlin and Alex shared a look and began laughing.

  Later that night, Shade said that all of the wild game in the nearby area was either too small or too young to be worthy of his time. Alex was proud that he will only hunt those who have lived a full life.

  As for the evening meal, Mary declared that everyone would eat together so they moved a large table outside, but behind the house just incase someone dropped by. They all sat together and ate in a pleasant atmosphere, but Shade chose to sit with his newest friend. Mary kept openly feeding Shade pieces of her meal, they were becoming close.