The women of the village rolled out to meet them. Time had treated them well. A number wore swords proudly, while others carried bows. Everyone was armed in some way. Mel-Ash greeted them kindly.
Braden looked at Micah and nodded for her to go ahead.
“What do you think about doing a little trading? We found people who have these mushrooms.” She took one from the pack and rinsed it off for the Elder. “It’s safe to eat. Go ahead.” Mel-Ash screwed up her face before taking the tiniest bite. Satisfied it was safe, she ate the whole thing.
“Who are these people, and where are they?” she asked suspiciously. She knew there weren’t any villages between McCullough and the rainforest road.
“They are the Lizard Men of the Amazon Rainforest,” Braden replied. “They are our friends and provided this sample to show what they are willing to trade for your special woven material. We hope your material will protect their legs and arms from the dangers they face in the swamps of the rainforest.”
“Lizard Men, you say?” Elder McCullough looked at Braden and Micah sideways. “Aren’t you two the oddest. Friends with floating turtles and talking birds. And then there’s him.” She pointed at G-War as he bolted toward a group of children, veering away at the last second. They raced after him yelling and howling as the ‘cat led them on a crazy tour of the village.
Micah took Braden’s hand, holding it as they stood with the Elder.
“What’s a Lizard Man anyway?” the Elder asked, smiling knowingly at the young couple while they continued to talk. Braden and Micah vouched for the Lizard Men and that was good enough for Mel-Ash. The question now was could they get some tunics and leggings done in time?
If they didn’t have to hunt, that would free up people to weave. And that was the value of a good trade.
20 – Learn to Hunt
If G-War wasn’t playing with the children, Skirill was. Between the two of them, they wore the children down and soon after, they were fast asleep.
Braden and Micah regaled them with their adventures in the rainforest. The attack of the killer cold-water crocs and the amazing Lizard Man celebration. The rain, the endless rain.
Before arriving at the village, they agreed not to tell them about New Sanctuary. That would have to remain secret. Even a hint of its existence could be destructive. They shared that the grasses in the rolling hills between the rainforest and the destroyed city were returning and nothing else.
Braden learned that the village hunters had only killed one deer during their absence. He committed to taking the two best hunters to show them what they needed to do to be more successful. Micah stayed behind to see how far the others progressed in their sword training. She then talked with the village leaders about ways to run the village. What did their future look like if they were to be a trading hub?
The two young vixens had seduced the remaining man in the village, so they never saw much of him. It also kept the young ladies from bothering Braden. He wanted to be far away from them. Not because he was tempted, but if he gave the wrong impression, he might get a gentle beat down from Micah. Running away was the better part of valor. Plus the village’s hunters needed to learn to hunt. They couldn’t live on mushrooms alone.
The next few days went by with the village hard at work weaving custom pieces for the Lizard Men. Aadi was the most helpful in adjusting the sizes. It seemed that he had an eye for girth. No one else had looked that closely. The humans could only say the Lizard Men were larger than they were, but they were wildly different guessing how much bigger.
The hunting was rejuvenated after Braden taught them the importance of wind direction, stalking, and patience. With their homemade bows, they had to be closer than Braden with his recurve bow. In the end, they were successful, bringing down a number of deer.
Micah looked at Braden and said, “No matter where we go, they are always celebrating. We must be doing something right.” Braden nodded, smiling.
21 – Moving to Trade
Everyone from the village wanted to go. Braden and Micah weren’t sure, but Master Aadi told them not to worry. Once they determined who would stay behind to protect the village, the rest packed up lunches and fell in behind the horses. Elder McCullough, Mel-Ash, walked for a while, but Micah encouraged her to ride in the cart. She was joined by two women with small children. Pack didn’t mind. The ladies were still thin from the ordeal of their lives before the companions changed it all.
Skirill flew ahead to make sure the way was clear. G-War rode in the cart, although he could have ridden in the saddle. Braden was beginning to wonder about the ‘cat. He seemed to have taken a great liking to the children and oddly enough, he allowed them to pet him until his hair was ready to come off.
He thought the kids might be happier if they could find a few dogs for the village.
‘Dogs?’ G-War asked sarcastically.
“Ass!” Braden said out loud. Some of the villagers looked at him oddly. He mumbled a quick apology.
“Can you hear me thinking?” he asked Micah in a quieter voice.
“Yes, but I wasn’t paying attention. But I heard G-War. I can only imagine what you were thinking.” She laughed to herself.
“You and G-War bonded when you were a boy. You had no worries. Your parents took care of you both. Now that you’re both grown up, you don’t play. The children give him that. It’s nothing on you.” He nodded. “When we have our own children, I expect he will be more of a parent to them than us.”
That shocked Braden. He hadn’t thought that far ahead. Children? “Hang on there. I’m Free Trader Braden…”
“Not so free anymore, partner mine.” She leaned in close. He had been bewitched, his mind taken over! He pinched himself on the arm. Nope. Still felt that. He looked at Micah. She was watching his antics.
“I feel funny,” he said to himself, smiling inwardly. “I kind of like it.”
‘The area ahead is clear,’ Skirill said over the mindlink, interrupting Braden’s thoughts. ‘I cannot see far into the rainforest, but I don’t see any movement. I do see a ground squirrel that requires my attention, however, if you can take it from here?’
‘Of course,’ Braden and Micah answered together.
‘G, are you sensing anything up ahead?’ Braden asked in his thought voice.
‘Many creatures. It is the rainforest. I think it is safe,’ the ‘cat answered.
“I think we need to be ready, just in case.” Braden called a halt and gathered the women together. Micah and those with swords would be on the left, close to the rainforest. Those with bows would be on the right. Braden would anchor the far right end of the line as his bow could shoot the farthest. Micah anchored the left side, closest to the rainforest. She was the most powerful warrior among them.
Mel-Ash would be behind the line in the middle, leading Max. Aadi would be next to her, to protect her.
G-War was happy to get ready for battle, although he didn’t expect one. He jumped from the cart and disappeared into the edge of the rainforest.
Skirill, having finished his meal, landed on a high branch overlooking where the ancients’ road entered the rainforest. He still saw no threats, but appreciated Braden’s caution.
The line moved forward at a brisk walk, because the ladies from the village were anxious and excited. They were ready for a real battle!
They slowed as the rush wore off.
They moved to the designated trade location without any problems. They put the horses and the cart in the middle of the open area on the remains of the road. Braden positioned those with swords around the opening and told those with bows to put them down. The first sight of a Lizard Man could be shocking and he didn’t want any accidents.
“Master Aadi, can you sense if the Lizard Men are near?”
‘No. I can only talk with them when I can see them. Which is right about now.’ The Tortoid swam forward as the rainforest seemed to melt. Lizard Men appeared all around them.
Even the Hawkoid�
�s sharp eyes had not been able to see the Lizard Men, who had been there the entire time.
A couple of the women quickly raised their swords. Bows were picked up and pulled. “Hold! McCullough! Hold!” Braden shouted, jumping in front of the bowmen.
“Hold, ladies. These are our trading partners. Show them some respect!” Mel-Ash shouted in a surprisingly strong voice.
22 – Mushrooms for Tunics
“Zalastar! It is good to see you once again, my friend.” Zalastar waved as he approached and Braden waved back. He then bowed deeply, as did Micah and Mel-Ash. The Lizard Man also bowed before waving forward a number of Lizard Men carrying bags made from vines and leafy fronds. They were filled with mushrooms.
Aadi introduced everyone and the humans bowed as Micah had taught them. The Lizard Men waved as Zalastar had taught them. After their initial shock at seeing the strange creatures, the villagers warmed up.
Elder McCullough signaled to the ladies in the cart. Two of them brought forward the finished tunics and leggings they had. Aadi asked if Zalastar would try them on.
He handed his spear to Braden, who took it without hesitation. Aadi told him that holding the leader’s weapon was the greatest symbol of trust within the Lizard Man community. Once again, Braden had been honored.
Zalastar shrugged the tunic over his head. The neck opening was tighter than it should have been, but it still fit. It hung to his waist and could probably have been a little bit longer. The leggings tied on perfectly, covering the front half of his back legs. They had woven only two pieces for the forearms, but these also fit him well.
Braden handed the spear back to Zalastar. He moved around to get the feel of wearing the armored clothing. Lizard Men didn’t wear clothes so the entire experience was new. Zalastar drew the point of his spear across his chest, then looked underneath the tunic. He went to the edge of the trees and scraped his legs and arms against the bark and the bushes.
He thrust his spear in the air and barked some short, sharp notes from his wide open mouth. He was very pleased.
23 – A Bridge to the Future
They talked about what a good trade would be for both. Neither side had any experience, so Braden bartered both ways. He asked a great deal of questions, like how long it took to pick a bag of mushrooms, how long it took to weave one tunic, and so on. He tried to match time and effort with quality. One bag of mushrooms was good for one meal for the village. Was one tunic worth one meal or three meals? Six?
In the end, they hammered out an agreement based on amount of material woven. Six leg covers equaled one tunic equaled three bags of mushrooms. Micah had warned everyone not to touch a Lizard Man as their skin was poisonous. So they kept their distance, even though the humans were naturally drawn to shake hands.
The children watched the proceedings in awe for a while. Lizard Men! As children did, they quickly overcame their fears. A very small girl walked up to one of the Lizard Men and grabbed his hand, holding it like she would with any adult.
“No!” screamed her mother, running in a panic to grab her daughter. She bodily pulled the little girl away, kicking at the Lizard Man. Instinctively, he thrust his spear at her, creasing her side. She fell, losing her grip on her child.
Braden and Micah were there in a heartbeat, standing between the Lizard Man and the woman on the ground. The humans held up their hands to stave off any further violence. Zalastar stalked forward, his spear at the ready as he approached his fellow Lizard Man. Without any warning, he thrust his spear through the Lizard Man so violently that he was lifted off the ground, before being thrown down. Zalastar stooped over him and barked at his face. This was not the sound of joy.
Micah was checking the little girl’s hand and didn’t find anything. She was fine. If there had been any poison, there’d be a sign. How much time had passed since they last touched a human?
“Aadi. What’s going on?”
‘The leader is very angry at his warrior for striking a human.’
“We can see that. But what’s next?”
‘I don’t know, Master Human. I can’t talk to him right now. He is very angry.’
“The young girl is fine. I think their skin is not poisonous to humans. Tell him that. And tell him that the woman is injured, but she will recover. We apologize for this all. What can we do to honor Zalastar’s warrior?” Micah offered.
Braden walked to Zalastar and without hesitation, wrapped his fingers around the Lizard Man’s arm and helped him stand. Zalastar raised his spear as if to strike, then saw who it was. He dropped his spear to the ground, his rage giving way to sadness. Braden put his open hand on Zalastar’s chest, now covered by the tunic, and held it there. Even through the material, he could feel the fast beating of the Lizard Man’s heart. Zalastar put his hand/claw on Braden’s chest.
Zalastar’s eyes were difficult to read, but changed when he understood Braden’s gesture and felt the beating of the human heart. Micah approached a Lizard Man by her and placed her hand on his chest. One by one, the humans and the Lizard Men paired up, hands on chests, feeling each other’s heart beating. Aadi, G-War, and Skirill watched the strange proceedings, hoping they turned out well for their humans.
Aadi was relieved. He had feared the worst. The villagers were no match for the Lizard Men and they would have all died, but for the bravery and commitment of their leaders. Braden, Micah, and Zalastar had built a bridge to the future, a place where all creatures were equal.
24 – Back in Village McCullough
Back in the village, Mel-Ash berated the young mother for losing control. The young lady held her hand against the new stitches in her side. The pain caused her face to contort, but it was more than the pain of the wound. If it hadn’t been that her daughter’s actions helped to bridge the differences with the Lizard Men, then all would have been lost.
Mel-Ash was spent. She sat down heavily on the floor of her hut, and told the lady to get out of her sight. Braden and Micah watched silently. They absentmindedly nibbled on mushrooms while they waited.
“We need to increase the number of fibers we find and grow. If we’re going to outfit the entire Lizard Man nation, we have a lot of work in front of us.” With the first trade behind her, the magnitude of it all dawned on the Elder. “We need more people,” she said simply.
“What would it take to share the process with the Lizard Men? Maybe they could help harvest the materials you need to produce the fibers. I don’t think they’ll be able to weave. Their hands don’t seem to be shaped for it, although they pick the mushrooms cleanly. I don’t know. You guys have a lot more to talk about with the Lizard Men,” Braden finished. They agreed to meet with the Lizard Men at the same spot in seven sleeps’ time.
“I think you’re right, Mel-Ash. You need more people, too.” Micah let that sit with them for a bit, then asked, “Where’s the closest village?”
“To the east, a couple turns journey, but I don’t think so. They are brutes.” The Elder shook her head, unconvinced this was the way to go.
“I suspect they might say the same thing about Village McCullough,” Braden said. He moved so she would look at him. “Things are different now. Maybe we can help them understand.” The Elder’s eyes brightened at that.
“And no. I do not intend to kill anyone else,” Braden finished.
“Whether you intend to or not, I recommend you sharpen your long knife and check your arrows,” the Elder said quietly.
Micah started to leave, then stopped. “Today was a good day, Elder McCullough. It could have gone all kinds of ways, but it didn’t. I think we’re in a better place. Braden brought us to this point. Trust him to take us further.” With that, she left the hut.
Braden was again humbled at what they gave him credit for. Aadi deserved the honors. He made conversation with the Lizard Men possible. He needed to find Aadi and thank him for what he’d done to bring the humans and the Lizard Men together.
Mel-Ash waved him away, so he followed Micah outside.
“When do you want to go?” she asked abruptly.
“Probably first thing in the morning if we want to be back in time for the next meeting with the Lizard Men.” Micah nodded. She was thinking the same thing.
“We better get ready then. What do you think we’ll run into?”
“Misunderstandings. Bad people in power. Good people repressed. People trying to kill us. You know, the usual…” He laughed as he finished. He had confidence the companions could handle any situation. In the end, they’d win.
They always did.
25 – Three Less in Charge
They decided to ride Max and Pack as they didn’t have enough to fill the cart. G-War rode with Braden while Master Aadi was pulled along behind Micah. Skirill flew ahead and watched until the horses arrived, then flew ahead again.
On the horses, the trip to Village Dwyer took only the daylight. They would have arrived at nightfall, but with Skirill’s foresight, they were able to find a place to spend the night where they wouldn’t be seen. It would take little time after sunrise to travel the remaining distance.
G-War watched as he did every night Braden was on the road. The ‘cat reached out with his senses and knew that nothing threatened them. Because nothing knew they were there.
In the morning, after a good meal of smoked meat and mushrooms, they mounted their horses and headed toward the village.
As they got close, the uproar of a dog pack began. Braden laughed long and hard as the dogs ran up to them. Max and Pack were uneasy, the dogs incensed.
“Care to go play, G?” Braden joked. Even with the ‘cat’s speed, there were too many dogs. Braden couldn’t let the ‘cat get hurt. At the same time, Braden didn’t want to hurt any of the dogs. He could feel G-War’s anxiety without the ‘cat having to say anything.
The Free Trader of Planet Vii Page 5