New World, New Allies September 15, 2014

It turned out the tall raven haired man had a name that sounded something like, Huth-allan-nith while the older shaman went by Mythcul. The men had attempted to converse with Jack, but the language barrier wore on them and as the strange liquor soaked into his body, he found himself growing weary. After sharing the best meal he’d enjoyed on this new world, he found himself trapped on, he basked in a greater feeling of security as he bedded down for the night.

It didn’t surprise him that the two natives of this world woke far earlier than he, but then again they hadn’t been beaten and stabbed for the last two days.

He stood before stretching his stiff and battered muscles. Huth-allan-nith, glared at him and Jack couldn’t be sure what the guy’s issue was, and didn’t have the motivation to care. Mythcul acted in an opposite manner and favored Jack with a wide smile while handing him something that looked like a small white pancake. Jack ate it slowly. It had the consistency of a cookie, but tasted slightly like grits.

After nodding a thanks, he sat next to the older man. “So what’s the game plan,” he said even though he knew the man couldn’t understand him.

Mythcul had collected a small pile of items and had them laid out on a flat stone. A second flat stone had been placed before the smoldering fire pit.

With a grin, Mythcul picked up a blood stained red feather. He held it up and pointed to the direction that Jack had come to consider southeast. The direction that would lead one back onto the plains he had so recently passed from.

He held up a brown feather and touched it to similar feather he had tied into his hair. He used it to point at Huth-allan-nith and himself. After a glance at Jack, he pointed toward an area that appeared roughly north, by northwest of their position.

Jack nodded, while saying, “I think I understand. The Ripperkah live out on the plains and your people live deeper into the mountains.”

Mythcul placed the two feathers onto the flat stone before them in a manner that stayed consistent to the locations he had indicated. He then pointed at the sun and took out some white pebbles. He pointed at the sun again and then with a slow deliberate movement, he placed three small stones in the center of the flat rock so they traced a path toward the brown feather.

Jack smiled this time. “So you are saying we have a three day walk to make it back to your people.” He also held up three fingers and pointed at the sun before making a swirling motion.

Mythcul grinned and patted him on the back. A second later, he motioned for him to stand.

Only after he stood, did he note two things. Huth-allan-nith had stacked all of his javelins against a tree, but during the night he had burned all the war clubs Jack had gathered. Jack found this a bit strange, but wasn’t about to start up a conflict over it. Huth-allan-nith looked edgy and he didn’t want to give him an excuse to get worse.

Moving toward the man, Jack made a hand gesture at the stack of weapons. Huth-allan-nith nodded, grabbed up half of them and grunted while making a head motion toward the rest.

It pleased Jack to see his own spear remained in the stack allotted to him. Carrying those weapons, through the forest, might be hard, but Jack rarely turned down the chance to have extra weapons. With the amount of cliffs in the area having the high ground with a good number of javelins could prove a strong advantage.

An eagle, or at least a bird that reminded him of an eagle, soared overhead. Jack looked back at his new comrades and saw they had packed up their gear.

“Well what to you think fellas? Could I maybe go a day or two on your world without getting attacked?”

Huth-allan-nith appeared annoyed by the use of Jack’s language and started walking toward the northern cliffs.

With a sweep of his arm, Mythcul indicated the direction his ally headed. He clasped Jack on the shoulder and pushed him in a gentle manner toward Huth-allan-nith

With a sigh, Jack picked up his weapons and started after the younger warrior. He had a feeling he was in for a very long walk.

To be continued next Monday

Find out how Jack’s Adventures Started Here!