Jungle Odyssey Pt I

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Syka is a new settlement of primarily humans on the east coast of Falyndar opposite of Riverfall on The Suvan Sea. [Syka Codex]

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Jungle Odyssey Pt I

Postby Alric Lysane on November 22nd, 2022, 12:44 pm

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31st Fall 522 AV – Syka Commons

It had been a strange morning, though strange was a relative term to him now that he wasn’t living the same day over and over again – it felt somewhat cheap to use the word now, but there was no other word for it. Alric had decided to take the first step in his attempts at integrating into Syka properly, taking the advice from those he had experienced advice from within Cervisi’s loop. He had tried to find Buraga, only to be nudged sideways into helping Randal transport cargo from the newly arrived Veronica. He didn’t mind, odd jobs were mostly what he had been doing for a season or so, but every time he caught sight of Buraga someone – or something – had appeared to distract him, the Ranger Leader slipping away once it was dealt with. He knew Buraga was busy but it was starting to seem contrived.

“Where’d the grumpy bugger go now?” he muttered to himself, putting down one of the crates that had broken his sightline for the sixth time into the pile with the others. They had taken everything off of the Veronica already, now they were sorting them into type and intended end location for others to pick up an begin transport.

“That can only mean Buraga,” Randal chipping in cheerfully, patting Alric’s shoulder and gesturing to other items that still needed sorting, “he’ll turn up. Patience is a virtue, he is busy. And calling him grumpy all the time probably won’t make him want to talk to you much, he has done much and deserves some respect”

“Just because I tell the truth doesn’t mean there is no respect. He’s a tough old man...doesn’t mean he isn’t a grumpy one. Last time we met he wants to fight” Alric said, turning to make his way towards the working pile and rubbing his neck slightly at the memory”

“Fight? What for?”

“A test, I think. Spar really. He’s quicker than he looks, I’ll give him that” he told Randal, getting a laugh at least from the Founder.

“Sounds like Buraga. A good sign that, he won’t waste his effort on things he sees as pointless. But...perhaps you have a point about the other thing. Still, I’d get to know him. No one isn’t a product of their lives...you should know that well enough by now”

Alric merely grunted at that as he heaved another crate onto his shoulder and made his way towards the intended pile – there was a lot of metal this time, and general supplies for the mercantile. He noted that there were also some crates that were picked up purely by Rangers – weapons and related gear Randal had told him, without much extrapolation. Alric saw the sense of that. The settlement was not overly well defended in ways he was familiar with. No walls, few barriers and to make sure others were not injured no traps close to the settlement as far as he could see. Certainly he didn’t feel safe about the idea of an attack from outside being repelled easily. Syka had some strong figures, capable mages and more...but people could be thinned out, separated or captured, thus diminishing the force Syka had in a concentrated position.

“Lost in the black dogs again?” Randal’s words cut through his thoughts and he realised he had stopped in front of a pile of crates but had not put his down.

“Black dogs?” he asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Dark thoughts. I was told things were...difficult for you”

“Stu has been talking I see...remind me to have a talk with him in return”

“He is obliged to tell the Founders some things. We have a duty of care to all here. He was...not overly specific. He felt it best to keep some of your counsel, but he told us enough to know at least some of the reasons you have been...a bit apart from us”

“That’s why I wanted to find Buraga” Alric said, offering nothing else as he was unsure how much Randal knew.

“I’d not recommend talking problems out with him unless it’s to do with settlement protection, Ranger activities or martial training. He doesn’t...have much...”

“I know. No, it was to join the Rangers and try to start learning something to make myself useful. I had hoped to get it done today and then maybe get some Wilderness Survival skills training arranged. I’d ask you but you’re too busy”

“How do you know that?”

“Because earlier in the season I got trapped in a time loop and lived the same day a hundred thousand times...or some ridiculous number anyway. You took me out to the Cheenga Ruins that time but it was clear you were very busy handling other matters and that proper lessons were best given by others. I don’t know who you meant, so I was going to ask Buraga, given his position”

Randal merely looked at him for a long while, as if trying to detect if Alric were trying to deceive him, or was joking – he wasn’t and so after a time the Founder merely nodded and gestured for him to follow in the man’s wake. They made their way to the communal Fish Cleaning Station, where they found a woman that Alric had seen but never had chance to speak to. They watched for a few chimes as she carved up the game she had brought back – some kind of pig by the looks of it from Alric’s guess. She was focused, concentrated, but not ignorant of their presence as she showed.

“Come to just ogle? Last man to just stare at me didn’t like what happened. Still...he was obvious about what he looked at. I’m busy Randal...who is this?”

“His name’s Alric, and I thought maybe you could show him something about the wilderness and how to survive it. I don’t have the time” he said, eyeing Alric then briefly.

“Founder’s life ever busy I see...I seem to remember teaching you what I know. And I don’t look busy to you?” she asked, gaze still not raising to meet theirs as she worked upon the carcass, removing the skin now and hanging it upon a rack towards the back, “fine...I’ll show the green one what you want...but you need to have someone take over here or this’ll be a waste. We still need to talk by the way...things being missed”

“Done, I’ll send someone over. Getting more people up to scratch is more important than one carcass, I’d trust you to teach better than most. After all you taught us. As for the rest, yes we will. When you get back. Give it time, there were bound to be teething issues. And thanks Indigo. Alric, listen to her, she’s one of the best” he slapped his shoulder and with that was off back towards the docks, pulling someone aside along the way and pointing back to where Indigo and he were stood.

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Jungle Odyssey Pt I

Postby Alric Lysane on November 22nd, 2022, 2:13 pm

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Indigo looked at him for a chime or so before sniffing, turning and then washing her hands in a bowl a few paces behind her upon another rough wooden table. He waited patiently, assuming that she had a plan and from the way she spoke was not one for overly long small talk conversations. He had met so many different personalities, albeit in passing for the most part, that he wasn’t phased by it anymore. Sykans talked or they didn’t, it didn’t really matter much. Either way the settlement seemed to work well enough, the glue binding them together built upon the bedrock of survival and provision – socialisation and bonds of friendship seemed to take a back seat for many.

Suits me just fine, probably means there’ll be no questions about things I’d rather not talk about at least he mused to himself as she dried her fingers and turned to inspect him one more, her gaze more intense and uncomfortable than what he was used to. After a while of meeting it and saying nothing she nodded and whirled around, her wild hair whipping as if it were a weapon, and she set off without another word, clearly expecting him to follow.

He sighed and shook his head, wondering if Randal had given him a more untamed instructor to see if he really meant what he said about learning and developing skills. Either way it didn’t matter, she was his only choice and so he settled in a couple of paces behind her, much as Randal had shown him that time in Cervisi’s loop, and matched her footsteps as something to do given conversation seemed it would be light at best. After a while, with her glancing back at him to make sure he was still following, she turned and stopped to stare at him and then pointed at his footsteps inside her own as if they were incriminating.

“Why are you doing that?” she asked him with a flash in her eyes.

“It’s what you do, isn’t it? Randal did say that you could tread in the leader’s footsteps, given they are finding the way”

“Randal said this? So you’ve been out there before?”

“Well...yes and no. It was inside this magical day loop thing,” he said, hands up as if placating, which seemed to annoy her further and so he let them fall, “so I remember it but he doesn’t. It’s...a long story. Why?”

“Is this a joke? I’m not taking you out if you already know things, wasting my time”

“I know almost nothing, I promise you that. I’d rather like to learn though, make sure I don’t...you know...die when I go out there by myself” he finished, watching her nostrils flare and her eyes bore into him as if searching for something, before she seemed to relax and almost shrink in size in a way.

“Then listen, don’t do anything I don’t tell you...and don’t annoy me, or I’ll leave you out there. You’re a pupil, nothing more at the moment. Come on, not far now...green lad” she said, a sweet but also somewhat threatening smile flashing across her lips before she whirled around again and was walking once more.

“Where are we going? There’s no homes out this way, those are more down the shore. Ranchos...you don’t live in a rancho do you?’

“You know nothing. Most of you know nothing of this place, confined to the nice parts. The Maw though, the maw can be a home, if you know how to make it so”

“You live in the Maw?” he asked, raising his eyebrow.

“Don’t do that,” Indigo almost hissed, as if she had eyes in the back of her head, “yes you can. But we’re going somewhere a bit safer first. Listen and learn and you might make the Maw your home too. If I decide it’s worth teaching you after this time out”

“This is a test?”

“Everything is a test green one”

“Alric”

“Green one. Not far now, keep up”

Alric sighed and followed, eventually coming to what appeared to be...nothing. After telling him to wait where he was though, Indigo pulled some fines and foliage aside and a small cave was revealed beyond, deep enough that seeing the back wasn’t possible, but not overly wide and so easily concealed. He nodded to himself, taking in the first silent lesson given – things were not always as they seemed. He was starting to suspect the same was with Indigo, he doubted she’d have lasted as part of the settlement if she were this blunt and brusque with everyone. Perhaps it was just strangers she was like this with, he reasoned.

“Start piling these up in same piles” she told him as she brought out two packs and a basket of assorted items, before returning to the cave and coming out with another backet and they both set to work sorting them out upon the flat rocks outside of the cave, free of sand he noted and so probably should have told him it was kept that way by someone.

“Right, first lesson for you green,” she said once they were done, “the 5 keys to survival. Pillars, whatever you want to call them. Heard them called many things. They are – fire, shelter, water, first aid and signalling”

“No food?’

“Food isn’t that important, can survive a long time without food. Or with minimal food. Don’t worry about food. Good if you can get it, but not necessary. Water though...no water will kill you quick. Fire is warmth, shelter is comfort, water is life, first aid is healing and signalling is rescue – should you be in that bad a shape. Out in the Maw though, better hope you don’t get like that, you’ll sooner become a meal than be rescued like as not. Got it?” she asked, meeting his eyes to check his understanding and he nodded slowly.

“Okay...so I’m guessing I need to learn how to access all of those things, then? Learn how to make a fire...well I can kind of do that...if hearth fires count,” her look told him they didn’t and he pressed on, “how to make a shelter, administer first aid. I have to learn basic first aid then too, to be a Ranger?”

“Rangers do many things, learn many things. Advice – don't focus on others and their knowledge, learn things for yourself, that you either know you need or are interested in. Tick the survival boxes first, then focus on side things like medicine, botany, and so on. You’ll learn enough on the way to the first goal you’ll be surprised. But yes...you will have to learn such things. For now we learn...packing” she said, the first proper smile he had seen lighting up her face, though it was an almost wry one.

“Packing?”

“What you take with you will decide much...listen. Quicker this sinks into your skull, quicker we get out there and begin the journey”


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Alric Lysane
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Jungle Odyssey Pt I

Postby Alric Lysane on November 22nd, 2022, 3:48 pm

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“You take everything with you then?” he asked, eyeing the items scattered into their piles as his elbows rested upon his knees, the pair of them squatting either side of the gathering, “we put everything into one pack?”

“No, that would be foolish, use your head. What would happen if you lost your pack?” she pinned his gaze to emphasise her words.

“You’d lose everything?”

“Exactly, stupid thing to do. Don’t deserve to be a Ranger if you do that so easy, or even walk on the outskirts of the Maw. Key word – redundancy. Other key – waterproofing. Jungle is humid, wet a lot of the time. You don’t want soaked kit, you want dry kit. Follow me?”

“Well that was the idea” he ventured with a small smile.

“That was joke, bad joke. No jokes here, listen and survive. You want two sets of most basic things – one for the pack and the other for belt pouches and other places. Scatter them about your person, that way you might lose one but not another”

“Sounds smart. What do you mean scattered about your person? Wouldn’t that be heavy?”
“Well done green one...yes. When going out into the Maw it’s a balancing act. You want to take enough to make surviving a reasonable surety, but not enough to weigh you down. This is why spreading gear out can be beneficial, without increasing much weight. See that boot dagger there you have...feel that weight often?” she asked, and he flicked the hilt that protruded out of the top of his boot absently.

“No...and I see your point. Things strapped to your body move with your body, and unless they are overly weighty they won’t be noticed, or decrease performance. And I assume could be abandoned if they did anyway?” he said, her nod coming slowly as her eyes seemed to weigh him.

“Good...good. Perhaps hope for you does exist. You’ve got the principle – taking a knife in the pack, but also in a boot, or on your waist, is more than possible. Same with fishing kit – can thread hooks and line for minimal set up into clothing, hood or bandana...like the one you’re wearing. Vibrant, too vibrant for the maw, but you get the point. The pack, the pouch and the person – you fin a way to triple your gear for basics – fire starting, water collecting, tools and weapons...well then you triple your odds of survival...if done without compromising the travel light foundation. That said...here are your choices...make them and form two piles – a pack and a pouch pile”

He nodded and then turned his attention to the various items upon the ground between them, some of them being familiar and others not so much. He took two flint and steels easily enough, along with a knife for the pack pile as he already had ones about his person. He pulled out was appeared to be a folded tarpaulin of some kind and put that into the pack pile, it seemed pointless to have another one, to which Indigo nodded as he talked through his thinking aloud. Waterskins went into both pile – one for each – along with what turned out to be fishing kits upon opening them – basic but clearly hooks and other things he recognised from his time with Mathias.

“Don’t forget tinder, you keep passing it up in favour of fancier things but fire will be perhaps your only friend one day, make sure you have dry stuff to start one. These smaller pouches, enough for two fires if used sparingly...maybe three” Indigo pointed at a pile of small bags, waved and made of some kind of cotton he thought. Opening them he saw dried mosses, wood shavings and some bent and broken twigs. He nodded and put one into each pile.

“I think that’s about it...though I’m sure you’ll say otherwise”

“Of course I will, you’re still learning...don’t be a proud idiot. Proud gets you dead. Now, good choices...solid. But sleeping, you have no hammock,” she pulled at what Alric had thought were more tarpaulins and placed it into his pack pile, “and cordage...rope...you will need that, at least one good coil. Here” she continued and put that into the pack pile too.

“You could also have taken trapping sets for basic traps for game. You passed over the food rations because of what was said earlier – you remembered – but I’d still always pack a few days of hard rations just in case. And...first aid kit you fool...forgotten that already”” she said, her voice now slightly harsher as she dumped one upon his head, causing him to half-flail to grab at it before it hit the ground.

“Still...not bad. Now, how to pack the pack. You want to arrange everything into the inside of the tarp, waterproof side on the outside, and then fold it all into the middle like this,” she said, showing him stage by stage and waiting for him to copy her, correcting him where needed, “and then into each other again...then slide into the pack. This should keep everything dry from most conditions, short of falling deeply into a river or lake. Dry things, understand green?”

“Yes I understand...Indigo”

“Don’t sass...but good. Which brings us to you”

“Me?”

“Yes, you. Most important thing. What you wear, how much it covers, what protection it offers...what it attracts,” she said, pushing herself up and pulling him up after, circling him and pulling at his clothing in places, “good leather boots. Leather gloves too tucked in your belt. Good. Clothing is Isuas, nice choice, but far too colourful. You want muted tones – browns and dark greens maybe. You want to blend. In purples and blues you look like a flower...insects love flowers. Stay here...got some things might fit you for now” she said, retreating back into the cave and coming out with clothing that were almost replicas of what he was already wearing, but darker colours and shades.

“Get dressed and make it quick, need to set off soon” she said, tossing the clothing at him.

“Out here?” he said with a small amount of alarm.

“Rangers don’t get to have embarrassment. Go on, I’ll only look to make sure you’re not injured, no injuries out there when you start out. Another rule – go in healthy”


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Alric Lysane
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Jungle Odyssey Pt I

Postby Alric Lysane on November 22nd, 2022, 5:47 pm

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It was with an ever deepening shade of red, visible even through the olive coloured tan he had begun to develop since arriving in Syka, that he stripped himself down to his smallclothes. It was even more embarrassing by the fact that Indigo punctuated the whole thing with intermittent bouts of laughter as she circled him, causing him to stumble more than once as he tried to hop-turn away from her whilst trying to get dressed with what she had provided. It was serviceable gear, he had made a note to buy them from her afterwards, but for the time being he was occupied with falling to his back, to further laughter, and wriggling into the trousers and shirt as quickly as was possible. It was without meeting her gaze at all that he stood back up, put on his boots and proceeded to pull himself together.

“You aren’t injured at least. Adorably easily embarrassed, but not injured. Good, you’ve got the figure for a Ranger by the way. Take solace in that, if nothing else will salve the wounds of prudishness,” Indigo said after a while, still clearly amused but a more serious look slipping across her features, “come on. Grab your pack and I’ll get myself ready. We should be gone, the light of Syna will fade in a handful of bells, we want to make as much progress as possible before we make camp”

“Camp? You mean we’re spending the night out there?” he asked, suddenly puzzled.

“You wanted ranger teaching, nothing better than learning it all from the start. Day trips are patrol work, simple but nothing usually challenges. You want real work, you go where it gets tough. Night, distance, time...this is your test, see if you still want to continue after” she said simply, shrugging off his concerns and slipping back into her cave hideaway.

Whilst she was prepping herself Alric put his weapons harness back on, slipped on his gloves and wrapped a brown bandana around his forehead. Threading the belt pouch that had been prepared upon his belt and hefting the pack upon his back were the last things to do as he waited, pulling out his pipe and lighting it, puffing away to help calm his nerves. It was one thing to spend a bell or so beyond the settlement, it was entirely another thing to spend more than a day, which seemed to be what Indigo was indicating would be the journey. He suddenly thought of Lys and looked around to spy Jade, lingering as usual.

“Going to be gone a bit, watch over her for me?” he asked.

“She will be fine, Mathias will know you’re going out with Indigo – Randal will tell him no doubt. Watching over you is where I need to be now” the Gasvik responded simply, offering up no further explanation before going quiet.

“Right, all ready. We must leave now. Before we do though – these clothes are important because they will help you blend in. But also cover all your skin – prevent mosquito and leeches, all manner of insects, from biting you easily. They carry disease and though there are healers in Syka, no guarantee will get back in time. Prevention always better than cure so...insect repellent” she said, leaving no time between then and sprinkling him with some kind of liquid and powder in equal mix, making sure to cover him as well as she could before doing the same with her own body.

“Smoking is good also, though not out there whilst on the trail. But tobacco...the smell of it and its smoke...can drive away insects too. Cover yourself with it, then me”

“You smoke?”

“No, bad habit, but blow it over me. Quick now. Good,” as he said as he covered them both with what was left of the pipe and put it away once more, “now we leave. I lead, you follow. Touch as little as possible. Get that kukri out and use it if necessary, but only if necessary. For the most part should be able to get around most things instead of hack them up. Remember...no touching”

“I’ll remember. Lead on” was all he said as he pulled out his kukri and followed in her footsteps as he had before, this time towards the edge of the jungle and the beginnings of their expedition.

As he remembered from his trip out with Randal it wasn’t that difficult at first, instead there was a sort of phasing in of the jungle proper, as if the Rangers did keep some areas clear, but when it came it was mike hitting a wall of flora and fauna, looming into existence and their trail became all the harder. As they moved he watched Indigo, the way she stepped and moved, her body almost fluid as it twisted and turned to avoid the foliage, as she had told him to do. He wasn’t sure if she were accentuating it so that he got the point, but he did start to try to copy her. He was far less successful in avoiding everything but he managed to avoid much of it – his days on the streets of Sunberth paying off in ways he had not foreseen, as Randal had suggested. He had some acrobatic and stealth skill, and it served him well as his footsteps were reasonably quiet and his movement was not hampered to the point of losing Indigo despite the slipping and twisting.

She set a hard speed too, not letting up as far as he could see and expecting him to keep up with her. Which was difficult as only a short way in things were getting predictably wet – both from the humidity clinging to everything and the sweat staining his skin. He pinned his attention to Indigo as they went, breaking eye contact only to avoid the more difficult portions of flora, which was easier than expected. She had a figure herself when she wasn’t chastising him terribly. He snorted at that – a season of largely being by himself clearly affected his concentration. He found himself wishing it was Taz showing him this, but she was always busy, and for the last season had tended to leave him alone for reasons he was not entirely certain of. It pained him slightly, given he had come across the world for her. He sighed, shook it off and then came up abruptly short, almost falling into Indigo as she had stopped and was drinking from her waterskin. He did the same but as sparingly as she.

“You do okay green one, but not well enough. Need to take care to avoid more, never know what might be lurking. Insects do more than fly, they crawl all over the plants here too. Arrow Ants – very painful bite but at least survivable in small doses...though you’d wish you didn’t, given how painful it is. No one forgets their first bite...ever. But there are poisonous ones too – Sykan Giant Centipede, Sykan Dart Frog is another. We see them I’ll pint them out. But really you shouldn’t be looking at me so carefully...should be looking up. Or down”

“Why is that? What if I lose you?”

“You won’t,” she grinned, seeming to enjoy being in the jungle more than the settlement, “but I don’t want to lose you. Looks bad. Jaguars hunt from above. Snakes are usually on the floor.

“Ah yes...I remember. Snakes won’t be an issue”

“Why is that?” she asked, suddenly curious but with a quizzical expression.

“I have this...charm thing...lets me sense them...at least those close enough...I’ll try to use it as we go”

“You did not tell me this. I wouldn’t break your concentration green one, focus upon surviving and using your eyes. Don’t use crutches” she said, and with that they were off once more.

“As you say” he said, sighing and setting off in her wake.


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Alric Lysane
Carry On My Wayward Son
 
Posts: 763
Words: 1010203
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Mizahar Grader (1) Overlored (1)

Jungle Odyssey Pt I

Postby Alric Lysane on November 22nd, 2022, 7:02 pm

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As time passed it was even harder going, though he kept in mind Indigo’s advice and kept his attention split between avoidance of obstacles and keeping a lookout for dangers. Thankfully nothing untoward took place, the Ranger’s knowledge more than capable of steering them safely through the jungle. He spent most of his time contorting his body, before he realised that Indigo – as well built as she was – was still slightly more slender than he and as such he was trying to fit into spaces he might not currently be able to – if ever. Once that was realised he started to use his kukri to push things out of his path, not cutting them but simply making it easier for him to slip by – or over, under, around and a combination of all of them. This got a slight pause and approving nod from Indigo.

He was starting to learn that her method of teaching was of a kind he could respect – she made sure he wasn’t about to die, in turn she left him to his own devices to see what he did. She had already intervened at points, giving him pointers or outright correcting things, but as long as he was safe, she seemed to want him to learn things by experienced rather than by being told. Knowledge earned rather than given – he could respect that, it was one of the basic things about knowledge that Eyris had given him, merely affirmed by his own explorations into the accumulation thereof. When he got something right she was brief in her affirmation, but still present. The fact that’s she was short in conversation, blunt by nature and generally seemed more at home in the maw intrigued him.

I wonder why she is the way she is? Mathias said they had had help setting up here in Syka, Randal said she had taught them everything she knew...had she been here before them? Living here...alone? Why? he mused as he ducked under another stray grouping of vines and stepped over some stray rocky outcrops.

“Where are we going anyway?”

“I had a patrol ready to do, you’re following along, learn the place and route. Place is called Bala’s Bowl...it’s one of the further out places. But we must check everything. Never know where someone meaning harm might find camp”

“Harm to Syka you mean? I suppose there are a few who would mean that”

“Many, perhaps more than we know. That priest did a number of us. Before that there were slavers, pirates, scavengers”

“Scavengers?”

“You know how much magic and discovered medicines alone are in the Maw? World gets hands on all of them...well let’s just say I’d rather not tip any balances. Bad humans can be bad enough without help”

“But you can’t patrol everywhere surely?”

“Never said we did...but we try. We need more really, but Buraga isn’t the best at selling it all”

“Yes...I got that when I talked with him once. He has many burdens I’d imagine”

“Even without he’s worse than me with...people skills. And that’s saying something”

“You don’t seem so bad”

“Flattery won’t stop me letting you get bitten by an Arrow Ant...for the experience. True Ranger experience” she said, clearly coming to a point where hacking was required as she started to use her machete and indicated from him to hack away at it even more as he passed, setting the trail for the journey back.

It was hard work, even with the upwards hacking instead of downward, and it took them a long time to make it about ten feet. Eventually though they made it through, their path clear and unmissable for the return journey. Indigo paused and said something to herself about it not being that thick before, but he assumed she was merely making a mental note and so said nothing, simply nodded and pressed on once she continued. She started to show him how to mark trails every ten feet or so and some of her actions began to make sense as the new knowledge settled into his head.

“Bending noticeable piece of vegetation, mark tree trunks with carved signs, setting small piles of stones in an unusual pattern, all these can be sued and more. But most important, something has to indicate the direction to go next – not where you are going, but where you came from. That way, with enough planning and thought, you should be able to get back the way you came, even with some speed if necessary.

He nodded and kept a tally for what she did as they went, now able to read her signs – at least somewhat – and know what it was they were for. He wasn’t sure how much longer they travelled for, perhaps another bell or so, but the darkness under the canopy was starting to grown and that caused her to pause and nod to herself, letting him catch up.

“Time to start making camp. Looking for an open enough are with sturdy trees. In a square pattern roughly if we can find it, and enough canopy cover above to act as partial shelter. Best sort of spot, gives lots of options. Come on, let’s get looking” she ordered.
They spread out then, not forging onward anymore but searching the area. After a dozen chimes or so Alric called out to her and thought he had found the right spot. There was canopy cover above, though not that many big branches that might have a jaguar on them – something he had been noting as they moved since she had brought it up. There were six trees in a hexagonal pattern but the space between them was a good ten feet or so. When she saw it, she walked around it, pushed the trees to check for stability, and then nodded, grabbing a branch or two and throwing one to him.

“Cut it on one end and then jam a fist-sized stick between the prongs when you open them. Makes a kind of broom. Clear the ground of debris...and anything that might be lurking under it.

Words - 1016


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~ Thanks to Gossamer/Shiress for post Boxcodes ~
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Alric Lysane
Carry On My Wayward Son
 
Posts: 763
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Joined roleplay: October 29th, 2021, 5:41 pm
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