Chapter 12: keeping everything on tract- Another Day, Another Village

Despite the previous eve’s celebration, nearly everyone was moving well before first dawn on the morrow. Ty’s three girls served as Triilr’s alarm clock, issuing loud bird calls from different points throughout the village.

A few well-meaning dupes idled around Chief Odli’s hut, making things appear ordinary while hustling everybody quietly past. Meanwhile, some older Ro were helping people of all ages out in smaller pairs. They met up with Leni, who kept them organized and moving until they set for the night.

Due to the previous day’s discovery, there were enough babfoo canteens for them to use. When Beks and Lor gave the all-clear signal, they set off at a consistent brisk pace, hoping to maintain it for most of their trip back. Thanks to the feast, they had plenty of energy and despite the last-minute new-spear training, set out hoping to make it to Ty’s forested village before nightfall.

The others continued on, keeping up appearances so no one would notice the discrepancy before they too, left too early for anyone to pay them much mind. In all, they cleared nearly a quarter of the village. Others needed to leave later to ensure they and their families could travel together. Trying to feed that many on the road at one time would prove difficult without the necessary skills.

Ty and his group were another matter. Still partially groggy, his vision unclear and walking with a slight limp, he waved goodbye as he left, leading them to Lo-res, their next destination.

Ty though, as before, was an unsteady, hot scrambled mess. One minute he was fine, friendly, talkative and entertaining, the next his eyes were vacant and he’d just ... wander aimlessly away. Other times, especially when someone mentioned stopping for food, he’d grab some young kids, much younger than his girls and try to drag them into the forest for a ‘hunt’.

Finally Beks, who was mainly watching Biscuit and keeping a steady pace, since he too was largely unpredictable, clearly preferring galloping away, racing the wind or heading into the forest, massive enough to freely munch from the higher branches. Only, if he got in somewhere he couldn’t easily back out of, he’d go berserk, thrashing and kicking, creating a thunderous racket and frightening everyone: animals, birds, humans and any potential game for miles around.

So Beks was now responsible for both, which was fine, as she handled them similarly. Ty was wonderful at keeping Biscuit calm, speaking to him personally in a calm, soothing tone, his hand resting on his upper chest, gently guiding him.

His other animals tried tagging along, though were terrified of Biscuit, or more correctly, of being crushed beneath his massive singular hooves, as he couldn’t observe what he was crushing underhoof.

So whenever Ty would lose it, Biscuit would get nervous too, nickering, snorting and blowing, weaving his head to and fro. The other animals would quietly whine, so between them, Ty was more worried about the animals than whatever was distracting him. So, calming them, calmed him. Yet with so many wild animals, it’s difficult keeping track of them all. Which wasn’t typically a problem, being so well trained, yet without his issuing commands and offering rewards, it quickly worsened.

So several people remained nearby, alternating so they wouldn’t exhaust themselves worrying about him. They’d step in, separating them just enough so Ty, Beks or whoever else currently seemed in charge could settle them again.

Though again, separating them was likely to set them off, even once they finally calmed.

“You know what’s happening?” Till asked.

“Yeah, he’s suffering from a concussion,” Tanya stated with certainty.

“A concussion? That bird sank its claws into his skull!”

“Talons,” she corrected without thinking, “but true, then it flew off, lifting him into the sky till he killed it and they both fell hard, from at least ten or twelve feet.”

“Did you see the creature afterwards?” Ta said excitedly. “Ty did a real number on it. There wasn’t much left.”

Anna frowned, her brows furrowing. “Including Ty’s brain.” Ta wisely decided not to continue, for now at least.

“Has anyone looked for my darts?” Ty asked, suddenly walking away from Beks and Biscuit.

“We told you,” Anna soothed, “everyone scoured the field and we located them last night. You only lost two, and they weren’t hard to find. They weren’t far from all the bloody feathers.”

“Oh,” he said, reminiscent of a small boy losing a treasured toy. Then he’d wander off aimlessly, until Nils came, holding him steady and gently guided him back to Beks and Biscuit again.

“This hit Nils and Lilla hard,” Till noted. “They feel responsible for his current state, despite doing nothing wrong. As you say, it’s the fall that did it, still they don’t see it that way.”

“They’ll come around.” Tanya followed their patient back, before expounding. “Right now, we’re more focused on the unknowns.”

“Suffering such a blow,” Anna continued, “it’s a complex injury, as your brain slams against one side of your skull, then strikes the other, for twice the same across two separate regions of the brain. That’s where the long-term complications arise, as boxers and football players often become barely functional in their later years.

“Plus, the internal bleeding further complicates things, as his brains starts to swell, again pressing against the skull, applying constant, unremitting pressure, inflicting further damage. Trust me,” she visibly shivered, “we can’t risk cutting his skull open to relieve the pressure.”

“But you’ve each said there’s something inside him, healing him, but also keeping everyone nearby healthy. Wouldn’t it also protect his brain?” Ta pressed, unable to maintain his silence given the stakes. “After all, is it safer keeping him safe, only to lose him entirely?

Anna frowned, Tanya’s brow again furrowing. “It’s not so simple. The brain is different than the body, the substances in the blood are too large to pass into the brain, even blood-borne medications. Thus, opening it, we aren’t just exposing him to outside germs, we’re exposing it to the rest of the body, which is often just as deadly.”

She shook her head emphatically. “No, it’s too risky! It’s best to wait and see whether he improves. If not, we can intervene more dramatically. It’s safer not risking it just yet.”

“I agree,” Anna concurred. “Whatever keeps him healthy is better than what we can accomplish with our hands and current tools. See whether they manage it, if not, we’ll determine how to approach it based on how he responds.”

“No offense Anna, but that’s my father we’re discussing. I never met him before, only hearing stories about him so rich and detailed, I had trouble believing them. I can’t afford to lose him now to a simple injury!”

“Don’t worry,” Anna consoled. “We’ll monitor him and if he worsens, proving he’s unable to counter it, then we’ll intervene, not before.”

Till stared at them, intending to challenge their assertions with her fists. She shook her head. “Sorry, I can’t stand around, waiting. I need to do something, anything, rather than waiting for fate to decide his future, rather than helping!”

“She has a point,” Anna reflected, reconsidering her brother, perfectly fine one moment, staring blankly into the distance the next. For now, his animals helping more than they could. Yet they were no better at primeval brain surgery than they were. As Tanya insisted, he’d either recover or he wouldn’t. Any attempt to sway his fate would likely hasten his demise, not prevent it.

“I think she’s making better decisions than either of us,” Tanya countered. “We need to get out of our own heads, fighting our doubts and focus on something more productive. Literally anything, no matter how irrelevant.”

Despite their worries, they continued making decent time. The girls focused on training the others, while the earlier trainees tackled the hunting, gaining necessary practical experience while the others shared their backgrounds and what they knew of what was happening. At least they were all here with Ty rather than heading back with the others to their new home, unaware Ty may never make it back himself.

Sometimes Ty was right as rain, others his focus wandering, his animals mostly pulled him back. Not every time, yet consistently enough, they were better than his closest companions were. Somehow, his girls seemed to grasp this innately, while his human relations continued struggling with it.

Yet as always, they persevered, moving forward despite their few wayward wanderings. Soon corrected, they didn’t stop their progress, as fretting never helped, merely confusing and slowing their progress more, inspiring no one.

With everyone dealing with specific tasks: keeping everything on track, helping and training others or sharing comforting advice; their progress increased, rather than diminishing.

Following their mid-day meal, Leni collected his lesson materials, setting off for home, carrying news of their achievements, not worries over their fates. Worries never solve problems, overcoming issues does. That was as true here, as anywhere, even strange alien worlds.

Putting one foot in front of the other is what counts, both humans, Torrol-roians and their strange animal companions. A horse does no good running off on its own, herds run together, not singly. Things were definitely better back home and here Ty was seemingly no worse than before. So all they could do was hope and press on, doing their best, shifting their unnecessary worries aside, where they’d do the least harm, until it didn’t!

Ty’s head snapped up, hearing something no one else had. Turning, he grabbed someone else’s spear, motioning for them to follow, holding his left hand erect ensuring their silence, set off into the surrounding woods on their own.

Those left behind took several seconds figuring something happened, unsure what nor where to focus. Preparing to respond when necessary, not wanting to rush off and leave everyone else unprepared. Tiss called, using their usual familiar bird call, not adjusting it for the local avians. With no responding call, they waited.

When they entered, Ty rushed silently ahead, despite his earlier issues. Determining a spear wasn’t his optimal tool, he handed it to Jjol, releasing and preparing his crossbow, which given his more limited delusions, Till long-ago returned, trusting he wouldn’t use it while nonfunctional.

Proceeding, deftly avoiding the trees and shrubs, Ty raised his right hand again, closing it, continuing alone. Heeding some unknown call, shifting to the right, nearer the Lo-res village, circling whatever he was after. His two chosen assistants shook their heads, glancing at each other, but knew enough to not question when he set out like this.

The stories of his renown, especially his uncanny perceptions, spread throughout his people, well aware of his signals and peculiarities. When he needed them, he’d call. When he did, they’d be ready for anything!

Having completely encircled his supposed target, he slowly closed in, moving swiftly and silently, using only his toes and the pads of his forefeet. Guessing his target, based on the sounds, he dropped his crossbow—keeping it handy—instead grasping his survival knife.

Again closing, moving silently, pressing his knifepoint against his target’s left carotid artery. Feeling the cold, hard, extra sharp metal, he froze, realizing he couldn’t possibly respond before bleeding out. He didn’t dare breath, waiting to see how swiftly death arrived.

“Who are you waiting for?” Ty whispered, his voice barely audible, yet the man didn’t falter.

“My companion. He’s examining the village, observing their safeguards.”

“What’s his name?” Ty breathed in his ear, further petrifying him.

“Tiio,” he softly gasped, realizing they were both soon dead. He was their village’s best hunter and spy, yet not only couldn’t he duplicate what this lone man so easily did, he was caught completely by surprise with no time to prepare.

“Your knife?” Ty pressed. When he momentarily paused, Ty grinned. “Smart choice,” not indicating whether he meant not lying or not desperately trying to save himself, both knowing the answer. “Hand them to me, one at a time.”

“Are ... are you all thus armed?” he dared, which only caused the metal knife to press deeper into his artery. He wisely swallowed his unanswered question.

“Which way will Tiio arrive?” The man’s darting eyes answered for him.

“Good, when he arrives, you two will accompany me to speak with your boss, whoever he is. I need to determine your motives before ending anyone’s life.” The man’s breath didn’t ease. Stiffening, Ty again grinned, waiting silently. As the sounds neared, he suddenly shifted, bleeding into the surroundings, the man not daring even glancing at him.

A gargled sound responded, luckily it wasn’t a wet, sucking noise. A mere moment later, Tiio stepped forward, the metallic knife now pressing against his carotid artery. The two men’s eyes spoke volumes, neither offering explanations, only their abundant terror.

“What’s your companion’s name?” Ty asked, as before.

“ToToll,” he gasped, not loudly enough for anyone else to hear.

“Men, we’re going to visit your chief, and trust me, I’ll slip in and no one will ever notice, not even with you two in tow. Make the slightest sound, and you’ll be discovered dead in the morning. Don’t, and I’ll have no need to harm either of you. Understood?”

They both nodded eagerly. “Good.” Ty removed and sheathed his knife, readying his crossbow. Neither dared ask what it was, guessing its purpose and likely severity.

“My companions await, so let me make contact so no one gets injured.” They nodded more calmly, their immediate fears somewhat subsided.

Ty issued a bird call, both unwittingly glancing around, searching for the unseen fowl. Instead, hearing not one but two answering calls. One from only a short distance ahead, the other, much sharper and frightening, followed by the rapid beat of wings, whipping through the trees, too swiftly for them to track.

“Polly,” Ty acknowledged, turning so she could again land on his shoulder, slowly building sufficient calluses to withstand her talons. She called more softly, seemingly enquiring whether the men were friends, foes or an impromptu meal. Both shivered, unsure of the answer themselves.

Directing ToToll and Tiio forward, they were surprised again when two men suddenly appeared either side of them without making a sound, both carrying unrecognized yet readily apparent deadly weapons.

“Jjol, Lic, these are ToToll and Tiio. They’re guiding us to their encampment where we’ll discuss with their commander whether anyone needs to die tonight.”

All four visibly swallowed with difficulty, nodding, acknowledging each other, which was a start at least. Tiio and ToToll’s previous fear about the stability of their charge was gone, their confidence restored. Yet, despite the oft repeated stories, were still reluctant about walking into the private hut of a person who knew their entire families.

“Follow me,” Ty said, leaving the others behind, not questioning whether they’d follow. Despite a few missteps, further indicating his prior injuries, he seemed more stable and clearheaded than ever. It didn’t take long before they reentered the common path, their crew still awaiting their return.

“We acquired some guests, who’ll personally guide us into their encampment, where we’ll discuss the situation before proceeding to their village, however far it is.” He then turned, whistled and called: “Perina, Teddy, Come!”

Their voluntary captives quaked, not just as the fully armed, confident group facing them, nor the wild creatures running to join Ty, but mostly at the terrifying, monstrous visage of Biscuit, glaring, yet eager to join them too.

“Sorry, Biscuit,” Ty reassured her. “The girls need you more than I.” He then turned. “So, who wants to accompany us?”

Immediately, Tiss and Lor stepped forward, as did Anna, Tanya and Till. Ty glared questioningly at Till.

“Hey, I’ve been training, yet without the in-the-field experience, I can’t carry my weight. I won’t let you down, and as always, we’ll support you, not interfere.”

Satisfied, he nodded. “The rest of you, proceed as planned. When you near Lo-res, blend in among the forest and observe, as were these two. Be prepared for anything, but I plan to personally enter the Lo-res’ chief’s hut to explain precisely what’s going to happen. When signaled, lead Biscuit and the others into the village. I want the biggest impact possible, topping my surprise negotiations with both sides to figure out who to trust.”

Despite not comprehending much of what he said, their voluntary captives weren’t about to complain, figuring they were safer with Ty, whatever he tried, than attacking Lo-res itself, if everyone was this well-equipped, trained and confident of their success. They weren’t wrong.

“Uh, who is he?” ToToll asked Till, guessing she wasn’t quite as dangerous as the others.

“Who, Ty?” she teased. “Don’t worry, he’s not from here. He’s from a far-away land where they know much more than we do. Though, he’s trained nearly everyone here, and as they say, his word is truth. If he promises something, it’ll happen.”

“Uh, what’s the odd thing he carries.” Tiio glanced at the towering man, moving effortlessly though the clearly dangerous underbrush, unafraid of anything lurking within. They’d ventured into the same, though weren’t nearly so cavalier about it. “I can’t guess what it’s even made of?”

“Oh, that,” she said, as if completely forgetting it. “It’s something called a composite metal, which means it’s specially made by mixing together many ingredients, like the stainless steel in his survival knife. It’s designed to remain unseen until fired.”

“Fired?” ToTool inquired.