Chapter 10

I did not have any nightmares, or dreams of any kind. It was a small mercy, given my dreams lately. As I became more awake, I noticed the sensation of bodies pressed against me on either side. My arms gave no such sensation, as I doubt the ladies on either arm moved much. What made matters worse was, I had the usual morning erection and urge to pee, and both women were still asleep. I tried to shift them off, but they would only snuggle in tighter. It was to the point I was shaking the wagon, and my embarrassment only increased as Clive opened the back canvas. He then saw me with a girl on each arm, struggling to get free, with an erection tenting the blanket. He started laughing, loud and hard, dropping the canvas as he walked away. I would have to find a way to get him back for this, and it would be glorious revenge. His laughter did help the ladies begin to wake from the noise he was making.

Ilane sat up, still sleepy eyed, and said, “My, I have not slept so well on an outing in years. You are the perfect pillow, Davik, I can see why Violet, Liza and Trina enjoy it so.”

“Yes, I am sure that they do. However, they usually do not sleep on my arms, pinning them until they tingle, and I can barely move.”

Liza let out a nervous laugh and replied, “I am sorry, Davik, we did not mean for that to happen. No wonder your arms are sitting limp like they are.”

“His arms may be limp my dear, but I can see that there is a particular place where he is definitely not limp. Davik, why did you not tell me you had a third arm.”

Ilane was staring blatantly at my groin as she said it, which pulled Liza’s attention to it, as well. They both erupted into giggles, and then full blown laughter at the look of mortification on my face. Once I had enough control of my arms, I made my way out of the wagon. The hysterical laughter of both women continuing behind me, as I searched for a place to relieve myself. As I calmed my nerves and began to urinate, I heard the snapping of a twig. I turned towards the sound of the snap to see a grey wolf approaching me. It had deep blue eyes and fur the color of steel. It was not growling, but I could see it studying me. I finished my task as fast as I could and bolted back towards the wagon and my sword. I could hear the wolf following me, and I berated myself for going so far from camp, unarmed. As I got closer to the wagon, the sounds of its pursuit began to wane and, looking back, the wolf had stopped its chase and was becoming wary of its prey.

It was right to do so, as an arrow flew by and missed the beast’s head by less than an inch. It turned to see the origin of the shot before turning and dashing into the brush. I continued to the wagon and jumped in to collect my sword. I caught both women in stages of undress that normally I would be embarrassed about. They squealed as they noticed me and hurried to cover up as I grabbed my sword and attached it to my waist.

“Sorry for the intrusion ladies, please do not leave the wagon until you hear from me or Clive. It is not safe outside, now.”

Their embarrassment melted away into curiosity and fear as I jumped out of the back of the wagon. I drew my sword with my left hand, as I used my right to tie down the rear canvas. My eyes were scanning for movement, I could see Clive doing the same as he made his way towards the wagon.

“You alright, Davik? I headed out to see if any of my snares nearby had been fruitful. I came back to let you guys know that we would have to use supplies for breakfast when I saw the wolf. You are lucky I was close enough to get a shot off, or it could have torn one of your hamstrings and you would have been in real trouble.”

I nodded, “Thanks, Clive. Do a quick search of the perimeter, I will stay here to keep them safe. Once you give the all clear, we will have a quick meal and make for the road.”

He nodded and made his way into the brush we had seen the wolf dart into. The hairs on my neck were standing on end, as adrenaline and fear coursed through me. After about half an hour, Clive reappeared, he gave me a shake of the head and a thumbs up. This told me he could not find the wolf, that it was nowhere near the camp. I untied the canvas and moved it up to find the girls dressed, with pans in their hands to ward off attack. It was my turn to giggle: as they posed ready to strike, they looked cute.

“The wolf is gone. I suggest we have a quick meal and get back on the road. I think from now on, we will find spots to rest where we are less likely to be caught by surprise.”

Everyone agreed, and we quickly made a breakfast of sandwiches of cured meat, an apple, and some water with lemon. Once we were done, I hopped out and Clive joined me in hooking the horses up. He decided to ride Crow, in case the wolf reappeared, so that he would have a chance to catch up to it. The ladies would stay in the back, where it was safer, but they would converse with me through the flap behind the driver’s bench. They tried hard to keep me talking, but I began to think and dwell on this morning. The events in Cartha had me wondering if this was a regular wolf or if it was one that could change into a human. If there was no way to tell the difference, I would not know if the wolves I saw, moving forward, were human or just animal. The only way I would know for now was when I killed them. Then I realized there was no telling what people I have met, or would meet, could be one of those beasts.

The more I thought about it, the more paranoid I began to feel about it and those around me. Could someone I know be one of those things? Brant had been one and I did not realize it until the wound I gave a wolf matched one he had. Even when I had pulled that stunt with his men’s heads, how many of them could have been wolves? There had to be something written on these things, something more than fairytales and campfire stories. I pulled myself out of my disturbed thoughts and tried to engage Ilane and Liza more. It helped to pass the time, and soon it was already midday. We decided to stop only to feed and give water to the horses. While Clive and I did that, the ladies made quick meals we could eat while we continued. We all did not want to risk the possibility that one or more of those things were following us.

When evening came, we made sure to find a site that was close to the road. This would allow us to make haste, away from a threat of a wolf or a pack of them. The more visible the area around us, the better. We made sure to keep the horses and campfire as close as we could to the wagon without there being any danger of it catching fire. Dinner was cooked on the stove in the wagon, the top flap opened to vent any smoke. Once fed, we retired for the night, though Clive opted to sleep under the wagon, as it would protect him somewhat and allow him to see any threats that could come. The ladies cuddled up next to either side, though this time they made sure that my arms would not be pinned.

This was how the trip to the village went, each day. Clive would head out and try and catch something quick and easy, so as not to leave himself away from the camp too long. We had enough supplies that we could go without, but it also allowed him to scout around and make sure there was nothing following us. He usually came back with a rabbit or pheasant, sometimes he would come back empty handed. Ilane would help Liza deal with taking care of the kill, and Clive would make sure the unusable parts would go out into the brush for other animals to partake of. He made sure to go far enough that there would be no chance of a predator picking up the trail and finding its way back to us. We felt a bit better when we started travelling along the edge of the track, as it lessened the available area a wolf could attack from. It also provided a beautiful landscape to look at as we traveled. Thankfully, the added measures we took did not impede us from reaching the town at our expected time.

On the last day of travel, we had been able to get a more restful sleep. We had not seen or heard any sign of the wolf I saw that day. It did not lower our guard but had us less on edge. We had enjoyed a nice grilled fish dinner the night before. That morning, we had a quick breakfast and hurried to make it into the village before night fall. It was a few hours later, as we came to the top of a small hill, that we finally saw the village. It was still a few hours away, but it made us all feel a bit better. It looked to be a fishing village, as many boats could be seen leaving and entering. The wide open plain meant that fishing and trade would be their main source of income. It also meant that they would not have a predator problem, as there would be no cover or brush to hide an approach. Knowing that there was no issue in that regard, took a weight off everyone, and the approach to the village was lighthearted and fun.

It was a few hours before midday when we made it to the outskirts of the village. The bustle of the fishermen and villagers was a welcome sight after nearly two weeks of traveling along an empty road. We were greeted with a friendly hello, or good morning, as we made our way through the main road of the town.

“Now, if I remember what my husband said, I believe he said head through the main road until you reach the main fishery warehouse. Then, make a left and our destination would be on our right. The Inn will be called Black Briar and they will be able to store the wagon and horses while we are in town.”

The directions Ruben had given Ilane proved to be accurate, and we soon found ourselves outside the Black Briar Inn. it was easily three times the size of Jerreth’s tavern which was due to the rooms provided by the inn. The exterior was a bit plain, but still had character. This came from the weathering of time that showed on every inch of the outside of the building. The tones and contrasts showed a building that had been around for some time. It had grown with the village and still was considered a major part of the town.

Clive hitched Crow in front, while we went around the side to park the wagon. Liza and I stayed with the wagon, while Clive and Ilane went in to talk to the owner and confirm that everything was set up and ready for our stay. A few minutes later we were joined by two young men and Clive.