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The nation Chapter 120
Everyone enjoyed the rest they had been afforded, Rollins caught up with the caravan, she had brought a fresh kill in with her, a ninety kilo doe. She set up her own tent next to Kaya’s cart, Kaya had since made her own tent which she shared with Talia. The One dog still stunk up the men’s tent every night. Erek and Kaya had gotten closer, they laughed more and there were more friendly touches between them, Talia noticed. Erek liked Kaya but she was nearly twelve years younger than he was, but he liked it when she touched him, and she was becoming a good leader. More of the travelers took her seriously now, even after Rollins returned and the Blue eye stigma came with her. Kaya dismissed everything by saying, “Rollins was not with you when any of the misfortune you went through happened.” It usually shut people up. Rollins had noticed Erek to, noticed how he had moved in on Kaya while she was gone, that made her predatory instincts kick in. “Why is he touching you?” Rollins asked Kay
The nation Chapter 121
The travel was nearly smooth, the occasional Rognvald drunk idea caused distress among the commoners, as long as he had his beer Oscar and Hastiin managed to keep the caravan rolling. The beer Rognvald was drinking was the last of his personal stock, maybe three weeks’ worth, he had already appropriated several kegs of beer from his commoners. Lilly had bloodshot eyes from lack of rest, Oren had put three beetles in her bedding, and now she couldn’t sleep, that was three days ago. Claudia has gone to sleep with her friend, she took her diary with her, she knew Oren had read it. Kaya and her small group stuck together, they traveled with the caravan, One dog bringing joy and smiles every day. They traveled for the whole summer, stopping along the river to fish and hunt, the hearts of some of the travelers were feeling the urge to nest, they were travel weary. Some of the group, along with Kaya, wanted to settle where they were now. They had been camped near a sharp bend in the river,
The nation Chapter 122
“Don’t forget to tell me how you really feel,” Sokonan said with a hint of sarcasm.“See, you think I don’t know that you’re toying with me but I do know it, you can’t play me like that.”Sokonan broke the stoic look on her face with a smile, “sure Brie, I am being a bit sarcastic with you, but being outspoken is a thing best used at the right moments.”“I don’t understand what you’re saying.” Brie looked to the older woman, they had walked together often after Briaunna’s mother died, Sokonan was watching over her father as well.“I mean being a loud mouth like Rognvald was not a good thing, he was a loud mouth for the sake of being a loud mouth, I’m saying use your words appropriately and accurately. Vardon might be stuffy and concerned with things that matter to him but he is a fair man who will listen to other points of view. Be warned though, if you are not prepared with your argument he will not listen, I guess my point is, is that you are an exceptionally intelligent person who
The nation Chapter 123
“One dog has been agitated lately, and I’m not sure why?” said Erek.“What has he been doing?”“Well,” Erek thought for a moment, “he’s not stinking up the place that much.”“Why would that indicate agitation?”“I also get this sense of impending doom from him.”Now Kaya was curious, “what do you mean impending doom? If doom was coming I think he’d be shitting the whole place up.” She touched his arm again; her heart had felt warm towards the big man.Erek had stopped flinching at Kaya’s friendly gestures, he accepted them as part of her and now a part of their relationship. Kaya was beautiful, her smile lit up the room, yet he had not felt any urges towards her. Erek felt safe with her, she was helping to care for his son, who was now more than a year old. He knew he could trust her, he felt that she would protect his son, Erek wanted to be close to her because her beauty was more than her outward appearance. She was strong, gaining confidence, and learning to lead with her compassio
The nation Chapter 124
One of the men shoved the woman and her daughter back to the ground, the men spoke no words, their eyes were cold. Korra stood up before she could think, she went to help her friend, she shoved the man who shoved her friend as hard as she could, the man barely moved. Then Korra was shoved down to the ground, dirt was kicked into her face, into all three women’s faces. The camp was stunned, no one could believe what their eyes were telling them, these men were assaulting three women, right in front of their eyes. Woorak heard the first bit of the commotion before the scene came into sight. He saw the first shove, Woorak watched his wife’s reaction, and her subsequent assault. The antelope fell from Woorak’s shoulder, he was not the fastest warrior but he had never felt such motivation like this, he was fifteen strides towards the fight before the dead animal touched the ground.Oren watched from the safety of some commoners cart, he had climbed up there a few times in the past. The own
The nation Chapter 125
Rollins walked with a confidence that few of the travelers could match, she had lived in the wild for over three years before the caravan left Ondu. She didn’t need the caravan to survive, but she stayed with them out of a sense of duty, all she wanted was to be accepted. The people of the caravan harbored few of the old ways since their exodus began, they didn’t observe Ohweelie or any of the ceremonies they once had in Ondu, but all of them remembered the Blue eye curse. Still, Rollins helped them, she would show Kaya or someone else in their group, where to find water when it was scarce. They would have better luck informing the travelers of the resource, she would not be heard by them. Rollins remained on the periphery of the caravan, she camped near Kaya and continued to work with her small group, her feelings for Kaya confused her, Rollins had not experienced that kind of closeness since she was a young girl. Rollins missed the feel of Kaya’s skin next to hers, the warmth that r
The nation Chapter 126
“Father, be careful, I’d be hard pressed to carry you back by myself.” She said sarcastically.“I know, clumsy old dad, ya know I’m not that old.” He screamed, “I’ve been bitten.” He pulled his leg up so fast the snake that bit him was still holding on. It let go and fell to the ground, before it could even hiss, the daughter chopped its head clean off.“Father you’re pale.”The daughter helped the poison spread through her father’s body faster, she helped him walk back to the caravan, they had paused to search for water. The movement caused the father’s heart to pump faster, along with the trauma of being bitten by an unknown snake. He collapsed before the healers cart, his daughter carried the snakes carcass to show the healers, her father foamed at the mouth and went still. The healers could do nothing, none had ever seen a snake like this, it had small horns above its eyes, it looked like sand. The color was a perfect camouflage for the desert, the man had stepped into the snake’s
The nation Chapter 127
Oren had been out wandering through where the commoners set up their tents. He was not looking for anything in particular, he wasn’t spreading rumors either, he was only out for a walk. He looked seriously at the people around him, he didn’t look down on them, nor did he love them, he pitied them. He thought they were only here to be a bother, to be cared for so they could do what they were told. The wind blew a chill through the winter camp the caravan had set up, they learned from last winter to take care in how they set up for the freezing weather. Tents were buffeted on the outside, and staked firmly into the earth, the hides were doubled and sometimes tripled if the family had the hides. A lot of valuable gear was lost in that damned river, some equipment was lost or ruined as they traveled farther from Ondu. Only a few thought of their old home now, Kaya and Erek were among them, Rollins replayed that fleeting moment she had there with her mother.When he saw Kaya, Oren followed