The Red Lands 2

by ForestRage

  The rare hunter or adventuring party in the Great Western Forest would have their eyes bulging on spotting the two bickering brats. The treacherous location the two dummies chose to quarrel left one astounded.

  "I want the head, heart, and part of the backbone."

  "Hell no, I need the bone for Sue to make soup. Take the liver instead."

  Came the curt reply.

  The girl placed her hands on her hips and pouted.

  "No deal, Chu already promised me the liver. The 'pine' must be included."

  The thugs at the side nodded their furry heads in agreement like they understood their boss.

  "Its sipiene not pine. Little girls like you should not try to use big words if you cannot even pronounce the words."

  The teen smiled with a smug face as he got one over the girl.

  Their shady dealings soon came to an abrupt end.

  Slap!

  "What the hell are you trying to negotiate when there is work to be done. Get your sorry ass over here and help us with the ropes."

  Chu turned to look at Dyna who was already running away. Her henchmen had long scattered and slunk away in the forest.

  "You better do your job right before you even think of getting any of this meat."

  "And it's 'spine', you idiot! SPINE!"

  There was nobody in front of him, but his words reached the ears of the ones they were meant for.

  After the kill, Lucy was sent out of the forest to guide Clod into the forest with the two horses and some tools. Dyna and her wolves followed them as an added escort. Her wolves had long blended in with the horses as typical farm animals.

  Within a few months, it could be seen how this bunch turned desensitized to the dangers existing within the forest. For many villagers living near the forest, even speaking about it brought a feeling of menacing pressure.

  This group, however, treated it like their own backyard. With the plethora of detection and scouting skills, they did earn the right to do so.

  Clod hammered, currently reinforcing the wagon to transport this heavy load. He constructed a small ladder type bed to rest the boar. After which, they stacked wooden blocks to raise the four ends until it was higher than the wagon.

  Rolling the wagon under the raised bed, they then removed the logs as the tray groaned and the wheels sank under the heavy load. The weight of the boar proved too much for the combined efforts of the party.

  The task needed the entire afternoon to accomplish. Clod guided the horse along the uneven terrain while the boys used logs to stack under the wheels or push the frame over the rocks. Mr. Thomas lent some assistance while Lucy assumed the role as a guard. The wolves circled the travelers with Dyna help Clod pick out a path.

  The return trip proved more arduous than ever.

  ◆◆◆

  "This is the third one. I think they are following our scent and the little blood splatter from the boar, Elder."

  Thomas looked at the girl dragging a large fox in her hand. She came up to the wagon and tossed the dog-sized fox onto it. It joined two others of its kind adding more load to the strained wagon.

  "Damit Lucy, how much work are you going to give me! Chu I want meat for a week when this is over!"

  Both boys were drenched in sweat. They were lucky that Dyna had brought water pouches for them. In the forest, they would not know when they passed out from dehydration.

  Besides clearing the wheel tracks, Chu and Ming had to help push and brace on inclines and use makeshift levers to help guide it over tree roots. Like most virgin forest the undergrowth was sparse but it was still hard work to navigate in between the trees.

  A little while later Dyna appeared.

  "It's not too far to the edge of the forest. I think the howling of the wolves has scared away most of the predators."

  Chu drank some water and turned to Lucy.

  "I don't 'see' any strange scents in front of us. I think we should be okay in this direction. If we get out before nightfall we should avoid the larger predators as they begin to roam."

  She replied to his glance.

  "Thank the heavens the boar was not bleeding like crazy. Otherwise, we could never get it out from so deep in the forest."

  He answered.

  It was also the reason they did not act like idiots and butcher the animal in the forest. Doing something like that would be like walking around an archery range with a bullseye target strapped to their backs. A blood trail in the forest opened a world of danger.

  It was early in the night when the party made their way out of the forest. Under Dyna's guidance, those curves and twisted paths led them just south of the gentle hill of the barn.

  Under this added incentive with the home in sight, everyone summoned their all to push, pull and coax the weary horses. Dyna was holding a makeshift torch that provided them with light.

  Soon a couple of torches came bobbing down the hill.

  Amanda was on watch and spotted the torch from the tower. Finding they were moving slowly she notified the others. They decided to take the risk and join them. Five extra hands soon boosted the morale of the tired hunters.

  This was more than just a gathering of people. This was a family.

  It was late at night when the group finally made it into the stockade. The wolf pack was the last to emerge from the forest. They loitered around before joining the others on the farm.

  Clod stumbled drenched but still tended to the horses before resting. The others collapsed sprawling around the farm. With Lucy using her skills intermittently and the wolf pack wandering around, there was no need to worry about an ambush.

  In the warm summer night, torches were lit around the stockade near the bottom of the hill. Mr. Thomas circled around, busy butchering the boar into large portions of meat to hang into the smokehouse. An open pelt lay at his feet skinned from the large body.

  The cured meats filled the cellar and the kitchen in the barn as the children struggled to carry the fresh and heavy replacement into the smokehouse. Mr. Thomas sliced cuts into the ligaments and ribs for holding the slippery pieces.

  Slabs of muscles carried under strain by Sue and Mrs. Thomas to the kitchen would end up as jerky. The rich fat lined pieces had joined others in a large basket for Sakura and Amanda to turn into sausages according to a recipe from Chu.

  "Hey, I did the most work during this hunt. All claims are supposed to be handled by me."

  "The head and heart are mine, for scouting. I still want a piece of the spine."

  The argument that began in the forest had restarted.

  "Hmm...give me, ten coppers of your spending money, next time we go into the village."

  "No, I have been saving up my money for a new pair of boots."

  "Then no deal, my bead is more important than some petty shoe you know."

  Slap!

  "Dyna, summon your minions, Mr. Thomas will light a fire to help you clean the pieces you want. Use the heart and liver tonight in your feeding recipes while they are fresh. The head and part of the spine will be placed in the smokehouse for you to use later. You did good today, I'm proud of you."

  "Yay!... Thanks, Chu."

  The little girl skipped outside to call her wolves.

  "Ming dig a hole to bury the parts Dyna doesn't want. I want it dug down the hill so it does not contaminate our well water."

  "Ok, Chu but like I said I was the one who worked the hardest so I deserve some extra incentive."

  Chu could only shrug in helplessness. This guy would nag him all night if he chose to ignore him.

  "Fine, fine I will get you that damn bead when we next make the trip into the village."

  "Hehehe... I knew you would see it my way Chu."

  Ming scampered off while Chu returned to help carry the meat.

  It was morning when they finished this task. Lack of refrigeration had them working against time to get the meat into the smokehouse. Chu sorely missed a good old fashioned freezer.

  He had Dyna get her
wolves to prowl around and keep watch. Everyone got hot water from the kitchen for a bath and lumbered into the barn. After a hot meal of bread and stewed boar, they found a bed and crashed to sleep.

  In the evening the watch was manned and the wolves went for a hard-earned rest.

  The worry that the faint blood trail attracting trouble proved unfounded. Fortunately, the next few days passed by uneventfully.

  He believed himself very lucky when they ended up having a summer shower that lasted for two days.

  With meat not being a problem anymore, Chu focused their efforts on construction and training.

  He checked the site and instructed Clod to build a small but stout shack outside the palisade. This was to be the new butchering station for the farm.

  If predators made their way out of the forest, it was better to have them curious about that place on the outside rather than inside the fence.

  Clod agreed and suggested then they build a small shack to process the pelts. He added that they should plant a small plot of the scent-removing herbs near the area. Adequate cleaning with those herbs and some limestone would reduce any bloody scent.

  The next thing they looked at was their smokehouse. Chu wanted a solid independent stockade placed around it. Although the cellar was full, securing all their food sources was the first priority.

  The conversion of the old farmhouse to a stable for the horses was completed. With the stone walls and thick logs, it was impenetrable when securely bolted. Thick round logs were placed around the walls of the barn about six feet high and four inches apart turning it into a veritable wooden fortress.

  Unless it was a strong destructive predator like a Snowbear, they were more than secure. Clod cut small windows on the lower level of the barn complete with wooden bars. When shut they were safe like a turtle in a shell.

  Except if the enemy used fire. Then like the turtle, he was royally screwed.

  If a predator like a Jaga happened to scale the outer perimeter, it could only sniff and slink around in frustration.

  Of course, its time would be short, the watchtower and small windows offering a full circle view. Unlucky predators had to eat a volley of crossbolts.

  The main work remaining was the completion of the outer fence. The headway was slow because of the hard work.

  Chu finally decided to give it a priority. He decided to finish it by building a weaker but quicker fence. Once completed they would then accumulate the logs and strengthen it later.

  Before continuing the project he gave Sakura and Amanda a task to complete.

  The rest of the week saw them busy in the forest. In the mornings they would manage the farm and then head out to the forest. Instead of this being one of the most dangerous work for humans like the villagers just north of them, this was now a low-risk venture for them.

  With a pack of wolves already marking this as their territory and Lucy practicing her scouting and ambush skills, they had little to be scared of. Without having to constantly scan for danger, work progressed very efficiently.

  ◆◆◆

  One night the wolves woke up and started scratching and growling at the door.

  Dyna quickly found Chu who was on watch in the tower.

  "There is something outside."

  Chu looked at her thoughtfully.

  "Wake up Ming and let him meet me up in the tower. Wake up, Mr. Thomas and Lucy."

  Soon Ming joined him in the lookout as they searched around in the moonlight. He left Ming and climbed down.

  "I don't smell anything close to the barn. I'm going up to see if I can spot anything."

  Lucy spoke and climbed up.

  "The wolves are not scared but excited. I think whatever it is to them is more like food."

  Dyna chimed in.

  'Have you really noticed the size of your little monsters? What is not food to them.'

  Chu turned to Mr. Thomas who was holding his sheathed sword.

  The old man had a thoughtful expression before he responded to the look.

  "I think there is no reason to doubt the wolves. They are much better than guard dogs in knowing what is what. The stables are secure so let's wait on what Lucy has to say."

  They stood around waiting until Lucy finally came down. She had a confused look on her face.

  "Nothing near the barn. It's okay but..."

  Chu looked at her. Her expression was like a student muddling over an exam question.

  "The only strange smell came from the direction of the fields. I saw like something was moving in it. I can't get a good view of it from the tower. The smell is kind of familiar… Maybe like a pheasant?"

  Since both Lucy and Dyna played down the threat, Chu relaxed from the tense mood. He did take note that completing the wall was a priority. He would feel better with that added security.

  They went back to rest, but he still doubled the watch. It was a really, really long time that they encountered some excitement near the barn.

  'Maybe they were beginning to get complacent?'

  In the morning Dyna had her wolves scout the area before they went out. After breakfast, they drove the wagon as usual down to the fields at the back of the barn. What greeted them was a sight of wanton destruction.

  The damage to the cornfields began in a corner and spread like a cracking mirror across the plantation. The perpetrators made a clean sweep hunting down and destroying mature produce.

  The vegetable farm was in a mess with some of the ripe melons and other large crops half eaten. As a result, they were beyond salvaging. Trails and prints crisscrossed the fields as if a huge herd descended on the place.

  "What the Hell?!"

  Chapter 14

  Pests

  Chu remembered watching a nature documentary one night back on earth.

  It focused on showing rural life on the African continent. Farms cultivated near the edges of the forest and rivers faced the fears of constant ravaging overnight.

  The perpetrators of the act belonged to no rival tribe or village but wild animals living nearby. Hippos would wreak havoc on crops, wild hogs would damage root tubers and deers would decimate leafy vegetables.

  Back then such stories never posed a real concern to him. The convenience store was always open late at night and had boasted well-stocked shelves. He never suffered a loss of that kind.

  Now he could relate to the sorrows of the villagers. Only faced with a similar experience does the bitterness become apparent.

  He felt helpless looking at Clod. The guy aged into an old, broken-back farmer carrying a mountain of worries.

  The boy usually trotted around knocking a wooden staff around while chewing on a grass stalk. Now the cheerful face turned into one which radiated depression.

  Mr. Thomas and Lucy soon returned from conducting their investigations.

  Chu waited until Clod and the others circled around.

  "No doubt about it, it was an Inyoni mob. Came from the south over the grasslands."

  Thomas raised his hands and pointed to the south.

  Chu was standing with his mouth open still confused.

  'Mob of Inyoni?'

  'Was this some bandit group or something?'

  Mr. Thomas gave a wry grin. The boy may be sharp in certain aspects but he was still lacking in worldly experience.

  Sometimes he felt the boy displayed a mentality of a six-year-old when it came to common knowledge. It was like he had spent his early years in some isolated jail.

  "Inyoni, large birds that can't fly. They roam the grasslands during the summer months and head south during the winter. A pack of them is usually called a mob."

  He looked at Chu and continued.

  "Normally they stay away from people but they have a tendency to use hit and run tactics on isolated farms. There is a rather large stretch of grasslands between us and the scattered farms to the south. There are large swaths of empty grasslands until you reach the interior of the Empire."

  "So what does this have to do
with us?"

  Chu asked.

  "Most likely this area was abandoned for a period of time. Also, it's like a free meal for these birds. Once they see an opportunity they would take it. Seems like our farm falls within their feeding range."

  Chu grimaced at the reply. This was their first summer on the barn. He really had no idea of what to expect. Worse yet those damn neighbors did not warn them of this.