705 Age of Steal
Pahoran was walking besides his grandmother as they were once again on a foraging missing. They were standing besides a large tree and looking at the mushrooms that were growing along the bark of the tree. Pah was starting at the strange thing, the wilds was still fairly new to the boy who had spent most of his life in a besieged fortress, and so he found thinks like mushrooms fascinating. Her mother was explaining how mushrooms were excellent sources on food, though usually they needed to go with something else.
They were looking at a yellow orange one that apparently had a look alike that you wanted to avoid. “Remember if you don’t know anything about a mushroom, don’t touch it, and I hope it’s a given not to eat it.” She said with one of those not joking Grandma looks. Pah looked wide eyed at the mushroom and then up at his grandmother and nodded his head vigorously. “Good.” Together the two of them collected the mushrooms and stored them to take back to the camp. Then the two began to walk towards a clearing they had seen up ahead.
The two kept walking forward and his grandmother Sarino returned to the subject she was addressing before. “Out here the bow or a sharp spear will actually be more of your friend then a sword.” She showed him her bow which was taller then him. “Don’t misunderstand. A sword is a excellent weapon when faces with a face to face fight, and honestly if you run into a hungry bear up close and person go for the sword. For hunting purposes though this.” She shook the bow, “is far more useful. Since most animals who make good eating with out butting your life on the line won’t let you get close enough to use a sword.”
Pah was nodding his head in understand as they spoke and walked. His grandmother fell silent as she looked up and around them. Pah feeling panicked at that moment reaching for his own blade that he new wore. He managed to get it out and pointed at the object after some fumbling. He then got a good look at the enemy before them.
It was some type of abandoned building. The little boy narrowed his eyes still held his sword out, you never knew what would attack. Then his grandmother spoke. “Put that away Pah, a drawn blade is an invite to a battle. Instead rest you sword hand on in so that if you do need it then you can pull it out.”
She seemed to take her own advice held her bow at the ready, but not fully armed. The two walked forwards towards the waiting building. His grand mother continued to teach as they drew closer. “Not much has approached the house from this direction. You can see by the path we are leaving in the weeds. Anyone else would have also left some type of path, but we can’t see around the back side of the building so we still need to be cautious.”
The soon found themselves by the side of the building and not seeing any obvious openings they moved slowly around the edge of the building. After the third stick Pah caused to snap beneath his foot his grandmother motioned for him to stay there. Pah put his back up against the wall and stood ready for any attack, just like his brother had taught him to do. It wasn’t long before his grandmother returned a big smile on her face.
“Its okay, a few animals have taken up residence but this place is safe.” She looked at Pah and said. “I need you to fly up and flag down the family.”
Pah looked at her in surprise. Then he puffed out his chest and said. “ I can do that.” He spread his wings and launched into the air. He didn’t pay much attention really to what was around him, and as he launched himself into the air as he flew past the roof he had miss judged the space he needed and was to close to the over hange and his entire arm ran across the edge scrapping away the top layers of skin. The boy gasped with the stinging pain of the scratches but kept beating his wings moving himself upward. With his other hand he grabbed the injured arm and felt himself wobble a bit as he flew upward. The boy just kept flapping upwards trying to find fix the balance.
Soon he managed to get above the tree line and paused to look around as he flapped trying to see one of his family. He held his arm against the pain as he looked around trying not be panicked. He flapped for a few moments looking around not sure where the others were. As he made a slow circular loop while gritting his teeth and tears at the corner of his eyes he eventually came around and saw one of his brothers flying towards him. the young boy seeing him coming allowed himself to glide back down to his grandmother.
He landed and did a little dance as the tears stung his eyes. “Pah.” His grandmother said as she came over. “Are you hurt?” she asked concern in her voice.
“Yes I scrabbed my arm on the roof.” Pah said still bouncing. “Do you have something for it.” Pah watched as she looked at him and seemed to consider. “Yes not with me. You need to learn to fight through the pain. I need you to go back up, and make sure the family finds us. I can’t get my balm until they arrive.” She said and gave him a hug and kiss on the head.
Pah ground his teeth and this time making sure she was well out of the way took off again. This time though the pain wasn’t as intense and he was able to control his ascent and able to get high enough to glide around the building. He could see his brother adjust his course and coming towards him. As Pah glided there he could see more of what they had found. It appeared to be a number of abandoned buildings, and the forest was cleared for quiet an extend beyond the other side of the building.
“Pah, what is it?” He next oldest brother ask as he held position by him. Pah pointed down at the abandoned place.
“Grandma says to bring the family.” As Pah spoke his brother looked down and then whistled. He began to nod his head.
“I can see what why she wants us to come.” His brother said and then turned around shouted, “Good Job Pah.” Pah smiled at his brothers compliment.
It was a while later when Pah sat with as his sister applied a salve across his scratched arm. They were in what had turned out to be a barn attached to an abandoned farm. Everyone was gathered and discussing what to do.
“This is a good place to spend the winter.” Bapona said as he was testing the stability of one of the two wagons they had found in the barn.
“We still have a long way to winter.” Calistra commented.
“Yes my love, but we don’t know where we will be when winter actually hits.” Her husband said from where he checking the sturdiness of the barn itself. “With a little effort we can farm this area for a season, get more supplies for the coming year, really get a chance to regroup and then move on.”
“Exactly.” Bapona said. “What’s else is it will give us a chance to get some animals to haul these wagons.”
“Why son?” asked Taselia his expression curious.
“They are going to provided the basis of our cover story.” Bapona said with a smile. There was silence and then his mother clapped her hands.
“Brilliant.” She said with admiration.
“I am sorry but some of still fail to see what the idea even is.” Calistra said calmly.
“It is simple really. We become waggoners moving product from one location to another.” Bapona said. His mother in law raised and eyebrow and then also began to smile.
“It is good. No one would think anything about people hauling goods.”
“Exactly.” Bapona said.
The other members of the family all began to nod their heads as the formation of the plan began to fall into place. Finally Taselia spoke. “I think we are all in agreement, we will stop hear until next spring, and then we become wagoners.” There were more nodes.
“I do want to add on thing to that. While here we fix up the wagons, grow food, but we do not do anything to the homes and buildings that is required to keep ourself safe and healthy.” Sarino added.
“Okay dear why?” asked her husband.
“Because the moment we begin fixing this up it will start becoming a home.” She said in complete seriousness. “This is not our home. If anything these wagons will be come our home, so fix them up as much as you want, but do not touch these buildings unless we want to be chased out of here in the future.”
The air was serious and slowly each of the exiled knights nodded there heads. “So it will be.” Was the response from all of them.
