Abandoned with the Enemy

Chapter 02

Having to take care of Wendy meant my plans to explore the island further had to be postponed for a while. Luckily she grew up fast and I was able to teach her how to hunt with me. When we found prey she would sneak up around them and chase them my way where I could shoot it with my bow or skewer it on the short spear I had made.

First time we stood triumphantly over our dead deer.., thing, I felt like a Neanderthal hunter. To think I flew a fighter pod and handled sub machine guns not too long ago. I kind of miss the compact power tool for killing.

Eventually it became time to go and I packed the few things I'd need in a backpack I had made from the hides of our kills.

'Ready, girl?' I asked Wendy.

She looked up at me and barked. Cags don't bark as low as dogs, but at a higher pitch which fits more with the feline side of her species.

'All right then.' I said and headed for the nearest hilltop and the hopefully first good look at the whole island.

***

As I expected, the jungle slowed down our progress and it took us two days to reach the hill top. The sun was halfway down the horizon and it became time to find a place to camp for the night. I spotted a clear patch in the tree cover and headed that way.

What I saw surprised me. There was a stone floor here. Overgrown partially, but in good shape without grass or anything growing through cracks. I bend down and felt the surface. Smooth, but not so much like it had been made with a precision machine. The material looked like it was made by processing the ground found around here. From a distance it wouldn't look like there was a separate flat surface here.

'I think we'll stay here for the night, girl.' I said to Wendy and unpacked the backpack to make a fire.

Wendy assumed her role of guardian and inspected the floor area. After getting a fire going I started roasting the three rodents we bagged during the day and gathered big leaves to serve as bed and plates for our meal.

During the meal I wondered if I'd find more proof of an ancient civilisation on this island. Maybe I'd get lucky and find weapons or other items I could use.

It was almost dark when we had finished eating and I propped up my backpack to serve as a pillow and Wendy crawled up to me. I wrapped my arm around her and she gave me a soft lick on my mouth, making me chuckle and give her a goodnight kiss back. Between the warm climate and her warm and soft body I needed no blanket to sleep comfortable at night.

'Good night, sweet Wendy.' I whispered and listened to the sounds around us for a while before sleep took over.

***

The next morning I checked the area around the floor but found no more evidence of whoever build it. I did get a better view of the island and saw it had a slight bend to it and there were three main tops to the ridge formed by the hills. With any luck I'd find more at one or both of the other tops.

The trek to the middle took two more days which were pretty uneventful, apart from encountering Wendy's kind twice. The first time I wondered what she would do when four cags threatened to attack us, and was pleasantly surprised to see her take my side and chase them away with more voracity than I could have imagined from her size. The second time I noticed she did make sure I was behind her before she snarled and lashed out at a group of three cags. She could be brave, but I did have to be close.

'Good girl.' I said each time, scratching her behind her ears and down her back, which made her body and tail shiver.

***