The Deepcombers

Chapter Eleven

"Yes, chase Kluth. It does." the big cat held the bag in front of him.

"Pitch it!" Lon said.

"No. It's all we have and I'm hungry." 

"If that's the price it charges," Lon put his free hand on the fish bag. "We'll pay it."

The young lad made to take the bag, but the lionfeigor didn't let go. This was a moment. The veteran looked like he wanted to challenge Lon's leadership and the youth didn't back down.

Jarl relinquished the gunny filled with fish. He must have known it was the right move, or maybe he saw the trees shiver and swish apart as the bear approached.

The underbrush parted and a brown furry face appeared in the ferns. It was eight feet away but the hairy head still looked huge. It was bigger than a bear. It had jet black eyes that glared at them from behind a long snout filled with slobbering yellow teeth. It fixed its eyes on Lon.  The creature either didn't see or completely disregarded the four shiny steel blades everyone held quivering before them. Nobody dared move.

The predator had a uniquely streamlined face; that is to say all the brown hair on its cheeks seemed well-brushed away from its great beastly mouth which opened in another scowl. Yellow-white teeth and fangs became a ferocious growl that terrified the trespassers. Then the predator chose to stand and sniff the air.  Now it towered and showed off its huge claws and legs and it issued a queer little roar. 

Jarl found his courage and he was about to charge forward and poke it with his sword when Lon stopped him. He knew this animal type. He recognized its shape and knew what it was doing; this forest creature was not just an ordinary bear but something called Ursidae. The animal  wasn't trying to scare them, or cowl them into submission. It was just curious. It likely wondered how these fish could walk on land.

Instead of attempting to murder the overlord, Lon proffered the smelly fish bag in his hand. He reached into the pouch and pulled-out a puffed-up shiner. The furry bear dropped to its feet and sniffed the tasty snack from eight feet away. Before it could get any closer the young lad tipped the fish back in the sack and tossed the whole foul purse into distant vines. The shaggy beast turned and followed the food. Lon spun about and shooed his companions up the boulders to start the climb.

"Go, go." Lon pointed out the first handholds to Tharus. Clyde went up behind and Lon followed him. The veteran soldier from Lambspetal came-up last. The ursidae disappeared under the trees to enjoy the Septhalese fillet supper below the forest canopy.

The hungry feigor picked their way upwards along the stone staircase that was a boulder-strewn ramp filled with loose rock which had crumbled down the mountainside. The debris rose in tiered shelves and resembled a giants' staircase. It was a loose boulder from up here that'd tumbled down and caused all the damage below; Lon could see the path it'd made to the lake.

Jarl paused to tie his brass sword hilt to the pull string on his trousers. Now he could use both hands to climb. Lon still held his saber loose, but he'd soon need a place to stash his blade. His trousers were rags however and he knew the draw string wouldn't hold the weapon's weight. As he thought about that problem until he was pleasantly distracted by the sight below. It was beautiful landscape in late afternoon light. He was struck by just how the trees seemed like a second lake and how the red-flowering sumacs appeared to wash-up against the rocks. There was no sign of the ursidae anymore and as he recalled its bone-curdling roar he was so happy they'd paid the fee and not tried to save the food; that was six fishes and one ragged cloth tunic well spent.

Together the escapees ascended until they came to ten-foot-tall cliff which was a prominent piece of geography he'd seen from below and considered to be the real start of their climb. Lon remembered being on the ship again and how his shoulders and arms were always sore. He realized that while he'd been miraculously healed and now felt super-feigorin, two of his three travelling companions were still malnourished wretches and the third was not someone he'd consider athletic. Tharus had wanted to eat the fish so he could get back his strength; that's what he'd said on the beach below. So, it'd be wise to go slow and not push them too far, because this was no place to fail. Up ahead was the steep section he'd worried about when he'd scanned the trail. This may be one of those places where every muscle was required.