Consequences of late-night visitors

Chapter 7

Consequences of late-night visitors

I took a month break after the summer was over, from all the trading. I had enough game to eat and only when that incident occurred, did I start traveling again.

Truthfully I could have started traveling before but I didn't. I didn't want to leave my cave. It had grown on me. Initially, I thought of just spending my life here. After all, if I was able to survive one winter, I could survive another, with little more preparation. I could totally avoid the characters and live my life simply here or until I was sick of this place.

The choice was made when the summer started. The nights were not very cold and thus my 2 lines of fire were more than enough for what I needed. I could not sleep in that heat. I had to leave my bear furs in the night, during the spring season, as, I didn't wasn't to die of heat. Even the wolf furs were more than enough. Moreover, it was a pain in the ass to carry logs every day. I was going through the logs very quickly. I didn't have to cut any tree till then and I didn't want to.

So I decided to make a new defense.

I made a fence. I kicked myself for not doing it before.

I did the same thing I did with my spike trap. I just didn't sharpen it on both sides. I just made the spikes bigger and lined them on the mouth of the cave. That way they were able to cover the whole mouth of the cave. There wasn't enough space between them for any big animal to come through, though some small cats could do it.

But I wasn't worried much about them. I also lined the short spikes for about 5 feet after it just in case. After it was my line of fire for keeping me warm and keeping the cold winds out.

Still, after all the preparation, the attack occurred.

Flashback

In the middle of the summer, one day again, I woke up to the wolves howling. I quickly got up to see 3 wolves near the mouth of the cave colliding with the fence, trying to break it apart. I quickly picked up my bow and arrows. It was good that I started keeping all of my weapons nearby me while sleeping after the first attack of the wolves. I also started dipping all my arrows in the paralytic-sleeping poison. I also named the poison, PSIP, short for Paralytic Sleep-Inducing Poison pronounced as 'Sip' with P as silent.

By the time I had picked up all of my weapons, one of the wolves had broken one of the spears in the fence when he struck it. He tried to jump away but quickly got caught in the spears trap and impaled himself. Still, I fired an arrow at his head to make sure that he was dead.

The next wolf tried to come in by using his comrade's body. I quickly fired the arrow at him too. Although my shot proved true, the wolf was not dead as the wolf moved and the arrow landed on its shoulder instead of the head. The wolf howled and landed on the hot ash as the logs were still burning. I tuned out his howling and put another arrow through his brain. This time, he was definitely dead as it dropped then and there in the fire.

I was breathing a little heavily, but, I quickly notched an arrow and kept it trained at the mouth of the cave. It was good that I did because another wolf came through. Once, I saw another wolf, I fired at him. It was a good shot but not exceptional. It lodged at its hind leg instead of the head for which I was aiming for. It was night so the darkness wasn't helping me in my aim. The light from the fire only helped some but it was also dimming down due to the wolf who drowned in it.

By the time, I had notched another arrow he had crossed the spear trap and landed at his comrade's body. He tried to lunge at me while I fired the arrow.

Both our attacks proved home. My arrow went through his mouth and pierced his brain while he collided with me.

I collided with the wall while the wolf fell on me. With considerable effort, I pushed him away and picked up my bow and arrows. Thankfully they were in one piece. I recovered all 4 of my arrows from their body and remained in the cave with my arrow drawn on at the mouth of the cave. I left the arrow in the wolf which I first killed. I didn't want to go near the mouth of the cave. The wolves always hunt in packs and I only killed three, maybe four or five if any of them got caught in the bear trap like last time.

I also took away the body of the wolf from the fire and put more logs in the fire so that I could see more clearly. The fur of the wolf was only burnt a little so its value definitely wouldn't go down. I shook my head and kept my attention on the cave instead of 'trade'.

'I could think about the price of the hide later when I am not in any danger of getting killed' I thought to myself.

Only when the morning came, I exited the cave. I found 1 more wolf caught in the bear trap. It was also alive just like last time so I put him out of his misery. Last time the whimpering may have made me pity it, but this time it only made me angry.

Flashback ends

After that attack, I knew I wasn't safe there. So I decided to get the fuck out before any more wolves attack me even if the chances looked slim to none. I knew that wolves mostly attack when humans are alone. They never try to hunt a group of humans excluding when they are starving crazy.

At first, I thought to increase the area of spike traps and make it 6 or 7 feet long but I couldn't be sure that they would be enough. Maybe the next time more wolves would attack me. Moreover, I still wasn't sure if any wolf fled away or not. I could hunt them down to save myself from any future attack but I wouldn't be always sure that I got them all.

I still don't understand how these wolves were so intelligent. I mean the last wolf used his comrades' bodies to save himself from the fire and spikes. Then again, I only encountered the wolves in this life so they could have been this clever even in my previous world too.

I also thought of going back to my first place and chisel a cave there. The platform would make me able to chisel a cave, at about 7 or 8 feet of height. At that height, no animal would be able to climb that cave. I could also put some spikes at the mouth of the cave to act as the defense as any animal that would be able to jump would impale itself on them.

But in the end, I decided to at least try to join the Alkenny tribe. It would require great work to chisel a cave there. And, I was not sure I would be able to do it in 3 months, before the winter, arrives. The autumn was already here judging by all the signs shown by nature.

Moreover, I was going stir crazy by being alone with no one to talk to. It would be best to join some other tribe. I didn't want to become like those men who looked and acted crazy because they lived their life in isolation. I also didn't want to face the witch-finders alone, if they find me. A tribe and its warriors would really help me get out of that situation.

Still, there was no guarantee that the tribe wouldn't just sell me out. It was why the Alkenny Tribe was my first and last choice.

If it doesn't work out, I could always come back and follow my first idea or join any other tribes.

I went to the Opayol Tribe for the last time the next day after the wolf attack.

At first, I thought to keep the meat with me but I was given a deal that I couldn't refuse.

While there, I traded my 3 of my wolves with Sheila's family for a perfectly good short sword and a scabbard, though I kept the meat of 1 wolf with me as I felt that it would be good for either trading or eating. Seeing as it was summer-time, I knew the meat won't be preserved for a long time. So I didn't felt as if that the deal was worse for me.

The sword was of Sheila's husband who was quite overjoyed at hearing the pack who injured him, dead. He identified them by their smell and a scar on 1 of the wolf which he was able to give to the wolf during their fight.

It didn't mean that he gave me his sword. The sword was short and he had another one which was more suitable for him. As the sword was collecting dust, I got it at a discount.

I still kept a claw from each wolf but let him take the hide and rest. I already had more than enough hide to keep me warm.

By giving them away, I had at least some sort of weapon that could be used in close combat. For the first time, I spent the night there. I also learned that Sheila's husband was the leader of the tribe now. I spent my night in their hut.

Sheila also made me a necklace with a claw from each of my hunts so there were 5 wolf claws, 2 bear claws, and 1 boar tusk in it. It was the only accessory that I had on me. While I didn't fight fair, I did kill all of them. So I was somewhat proud of myself. They also asked me how I killed all of them. In return, I let them feel, the bear traps.

I didn't say anything as they could easily discern a lie.

His husband invited me to join their tribe but I declined and gave the reason that God flame wanted me somewhere else. Hearing it, he didn't ask again. People were really serious about their religion at this time.

I think I even made some changes by just providing Sheila with food. Maybe her husband didn't survive in the original timeline or maybe I was just theorizing rubbish. It would show in the next 2 decades if I made some changes or not.

There was one other thing that also made my day. And that was, they had a bow.

Not the crap that I made. It was a professional bow. Naturally, I asked for it but he declined. I even asked to exchange it for the sword seeing as it would be more useful in a situation than the sword that I don't know to use. But he still declined, saying that it was an heirloom. In fact, the 'twigs' were also the heirloom but he was not that attached to them as much as he was attached to the bow.

I tried to sway him with different offers but he didn't agree. In the end, I had to admit defeat. Still, I extended my stay for some more days. Obviously, I made some traps in nearby shallow waters to get me a few fish every day. Still, the wolf meat came in handy in those days as I wasn't hunting for food at all. The fish was only good for a single setting as I needed to eat 3 fish in a single setting to satiate my hunger.

In those days, I studied the bow and made a copy. Obviously, his bow was the better one but mine was not bad. And it only took 5 tries to perfect it. This way, I also learned to make a professional bow. Now, if my bow is ever destroyed, I could easily create a new one.

I gifted him the other 4 as a farewell gift.

Once I made my bow, I made my leave.

I spent 1 more day at my place before starting my travel as I only reached my place by mid-afternoon. Thank god, I had enough meat from the wolf that I didn't have to hunt for more. I also got enough fish from the traps I made near the cave to fill my belly in the next morning.

During that time, I packed all my belongings.

Truthfully, I had quite a few things to carry: 3 bear traps, a pan and pot for cooking and warming water, a sleeping bag made of 2 bearskins for sleeping in, my wolf furs, my clothes, my sword, my bow, my spear, 2 quivers filled with 25 arrows, each.

It was good that I sold those wolves otherwise I might not have been able to carry all of my things. Still, It took quite a lot of time to decide how to take them all.

In the end, I wore all the furs on me. The spear and 2 quivers were on my back with the bow on my shoulder. The sword was on my right hip in its scabbard while the bear traps were on my left hip. The pots were in my hands. The bearskin sleeping bag was what created problems. In the end, I wore it vertically by folding it in front so that I could carry it far more easily. I had quite a difficult time walking with all of the things but I was able to do it after some practice.

I didn't want anyone else to live in my cave while I was away but I couldn't do anything other than putting the fence and spikes after it. That way only someone with eyesight would be able to take away all the traps and use the cave. Still, I couldn't be fully sure. I already memorized the location so I could always find it.

After I was done, I started my journey.

2 months later

Other tribes also asked me to join their tribe when I stayed with them on my travels.

The first 4 were all surprised that I was able to survive, even the Thenns. I only went to the Thenns, 2 times in the winter so they weren't sure that I was alive when I didn't trade with them for the whole season of spring and the summer. I just said that I was blessed by 'GodFlame'. People were superstitious but devoted to GodFlame's religion. That way I was able to make a fool out of them.

I traveled for 2 months and in those travels, I encountered some more tribes on the way, some good, some not so good. I traded some fish for the shelter and dinner with the good tribes. As it was the autumn season, fish and game were aplenty.

The bad tribes, on the other hand, got arrows for the trouble they caused me. Thankfully once I killed their people with my arrows, the 'not so good' tribes left me alone. There were one or two close calls but they made me all the more strong after the encounters. The close calls were due to all the things I was carrying. They also made me slow.

The first time I killed a person, I didn't feel a thing. It was just like the practices when I practiced my archery skills. It was even easier than hunting the animals as they could sometimes see and dodge the arrow.

I realized that this type of thinking was not good but shrugged as I couldn't find guilt in me for them as they attacked me in the first place and didn't back down after repetitive warnings. I looted their bodies and took what I thought could prove useful.

In one of those lootings, I found a perfectly good spear. The front part of it that is used to stab people, was made of metal. There aren't many of these. Most people use a wooden spear.

It was a bit long for me but considering that I would grow taller, it would be fine. There was no doubt that it was better than mine. Before I could take any more of the weapons, their friends came and I had to 'strategically retreat'.

I used the noise made by them to slip past them in the direction of their tribe location. There I found something that made my blood boil, the slaves.

Once, I encountered slaves used by them; I didn't feel guilty, about not finding guilt within me, for killing the apparent slavers. I was wroth to leave them there but I realized that I could do nothing for them. I could free them by easily killing all the slavers but I had no means to provide them shelter and food. I, myself, didn't have the means to provide myself with shelter, how would I provide them?

I would be lying if I said that the idea of starting my own tribe by killing the slavers and using their place didn't cross my mind. But the reality is often disappointing. I am damn sure they wouldn't like a child to be their leader. Moreover, they could alert the witch-finders and get me killed. There were other dozen reasons why it would be a bad idea so I didn't pursue it.

At least this way they would be fed and have shelter in the winter.

With a heavy heart, I again resumed my journey.