5

"Get up if you don't want to be fodder."

Footsteps ensue after saying those words. Reluctant, the figure on the ground moved, wiggling slowly. It was the most he could do with a bag over his head and his hands tied. Though he was in a bind, he was hesitant to ask help from the person whom they called Hermit. As far as he knows, he was named Talon. It is an apt name.

"P-Please…" his shy, soft voice tried to reach out to the man walking farther away from his position. Is he going to leave him here?

Goosebumps littered all over his body when he remembered the journey he endured along with those scoundrels. The frightening creatures were enough to give him a cardiac arrest. Almost all his life, he never saw more than a domesticated poultry, and an occasional pet animal in the district. He is sheltered.

To say he was afraid was lacking and not appropriate. He was shocked during the first day after they saw a bunch of macaques. He screamed, getting the attention of the animals. They were quick to make a detour, maybe it was the reason they got lost in the first place. Also after that, the men decided to cover his head to avoid any further misfortunes.

"Please, Sir." he begged one more time, the day is getting shorter and he doesn't want to stay in that place alone and vulnerable to all the elements. He can't even see the Hermit in his situation, hence, hearing the steps fading in the distance was enough to send his heart thundering in fear. He could not understand how this man could live in this jungle, alone and thriving.

The thundering in his chest went a beat louder when he can no longer hear the footsteps, like

It vanished into thin air. He held his breath, almost suffocated by the bag over his head. He prefers dying in the hands of those stupid men over dying alone in the forest, rotting and forgotten.

"Please. I'll do anything, don't leave me here. Please, please." voice shaking in horror, he kept repeating the words louder each time. All he could hear was the ringing in his ears, the blood roaring as the fear consumed him more and more. Sweat dotted his neck, running through his back and soaking the airy material of his long tunic.

He is going to die in the claws of any predators who would find him first. Why did he even buy him in the first place? That savage hermit! Tears soon mingled with his sweat, sobbing like a mad man.

"For fuck sake, stop sobbing like a dying boar."

He choked on his saliva. While he was in the middle of sobbing and coughing fits, the Hermit removed the bag over his head. Blinding colors suddenly filled his sight. The smell of the grass, and the dirt was stronger after the bag was removed. Closing his eyes, he tried to ease the discomfort the light caused. The thundering of his chest gave way to massive relief, enough to send him to the clouds. He keeps his eyes close, gathering his scattered wits.

"Now, you're going to sleep? I don't know about you but I want to eat and sleep comfortably. Thanks to you and those three stooges, I got no proper sleep. Get up." said the Hermit and he felt a strong slap on his back. It is quite strong and it kind of hurts. Everything was heightened with his eyes closed.

The presence looming over him disappeared. In a flash he opened his eyes and scrambled up. He realized that his hands were no longer bound. Checking the surroundings, he saw the Hermit was already in the treeline and about to disappear from his sight.

"How can she walk so fast in this place?" he muttered in frustration as he ran after the man. Face smeared with dried tears. Pumping his long legs, he was able to keep up with him. His skin was full of scratches from the bushes and branches that he passed by but nothing mattered until he reached the Hermit's side. And he reached his side.

Pause.

The sudden pause caused him to bump against the Hermit's back. He looked down and discovered that the man was shorter than him. Realizing the absurdity of it, he tilted his head in thought.

"Keep a few steps back." he was startled out of his thoughts when he heard the words. Looking down once again, he saw their position, he plastered all over the man's back. Scrambling away, he took a few steps back. Feeling nervous and a tad afraid, he decided to mind his movement. For this man to be living on the main island, he must be more than capable. A weakling like him who knows nothing but servicing the population won't stand a chance.

"Langdon. It is my name, Sir. But, in the pleasure pub, they call me Lanny." he explained to the Hermit. The man did not even glance in his direction and he appreciated it. The face he was making was unpleasant, and it was against his principles at the moment. Prostitutes were made to serve and must be pleasant looking at all times. Prostitutes must always make an amiable face and keep a smile on their faces.

No response was given as the Hermit resumed his light steps. The stealthy steps he took were the opposite of his own. Snapping twigs and crunching leaves can be heard along with the sounds of the birds in the forest. Every noise he made made him flinch. The words that the Hermit said about being loud in the jungle was a bad idea,but here he was making a mockery of those words.

His eyes were focused on the figure in front of him. When the Hermit raised her right palm, a universal signal to stop, he saw it and obeyed in an instant. He mimicked his movements as they crouched low ever so slowly. Something must be around them. Curiosity spiking, he roamed his eyes around and covered his mouth in time when he saw a long, yellow snake slithering in a low branch just yards away. What made it worse was a jaguar under the low branch, waiting for a good time to snatch its dinner.

"Keep quiet." the hermit ordered while he nodded his head in understanding. A strong spicy smell filled the air, coupled with some scent of herbs he could not extinguish for the life of him. He covered his noise as his senses were bombarded with it. He glanced at the Hermit and saw that he was holding a small bottle the size of his pinky.

With confusion on his face, his savior turned in his direction and splashed some of the contents on his clothes, and it soaked through. He almost grimaced when the smell grew stronger. Even with his nose covered the smell invaded his senses. The Hermit pointed at their left plank.

"Move in that direction, walk slowly." he instructed, while he nodded.

Slowly, he moved in the direction the man pointed, taking extra precaution with his steps. Tiptoeing was the best he could do and when he was a good distance away from the situation, he looked back and his savior grabbed a thick branch and threw it in the jaguar's direction. More than that, the man had a good swing so the branch went sailing away farther than he could see.

The Hermit crouched much lower, almost hugging the ground. Still mimicking the movements, he saw how the animal's attention got stolen by the sailing branch and darted in that direction.

"Keep up." was all he heard as he watched the Hermit take off in the opposite direction where the animal went. Scuttering, he ran after the man while cursing the long tunic he was wearing as it hindered his way and almost tripped him a couple of times.

It was a grueling pace but he was able to keep up with the Hermit's agile movements. Albeit, panting and wheezing for dear life. He feels like they were running for a long time now. They ran without a pause, and it's taking its toll on him. The Hermit, on the other hand, seems to be running with no sweat at all. Without him noticing, the man ahead of him stopped altogether.

They finally reached their destination.