"You never realize how dangerous nature is till it tries to eat you."
-Unknown
Asha was up first and already had things well under way in preparing the morning meal as Sefu walked around the camp talking to everyone one at a time. It was not unusual but also necessary as he informed them on who would be on guard duty throughout the day as teams rotated, some would rest but that did not mean they would have nothing to do, they needed many sets of eyes watching for danger.
Working his way around the camp Sefu approached Asha then looked around for him before nodding a greeting to her.
"He asleep?"
Asha nodded then pointed under the wagon before going back to managing her bubbling pot as Sefu ducked low to look under the wagon a moment, satisfied he looked into the wagon and began rummaging around quietly.
"What you look for?"
"Zuri need jar, Verik not crazy yet?"
Turning her head towards him she shrugged not understanding what he meant.
"I think that one," he pointed under the wagon with his hand a moment, "thinks he get something great but now not so certain, not talk much, very troubled."
"Loosing your home makes anyone troubled."
"Not that kind of troubled, troubled like you were when you first come to Wete, still troubled. Uncertain, worried, trying to figure things out."
"Yes... He is troubled but it will pass, I hope."
"Maybe, just pray he not snap first yes? Last one snap we had to kill, remember?"
"Yes... You wou-"
"No, I think dis one do fine but no push too hard, needs to think things through. You help him."
She already was but it would seem it was now an order.
"I help because I want to."
"Good." Sefu turned for a moment, "shame for one to get what he want then loose it."
"He wont go crazy, will he?"
"No, no, that one take to fighting and killing easy, see it in eyes, disturbed by what he sees but not by the killing."
Sefu went back to rummaging before stopping dead and staring at something then moved down the wagon a little and began to fiddle with something.
They had one more thing they shared in common now: being troubled by the world around them.
Asha scooted the pot away from the embers and arranged the bowls, she still remembered what happened when the last refugee lost their mind from what had happened. Sefu had been the one to cut them down as they went into an uncontrollable rage and began attacking others while foaming at the mouth when the weight of the situation fell on them breaking their spirit in the process.
She did not want that to happen to Verik, he was too nice. Nice... Very nice but also very quick to kill yet somehow it did not bother her.
Verik was semi-awake from the sound of things moving against the boards above him but he had not made any move to get up yet, whoever it was talked a minute to someone else but the conversation was mostly tuned out before he rolled to face them after the conversation ended.
Two well built legs were all he saw at first then Asha at the campfire, he had gravitated to sleeping under the wagon more and more lately, even moving there later in the night just in case.
There was a loud *whump* beside his sleeping mat as a small pile of things dropped to the ground, Sefu's face came into view moments later as he squatted down and leaned hard to look under the wagon before pointing at the pile.
"Where you get?"
"What?"
"This not in wagon before, saw you kill bandit last night, you remove something."
"Yes, tossed it into the wagon quickly, never looked at it since we were in a hurry."
"Come."
Sefu grabbed the pile then stood quickly and joined Asha while Verik scooted out from under the wagon and joined them. The belt he had managed to get free was laid out in all its torn and tattered glory but attached to it were some interesting items.
Sitting beside Sefu he watched as the giant untied things from the belt before tossing it in the embers quickly.
When he had gained the belt there was such a rush to get away the thought of actually looking at it had never come up and when they had finally stopped he was too tired to even remember he had tossed it on the wagon.
Now however it looked like he had managed to pilfer some interesting items: a small knife that was not terribly useful in a fight, coin pouch along with a pouch full of rounded stones for a leather sling that had been tied off on the belt but it was the scabbard that got everyone's attention.
Some struggle was required to remove the rusty and poorly kept blade from its scabbard but it was clear this small shortsword as once used till it nearly broke, was mended then used again and again. Most likely it had never even been cleaned but it was still a blade or at least recognizable.
"Useless, maybe you have smith in Wete repair."
"Considering the cost of metal I take it that would be beyond my means."
"Hmm... Maybe, maybe not. You take spears and remove blades, have smith use them to repair blade, melt them all down and make new blade maybe."
"How much would that cost?"
"Much, very much but a good blade worth it, especially here." He waved at the surrounding landscape.
Verik could not argue with him on that point but it was also a good plan: take the worst of the spearheads and melt all of it down then turn it into a new blade. It could work if he could just afford it somehow.
Sefu emptied the coins onto the ground and made an unamused clicking sound, looking down they could all see why: four copper coins were zilch.
"Well, you get blade, that worth much, knife too, melt it and other knife you have, make better one."
"Still most likely beyond what I can afford, assuming the smith will work for four coppers."
"No, but you help with other things and smith maybe give you better deal."
Sefu stood and began walking away before calling back "we leave soon, eat fast."
Watching him go Verik looked back at the rusted and destroyed blade.
"Well that was interesting."
Verik fought to get the warped blade back into its scabbard again while Asha watched.
"Want a knife?"
Passing the new one over he rearranged everything and strapped the bullet pouch and sling onto his belt quickly before eating, Asha just stared at the poorly made little knife a moment before smiling.
"It really not bother you to kill..."
She had kept asking that question but never in condemnation, instead it was like Asha was searching for something... Were they worried he was going insane?
"Better them than me."
"Thank you, for the knife."
"You were looking at knives back in the city before all hell broke loose."
"Yes but Sefu had Jelani buy one for me already but still, thank you."
Getting the wagons back on the road took a little effort but they were now within spitting distance of Mjesani so the bandits would not be hanging around in any great numbers, once again unspoken "rules" were at play here.
Graves were also rather common along the route but just as many had never been buried only drug off the road and dumped in piles then barely covered with dirt. Wild animals had of course found this most acceptable and dug up the pits then hauled the bodies off as best they could or just eaten them right there leaving behind a myriad of skeletons littered about the fields. The sun would catch the bleached bones every now and then causing a small glint now and then as the grass swayed to and fro revealing them.
Walking alongside the wagons he stared out over the savannah wondering just many lives had been lost along this strip of road.
"Hey Jelani, whats that?"
Looking at where he was pointing she stared out into the grass before grimacing.
"Hyena or wild dogs hiding in grass."
"Aren't they supposed to be scavengers?"
"What you mean?"
"Never mind, are they a problem?"
"They learn to attack small groups like us, they fat from zebra flesh and no fear now. Only dangerous if there be more, might attack."
With a quick yell she alerted the others and heads began to turn in all directions scanning the tall grass.
"Good eyes. How you spot them?"
"The grass was moving against the wind and one of them is taller than the grass as strange as that may sound."
"They not get this big on your world?"
"That place is not my world but no they do not get that big, your world just set a record."
"They only following... Probably not attack then unless one strays. Watch them but stay close."
Jelani left for the wagon carrying her equipment and with a quick switch removed her bow and quiver before moving to the other side of the wagon train. Verik continued to stare at the grass as it bent down in channels as the wild canines followed them at a safe distance, considering how much death there was it seemed they were not interested in having to fight for their meals anymore.
Why bother fighting for food when it gets delivered almost daily from the constant fighting?
Nothing happened for the longest time but the movement in the grass began to close in on the wagons and it was not just on his side either, Jelani shouted and everything came to a halt as he returned a warning of the same: It appeared that the local wildlife had decided the odds were very much in their favor.
Was it perhaps nature then? The zebras were equines and often hunted back on earth by wildlife, they were most certainly not "natural" predators.
Frankly he had no idea what so ever as to how things worked here when it came to nature but right now they had other issues.
Everyone was balled up once more waiting on an attack, yanking some spears free Verik had an idea as he walked down to the huddle.
"Sefu? I am going to assume they will act like pack animals and circle us or something right? Maybe pick at us to see if anyone runs."
"Yes, why?"
"Lets attack them."
"What?"
"I collected enough spears from the battles we fought, why not pass them out, leave the largest group here to stay safe then lure them in, Jelani shoots them down because they think we are straying then nail the wounded, drive them off, they are animals looking for a fast meal not a battle."
A smirk came across his face and he nodded before calling out a few names.
"We try, staying here too long might bring bandits, best we end this and go yes?"
Zuberi nodded with some reluctance before rejoining the herd while the other five stood apart from the rest, Jelani remained in their center with an arrow at the ready.
"Hey Sefu... What would you normally do?"
"Wait till they leave, not enough weapons but you right: this time we have enough. You not use sling?"
"I have no idea how to use that thing, right now I know enough to use this pig sticker to stab something and that's about it."
Hyenas began to emerge from the grasses and stalked towards the little circle of "stranded" zebras and one odd fleshy thing as Jelani patted him on the shoulder from behind.
"Better than most, least you know better to try than give up, remember, I shout you duck."
A chorus of "yes" broke out as they readied themselves, the overfed and oversized creatures began a large, slow circle of the convoy before some broke off to eye them for a bit then start to circle.
Verik had to admit the plan was elegant in its simplicity: with a small group detached to prey upon the predators natural inclination to attack the "weaker" group that strayed. In reality it was actually a ruse to lure them into circling where Jelani could get the best shot in a wide arch without being backed up against a wagon nor having to stand on one.
With a circle of spears poking out to keep them back it provided maximum protection while also providing an excellent killing field but only after this theory was tested would it prove a success or failure, Verik pinned it on being a success.
Now and then one would dart in before stopping and moving away, for whatever reason Jelani had chosen Verik as her personal meat shield in this affair leaving the others to focus on beating them back. He could only guess she was timing them.
A shout in his ear made him duck just as one darted in before halting again, they were testing them once more but this time the feint was answered. From behind a twang sounded and as an arrow whistled over his head driving into the creature making it give off a loud, pained yelp as it flopped on its side and began barking furiously in pain.
Others hesitated for a moment and another shot passed beyond their cluster and hit the next closest that had stopped to stare, their nature was working against them.
There was no fooling them twice however, as soon as the second fell yelping in pain the others backed off and began to focus on their little cluster, it had just become a numbers game.
Verik could only imagine from the animals standpoint the prey had wounded two of their own but were largely ignorant of exactly how it had happened or at least he hoped that was the case. If these critters were smart because of whatever crazy forces caused talking zebras and colorful equines to exist had also touched them with any degree of whatever voodoo ran this world...
"Sefu, these things arnt sentient are they?"
"What sentient?"
"Smart, talk like us, make plans."
"Little."
Well that was just dandy.
Another was hit and fell but he others had learned to keep moving quickly as they closed in, if they did not pick off a few more of the beasts they could just rush them, it was a good plan but it had not occurred to him they might be "smart" to any degree.
Then again had the danger been too great Sefu would have never agreed let alone entertained any notion of listening to his plan so there was that going for them.
With a rush three of the bigger ones came in snapping furiously at them, one was hit almost immediately by an arrow but the othe two charged in heedless of the danger. From beside him Hibri stabbed as he did the same, both spears made their mark but the last ignored them and lunged.
Suicidal, angry and desperate. Had he not been wearing the loose robes the bite would have taken him in the leg but instead the overgrown hyena had a deep hold on his robe at the legs as it began tugging and tearing.
A swift kick of his boot made it loosen its grip before biting in again trying to find his leg but it was for naught as the other zebra beside him also gave it a harsh kick pushing it back before burying a spear in its side as Verik manged to free his own from the first dead one.
It was also the straw that broke the camels back, the pack had turned out to be very large indeed, they had hardly scratched at their numbers but the fast losses had made them back off and rethink attacking them.
Waiting they kept watching the large pack mill about bobbing their heads as they continued to silently judge them, mulling over the idea of attacking them again. Fortunately they did not. Melting away into the grass the pack moved off and went west over the savannah to find something else to eat that was less likely to fight back.
"I had no idea a pack of hyenas could get that big."
"Well fed."
Sefu broke ranks and walked out finishing the wounded ones off quickly before staring at Verik.
"Well? You loot dead things, you loot them or eat?"
Eat hyenas? Granted, he had no issues against eating dogs which usually either scared the hell out of others or made them sick where he came from but these were hyenas, how many diseases did they carry?
"Pass, I dont care to catch whatever they have but I do wonder: are their hides worth anything?"
Verik watched Sefu's gaze turn towards the wagons and Zuberi a moment before turning back to him.
"Yes, we skin them then go, sell at Mjesani to tanner."
"Figured you folks would be more into textiles. Fabrics, rather than leather being herbivores and all, plant eaters..."
"We eat plants yes but also other things sometimes: fish. Not eat meat like you hmm? Leather always useful, armor, water-skin, many uses, many."
"So you raise animals for leather then dump the meat? Rather wasteful, assuming that's what you do."
Everything had returned to normal as the busywork began of skinning the hyenas, flees covered them but the hides were tossed into the dust and beaten around to knock them free before rolling them up and tossing them on the rear wagon.
"Yes, Wete not make leather but we hunt for it if needed, Mjesani they raise ox and dogs for leather."
"Dog leather? Is that why you wanted to see if I would eat them?" Verik thumbed at the skinned carcasses.
"No, Zuberi still afraid of you, make him think you eat them and see."
"You pulled a joke on him?"
"Yes, hoped you might cook and eat one though, very funny if you did."
"Ha. Ha."
Sefu just smiled at him as they loaded the last flee free skin into the wagon.
"Will these fetch a good price?"
Jelani patted the pile and smiled at him.
"Yes, good hides, fresh, healthy! Not tanned but that okay, still worth good coin!"
"So six hides, that's one hide profit for each of us."
"I hit three."
"True, so it sounds like you will be quite rich then."
"No, we all fight, we share this time."
"Very generous of you."
"Our way not your way, you keep what you kill, our way is share with all who fight."
"Fair enough, is that also a hint about my ways?"
"Maybe."
It did not take long for the hides to fill the air with a particular stench that overpowered their own "musk" that had built up from a lack of bathing, those pulling on the rear wagon coughed every now and then as the smell grew stronger in the heat of the sun.
No one complained though, everyone was happy for whatever their reasons were, the pack had been driven off without injury and a profit had been turned. Being happy to be alive or getting paid was the silent consensus.
As the wagons rolled along creaking they had changed hands and now Verik was pushing as they wound up one small knolls that blocked their way, it creaked and groaned quietly but his ears kept picking up an odd little sound now and then.
Reaching the top and descending once more it began to grow a little more pronounced as the sound of something popping filtered into his ears.
"Hey Asha, is the wagon supposed to make that noise?"
She stared at it a moment and shrugged, calling over to another he pointed out the sound and they too just shrugged but word was passed down the line. Zuberi eventually came back and walked alongside with head held low and one ear turned towards the wheel listening intently.
"Damn."
Verik looked at the caravan master as he stood upright and continued to curse his luck.
"What?"
"We must have hit some rocks too hard that night we ran... Some of the support is coming loose and-"
"You miss something?"
Sefu had joined them and was staring down at the wagon as they kept walking.
"I missed nothing! Must have just come loose."
"We stop?"
"No, Mjesani is not far, we can get there before dark and do repairs when we get there."
Verik stared at the wheel a moment, he had no idea what was wrong with the thing but apparently it was not all that bad.
"So we are lucky then?"
Zuberi let out a tired sigh as he took another look at the wagon silently judging it.
"Yes, very lucky, it will not cost much to repair and we can do it ourselves, we just need a few parts from a blacksmith and we will be on our way in... A day, just to be safe best to check all the wagons carefully."
"So were staying in Mjesani for one or two days then?"
"Yes, Yes..."
Zuberi walked off while Sefu just looked at Verik a moment before explaining that the wagons belonged to him and if they completely broke it was doubtful he could afford new ones even if the Wete helped out. While timber was not rare in the region by any means neither was it common in their little strip of Zebrica, they had to travel onto other tribal lands to get any real quantity or quality of timber for construction and that would mean higher costs.
Costs that in a world like this were usually too high.