The night passed just like the previous day. The howling of wolves could be heard in the distance, and the sounds from the edge of the camp woke him up from time to time. However, he only woke up once or twice, which seemed to be a blessing from Araksha Dreamweaver himself. The fire burned so hot and bright that the children stayed awake all night.
Still, when morning came, he was groggy and took a while to wake up. He lay half asleep for a while, wondering where the animals he heard had gone, and whether it would cause any trouble for him in his pursuit of Della. Finally, he felt a tap on his shoulder and opened his eyes. It was Flower, and he said: "We have to recreate the water. I'm sorry to wake you, but we can't wait any longer."
Anklex dutifully stood up and helped them into the bushes. "Flower" walks on her own, and "Pepper" can maintain balance if she holds Androx's hand. It suddenly occurred to him that this might be the last time he had to help them, because Hua could hold Pepper's hand as well as A.
d
okles hand. In the army, servants often did this for the wounded, and it was becoming increasingly tedious.
After feeding the children, he began to do military exercises, which helped to remove the last bits of fatigue left from the night before. It also cleared his mind and stopped worrying about how far Della would go this morning. There was nothing he could do about it, and he couldn't keep his oath to Patos, so he didn't have to worry about it. He almost succeeded in convincing himself.
Androchus spent the morning making clothes for the three of them. After all, it would be easier to send the children to a good home if they weren't naked. He spread the yellow cloth on a patch of grass and brought the children over to lie on it so he could measure. He cut it into a rectangle a little taller than them and doubled the length of their arms. Then, he folded the rectangle into a square and sewed the folded edges together, leaving an arm hole. He sewed a few ties on top, leaving room for a head to peek out, and cut another arm hole in the hem. Finally, he cut off the belt and tied it around his waist, and it was done.
"Who's first?" he asked.
Hua, probably because he was stronger, dug his way out of the blanket first and stood there ready to get dressed. However, not long after Pepper followed him, both boys seemed overly excited.
"Weapons!" Androx ordered. Both boys did as he was told, and he threw the robe over them, pleased to see it fit. "Have you boys ever worn robes like this?" he asked.
"No, Master Androx. We have different clothes," Flower said.
Pepper added: "Probably because of our tail."
A
d
Okles frowned and stared at the back of the kit. Their tails set up a small tent behind them. He didn't even think about Skytha
de
The uniqueness of the body structure, which now looks rather awkward.
"what do you wear?"
"We sometimes have skirts like yours, but usually pants made of leather. We tie them around the tail so that the tail sticks out and covers your, your um..." Pepper explained, using The hand pointed vaguely.
"Your ass?" Androcks said.
"Yeah," Pepper replied, with a hint of humor on her face.
"Isn't it uncomfortable to have your tail stuck under your robe?" A
d
okles asked.
"If you keep pushing the tail down, your back will hurt," Flowers said.
"That must be why you like to lie on your side."
"Yes, very likely."
Andrew thought for a moment. However, it's nothing he can't handle. He made a mark where their tails were, then took off his robe and laid them flat. He folded them over, found the center, and cut a slit about as long as his hand where the mark was. He then reinforced the sides of the seam so the cloth wouldn't unravel and sewed some ties so the children could tie the robe to the tail.
At one point, he taught them how to tie their belts so they wouldn't come loose, and the kids spent some time admiring each other, posing with obvious joy on their faces. They were impressed by the softness of the yellow linen, as they had once been leather or wool. A
d
Okles spent some time making a robe for herself and then cut cloaks for the children out of warm, thick red cloth.
He asked Flower to stir honey into the wine and made some loincloths himself. Boys of the "Legion of Glory" usually didn't wear hats unless they were wearing nothing, but it was cold in the north. He had to modify the design slightly to accommodate the boys' tails, but it wasn't difficult.
After lunch, Hua secretly took a small shovel and went behind the tree to shovel the soil. Upon his return, Androchus asked him if it was liquid, which indicated that he was seriously ill. but it is not the truth. Just like that, the boy was saved. All he needs now is enough food to put some meat on his bones, but he's out of danger. Androx was surprised to find himself feeling genuine and deep relief that the boy would be okay, which made him nervous.
It's also a good sign that a small pepper can swallow a biscuit soaked in mead. It might be a day or two before Androx knew whether he would recover, but there was color in the kid's cheeks and his arms didn't shake as he held the cup.
In the early afternoon, A
d
The okles leave to bury the dead wolf from the night before so that the stench does not attract other predators.
But when he returned, he found that three riders had entered the camp and were rummaging through his cargo. They wore undecorated leather armor, bronze conical helmets, sheathed swords and short bows slung over their shoulders.
Their backs were to him and they did not hear him approach. He glanced at the children and saw Flower sitting upright, holding a spoon to his chest with one hand and biting his nails with the other. There was a pained look on his face, and Anchorex felt like he couldn't decide whether to smash the pot or not. Androx waved, getting the boy's attention, then put his finger to his lips, hoping the thunderbolt knew it meant silence. Flower nodded and lay quietly, hiding under the blanket with Pepper.
Androcks didn't know what the riders' intentions were, but he knew they were searching his car. It's unlikely they would do this if they didn't intend to steal. He took a deep breath, flexed his muscles hard to get the blood flowing, and then pushed as fast as he could.
They heard him running but had no time to turn their horses. With one hand he grabbed the nearest rider through the neck hole of his armor, and with the other hand he slapped the horse's rump loudly, shouting: "Yeah!" The horse jumped away, and Androcles pulled away. The man pulled him off his horse, threw him to the ground, and struck him hard in the stomach. The man's leather armor did nothing to lessen the impact of the blow, and his face turned red and he was breathless. Androcles then stole the sword from its scabbard, despite his attempts to stop him.
Androx stood up straight and puffed out his chest, letting the others see his strength and scars. Although they were on horseback, he was almost standing with them.
They opened their mouths and hurriedly drew their swords with trembling hands.
He asked calmly: "You don't want to steal my things, do you?" Then he pointed the tip of his sword to the ground, giving them hope that they would have a way to get out.
It took a while for the shock to wear off, but once the soldiers came to, one of them said a little too loudly: "We thought it was abandoned! There's no one here."
Another usefully added: "We don't see you anywhere."
"I can see that I'm hard to ignore." One of them gulped. Now that he had time to look at them, they looked young. No more than twenty years old.
He leaned down to help the victim and then handed the sword back to him. There was an awkward moment when the young man tried to get it back without any sudden moves. As the man climbed on his horse, Androchus said, "Perhaps you can answer a few questions for me as compensation. Have you seen Skytha recently?"
de
Are there any merchants, or a small group of people heading north?"
"No Master, we didn't. The road has been unsafe for a while. We thought the car was abandoned. This wouldn't be the first time."
"I heard that Keltha territory is around here. Is this true?"
"You Kelthua
s? How far is it to your city?”
"The nearest is to the east, but they've closed the gate. You won't find shelter there. The next town is to the north, about a day's ride. Master, seriously, you've got to get behind the wall. Is there any wind in the wind? Good stuff. The priests said nothing about it, but rumor has it the goddess was angry and she would not restrain the beast. More than one family was attacked and at least 12 people died. You may be attacked," the rider said.
"It's not just kids either. Someone found a half-eaten adult in the middle of the road," said another.
The man attacked by Androx was slowly moving his horse away, signaling to his companions that it was time to leave. All three seemed anxious, and they hurried off when Androcles agreed to consider their suggestions and beckoned them on their way.
This leaves him alone with the children, wondering what these people mean. After leaving the last town, he heard the sounds of wolves almost constantly, but only that one was close to him, and it was sick and crazy. Indeed, no other travelers had been, so perhaps the rumors were widespread. The orphan at the inn said that Skywalker is sometimes seen at this intersection, so generally speaking, this road must be busy.
However, even if the road is safe and currently accessible, in extreme circumstances, a
d
okles looking for skytha
de
It is also unlikely to be in A
d
The days when okles just sit there and protect the boys show up. Not only was he falling further and further behind Della, but he seemed to be running out of luck at this crossroads.
However, Pepper was still in danger, and it would be foolish to spend all of your efforts on letting the boy die. He hasn't made the soil yet, and no one knows whether his internal organs will work properly until he makes the soil. The boy needs rest. Putting aside the health of the little penguins, half of the day has passed, A
d
Okles don't have the carts ready for travel yet, so they're not leaving today, that's all. maybe tomorrow.
To pass the afternoon, he got out a roll of twine and started making a good sling, because those always come in handy. Both boys sat up and watched him weave the rope, their legs crossed, their elbows on their knees, their chins in their hands, their tails wagging lazily from time to time. Pepper had to lean on Hua, but he straightened up.
To entertain them, as he worked, he told them stories of his time as a slinger, bragging about his accuracy and strength of long ago. He told them that on one occasion he had the good fortune to kill an enemy captain with a shot behind his own lines, and on another that his life was saved by a bird that flew right into a piece of wood aimed at his head. Stone front. He told them about a time when he lost a battle and the enemy took away all their food, weapons and clothes, and they had to walk back barefoot. Androcles and several others made slingshots from the straps of their sandals and hunted, barefoot but armed.
The boys listened attentively and said nothing; when the stories were funny they just chuckled, their bold yellow eyes twinkling with joy. Because he had a loyal audience who seemed to enjoy his stories, Androcles took more time than he needed to, weaving more carefully than necessary, and enjoying himself, but eventually he finished .
He stood measuring the sun three fists above the horizon, estimating how many hours of daylight remained. This is enough time to kill a few birds and cook them before dark. Some fresh meat would be good for him, even if the kids can't eat it yet. Maybe he could put a little bit in the broth. And the internal organs, like the liver. This is good for them.
"Okay, kids, are you ready to see the work of the master?" Androx said, picking up a few rocks that might have been rocks from the rain gutter in the dirt. They agreed.
A
d
The okles bagged the stones and held the sling above their heads, holding the stones forward, like an army, taking careful aim. Then he spun in a circle over his head and threw the stone as hard as he could at the tree. He smiled with satisfaction when he heard two crackles - the snap of the sling like a whip, and the pounding of stones against the tree. Three feet taller than he expected, but it worked. The boys clapped and were deeply moved.
"I want to try it!" said Pepper, his black ears twitching eagerly.
"You can't even stand up to pee, kid. Maybe in a few days."
"I bet I can," he answered in vain.
A
d
Okles flew out another stone, facing the target. He was glad to see that he wasn't too rusty yet.
"You couldn't have. Just stay where you are, you know? Trying to get better fast isn't going to make you get better fast. Rest in peace," he said. Then he walked over and handed the spoon to the flower, which flapped its white tail back and forth eagerly. "You know what to do. I'm going to kill some birds."
"Can't I go?"
"And let him be eaten?" No. Stay where you are. "
Flower nodded, and Anklex quietly walked into the woods, looking for possible prey. It would have been easier to find things if he had dared to wander a mile upstream or downstream, but he didn't. He needed to stay within earshot of the camp, because if he went too far, something terrible would happen, and it was his luck and theirs. When he returned he found nothing but blood and small tufts of hair. Those kits are more cursed than he is.
As expected, his hunt is interrupted by the horrified scream of a child, followed by the sound of a spoon frantically banging against a pot. He cursed and ran back to the campfire, and when he came back he cursed again.
This time not one, but four wolves invaded the camp. They circled around the boys, who huddled as close to the fire as possible to avoid falling into it. The wolf looked thin and weak, not to mention particularly vicious. No doubt they were starving too. Even crazier was being rejected by the wolves. Almost reflexively, A
d
Okles began gathering his murderous intent to scare the beast away, but stopped when he realized his rage would harm the boys. They might pass out and fall into the fire.
He yelled and charged towards the wolves, who took a few steps back from the children. He picked up the sword lying next to the blanket and tried to come up with a plan. He walked toward the wolves menacingly, but the wolves wouldn't let him get close. They didn't run away either. Instead, they spread out and surrounded him.
He followed the children, knowing that the wolves would drag them away at the first opportunity. They moved in and out of his range, never letting him get close enough to strike them with his sword. Even though they were starving, they were much faster than he was, and despite every lunge and feint he made, he couldn't hit them.
The worst thing is the way they work together. If he walked towards one of them, the others would surround him from the sides. If he turned around, the first person would intervene. He thought about extending his forearms like before, but he didn't want to be grabbed by all of them at the same time. If that happened, he might still kill them, but he'd be torn apart in the process. If he was too busy, one of them would drag the children away, and all efforts to save them would be in vain.
He moved his sword to his left hand and held the slingshot in his right hand. He retreated to the fire and said, "One of you has put a stone in it." Then he yelled at the wolves, who were beginning to invade again.
Pepper was the first to find a good rock, loaded up Androx's slingshot, and snuck down to give him some space. Androclus held his sword in his left hand, then readied his sling and fired. He struck one directly in the ribs, and it staggered, screamed, and began to limp away without falling.
"Again!" he said. This time Flower had a stone ready.
He fired the rocks, but the wolves seemed ready to attack. The man he was aiming at kept moving, and Ankrex missed by several feet. The next stone Flower threw into the slingshot was not much bigger than a pebble, and although he was well-aimed, it hit a man in the ribs and probably didn't even sting.
"Bigger rocks!" cried Androx.
"No! It's all dirt..." Hua yelled. His voice sounded like it was breaking out of fear.
"Then come down. Under the blanket! Now!"
The little box sank under the blanket, flattening itself as much as possible. Seeing how quiet they were, he said, "Don't hold your breath! You'll faint! Breathe slowly."
He lowered his sling and tried to pounce on the nearest wolf, but before he could catch it with his sword, the wolf ran away. Others rushed in, trying to grab him and pull him down, but he swung his sword wildly, turned around, and struck one man in the head. The blow missed him, but it caused blood and pain, and the wolves retreated again, snarling around him.
