Primal Instinct

Fallor looked at the man that had spoke. His eyes narrowed as he heard nightmare growl and snapped at the man. "Why would I be here if she was not under my protection?" he asked the chief. It would make no sense for him and his friends to be there unless it concerned them. So far the Avians had nothing to do with the humans. There had been no real contact between the two races. This the chief knew and knew if Fallor said that Taigi was under his protection then indeed she was.

The chief looked at Tugar. "How was I to know she was under his protection?"

"No excuse." Fallor said and took out the dart and threw it at his feet. "To afraid of her to try and take her with out drugging her?" he asked.

"He said he battled several of her tribe to get her." The chief said.

Fallor laughed. "She has no tribe. It is only her and her wolf. That is why they are under my protection."

Tugar didn't like being made out a liar, even though he was. He now looked the fool for bragging about what had not been true. He looked about nervously.

"Spear." Fallor demanded. The chief smiled and took one from one of the men near by and handed it to Fallor. "You attacked and drugged her. Now you must answer to me for that." he told Tugar and began circling him. Tugar was instantly on guard and looking quite nervious. He licked his lips trying to size Fallor up. He could see that Fallor was warrior and hunter and he probably was out matched. After a few minutes of trying to get through Fallor's guard, he turned and ran towards the entrance of the village. Fallor lifted the spear and drew it back, but then eased it down. He would not kill the man. He was shown to be a coward and probably would not be allowed back into the village.

Turning to the Chief, "I am satisfied. You and your people have nothing to fear from my tribe. You seem to be honorable people." he watched Tugar still running out the entrance of the village. "With an exception or so." he grinned. His two companions landed and moved to him. Fallor looked at them and then nodded. Fallor spread his wings some and took feathers from them as did his two friends. Fallor then tied them to the spear he had been handed. He then handed it to the Chief. "A totem of friendship."

The chief knew an opportunity when he saw one. He took the spear and nodded to Fallor. "Perhaps we can do some trading between our peoples." Having Avian friends might be a very good thing in the future and if they began trading then other things might follow.

"I will take the matter before my chief. I am sure that he too would agree that trade might be a good thing. I would ask a favor though of you. Taigi here is without a tribe, and other humans to be with. Though she seems to prefer living alone in the jungle with her wolf, I would appreciate it if you would allow her to come and go from your tribe and village as she pleases. I think it would be good for her and she is a huntress and is training the wolf to hunt and track. She might be able to do the same with other wolf pups and that might help you as well."

The Chief looked at Taigi and said, "If that be her wish. I welcome her to our village." Fallor then turned to Taigi and looked at her.

(Thinking that here shortly ships from across the ocean come and Fallor and Taigi go to a somewhat civilized world. Think of Conan and Kull. Better weapons and other things, as well as adventure.)

Taigi held Nightmare around his neck stopping the wolf from attacking, though young this pup still saw Tugar as a threat to more Fallor than anyone and snarled angrily. The wolves still lived in packs so new people were easily introduced. Watching the pair of them in silence she was teaching Nightmare to behave at least around these sort of things. She saw him run and looked to the others staying close to Nightmare in which the other humans seemed very cautious of indeed. She was only training Nightmare because he was orphaned, she did not take him she gave him a chance to survive.

She let go of Nightmare once it was done who rushed over and barked looking up to Fallor as if asking if he was ok and nosing his palm licking it once before going back and sitting by Taigi’s heels once he received an answer. Taigi listened but did not say a word, she planned to just go back to the forest, she rarely came out of it anyway so doubted she would ever come back to this place, she rarely fell ill and usually kept both her and Nightmare well fed. She soon spoke when he mentioned the wolf training “it’s only because he was orphaned that I even took him, otherwise I would not disturb a mother and her pups. Plus they also have to be willing to learn for them to progress at all, no different from any of us” she said rather bluntly. "and it would be nice, for when I do come this far from the jungle" she said thinking a little ahead of time for when she would come out to fish or to search the beaches which she would do in the summer every now and then.

(Ok cool, and if you mean Conan the movie then I’ve watched that…sorry my reply is so short, yours was just awesome)

At least Taigi had a place to go. That was a start for her. "We would be honored if you would stay and have evening meal with us." the chief told Fallor. Evening was coming and it would be good for them to rest for a while. A good meal would also be welcome. Fallor accepted the invitation and the Chief called for a feast. People went here and there to prepare for the feast to welcome thier new friends.

"Well now you now have a place to come and be with others of your kind. They seem to be good people." he told her. "I realize that you found Nightmare and took care of him. But if the chance presents itself you could help train any wolf puts that these people might find. It would give Nightmare others he could get to know and be around. Something to think of."

The chief escorted the four of them to the center of the village where his larger hut stood. Grass mats were being brought and laid out on the ground. Baskets of fruits and vegables were being brought and placed around. The smell of cooked meat and fish began to fill the air, making Fallor's stomach growl.

William moved up to Fallor. "You think our chief will think on a trade agreement with them?"

"It would benifit us. They fish, gather seashells and I can see that they also have cultivated fields. They have things we could use and I am sure that our skill at making bows and quality arrows as well as being able to hunt further in the jungle could be a benifit for them. I think there might be a good chance he will agree to it."

He reached down and stroked Nightmare's fur. It seemed the wolf now accepted him as a friend and petting the wolf seemed to have a calming effect on him.

They did indeed give her something to think of but what she was worried about it that they might start killing the mother wolves for the pups, that worried her greatly now, she was human so she did know how some humans would act. She did not speak much, she did not have much to say for one either. Nightmare barked wagging his tail a little at the smell of food looking up to Taigi with his tongue hanging out of his mouth. She smiled a little “Hungry monster” she said ruffling the fur on the top of her wolfs head.

Sitting down on one of the grass mats that had been set up the wolf lying down beside her happily accepting the attention from Fallor and moved his head to lick at his fingers wagging his tail. “Seems he likes you now” she said to him nonchalantly. She looked to the food a little suspicious after what had just happened, “I would still rather remain in the jungle, the food is plentiful there if you know how to find it, unlike here. There is more of a variety” she said making it clear she would spend her time in the jungle where she was used to living.

She picked out foods she liked and some of the meat for Nightmare who chewed at it quite happily; Taig relaxed a little having rested her quiver and bow to her other side since she would be leaving for her own home after the meal or planned to anyway. She was not used to the amount of company for one but she did prefer to be in either a small group or alone with her wolf. She sipped the drink she was given sniffing it a little beforehand.

Fallor ruffled the wolf's fur some as well as he sat down on one of the mats. "Yes he does seem to have a better attitude towards me now." he grinned. Fallor had shown that he was a friend and one that could be trusted. It seemed animals could pick things up like that. They knew when you were afraid or determined to do something. If one showed no fear and actually showed aggression and a desire to kill, even the savage horned saber cat would turn and slink away.

He knew animals had a better sense of smell and hearing and some even had better eyesight, especially at night. Wolves would be a good protection for the humans. They would hear things or smell things before the humans did and alert them. Nightmare growled at Tugar indicating a threat and that would be a warning to the humans. "Do you think adult wolves could be trained, befriended?" he asked Taigi.

He was considering hunting some wolves, not to kill but capture and try to befriend. They would be more dangerous then pups but if they could be trained, then a few pairs could produce a number of young and those could be trained better for the future. If his people could capture and train the wolves, that would be another trade product that they would have.

It had only been a couple hundred years since the earth changed and the various new races had grown in size. The rapid growth of the jungles had obliterated the once proud cities that rose into the sky. Only here and there were the veistages of them. Without the once technology rich civilization that once thrived, all were now trying to regain some sort of civilization. The Chief of his tribe was wanting to build on the mountain stone structures for the people to live in, instead of the caves. His ancestors had been builders when they had been human. The humans they were eating with had created crude huts to live in, but that was better then caves and they had begun cultivating fields to produce food. A start at least.

When the food arrived Fallor sampled that which he was not familar with. He liked the taste of most of it. He would ask to take some back with him so he could show his chief. "Do you intend to return to your home in the jungle?" he asked Taigi?

“Possibly, but they would have to be loners, in a pack you will only get hurt, killed and become their meal” she said thinking “Best to find pups however, they create a bond with the owner, think of them more as part of the pack” she said “Plus you need to teach them, it’s a lot of work.” She said not having really thought about it much. “You can try though, it could work… you never know” Nightmare listened his ears pricked up giving a light yip.

She did not think much of it really, simply something she had done because of both sympathy and on a whim. She sighed a little before Nightmare nosed her cheek. “Of course I intend to go back there, I know the area better plus I’m not overly keen on living beside the sea” she said “and there is more plentiful food in the forest, far more of a variety.

When the time came to leave Nightmare lead them back Taig gave her thanks once more pecking his cheek quickly before she split off to head back to her home deep in the jungle. She rustled her hair both her and Nightmare returning back home Nightmare went in before her walking behind she ducked a little under the low entrance creating a small cave fire for herself and Nightmare to keep them warm just thinking over the day’s events. It had been long, very long indeed, she had a tribe although she did not wish to stay too close to them the jungle felt more like home to her.

It was something that when he got back he would be taking up with his chief. Training wolf pups to be guard wolves and help track and hunt game. Plus the soothing effect it seemed to cause having one around. Nightmare was playful and also a loving animal that made him smile.

Fallor sampled all the food that was served. He found the vegtables that they cultivated interesting and the way that they had prepared them. He would take samples back to his chief to show him and let him taste them. It looked as if he had alot to talk to his chief about. But he knew that the chief would listen. He was a good chief, one that listened to his people and did his best to make sure that they had what they needed to live comfortably and safely.

When it came time to leave. William and Jacob left to return to the tribe to inform them of what had transpired, and to call together the hunters and warriors of the tribe so that they could talk. Fallor escorted Taigi and Nightmare back into the jungle. Night was when most of the large predators came out and hunted. He made sure that she made it back to the cave safely before leaving. When she gave him a kiss on the cheek, it took him by surprise. He smiled and then squated down and ruffled Nightmare's fur about his head and ears. "You be good for her." to her he said. "You be careful. I will look in on you now and then."

He then left to return to his tribe. The chief and others were waiting for him. They entered the Chief's cave and sat around a fire as Fallor explained what he had in mind. He laid out the vegtables, shells, samples of fish and the like. He presented his case for trade with the human tribe and then the discussions began. Each sampled the food and found that they liked it. The shells like he told them could be made into onaments to wear, something pleasing and different. The discussion lasted a couple hours and in the end it was decided to trade with the humans. It was also decided to try and raise some wolf pups if they could be found. But the Mother Wolf was not to be harmed. If possible she would be captured and an attempt made to befriend her.

When he left the chief's cave he was satisfied with the results of the talks. But he could not sit in his own cave. He wondered what Taigi was doing and his new friend Nightmare.

“I’m always careful” she said back to him Nightmare gave a bark before he followed after her, before they headed back. After the warm fire had been lit with the flames dancing on the walls, Nightmare gave a playful growl as he pulled the blanket out from his back pouches as they were called. She laughed a little “Nightmare here” she said kneeling down and pulling the blanket out herself “we can’t rip the blanket, got it? We only have one until we find a prey that has a decent thickness of fur” she said to him, giving a slight nod as She set out the furs one to lie on and one to curl up under during the night.

Taigi began thinking a little, about the wolves and the one she had seen dead with its pups when she collected Nightmare, he was the only live pup. She thought for a moment remembering the male wolf and then hummed a little “Maybe, I can try that pack. One of their wolves is here anyway” she gave a yawn drifting to sleep.

Morning rays of strong sunlight hit her through the cave entrance making her wake up but then pull the blankets over her head before Nightmare pulled them off and barked playfully wagging his tail and lowering his front paws looking at her playfully. She laughed and stood up tying her hair back and she picked her bow and quiver onto her back and walked out with the wolf chasing after him when he ran off laughing, both were just playing around for once, they could hunt in the afternoon when the herd of grazers began to rest in the afternoon.

Fallor finally fell asleep, but a troubled one. He awoke early the next morning and shook his head. He streached and then streached his wings out before folding them back against his back. The sun had risen and life was getting on for the morning in the tribe's caves. Children ran about playing and flying about, getting use to flight. They were not allowed to fly far from the caves as they needed to build up their strength to go greater distances. William and Jacob were up and giving encouragement to their young. As of yet Fallor had not chosen a mate though there were several available females.

He took off to just fly for a bit and streach his wings. The hunting had been good the day before so they had plenty of meat to cook and fruit from the jungle. As he flew he went towards the ocean. He wondered what lay beyond the great body of water. From where he flew he could see that it extended to the horrizon. To far for any of his people to fly. From the tales handed down from the Change, he knew there were other lands somewhere out there, and vast land inland as well.

As he flew over the ocean a bit, he saw something. It was floating on the water, long and narrow. He thought it a sea monster at first but it did not dive under the water or seem like it was going anywhere on its own. The waves were sending it towards some rocks and he decided to check it out. Fly down some he got a better look at it. It was a man made object, made of wood and had two tall lengths of timber standing up in the middle of it, with some sort of skin streached out from them on cross timbers. It was a good two hundred feet long and about thirty feet across with a narrow end at the front and a wide end the back. There were several forms scattered about on what looked to be smooth planking.

Flying down to it he landed and looked around. Some of the men were human, strangely dressed in colorful strange skins. Others looked to be of some other altered human races. He could tell that they were alive but very weak and some looked injured. In a bit they would all be smashed against the rocks and would drown. Finding robe made of some substance besides vines, he tied it to the front of the strange craft and took off up into the air again. With all his strength he pulled on the rope and turned the front of the ship to head towards the beach. He kept at it until the craft was beyond the rocks and heading for the beach. When it finally made it there it ran aground a short distance from shore.

He flew to the village and told the humans about the people and that they might need help. He took them back to it and soon all those on board were removed and were being cared for on the beach.

Taigi who had decided to try and see what a day in one of the villages was like had wondered a little ways off not particularly liking their lifestyle. She had clambered onto some rocks seeing something strange, followed by Nightmare the pair of them settled themselves and she looked almost confused “Nightmare, do you remember what it was called?” she asked, the confused pup shook his head watching as several villagers went to help she moved jumping down more interested in the boat to be honest, while they were being taken care of she went to the strange object that had run ashore still in the shallows of the sea she walked in and knocked on it “Well it’s wood, looks as though it was curled around a wooden skeleton” she said and Nightmare who sniffed the salty water looked to her and yipped lightly.

Turning she heard one of them speak to her “What are you doing, be careful or it’ll break”
“Wood does not break that easily, it can be burnt yes but to float on water, that is something” “It’s called a boat, girl” they said to her ignoring the tone in the persons voice she waded a bit deeper noticing it really was a strange shape and seeing rope tied onto the head of it she looked to Nightmare who had ran off. Finding Fallor the pup Barked playfully “what are you doing around here, Fallor?” she asked walking behind the playful pup “Trying to pull a boat in, I saw the rope attached to the head of the boat and Nightmare sniffed you out as well” she smiled before turning her gaze back to the new people, wondering where they had come from and their furs were colourful and in very strange colours, curious as she was she thought best not to ask them anything just yet, maybe another time.

As the villagers brought the strangers ashore Fallor looked and examined their clothing. It was soft but not still like leather, more flexible. They also had strange looking weapons. Something like his dagger but longer. The metal it took to make them had to be a lot. They found metal in the jungle in ruins, or buried in the ground, but not a as much as it would have taken to make their weapons. He drew one out of its leather sheath, which was smooth and tooled extremely well. The blade of the weapon was at least three feet in length and it had a bit of weight to it.

Those that looked to be of altered human stock looked to be cat like, covered in soft fur, and one was a big hulking brute that looked to have two large tusks coming out of his lower jaw, had no hair and his skin looked leathery. All of them were near starvation and exposer. They were given water and a broth like soup was brought to help feed them.

"A boat?" that was what Taigi had called it. "I saw it heading for the rocks and when I saw there were people aboard I pulled it into a different direction." he reached down and petted Nightmare. "Where did they come from?" he asked out loud.

One of the men came around and heard Fallor. "From across the sea, from the land of Ameria." The man took the bowl of broth and downed it and asked for more. "Been out there for five days with no food or fresh water. Mer's attacked us and took everything." He looked around at everyone around. "The ship, does it still float?" he asked concerned.

"The thing you came in?" Fallor asked. He called it a ship as Taigi called it a boat. Perhaps it was the same thing just called different. "It still floats. It is just off shore in the shallow water." The man looked releived. "These people will take care of you. Their village is not far from here." with that Fallor helped take the men to the village where they could be taken care of better and nursed back to health. Once that was done he flew back to the 'ship' and began exploring it. He found that it was hollow and it had a few rooms to it. He marveled at its construction and its size.

They were certainly unusual, she found a way into the boat before and looked around, she was right, it was attached to a sort of wooden skeleton of the shape that they wanted the wood to be in. The clothes were strange as well. She soon found the place where they stored food and water looking to it. Nightmare was a little unsteady on the strange wood his claws clanking on the surface. “So strange, wood is heavier than water” she said to herself and looked to Nightmare “Also couldn’t they just filter the water, you can get pure water form salt water quite easily” she said and Nightmare gave a light yip bobbing his head.

She had heard the story as well, Why would Mers attack them, they could find everything they needed easily on the seabed which were rich with crustations and muscles such as Clams and Crabs. She tucked a stray bit of hair back and kept exploring finding they had even built in small rooms in which they seemed to sleep in, on these other strange contraptions, they looked like a slightly more modern version of their fur beds, held of the hard wooden ground by some softer wood with a piece of thick fur wrapped around the wood and another one on top of it as a blanket. It looked so strange to her. Coming up to the main deck she seemed confused “Why would mers attack them?” she asked still not able to find an answer, finding her way off the boat she looked to the man that had come around “Excuse me, do you have any idea why the mers attacked you? it just seems a little out of character from what I know about them” she said, trying to be polite, Nightmare stayed calmly at her side but watched closely

Fallor saw Taigi climb aboard the ship and begin looking around. He also found where there was space to store supplies and fresh water, and a place to cook food, below. But there was nothing there. There was a large open area in the bowls of the ship it to was empty but showed signs that something had been there. Lashed down with ropes and nets. He left with her and returned to the village where she asked the man that had come around about the Mers.

"You evidently do not sail on the high seas missy. The Mers have become a problem. They have attacked ships and stolen their cargo. Whether it is all of them or just a group of them, no one knows. What they are doing with the cargo is also a mystery." He looked up at Fallor "They be saying that it was you that saved the ship from smashing up on the rocks out there. Saved our lives you did and the ship. We be a holding to you for that. Haven't seen the likes of your kind before. Seen the Cat People and the Warts like Narl over there and of course the Mer. But nothing like you."

"I am an Avian." Fallor said. "How many days have you traveled from this land you call Ameria?"

"About three weeks if my recgoning is right. We were sailing to an island chain to do some trading when the Mer's attacked. Then the storm hit us and drove us further to the west and that be five days ago." the man said, "Me name be Jeb by the way, I be Captain of the Wind Chaser. The ship out there.

“Well obviously not” she muttered before listening, “That is strange though, they don’t need the cargo there is plenty of other things they can eat, if they came from the jungle then I might understand but still, that is a mystery as you say” she said rusting her fur on Nightmare’s head as he sniffed the man cautious before stepping back and sitting beside Taigi. “can I ask how long ago such a thing happened? Also is there really other islands, I thought it was a story, my mother told me about and I read in books as well” she said.

Without definite proof the thought of other lands had been diminished from their minds, the thought returning again as well and also their seemed to be different types of humans there as well which sparked her interest greatly. “What is it like over there?” she asked curiously, “Is there a huge jungle or is it grass lands or ice?”
Nightmare listened as well curious to learn about such new places. “Also your ship is still in shape Jeb” she said forgetting to introduce herself and Nightmare.

Other humans were tending to the sick and woudned after taking them to the village.

"Aye lassy, there are other lands out there. Ameria has its share of jungles, and Plains that we know of. In the last hundred years we have dug ourselves out of the muck of the stone age we were thrown into. We haven't that technology our ancestors had but we have made a bit of civilization." the man told her. "As for when the attack happened, like I told ya lassy, just over five days ago."

Fallor still could not understand why the Mer would attack. What would they need with surface deweller things. They lived under water and rumor had it that they had cities there, built when they were transformed. It just did not make sense. If they would attack someone on the open ocean, then they would attack anyone on land as well.

"Like I said, I be beholding to you and these fine people here for taking care of us. As soon as we be fit, if we could get supplies and fresh water we would like to be back on our way home. Perhaps we can come back with trade goods. I would like to repay everyone for helping us." he told them. "Perhaps the two of you could come back with us and talk to our king."

Taig listened eagerly to what he said, “Sound interesting there, they are not many plains here, but the jungle is full of food and the water is fresher in the forest, not as salty” she said, “Although some of the predators are not very welcoming to strangers” she said before listening to what he said afterwards. She nodded, she wanted to see what it was like there and if it was any different over there as well, curiosity and the sound of new lands certainly was something tempting.

“I would come, sounds like an interesting place, however my wolf comes with me” she said stubbornly just encase they decided to leave Nightmare behind. Being a pup she still had to take care of him to a certain extent so she wasn’t leaving him behind, “Fallor?” she asked looking to him to see what he would say to it.

“Also I’m sure some of the people here and I could help with supplies, I have to hunt tomorrow so I could dry out some of the spare meat, the prey here grows rather large sometimes” she said, also since there was only her and Nightmare to hunt for they did not need much meat. “How many people are there on the ship and it’s for about three weeks, correct?” she asked, Nightmare pulled his paws over his nose with a whine before jumping up and sniffing the captains hand to get used to the scent.

Fallor listened to the man that called himself Captain Jeb. A far away land that was civilized. What was civilized. He didn't know that but he did know that they had better weapons then the Avian's or humans on the lands that they occupied. They had the means to cross the ocean, and their clothing was much better then what he wore. What else did they have that his people or the humans there didn't.

They had barely explored their own lands and now there were other lands, perhaps more populated then thiers. The idea of exploring appealed to Fallor as well as perhaps the chance for trade with others that would have things his people could use. "I will go as well." he told Taigi. "We will ensure that enough food and water is available for the trip. I will return to my tribe and let them know that I will be gone for a long time. They need not worry about my absence."

Taigi nodded, she could offer some of her spare meat since she knew it was best not to store some during her absence from her home; however she would bring her journal since it did hold valuable information. She re tied her hair before thinking a little, once they were all taken care of and given shelter in the village. She headed back and figured out how much meat was needed for the travel there and some for when they would be on the island and soon sorted out how much she would need for the next few days, saving up small bits of meat for the travel.

She thought about what it would be like, trying to imagine what it would be like but found it hard to picture Nightmare, what do you think it would be like there?” she asked lying on her front in front of the camp fire, Nightmare whimpered and looked to her cocking his head to one side “No idea huh?”
She had explored the jungles her entire life and knew them fairly well a new lands soudned so enticing to her, she smiled at the thought and was curious about their culture and what they coudl do, the clothes were better for one.

Some of the men had been wounded and had almost died. But the villagers had cleaned their wounds up and applied savs made from plants in the jungle. They would live but would take a few days to recover and be able to get up and move about. In that time Fallor helped Taigi hunt and brought meat back to be dried and readied for the trip. He also caught some wild pigs and put them in cages. Dried meat only would be palatable for so long. The villagers towards the end began gathering fresh fruit and water. Jeb had shown them where empty wooden containers were aboard the ship that could be filled with the water.

The ship was well stocked with vegtables and fruit, dried meat, wild pigs and some birds that were domesticated to produce eggs. They would have a variety of food to eat on their way back to Jeb's homeland. Two weeks had passed and Jeb made sure that the ship was ready to sail. As the men began to recover enough, they helped him. Finally everything was ready and the men from across the ocean were fit to travel again. They said good by to the villagers and boarded the ship. "Ready to go?" he asked Taigi as he picked up Nightmare and flew him up to the deck of the ship. He then returned to take Taigi up to the ship.

Nightmare and Taigi walked up to where the ship was, I was about ready to set sail. Nightmare, not used to being picked up by anyone at his size squirmed a little when he was and sat on the deck waiting for Fallor and Taigi sniffing to wood again, still wondering why it smelt like trees, not something he had really encountered before. “Yeah, of course I am” she said raising an eyebrow with a smile on her face she did hang onto him a little when she was picked up and taken onto the deck and when on there made sure that Nightmare hadn’t wondered off to harass either the birds or pigs only to find the pup sitting obediently there waiting for them and gave a happy yip and rubbed his head against her hand, “Silly wolf” she said and crouched down and rubbed both his ears and cheeks.

Once the boat set sail after a bit Taigi stood up after she got used to the feeling of the boat crashing over the waves and as it swayed on the water she looked over the edge, Nightmare however was having a little more trouble and soon decided best just to stay curled up in ball in one of the rooms they were given to sleep in during the night. “Wow, it really does float” she said and looked to Fallor, “Wouldn’t you be able to fly across to there?” she asked curiously.

The begining of the voyage was a bit unsteady. The pitching of the ship and its movements as waves hit it made it hard to keep one's footing till you got use to it. Fallor now knew more about the ship from Jeb who had been explaining it to him. He knew what he stood on was called the deck, that one side of the ship was called the starbord side and the the other the port side. The front of the ship was the stern and the rear of the ship the aft. It had two masts that had spars and sails and that the sails caught the wind and made the ship move. There was other things he learned about the ship and he was shown how things worked and helped out as much as he could.

He learned some about the weapons they carried. They were called swords and Jeb and another of the crew showed him how they were used. They were great for close in fighting and suited for fighting on a ship. He took up some training with the sword, figuring it would come in handy one day.

"We have a fine wind blowing. We be making good time. It seems the winds blows a different direction further to the north, coming this way it seems. It is good to know for when we be coming back this way." Jeb said as he took out what he called a chart and drew in a rough sketch of the shoreline of Fallor's land. He made anatations to the chart, mentioning wind direction currents and the like. "There will be a furvor of the mind when it is learned that there be another land across the sea." he chuckled. Always looking for adventure and new lands to explore, we are."

When Taigi asked him if he could fly the distance, he shook his head, "I am a strong flier, but not that strong. I would tire and fall to the ocean. Perhaps if there were small land masses, what Jeb calls islands that would streach across the ocean, then maybe I could." For now though he was satisfied with taking the ship.

Taigi had been satisfied with simply exploring it and asking members of the crew she passed about things in which they seemed to not mind answering, Nightmare following her around like a little lost sheep despite the fact he stumbled and fell quite a few times. She was not keen on the swords, preferring her ranged weapons and small daggers; she did not fight only hunted so she did not need to wield such a weapon anyway.

Taigi spotted him drawing something on the map and looked over Jeb’s shoulder curiously “It’s a map; I’m guessing you travel by sea a lot then? I have a book back at my den that has maps in it from the older days” she said. Nightmare whimpered and stayed lying down, clearly not liking ships unlike Taigi who still found it rather curious. “I think a few people do look for adventure, gets boring staying in the same place for too long.

She soon got an answer from Fallor and looked to him “Hmm, making sense, “ she said “it is a long way after all, and originally no one was meant to fly or even have wings but, time change. Some of the birds fly a lot and look” she said pointing to some that were flying over them, they were huge, like giant albatrosses, with deep caws. “They must fly an awful lot and the huge wings must help” she said her voice beginning to trail off at the end.

Time passed quickly that day while her and the pup wondered around the place and with her stopping Nightmare from teasing the wild pigs and domesticated birds. She tucked bits of hair back and turned around when someone put a hand on her shoulder. “Come on we all be eatin’ soon, don’t want to miss out on yer share missy” he chuckled, Finding her own way to where others where Nightmare hid under the wood crafted tables, by her feet while eating his share, she wasn’t going to let Nightmare go hungry after all.

Days really did pass quickly after that, figuring things out and asking questions to other members she otherwise settled herself somewhere in a corner reading through the small book she had brought with her and sometimes went up at night just too see what it was like out of pure curiosity, it certainly did rule her at the moment.

The first few days passed. Fallor kept busy with learning the rigging and the various names of the sails and such. On the fifth day the man in what was called the crows nest yelled down. "Land Ho. " Jeb came up from below decks and went to the prow of the ship.

He pointed to the barely visible land on the horizon. "That be the Islands. May hap we be able to pick up some cargo to deliver back home. Also have to report the attack and loss of our original cargo." Fallor stood beside the captain and looked. He wanted to see what kind of people lived there and what it looked like. "We be there tommorow morning."

Fallor now wore a pair of the pants that the crew wore. They were made of what was called wool, from an animal called a sheep. It was warm though it itched a bit now and then. He also modified a shirt so it would allow his wings to be free. He slit it up the back in two places and tied thin rope through a couple holes in the bottom of it and tied it around front. At his hip he carried one of the swords and close by was his bow and quiver of arrows.

In the morning the mouth of a cove appeared and beyond they could see what looked to be strange huts. Buildings what Jeb called them, One and two story structures. In what he called a harbor was two other ships simalar to the one they were on.

Taigi who wasn’t overly keen on the new clothes so stayed mostly in her own partly because they itched and she didn’t know what it would be like there. In the morning coming up to the deck she looked to the strange building after a member of the crew made her change into the clothes, in which she still wasn’t very keen on. Nightmare stayed beside her nervous of the towering buildings. She noticed there were other ships there as well and they were soon off the ship. Cowering the pup stayed close to the two of them whimpering a little “It’s ok, Nightmare, relax” she said and scratched the pup behind his ear to calm him down.

Soon they were in what they called city, several of these towering buildings were there, she ran her hands along the walls of one and looked at it a little confused “what is made of?” she asked, it felt like a rough stone of sorts and was certainly more water tight than the houses back on their homeland. “Stronger, made of a sort of stone?” she said questioning it a little. Nightmare sniffed it before pulling back and staying close to the others, having tied her hair back she wondered off a little being careful, still.

Once in the harbor, the crew dropped what they called an anchor. A large metal piece that sank to the bottom and held the ship in place. A small boat was lowered and Jeb, Fallor, and Taigi and Nightmare with a couple other crewmen went ashore. People stared at Fallor as he got out of the boat. No one had seen a winged man before. As Jeb lead them through the place, the people stopped and stared and pointed.

"They be made of wood and mudbrick." Jeb said, "Then it is white washed with a substance called paint. "This be but a small town. Back in Ameria we have buildings made of stone. It is truely a sight to see." he grinned. "Come on, I need be checking in with the Trading Office to make me report." he said and headed off to a large building that looked to be a place to store lots of things and to also be used as a place of business.

Inside was furniture of a quality that Fallor had never seen. His people made some comfortable furnishings but nothing the likes he was now seeing. The men there also were dressed in more elegant clothing then the captain and his men. "Captain Jeb." one of the men rose from behind a large wooden piece of furniture. "Where have you been. We expected you some time ago."

"Been a bit of trouble sir." Captain Jeb explained. He went on to tell of the attack by the Mers and the storm that blew them to Fallor's and Taigi's land. The man looked at Fallor and Taigi and then Nightmare. His eyes went wide when he saw the wolf, sitting there calmly and looking tame.

"I can attest that Captain Jeb's men were wounded. They were almost dead when they were found." Fallor said.

"Not the first Captain Jeb. Not the first. Two other ships have come in and reported being attacked. Will need you to write out a full report on the incident, and a list of what your cargo was. The home office is not going to be pleased about losing more cargo."

As Jeb sat down and began writing, the man looked at Fallor and Taigi. "Well as long as you two are here, you might as well have a place to stay. He turned to a young boy sitting near the door. "Sef. Take our guests here over to the Inn and set them up with rooms, and arrange for meals for them as well." he turned to the two again, "Least we can do for your help." he smiled. The boy came up and tugged on Fallor's sleeve, staying as far away from Nightmare as possible.

"Is he dangerous?" the boy asked, nodding to Nightmare.