“But...”
Kyle did it, fast, with a flintstone, and the branches crackled loudly.
Marius’ eyes grew wide. “Are you insane?”
“Come! Let’s go!” They darted off in the opposite direction, watching the thin smoke rise into the air, and Marius got it, walking faster, away from that fire.
Lothar spotted it, the thin column of smoke, and smiled. “There they are! Let’s go, boys!”
They set off, their horses galloping, just to find that they could not reach that ledge. He cursed, and they got off, climbing, and walking fast, their swords drawn. Finally, the fire, but there were no fugitives in sight. He whirled, understanding, but his eyes darted to no avail around...
“Fuuuuck!!” His howl echoed in the empty landscape and his men shifted. He lowered his sword. “Ok, let’s get back to the horses and cut them off...”, though he had no idea where they were, and two pairs of eyes watched them from the trees as they stroll off.
They waited until they disappeared and climbed down, walking in the opposite direction from them.
“If they are on horseback, we have to stay on uneven terrain and climb...”
Marius nodded, exhausted already.
They climbed higher up, hoping that they would see some way of getting down from the mountain, but the peaks stretched ahead, unforgiving, the weather turning foul, dark clouds hanging in the sky, a mild wind blowing steadily. Kyle was shivering, but he was in good health, and used to being cold and starved when he’d been with Lucius, his will overriding his body’s signals.
Marius was a different affair. Weak, battered, his head throbbing with his wound, he stopped, unable to continue, his eyes glazed over.
Kyle stepped to him, immediately holding him up. “Don’t sit... if you sit down, you’re as good as dead.”
Marius panted, his breath thick in the cold air. “I can’t...”
Kyle put his arm around his shoulder, his eyes darting around the landscape, finding a crack between the rocks, maybe enough to fit their bodies, facing a grassy field gently sloping. “Look, just until there, come on...” Kyle dragged him painfully, his legs almost giving way, but they managed to get there, and he made him sit down, sheltered from the wind.
Marius leant back against the rock, his eyes closing, his face strikingly white in the frame of his black hair and sprouting black beard. Dark purple and black bruises blotched his skin, and Kyle’s heart clenched, unsure whether he would survive.
He gently crouched down to face him. “I need to go and find food.”
Marius just nodded; his eyes closed.
“Look at me... stay awake...”
Marius opened his eyes, but he was struggling, sleep pulling at him like a warm dark blanket. “I am not sure I can...”
Kyle clutched his shoulder. “You have to...”
He sighed, sitting up straighter, watching Kyle leave, walk out on that grassy field when he stopped, his body taut, his hand flying to his knife.
Marius tensed, watching him stand, immobile, drawing the knife.The barbarians?
Suddenly, Kyle sprinted, his legs propelling him forward, knife in hand, and Marius watched him chase a rabbit, the animal fleeing wildly. It was too late though, taking a sharp turn, and Kyle was on him, turning his muscled body, his face tense, fixed on the animal. He leapt then and slammed the knife down, tumbling and rolling, the rabbit stuck on the large blade, writhing. Kyle sat, wringing the rabbit’s neck with one swift motion of his strong hands, panting, his eyes ablaze, a small smile on his lips.
Marius’ heart wrenched at his sight, in awe of his hunting skills, his mind on what he could have become if he’d stayed free. He watched him walk back, the rabbit dangling from his hand, blood dripping to the ground.
Kyle grinned at him. “That went better than expected. We can’t cook it, so I hope you like raw meat.” He sat down and skinned the animal, laying the fur carefully aside, and cut steaming pieces off, handing them to Marius.
He took them and ate slowly. “You should eat too...”
Kyle shrugged, nibbling on the bones. “I can manage, but you’re too weak. Eat and don’t argue. I’ll find more, don’t worry.”
“You’re a good hunter...”
Kyle pulled a face, his emotions racing. “Decent, maybe...” He refused to talk further, the memories too painful, and picked up the soft fur, rolling it between his fingers. “Mhm... this is too small, but we’ll keep it.” He stretched it on a rock, weighing it down with smaller stones. “It’s small, but it’s fur... and we’ll need more.”
