Chapter 25

We’d made our way north through my maze of pit traps and had jogged a good ten minutes farther under the trees before I brought us to a stop at a large scarred oak tree that had obviously been hit by lightning sometime in the past. I waved them after me, and pushed through the dense thorny brush growing at its base. I pulled aside a large waxed piece of leather and entered the tree, leaning the spear I’d removed from my hut against the wall just inside. We found ourselves inside the tree itself in a large hollow that I figured had been created by a fire started by the lightning. Somehow the tree had survived and began growing again, creating a large chamber inside lined with bark.

I’d stumbled across this place when I went to climb the tree to get away from a pack of wolves. They hadn’t been willing to push through the thick thorny brush though, and I’d ended up spending the night here.

When morning had found me safe and sound, I’d decided this was about the best fallback from my hut that I could hope for and started storing things here. It had mostly been excess gear at first and had basically just been a glorified toolshed, but once I won all that money playing cards I’d decided to keep the bulk of my cash here so I’d always have something to fall back on in case I ever lost the hut for some reason.

I had several extra spears leaning against the walls. My spare axe was hung on a couple of iron wood pegs I’d pounded into the walls above my old hatchet on its own pegs. I had a variety of knives that I had designed and had had Anvil make for me out of steel sitting on a shelf in their sheathes, and sitting on the floor next that shelf was a large wooden box with three separate sections that contained a large number of pouches of gold, silver, and copper coins respectively. Various other tools graced the walls but weren’t of any real importance, after all I’d be leaving my saws, hammers, and shovels here when we left. I also had a variety of packs and bags filled with various furs and skins I’d had Norbert tan for me over the years hanging from pegs on the walls as well as a half dozen canteens that I kept filled with water hanging next to my spare pots and pans. I didn’t keep any food here since I didn’t want it drawing in any of the local beasts, but I’d figured with the water alone I could crash here for a week straight easily if I’d had to.

The centerpiece of the chamber was my work bench, basically a large shelf I’d mounted on the wall with a rather incongruously nice armless chair sitting in front of it that I had purchased from Dog’s former owner, Dav. There were several candles melted to the surface of the workbench, but with the light streaming in from the opening behind us we wouldn’t need them. I didn’t use the workbench too often since I did most of my crafting sitting by my firepit in the hut, but every so often I found it useful. I leaned my sword against the wall and slumped heavily into the chair with a grunt.

I waved around myself at the walls. “Help yourselves, guys. I need to stitch myself up.” I peeled off my bloody cloak and tossed it onto its usual peg with a practiced hand. Then I pulled off my vest and shirt as Hammer and Knick walked around examining the various items I’d collected over the years. Dog lay down at my feet.

I grabbed the white wooden box I’d designated my first aid kit, complete with a red cross embossed on the top, and cracked it open. I pulled out a long curved needle and a spool of fine black thread that the old town apothecary claimed was the best for stitching wounds. I’d left the needle threaded in case I was too far gone to handle it when I came here injured, so I just pulled a decent amount of thread off the spool and snapped it off with a quick tug. I tied a knot in the end of the thread and began sewing up the cut on my chest. It hurt a bit as I pulled the torn flesh slowly back together, but mostly it was the nausea from my cut eye that was bothering me.

By the time I’d finished, Hammer and Knick had finished their examination. Knick had grabbed a pack and stowed all the knives but one, which he was using to clean the blood from his nails as he sat on my crude treasure chest. Hammer had tucked my spare axe into his belt and was leaning against a wall watching me.

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“Hey Knick,” I said to get his attention. “Does this cut on the back of my shoulder look like it’d need stitches?”

Knick glanced over as I twisted in the chair to show him my back and after a quick look shook his head. “Naw, it’ll scar, but it’s not very deep.”

I nodded in appreciation at his expert opinion. Cutter had left him with enough shallow cuts over the years that he’d know. With no embarrassment I unbelted my pants and pulled them down to my knees as I remained seated and examined the cut Crud had left on the outside of my thigh. Shit, that’s deeper than I’d thought. I could see muscle fiber showing through the cut so I rethreaded my needle and started sewing again.

The position was a bit awkward as it required me to twist and bend over the whole time I was sewing up the side of my thigh, but I finished fairly quickly. I sighed in relief as I pulled my pants back up and leaned back in my chair as I rebuckled my belt. I may be a bit resistant to pain, but that shit seriously stings.

I felt at the cuts on my eyebrow and cheek. The horizontal one on my eyebrow was fairly deep, but I figured I could probably get away without stitching it. The bleeding had almost completely stopped and it was barely seeping at this point. The cheek cut that had taken my eye was even shallower and definitely didn’t need it. Wish there was something I could do about my eye, but it’s beyond me. I had a few various cuts, bruises, and scrapes I didn’t recall, but none of them really seemed to need any treatment. I wished I’d thought to store some high quality booze as a disinfectant. Maybe next time. I rethreaded my needle and started sewing up my vest. I’d get to my pants, shirt, and cloak next.

“So here’s what I’m thinking guys,” I said as I sewed. “We wait til dark, and then Knick and I’ll head back and scout the town to see what’s going on. Hammer, I need you to stay here and keep an eye on Dog. No offense, but as big as you are you’re not particularly suited to a stealth mission. Anything we can get you from town if we can make it in?”

Hammer had been looking a bit green as he’d watched me stitch myself up, but he’d calmed a bit when I moved on to something as familiar as fixing my clothes. “I could use my gauntlets if you can get them. They’re under my pillow on the second floor of the smithy. My room is the first on the left at the top of the stairs. I could also use a smithing hammer if you can get one. Other than that, the only thing you don’t already have would be food.”

I nodded without looking up from my vest while I worked. “Alright, sounds like a plan then. Beyond scoping out the situation, I’ll be on smithy duty. Knick, you’re on food.”

“Sure,” said Knick simply.

“I recommend you guys get some sleep if you can. There’s plenty of furs to lay down to sleep on while you have a chance. I expect we’re going to have a long night ahead of us, and, if it’s as bad as I fear it is, we're going to take off north before the sun comes up. Hammer, while we’re gone I want you to put together three go packs for us. Focus on the cash and high value items we can sell, as well as things we’ll need on the road. Don’t forget a pot and pan for cooking, and try to lash my new sword to whatever pack you’re setting me up with, I bled for that fucking thing, and I intend to keep it, but I’m not taking it with me into town. I don’t know how to use it yet. I’m better off sticking to my tried and true axe and blades for now.” I pulled out the leader's snake blade from the back of my belt and set it on the workbench. “This too, for much the same reasons.” Hammer tossed me and Knick each a canteen, and all three of us took a long deep drink before I leaned back over my vest and continued sewing.

Hammer pulled out the bearskin I’d been using on my bed back at the hut, from the pack I’d dropped by the entrance on our way in, and curled up on it around his sword. Dog made his way over and flopped heavily down beside him on the bear skin. Hammer put an arm around him and closed his eyes. I took my time sewing and did a credible job of it. I didn’t need too much sleep since I usually hunted at night and was used to odd hours, but I’d still want a nap before dark. It was going to be a long night.

I looked over to see Knick leaning back against the wall, still sitting on the chest full of coins with his arms folded and his eyes closed. He had one of my knives perched precariously on his right knee. Guess he liked that well balanced kukri I’d designed.