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We are hugging to sooth and comfort each other, when we see Bokyli hurries back and gives us a quick summary, and we agree to let Vekalie join. No matter what me or Reiley like about future 'attention', Bokyli have so proven her worth and having another person even half like her is very good, and being a larger group is also good.
So we wave Vekalie towards us, and I get my first really good look at her as she comes closer. Yeah, Vekalie got the same glowing irises but her skin is grey-brown. She look like I sort of remember how Bokyli did, and standing beside Vekalie it is striking how much Bokyli have changed. Sure, the over all shape, hands, horn, tail and fur stripe on the head are the same, but Bokyli's face, body shape and body propotions have changed a lot. Even Bokyli's ears are different. We have a short introduction, and we offer Vekalie to join our group. Vekalie basically have the same bandolier kit that Bokyli still wears, although Vekalie is wearing her intricately patterned dress. A dress that could really use a wash, and I guess Vekalie could too. The catamaran wasn't really planned for 6 people and a canoe, so this return trip might become interesting. It should float well enough and take the cargo and canoe since each dugout could take 3-4 people plus cargo, but it will feel crowded and be lower in the water on the last stretch home.
Vekalie have a word for sea, but it is obvious that Vekalie have never been on a boat before, and also tries to not be a bother or in the way. It is interesting that the translation function doesn't activate between Bokyli and Vekalie, but that might be because they understand each other without it since they speak the same language, just different dialects of it. I'm not surprised that Vekalie got Direction with one location after her first week, and got Nutrition two days ago. But that combined with Xuela's visions, and it looks like we have to go through the steps and can't jump straight to 8 locations or more. Vekalie moved insanely far just that first week, so she should have gone straight to 8 locations or more if it was possible. So I wonder what Vekalie will have the next couple ...
"Kima Nuzal have pledged her life and body in your service, and her life is now bound by her oath."
What the hell?
What!? The!? Hell!?
Kima Nuzal!?! What the fuck have Koru done! Fuck! FUCK!
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I'm not happy as we make our way up Raider river, but the last few hours have put that anger on a slow simmering burn. As we round a bend, we see the canoe heading towards us, so we turn the catamaran around to be ready to load up. Reiley, Bokyli and Vekalie heard Xuela shout that they are three in the canoe, so Koru have found someone beside Kima. Which we sort of don't like, but it is as it is, and best to hear Koru's story about it before we judge her actions. Xuela have recently signalled that there are dangerous dinosaurs nearby, and considering she was trapped a few days ago, and she missed Vekalie, we can't really trust her judgment if she say that is all there is. So we use the poles and anchor to stay in the current as they paddle the canoe along side. Yeah, brown lizard person is a good description of Kima, and she have a lizard or snake like camouflage pattern that is probably effective, but she have more skin than scales. And no clothes, but some jewellery. The unknown person in the middle is child size with literally white skin. And tied up and sleeping? I guess the word elfin or elvish fit, with comically large pointy ears poking out through grey hair. With several earrings and piercings. Still, best to not underestimate that person. Koru is looking very pleased with herself.
"Koru. I was notified of that oath bounding."
"What oath bounding?"
Koru seems confused and like she have no idea what I'm talking about, and I look at Kima who knees in the canoe, bow towards me and stay down while not looking up. There is some kind of ridges all along her back, arms and legs, and she have a lizard like tail.
"Lord Arne. Kima oath bound Kima to serve Lord Arne. Kima's life, body and venom is Lord Arne's."
What?
Venom?!
So many questions. Kima's words about venom have made Bokyli, Reiley and Koru keep their distance just like me, but they also shift their weapons and now point towards her. Kima is still in her bowing position and isn't looking up.
"Kima have displeased Lord Arne?" How the hell do I answer that? "Kima will swear any oath Lord Arne command. Kima will follow any order Lord Arne gives. Kima's life, body and venom is Lord Arne's."
"You have venom?"
"Yes, Lord Arne."
Oh boy. "What kind of venom and delivery method?"
"Kima not understand?" This is a weird and unexpected conversation, and her way of talking doesn't help, but then again, our way of speaking must be strange to her. "Kima have normal fangs and nails with venom, Lord Arne."
"How many times can you use it?"
"Four to twelve strikes for nails depending on dosage. Trice for fangs. A large dose will quickly kill. A low dose via nails or cuts will paralyse."
"Are you immune to your own venom?"
"No, Lord Arne."
"Kima Nuzal, your venom is mine, so I order you to not use your venom on anyone present including flying Xuela you've already meet, unless specifically ordered to by me."
"Of course, Lord Arne."
So now what? "You understand that oath will kill you if broken?"
This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
"Yes, Lord Arne. That is why Kima swore it."
"Why would you swear such an oath?"
"So Lord Arne would let Kima live. So Kima could be trusted and claimed."
Yeah, okay, that is a good one, and there is anxiety but hopefulness in her words. Then again, it's not like a person with a knife is less dangerous than Kima, and a knife can be used much more and creatively.
"Kima, you don't have to call me Lord or bow, and you can look at me."
Those are some wicked looking eyes with a snake like vertical pupil. And she have two smaller eyes at the sides with horizontal pupils. And the side eyes move independently. That is just creepy! Extra creepy! Still, the show must to on, so I stretch out my hand to help her onboard. Which might have been a bad idea since I see the vicious pointy nail claws on her hands. Shit! But no backing down. Kima slowly takes my offered hand ... and lick it. Ish! I can't stop the body shiver. That is not a normal tongue and way too long and tactile. The situation is tense, and Kima looks worried that she have displeased me, but Xuela's shouts from above that we need to hurry up and leave, which help break the tension. As we help them aboard Koru say that the small white person is Queral, and Queral was at Kima's cliff when she got there, and according to Kima, Queral is a gift to me. Kima say that Queral is sleeping since Kima hit her with venom, but she is breathing and alive. Kima give that impression of; 'I might have over done it, but please please don't be mad; she is breathing!'. Yeah, Kima might not understand that alien biology might have an unexpected reaction to her venom. We lift up their stuff including the heavy basket with turquoise rocks before we finally lift up the canoe and secure it. I've also just so happened to discretely wash my hands and face. Ish!
We start to head back to sea with paddles and poles while there is a quick round of introduction, and Koru is surprised to meet Vekalie. Yeah, well we didn't expect Queral either. The catamaran feels overloaded, but that is more about space than buoyancy, and seeing large vicious feathery dinosaurs peeking out and moving along the river shore increase the anxiety. The river is wide and fairly deep, but I sure wouldn't want to end up in the water, and the dinosaurs might try to jump us if we get too closer to the sides. So we make sure to stay in the middle as we don't know what's on the other side and the damn dino's might be smart. Reiley starts to shoot stone tipped arrows. This is not yet a situation where the good arrows are needed, but of course I've had my crossbow ready since we left the harbour. At least we have four people that can paddle and pole, while I steer and Reiley shoots. The catamaran's movement in the water, speed and distance to the dino's doesn't help Reiley's aim, and those fucking dino's seem to have though hide under their feathers, but she manage to hurt a couple of them with hits in soft spots, and they start screeching and getting agitated, but that hardly makes Reiley stop. We have plenty of those stone tipped arrows and can make more, and Reiley have started to dip them in the Number 3 filled bottle in her belt before shooting. The arrows make the pack draw back a bit, but they still follow us as we slowly makes it to the sea. The badder news is that before the river mouth, the river is shallow and wide, and it is easier to pass across the river. And we see at least one feathery bastard dinosaur is waiting for us. Shit! Smart fuckers! The wind slows our movement even more, but we just have to go for it.
"Koru, take the front corner position. The rest have to paddle for all our worth when I shout 'paddle'. We might have to use a pole or two as brakes or to change direction or push us closer to the other shore, so hold tight! If you fall off just grab on to something or the towed line and hold on! This might be bad! Koru! Use a long pole as a spear if you have too! If one of those jump and lands on the boat, it will flip over or break in two, and the rest of the dino's will swarm us!"
Reiley quickly sharpens a pole with three chops from her machete and gives it to Koru, who have taken off her hat and secured it to the boat, and we can see a couple of the dinosaurs walk out into the shallow water. Shit, they really look like they will jump us. Koru won't have time to change between bow and pole, so I decide to use my crossbow.
"I will shoot the closest one!"
There is no point in saving good bolts if it means one of us dies!
"Lord Arne! Please use Kima's venom!"
I just hold my crossbow towards Kima and she strokes her pinky fingers on the bolt tips, leaving behind a wet coating. No more time.
"Paddle! Paddle!"
I try to nullify the catamaran's movement, and aim. Hard, but there is limited side motion and a big target getting closer. A really big target with lots of teeth. The bolt fly and I hit the hip of the dinosaur who make a painful screech. Adjusted aim plus luck help my second bolt hit right in the big wide open mouth. Shuts him up! The second dinosaur crouch down to jump as we pass, and to my horror Koru jumps off the catamaran and brace for impact to disbelieving shouts and distraction, so I yell: "Paddle!! Paddle!!"
The second dinosaur target Koru and jump, teeth and clawed legs forward and wing-arms flap to give more speed, but instead of staying there Koru push of with her pole and jumps after the catamaran, grabs the towed rope and pulls her body into a crouching position towards the catamaran. The dinosaur lands with a huge splash and furious roar, but as the splash clears we see Koru holding on for dear life, and I hit the dinosaur with a bolt just as it makes another mighty jump dive after us to bite Koru as she quickly start to draw herself back towards us. The deepening water and the catamarans speed means the dinosaur miss, but we furiously paddle to make distance as the waves starts to push against us, and the dinosaurs try a half hearted attempt to wade after but soon stops and roars, and is joined by three dino's now out on the beach. Koru have a wide grin as she pulls herself up with Bokyli's help, who lets Koru know what we all think:
"That was stupid! Brave and effective, but stupid!"
Koru just grins: "It worked. The catamaran is whole and you're all safe. I swore to protect Arne's life with mine, and will do so again."
"Koru, you swore to never intentionally harm me, and to follow my orders. Nothing about sacrificing your life for me."
Koru puts her hat back on, shrugs and casually respond: "Details."
We just look back at the dinosaurs as we bob in the waves, and they roar at us. The one that jumped at us roar with wide spread arm-wings while thrashing in the water, before turning around and starting to move back, but it becomes sluggish and collapse with a splash. Okay? The first one I shot basically just stand there rocking a bit by the waves before it also collapse with a splash and starts to float. One of the confused dinosaurs on the beach wade out and try to bump the closest floating dinosaur awake with his head, but no reaction. Those floating dinosaurs heads are not above water, so those dino's are likely to drown soon. If they could even breath. Are the lungs paralysed too? Shit!
"That is a very potent and fast acting venom."
"Kima thank for Lord Arne's praise."
We hold our position in the waves as the dinosaurs bob in the water. Another dinosaur with one of Reiley's arrows in the side shows up and moves out on the beach, while one of those on the beach moves out into the water to help his companions move and tries to push a floating one ashore. They screech at them and us, but my last venom tipped bolt hits one in the neck, and soon there are two dinosaurs bobbing in the waves and one collapsed on the beach, and the last three of the pack hurries to leave after making their displeasure known. It was probably the mouth or throat hit that really quickened the venoms pace, but it is a fast acting venom and it paralysed those big dinosaurs from just tiny wounds in something like 15-60 seconds. Very fast and nasty venom. Even the most venomous snake wouldn't incapacitate a human in that time, and something as big as those dinosaurs? We stay there bobbing on the water, trying to keep station as we look at the dinosaurs rolling in the waves. We share looks and Koru is the one to ask:
"How do those dinosaurs taste?"
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