“You!”
A scruffy, tubby warden weasel called out to one of their subordinates as they roamed about the foundation of rock and rubble. Their eye was on a team leader who had been slacking off on their duties of watching over their slaves’ mining operations.
“Yes, sir!” replied the lean yet plump weasel in a cracking, nasally voice. Suddenly, his nerves were on end, looking from left to right, as the stout warden began walking towards him. This wasn’t the first time he had been caught laughing amuck among his fellow cohorts. The members of the group scattered as their crew mate had been called out, none of them wanting to be caught between their wretched supervisor and their indolent team member.
“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing, huh?! Not doing your job again?”
Their reply came out snarky. “Oh, no, sir. I was just-”
“You were just not watching over your damn numbers again?” the warden let out a hiss.
“I was gettin’ to it, boss. I swear!”
“Oh, yeah? You were getting to it? I got somewhere you can go!” the weasel leaned in, his jagged voice becoming more pronounced. “Why don’t you go do your job. Evic.” They stated their point and began to walk away.
“But boss, we ‘aven’t been paid in-”
The Warden’s words grew louder, as he wanted everyone to hear.
“You’ll get your pay when I decide! How ‘bout that?!”
He spun back around, storming straight into the face of Evic again.
“Are you talking back to me, son?” growled the Warden, looking up at him mere inches away from his face.
“No- No, sir, I wouldn’t do that.” Evic slightly stumbled.
“Good...” the Warden squinted, their gruff voice burning into Evic’s ears. “Unless you want that again.” they said without removing their gaze, pointing to a thick tree off in the distance beyond the boundaries of the labor camp, with chains bound around it.
The incoherent cacophony of grunts and wails of the hard-working slaves in the background faded, as Evic thought of the sound of the lashes he had been given months ago. All kinds of species from across Cahlm struck their pickaxes into the ground, fearful of the same pain to be dealt upon them for misbehaving. Their muscles ached, day and night, for the influx of currency they brought into circulation every day. The misshapen nuggets of iron, bauxite, jaspillite, and bismuth breaking out from the surface of the earth. That was the economic holy grail. One fine vein of bismuth could find a slave being treated more fairly than others for some time. This kept them going.
“Oh, and one last thing.” the Warden sneered. His manner became dreary. “We’ve been getting... low on hard working individuals around here. Seeing as how you don’t want to work, maybe you could help me out.” His face flattened into seriousness.
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“What do you mean?” Evic feared what he was about to say.
“We need more associates around here. You are a team leader, after all. I need you to go out and find some more.” A funny smile came up.
“Uh... who would come with me?”
“No one.”
Evic was floored. “Well, shouldn’t I get some help?”
“Oh, you’re smart enough. You don’t need any.”
“Supplies?”
“You shouldn’t have any trouble finding some.” Evic looked at the key to the rations room hanging off of the Warden’s belt.
“Sir, I don’t know if I can find food and water out-”
“When I chain you up and I get out my knout, I’ll aim for your head so your eyeballs pop out. Do I make myself clear?” He said that dreaded rhyme again. His head drew even closer. “Now get out there!” he screamed, almost making Evic’s ears ring.
“Yes, sir!” Evic responded tensely.
* * *
As and Wayne route was left to circumstance. The sky was overcast with grey. Six hours had passed since they departed from the safety of their four walls. The air was mild, the crunching and droning noise of the snow drowned out most other sounds, with As stamping in front and the vessel gliding behind him. Only the valleys were gone through, for the peaks could send Wayne and the luggage tumbling and violently crashing into something. Their breath quivered. They needed safety from the elements. The terrain had become more versatile, with the land showing more wonder in its design. In a gradual left bend, they followed, an embankment was on their right side, and an escarpment on their left. The water stream flowed, and the cliff face towered above them.
“Look!” As exclaimed.
A large cavern was seen ahead digging into the cliff face. A cave was their only option at the moment.
“Let’s settle in there.” As continued.
Reaching the mouth and walking deeply in, As began setting up camp.
“We’ll stay here for two days, just to ease in, then we’ll start again. How does that sound?”
Wayne nodded, too cold to respond with his words.