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Adult Tribe Fic - Seeking the lost ones Part 4
Title: Seeking the lost ones Part 4. The first 3 parts are on Adult Tribe.
Warning: shameless self referencing.
Characters: The Adult Tribe in their Tribeworld setting. Lou, Froodle and SiMaMi.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: we might not own the Tribe world but this we do own.
P.S.: I can't edit to save my soul so excuse the mistakes. I know this chapter is very self referencing but if it helps - I just worked out who our silent friend is. Never get the idea that I know what I'm doing because I'm making it up as I go along!
Warning: shameless self referencing.
Characters: The Adult Tribe in their Tribeworld setting. Lou, Froodle and SiMaMi.
Rating: PG
Disclaimer: we might not own the Tribe world but this we do own.
P.S.: I can't edit to save my soul so excuse the mistakes. I know this chapter is very self referencing but if it helps - I just worked out who our silent friend is. Never get the idea that I know what I'm doing because I'm making it up as I go along!
Pain consumed her world and Munnin screwed up her eyes against it, bitting back the urge to scream. Warm hands touched and soothed her; she gave over to them, accepting the cold metal rim of a flask as it was held to her lips. She sipped the sweet liquor, letting the alcoholic burn carry her where it may. “Sleep now. You’re safe.” The voice was familiar thought she couldn’t think why…
She woke to find it night and Tobias at her side. She caught his hand and squeezed it tight as the memory of the battle rolled over her. “I saw them…couldn’t warn you…how?”
He squeezed her hand in return. “Shotting down hill with a little help and a lot of luck.” He brushed an errant hair out of her face. “Opening the gates turned the tide. We didn’t outnumber them but we did scary them. Some of them fled, several of the freed slaves have gone after them.”
“Casualties?” she asked, trying to sound more like a leader than she felt.
Tobias smiled and stroked her cheek. “Very few bumps and scrapes, nothing that won’t heal.” He sighed sadly. “You took the worst for all of us. When I saw you fall I thought…” The pain in his voice was raw and brutal. Not the pain of a warrior but that of a young man who watched his closest friend mowed down in battle and had been helpless to save her.
“I’m here Tobias.” She held his hand to her lips and kissed it. “And I owe you my life.”
“Not me.” He said forlornly. “Whoever he is, he’s a better shot that I am. And more deserving of your love.”
He pulled away before she could argue and called across the fire to a group huddled there. Three figures came out of the darkness towards her like faces out of a dream. Dorfus, her pink hair matted and spiky and her face a picture of misery, Froodle, all grins and wildness and behind them, the familiar voice that would not give itself a name; Simami, all smiles and shyness, kneeling to rest a warm hand on her’s.
“It’s good to have you back.” Sim said, his soft voice barely above a whisper.
“Thought you were a gonna for a while back there. Nice work busting us out.” Froodle grinned, hauling Munnin upright and hugging her perhaps a little harder than necessary.
“Dorfus?” Munnin called to her silent friend as she tried hid the grimace from Froodle’s bone crunching hug. “Were you hurt?” Dorf shook her head, refusing to meet Munnin’s eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“I missed the gate. Didn’t get it open in time. I’m sorry.” Her voice shook with shame.
“Dorf!” Munnin almost laughed. “It’s me who should be apologising. You missed the gate but I missed the ambush! I was so hot headed I didn’t take the time to think things through. I nearly got us all killed.”
“But you didn’t. You got the gate open.” She still refusing to meet Munnin’s gaze.
Munnin held out her hand and tilted her friend’s chin up. “I can hardly be credited with saving the day. I was little help in the fight after that! I bounced off a door and got stepped on.”
“Ah.” Froodle made a little embarrassed noise. “That might have been me.”
The four of them dissolved in to laughter till Munnin was bent double with cramps. “Stop! Stop the lot of you!” She caught hold of Froodle’s shoulder and tried to lever herself up. ”You’ll kill me if you’re not careful.”
“Didn’t work the first time.” Froodle grinned as she helped Munnin to her feet.
“Don’t you think you should take it easy?” Sim whimpered as he offered her a hand.
“I’m fine. It’s not a bad as it looks. More bruises than bumps and more bumps than breaks. I’ll be fine.” She muttered as she straightened up, feeling every muscle twinge and complain. She noticed a figure sitting by the fire, the dark haired Mall Rat sat awkward huddled in a blanket, favouring his uninjured side.
“He came to about an hour before you did.” Simami said quietly, following her gaze. “His ribs give him trouble but otherwise he’s mending.”
“He’s tough. I’ll give him that.” There was a note of admiration in Froodle’s tone.
Lex’s eye met Munnin’s over the fire and he gave an acknowledging nod that left her wondering what the others had told him of her.
“I need to take a walk.” Munnin said sorely. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Perhaps one of us should go with you?” Dorfus suggested, still contrite and worried.
“I’m absolutely certain I can pee on my own but thank you.” The truth was she needed to get away from all the eyes and take stock of her injuries. Everything hurt far more than she was willing to admit and judging by the sticky patches on her clothes, she still had undressed wound.
Flashing Tobias what she hoped was a confident smile; she grabbed some supplies from her pack and headed over the nearby hill.
The climb alone cost her more energy than she’d expected but it put her out of line of site of the camp. The heavy clouds, still boding rain held no light and Munnin stumbled on an unseen rock. Strong hands caught her waist from behind and lowered her safely to the ground. She groaned as her chest spiked with pain.
“You are far more injured let on.” whispered a heavy voice behind her. Munnin bit back a retort as fresh flashes of pain ripped though her. “Here. Swallow this. It’ll help.” She swallowed back something that felt like a pill and tasted like wood.
“Willow bark.” she groaned between clenched teeth.
“Yes.” said the voice, still as steady and deep. “I managed to trade a spear I’d made for them.”
Unable to stop him, the stranger unbuckled her harnesses and unzipped her top. With impersonal ease his fingers moved along her body, pressing and testing.
“Your bow,” she muttered, trying to ride out the pain as he explored her side, “is stolen.”
“What makes you say that?” No note of recrimination or surprise as if he was just glad she was still talking.
“It sings like a horsebow and I know all the horse-bowman south of the city.”
“I came from the North. A long, long way.”
“Then who did you get it from?” There was something slightly familiar about his voice and if she could only keep him talking she might be able to pin it down.
She shuddered as he skittered over her wrist. “You should get your bowman friend to re-strap that for you. It won’t heal clean otherwise.”
“Answer my question,” she snarled, the pain from her wrist making her whole arm throb.
“A tribe called the Hascals.” He answered evenly, moving down to her ankles and worked upwards. “They helped me out when I first…” he hesitated as if trying not to give too much away, “when I started my journey back to the city.”
“Very far North. Roh…Rohan gave it to you then?” She stumbled as he pressed in at the side of her knee.
“Hmm.” He made little concerned noise as he traced the shape of her other knee to compare them. “How did you know?”
“A friend. Before the virus.”
She could feel him shake his head. “Your left knee is out of alignment. How in heaven’s name did you even walk up here?” He pushed something soft and leathery between her lips. “Bite down on this.” She shook her head violently. “Please?” he said earnestly. “I have to realign your knee and it’s going to hurt. If you scream your friends will come running and I can not stay.”
“Then why help at all?” she demanded, gritting her teeth. “Just do it.”
He knelt over her, bracing a knee either side of her calf and folded his hands around her kneecap. “Forgive me Munnin,” and twisted.
White spots filled her vision and Munnin bit hard on her lip to stop from screaming. He had her, pulled tight to her chest and rocking her like a child till her silent scream gave way to sobs. “I owe you a great debt from a long time ago.” He whispered intensely, holding her close. “You taught me things that kept me alive when I thought nothing else would.” Tears ran down her face as he laid her back down on the grass. “I don’t know why you haven’t gone safely back with your tribe but I’ll help you as best I can…if you’ll do something for me.”
“What’s that?” Munnin gasped, finally surfing the crest of the pain.
“Talked to Lex. Find out what happened to the other Mall Rats. I need to know.”
She didn’t get to ask why before he let out a shrill whistle, a Stone Wolf call for help and vanished into the darkness.
Tobias and the others came, torches and weapons in hand only to find Munnin stretched out on the damp grass, her shirt and harnesses akimbo.
Tobias raised an inquiring eyebrow, mildly amused.
“Don’t ask.” She growled, shotting Tobias a murderous look as Froodle helped her to her feet. “I’ll tell you later.”
She woke to find it night and Tobias at her side. She caught his hand and squeezed it tight as the memory of the battle rolled over her. “I saw them…couldn’t warn you…how?”
He squeezed her hand in return. “Shotting down hill with a little help and a lot of luck.” He brushed an errant hair out of her face. “Opening the gates turned the tide. We didn’t outnumber them but we did scary them. Some of them fled, several of the freed slaves have gone after them.”
“Casualties?” she asked, trying to sound more like a leader than she felt.
Tobias smiled and stroked her cheek. “Very few bumps and scrapes, nothing that won’t heal.” He sighed sadly. “You took the worst for all of us. When I saw you fall I thought…” The pain in his voice was raw and brutal. Not the pain of a warrior but that of a young man who watched his closest friend mowed down in battle and had been helpless to save her.
“I’m here Tobias.” She held his hand to her lips and kissed it. “And I owe you my life.”
“Not me.” He said forlornly. “Whoever he is, he’s a better shot that I am. And more deserving of your love.”
He pulled away before she could argue and called across the fire to a group huddled there. Three figures came out of the darkness towards her like faces out of a dream. Dorfus, her pink hair matted and spiky and her face a picture of misery, Froodle, all grins and wildness and behind them, the familiar voice that would not give itself a name; Simami, all smiles and shyness, kneeling to rest a warm hand on her’s.
“It’s good to have you back.” Sim said, his soft voice barely above a whisper.
“Thought you were a gonna for a while back there. Nice work busting us out.” Froodle grinned, hauling Munnin upright and hugging her perhaps a little harder than necessary.
“Dorfus?” Munnin called to her silent friend as she tried hid the grimace from Froodle’s bone crunching hug. “Were you hurt?” Dorf shook her head, refusing to meet Munnin’s eyes. “What’s wrong?”
“I missed the gate. Didn’t get it open in time. I’m sorry.” Her voice shook with shame.
“Dorf!” Munnin almost laughed. “It’s me who should be apologising. You missed the gate but I missed the ambush! I was so hot headed I didn’t take the time to think things through. I nearly got us all killed.”
“But you didn’t. You got the gate open.” She still refusing to meet Munnin’s gaze.
Munnin held out her hand and tilted her friend’s chin up. “I can hardly be credited with saving the day. I was little help in the fight after that! I bounced off a door and got stepped on.”
“Ah.” Froodle made a little embarrassed noise. “That might have been me.”
The four of them dissolved in to laughter till Munnin was bent double with cramps. “Stop! Stop the lot of you!” She caught hold of Froodle’s shoulder and tried to lever herself up. ”You’ll kill me if you’re not careful.”
“Didn’t work the first time.” Froodle grinned as she helped Munnin to her feet.
“Don’t you think you should take it easy?” Sim whimpered as he offered her a hand.
“I’m fine. It’s not a bad as it looks. More bruises than bumps and more bumps than breaks. I’ll be fine.” She muttered as she straightened up, feeling every muscle twinge and complain. She noticed a figure sitting by the fire, the dark haired Mall Rat sat awkward huddled in a blanket, favouring his uninjured side.
“He came to about an hour before you did.” Simami said quietly, following her gaze. “His ribs give him trouble but otherwise he’s mending.”
“He’s tough. I’ll give him that.” There was a note of admiration in Froodle’s tone.
Lex’s eye met Munnin’s over the fire and he gave an acknowledging nod that left her wondering what the others had told him of her.
“I need to take a walk.” Munnin said sorely. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Perhaps one of us should go with you?” Dorfus suggested, still contrite and worried.
“I’m absolutely certain I can pee on my own but thank you.” The truth was she needed to get away from all the eyes and take stock of her injuries. Everything hurt far more than she was willing to admit and judging by the sticky patches on her clothes, she still had undressed wound.
Flashing Tobias what she hoped was a confident smile; she grabbed some supplies from her pack and headed over the nearby hill.
The climb alone cost her more energy than she’d expected but it put her out of line of site of the camp. The heavy clouds, still boding rain held no light and Munnin stumbled on an unseen rock. Strong hands caught her waist from behind and lowered her safely to the ground. She groaned as her chest spiked with pain.
“You are far more injured let on.” whispered a heavy voice behind her. Munnin bit back a retort as fresh flashes of pain ripped though her. “Here. Swallow this. It’ll help.” She swallowed back something that felt like a pill and tasted like wood.
“Willow bark.” she groaned between clenched teeth.
“Yes.” said the voice, still as steady and deep. “I managed to trade a spear I’d made for them.”
Unable to stop him, the stranger unbuckled her harnesses and unzipped her top. With impersonal ease his fingers moved along her body, pressing and testing.
“Your bow,” she muttered, trying to ride out the pain as he explored her side, “is stolen.”
“What makes you say that?” No note of recrimination or surprise as if he was just glad she was still talking.
“It sings like a horsebow and I know all the horse-bowman south of the city.”
“I came from the North. A long, long way.”
“Then who did you get it from?” There was something slightly familiar about his voice and if she could only keep him talking she might be able to pin it down.
She shuddered as he skittered over her wrist. “You should get your bowman friend to re-strap that for you. It won’t heal clean otherwise.”
“Answer my question,” she snarled, the pain from her wrist making her whole arm throb.
“A tribe called the Hascals.” He answered evenly, moving down to her ankles and worked upwards. “They helped me out when I first…” he hesitated as if trying not to give too much away, “when I started my journey back to the city.”
“Very far North. Roh…Rohan gave it to you then?” She stumbled as he pressed in at the side of her knee.
“Hmm.” He made little concerned noise as he traced the shape of her other knee to compare them. “How did you know?”
“A friend. Before the virus.”
She could feel him shake his head. “Your left knee is out of alignment. How in heaven’s name did you even walk up here?” He pushed something soft and leathery between her lips. “Bite down on this.” She shook her head violently. “Please?” he said earnestly. “I have to realign your knee and it’s going to hurt. If you scream your friends will come running and I can not stay.”
“Then why help at all?” she demanded, gritting her teeth. “Just do it.”
He knelt over her, bracing a knee either side of her calf and folded his hands around her kneecap. “Forgive me Munnin,” and twisted.
White spots filled her vision and Munnin bit hard on her lip to stop from screaming. He had her, pulled tight to her chest and rocking her like a child till her silent scream gave way to sobs. “I owe you a great debt from a long time ago.” He whispered intensely, holding her close. “You taught me things that kept me alive when I thought nothing else would.” Tears ran down her face as he laid her back down on the grass. “I don’t know why you haven’t gone safely back with your tribe but I’ll help you as best I can…if you’ll do something for me.”
“What’s that?” Munnin gasped, finally surfing the crest of the pain.
“Talked to Lex. Find out what happened to the other Mall Rats. I need to know.”
She didn’t get to ask why before he let out a shrill whistle, a Stone Wolf call for help and vanished into the darkness.
Tobias and the others came, torches and weapons in hand only to find Munnin stretched out on the damp grass, her shirt and harnesses akimbo.
Tobias raised an inquiring eyebrow, mildly amused.
“Don’t ask.” She growled, shotting Tobias a murderous look as Froodle helped her to her feet. “I’ll tell you later.”