World of Ranicke Bk. 03 Ch. 03

The captain started calling orders to furl this set of sails and loosen those and once the sails were set the way he wanted he grunted. "Come starboard ten degrees and adjust as the watch calls out adjustments. All hands report to your stations and look lively lads. Let's show those dirt grubbers how real men do it." He called out a few more orders before returning to his cabin.

The man shielded his eyes from the sunlight but they were too far away for him to see the land. A deep sense of excitement was growing the closer they sailed to the land. He had to admit that wandering had always been a part of him even when he had settled down at times. Over the years as he had wandered after leaving on his quest he had worked as a guard, interpreter, escort, bouncer, carpenter as well as a black smith. There were some jobs he had refused to do since they were too low for him or wouldn't bring in the income he needed to keep traveling.

When he had finally settled down in the city-state the traders worked out of he had worked in a wide variety of ship building jobs. One of the reasons he had started working in the shipyards was his urge to learn. He didn't know where that came from but many of the jobs he had taken over the years was out of interest. He would never make a boat such as he was on or craft a weapon but he knew how to make a small boat or make hinges. "Bos'n how long till we make land?" He called out as he turned and left the forecastle.

"Ho Lak-Non and probably tomorrow, it will take some time to find the landmarks to see which side of the landing we are on. Even if we find it tonight we won't go in till it is light as you know." The man bellowed back. Considering he was over seven foot tall and had horns and a face only his mother might love a bellow was his natural level of speaking.

"That is what I figured but had to ask. I will be below checking on my gear just to make sure I have everything. If you need me send someone down." Lak-Non headed down below and found his hammock and pulled his bag out and dumped it in it. All of his cloths were going to need a good washing once they landed. It had been a good two months or more since they had left and saltwater wasn't a good cleaning agent. He was going to need a good bath and grooming as well since his hair was rather shaggy as well as his beard.

He checked everything before packing it back in the bag. Since he had checked everything before they left he wasn't all that worried but better safe than sorry. Once he had the bag re-packed and put back he pulled out his weapons and took his time to give them a good cleaning. Again he had been checking them routinely but it helped relax him.

~~~

Early the next morning he rolled out of the hammock and stretched. Breakfast was the usual hard bread and dried fish and Makox that had been mixed with a bit of water. There were some dried fruits as well to help keep the crew healthy. "God I can't wait for some real food. I swear the last time I used the break head I ripped my ass off." Several of the other crew laughed at him in both sympathy and rough amusement.

Between the dehydrated food and rationed water constipation was a common problem. The fruit helped but till they had time to drink plenty of fluids and get some real food in them it was a problem. The cook growled at all of them and threatened to not feed them lunch and they could starve till they made it to shore. A number of men cheered at that which got them growled at again.

Lak-Non finished eating and tossed back his water ration before heading upstairs to the main deck. When he climbed out of the hatch he sighed since it looked like it was going to storm soon. In a way it would be good since it would rinse the ship down and they could replenish some of the water. If it was too rough it could delay entrance to the city or even wreck the ship or at least damage it. "Great, just what I didn't want today."

Actually when he walked out on deck he started sweating and the rain would be nice. "Crap, what is this place? A massive steam room? How the hell do they live here?" The land they came from was dryer though still as warm. Just looking at the land he could see it was made up of massive and thick trees. Lak-Non had to admit that it was a vibrant green but not something he was used to or knew much about. With a grunt he headed for the bridge and greeted the captain who was there with the navigator. "Morning Cap'n and any idea how much longer? Not trying to hassle you but it will be nice to get some dirt under my feet."

The captain gave him a good laugh. "Boy you might be a skilled man and good on the water but I knew you would never be a good sailor. You like the dirt too much. Mind you ain't a dirt grubber but still a bit too much dirt between your toes to make a good sailor." He glanced at the map he had and then at the coast. "It be about three hours to port and then several more till we are moored."

Lak-Non laughed with the Captain since it was very true. He did enjoy being on the ocean but not as a lifetime job. He preferred traveling the lands and meeting people. Yes he did settle down at times but even without the urge to keep moving he would have anyways. The voice simply alerted him to the time to move before he became too comfortable. "No, not a dirt grubber but I will admit I like having dirt under my toes a bit more than a sailor. I did enjoy learning the trade but the food leaves a bit to be desired."

The Captain slapped his shoulder before turning away and calling out some orders. Lak-Non wandered back up to the forecastle and settled down again. He had worked as part of the crew on the way over but technically he was a paid passenger. In a way it amused him since he had paid to be brought to the new land yet he was going to get paid as a crewmember. The captain had laughed when he made the deal with Lak-Non.

Once he had settled down he watched the land going by and for some reason even though it was unfamiliar it relaxed him. There was just something about the lush greenery that called to him. He sat there with a distant look in his eyes and a smile on his face. Lak-Non could smell the jungle as well which was pleasant. In the back of his mind it was nudging some memory but he just couldn't quite catch it. With a shrug he kept watching the shore line slipping past and waited impatiently for the ship to make it to port and dock.

~~~

When the ship did dock Lak-Non stretched and grabbed his bag. "Well Cap'n I want to thank you and I wish you the best on the way back. I will be at the inn you suggested for a few days as I gather some information. If'n you swing past at some point I will purchase the first beer and we can swap some more lies." He grasped the man's arm and gave it a good squeeze before trotting down the gang plank. When his feet hit the pier he almost dropped and kissed it just to tease the captain but decided not to.

Looking around the people of this place were a fair amount different. A good portion of them were furred and looked like oversized animals. The country he came from there were some people like these as well but far fewer. Many of the ones in the other country had animalistic attributes but most were not furred. He had to wonder what the difference was but it was only a passing curiosity. For a brief moment he felt a stabbing pain in one temple but it was quickly gone.

He hated those sudden headaches but had gotten somewhat used to them over the years since he had stepped out on the road. His former employer had a number of people examine him but they all came back with a shrug and no idea why. Every now and then after one of the flashes of pain some bit of memory would appear but they were very fragmented. He did hope they were his memories since if so it meant that he did have a past. If he could recover enough memories maybe he could find his life again. He felt hope and longing to find out if he had any family left and if so wanted to know where they were.

As he walked down the pier he was getting a few looks which he assumed was because he was dressed differently than the natives of this area. He was dressed much the same way as when he had stepped out of the forest though of a much better quality. The largest difference was the fact he was carrying a battle axe as well as his old one. It had been given to him by his former employer for the years he had been with him.

Lak-Non walked into the Sailor's Respite and up to the desk. This was a very different setup than was the norm back on Cerule. There the tap room was the center of the first floor but here it was off to one side. The check in desk was center and from behind smells of cooking could be caught as they waived past. "Afternoon, how much for a room, bath, and getting my clothes cleaned?" He asked the large male behind the desk. From the looks of it the male was based on some sort of wolf.

The man looked at Lak-Non and gave him an evaluating look. When he spoke it wasn't the language of Cerule but he recognized it and grinned. "Ah, let me try this again, room, bath, clean my clothes, and some food." When he spoke the other twitched his ears.

"That would be six copper for the room, bath and cleaning of clothes is another three, and the meal depends on what you order. If you don't mind my asking whence do you hale from? Your accent isn't from the traders land and has a familiar ring to it." He had been very startled with the ease the human had spoken the local tongue. It did have the lilt of the wanderers though what tribe or pack he couldn't tell.

Lak-Non nodded at the prices and they were close enough to what the captain had said that he didn't bother haggling. The question about where he was from managed to catch him flat footed. "I am sorry but that is not knowledge I have. I woke some time ago and simply knew the language." There wasn't any reason for him to lie about it and it was the truth. "Mostly anymore I am just a wanderer and have always wanted to know what is on the other side of the furthest hill."

The wolf considered that and couldn't smell any deception from the man. "Sorry to hear it and when you come down for a drink the first is on me." He turned and called over his shoulder. "Erna come and show our guest to his room and the bathing area. He wants a spot of laundry done as well." He turned back to the male and gave him a snag toothed smile. One of his canines was missing and it looked like he had been in a few fights.

"I will pay for three nights in advance and after that we will see." He pulled out a silver coin and two copper and handed them over. "The bath sounds nice but I have a feeling I am going to be as wet getting out as getting in." He gave the man a wry grin since he was sweating fairly heavily at the moment.

The man laughed and shook his head as he scooped up the money and tucked it into his belt. While he was doing that a female came out and Lak-Non stared for a moment before he got hit by another brief headache. The female was another type of dog and for some reason her kind was familiar to him but it didn't make sense due to the face he had never been here before. He had to rub his temple for a moment and shook his head.

"Are you okay sir? You look somewhat tired and a nice bath will help you relax. Let me show you to your room and I will get your laundry before showing you to the hot springs." She came around the counter and lightly rested her paw on his arm. "This way please."

Lak-Non gave her a tired smile. "That sounds like a good idea and a nap before supper might be a good idea. A nice bath sounds really nice as well. I feel like I have partially turned into a salt crystal after being at sea for so long." Just to be silly he sniffed his arm and made a face. "That and I reek as well. Salt water isn't the world's best bathing water."

Both of the others laughed at his jokes and the male shook his head. "I might have to charge you more since I have a feeling my wait staff might not be safe from you." There wasn't any rancor in his voice when he said it though it wasn't an invitation either.

Lak-Non returned the head shake. "Not to worry, right now I want a good bath and a bed that is a real bed that doesn't move. Beyond that I want some real food and especially some fresh fruit." He gave the man a nod and turned to follow Erma to a different floor. When she opened the door to the room she turned and handed him a key. "Thanks and let me get my laundry."

He stepped in and pulled his weapons off and settled them on the bed before pulling his bag off. For a moment he stared at the bag and smiled. It definitely looked the worse for all the wear it had over the years. After unbuckling the top he settled for dumping it on the bed and grabbed all the cloth based clothing. "Here you go and sorry they smell so bad." He took a moment to organize his things and toss what he didn't need in the bag.

Erma leaned against the door jam and watched him. When he handed her the clothing she glanced at the leather items. "If you want I can clean and oil the leather stuff as well. If you plan on being here long I can recommends a few places to get clothing better suited for this climate." As he was sorting through the items she watched the smooth movements and contemplated him. He had a rugged charm to him which she found rather attractive.

Lak-Non paused and looked at the leather items and sighed. "Yah, they could really use it and especially a good oiling. Not sure how much good that is going to do for them but I would like to keep them if possible. As far as the clothing I will consider it and when I have a better idea of what I am going to be doing I will let you know." The rest of the leather goods were handed over to her. "Time for the bath."

She grinned at him and twitched her ears. "With a bit of care I am sure I can get them in decent shape." She took the leather and turned back to the hallway. "As far as the bathing area it is communal and..." She gave him the rules of use as they walked down to the bathing area. It was behind the main inn and had a tall wall around it and open to the air.

He shrugged. "At this point you could have dancing girls there and I wouldn't care. I want a bath more than almost anything." The closer to the bathing area the more his skin itched. It was as if his body knew what was coming. "If possible a mug of ale or beer would be appreciated while I soak." Since they had arrived he stripped down and tossed the clothes in a hamper without thinking about it. "Actually if you could scrape up some abandoned clothing I will pay for it."

As he was stripping down he gave a polite nod to the others in the bathing area till he pulled the vest off. When he did that the tattoo showed and everyone stilled and stared at it and then him. "Um, is there a problem?" To be honest he didn't even think about the tattoo much anymore since he had it for so long.

Erma blinked and lowered her ears slightly. "I do apologize Senior Warrior, we didn't know and I will inform the owner of your position." She lowered her head briefly as well though shock showed in the set of her ears and tail.

That totally caught Lak-Non off guard since he had no idea what she was talking about. He floundered for a few moments before he said anything. "Um, I have no idea what you are talking about. I have had this tattoo for years. I don't even know how I came by it." He settled down in the cold water and shook his head.

~~~ Back at the Tribe

The morning after they had the camp set up Dan went to talk to Moran. He was still having trouble believing he was going to be a father again. That had been not expected at all and he had a feeling Nang was still laughing at him and his reaction. How he loved her but she could be a serious stinker at times and Dan knew she was going to be teasing the heck out of him now.

When Moran was finally available Dan stepped forward and gave him a nod. "Morning Chief, do you happen to have a moment? I have a question for you." Dan was trying not to be grumpy but for some reason he was feeling that way at the moment. Their daughters were likely to die laughing when they eventually found out. Mind you that would be right after they pulled the whole 'eww' routine about their parents having sex.

Moran looked up at Dan and twitched an ear at him. "Have a seat Dan and relax unless this is a Chief issue." He took a sip of some juice as Dan settled down in a chair. "So how can I help you? I have a feeling this is a personal issue and not a tribal issue."

Dan sat down and grabbed a cup of juice as well. He mock growled at Moran. "Just so you know I hate mock know it-all's who laugh at me even if it is with a tail twitch." He leaned back and rolled his head. "I have been informed by the Mystic that we need to start expanding the caravan sooner than later. Well actually what she said was get a bigger one to fit the crib." He had to flash a grin at Moran when he said that.

Moran narrowed his eyes at him and just for good measure twitched his tail at Dan. "I am a Squorrel you know. We are know it all's Dan." When Dan mentioned needing to expand the caravan and why he couldn't help it and gave him a wide smile. "Congratulations Dan and I am pleased for you. Children are our future. You will need to talk to both the power stone smith and the master wood smith. Start with the wood smith and he will start designing a caravan matching your needs. Once he has that he will refer you to the stone smith."

Dan couldn't help but return the smile though his was on the wry side. "Thanks though I am in shock about it." Mostly because he had been fixed some years ago and if that had been undone it was going to be rather interesting. He didn't even think that Nang might have cheated on him since they were both happily married and he knew her better than that. "Okay and now comes the big question, how do I pay for it? I know you don't have any sort of currency and use a barter type trading system."

Moran ran a couple of fingers through his short whiskers and contemplated the question. "That is one of those horribly hard to answer questions since you didn't grow up here. Though we don't use currency as you know it we do have accounts for each adult. It is a list of what they have done for the tribe and what they have asked of the tribe. Most day to day items are handled between individuals such as a new knife, clothing, or other items like that. What the ledger of their work is used for is larger things such as what you are asking about. They normally check with the keeper of the ledger to see what they are owed. From there they make the decision on what they can afford. In the case of a caravan they tend to be a long term investment. When properly maintained they can last for a generation or even two."

Dan listened to what Moran had to say and frowned slightly. That was not something he had heard before though it made a type of sense. "And I am going to make an assumption here but correct me if I am off. Unless someone has done an incredible job for the tribe there would be an ongoing payback by doing things for the tribe." He was scratching his beard as he spoke. "I am going to also assume that with a new family would stay with their family till such time as they either inherited a caravan or earned enough for a tent to live in. In our case since Nang is the Mystic she would have a fair amount of credit simply due to her position." He didn't even consider what he had done.

Moran nodded at Dan. "Pretty much since building a caravan can take time and involves several of the wood smiths. The more a tribe member helps the less it will cost but they have to balance their work with time spent doing family things and the work. In the case of the four of you since you would be building a new caravan you can use the existing caravan as a down payment. Either that or keep it in the family for when your children grow up and pass it down to them." He scratched his whiskers in thought. "I will talk to the keeper of the ledger and have her get a hold of the two of you."