Adventure Hunt Day Three
I think everyone be very tired. Me too! We slept past sunrise. No one showed any signs of movin from under their blankets when I woke. The sun was peeking over the horizon and blasted my eyes. That's what woke me up. I had to pee really bad so I jumped up and ran for cover to relieve myself.
When I came back to camp, Magistrate Murtagh was already feeding the others some breakfast. Biscuits and eggs and sausage patties. I could smell it from a distance. I love breakfast almost as much as I love mornin (especially camping breakfast). Magistrate Murtagh handed me a plate when I came up. I thanked him kindly and sat down to eat. I noticed Roland hasn't gotten up yet. Uh oh.
"Roland are you ok?" I asked. He rolled over wincing in pain. Ok, his ankle is not better. I looked at Magistrate Murtagh who gave me a knowing look back. It looks like Roland is out of the game. He will have to go back to the school and get medical attention.
"I'll be fine Roland. I can finish for us. You go get better." I said to him.
He just looked at me with a pitiful look and said, sorry.
"That's ok my friend. I will be fine." I said. Roland just groaned in pain.
"Can I get you some cool water on it?" He said no so I just ate my breakfast in silence. As did he.
After he fed everyone, Magistrate came over to inspect the ankle. It looked pretty puffy and red. Roland would have to stay off of it for a few days. Murtagh put more White Fir Oil on it and rewrapped it with a fresh wrap from his first aid kit. Then he gave him all the Shock Berries the group had. Two sacks full. Roland ate the four berries from one sack and saved the other for later. We have an ice house deep down inside Callan Mountain. (DEEP UNDERGROUND). He needs to get back to school and get some real ice on it.
So we ate and packed up to go our seperate ways. Graban and I would go alone to Black Bane and Speckled Peak Mountains. I can collect the final items and finish the Adventure Hunt. Roland hobbled up onto Mafic's shoulder. Mafic was packed with all the items we had collected so far. Graban and I were left with nothing to carry except a hammar and chisel and empty sacks and a skin of water. Mafic took everything else back for us.
Ok, so we were off! It shouldn't take long for Graban and I to get the final items.
5 pieces of quartz from Speckled Peak
5 pieces of flint from Black Bane
2 sacks of Shock Berries from The Rock
We went to Speckled Peak first. I proceeded to climb the mountain while Graban waited at the bottom. They said the quartz would be at the top of the mountain. My hammar and chisel tied over my shoulder, I navigated the mountainside. Each crevice a hand or foothold. I'm a quick climber so it was fairly easy for me. At the top the quartz stones littered the entire top of the mountain. They were just sitting there. I put my hammer and chisel away inside the empty bag and proceeded to fill the bag with the quartz stones needed. Easy Peasy.
From the top of the mountain I could see the whole Callan Compound. It felt so peaceful up here alone. I could see as far as the school with the skull at the top to the Bone Yard all the way down to the southwest shore. The Glen looked green and lush, the Bone Yard looked white and dead. I could even see as far as Callaway Village and beyond into the sea. I love this view. I sometimes will stare at it from the top of Callan School for hours. Peacefulness enveloped me. I took a deep breath of the crisp wind.
The summit of Specled Peake was very rocky. Dirt was more frequent than grass. Many stony structures were built atop this mountain. Stones stacked on top of each other littering the mountain with many, many towers.
I decided to build my own tower. So I stacked some flat stones as tall as I could get them. Next to the one with the skull of the beast stood mine. A mark left showing I was here.
On top of a tower, lay a sun bleached skull of a hooved mountain beast. This herbivore's horns were long and curved. It must have been a Daddy from the size of those antlers. I reached up the length of the tower and grabbed the skull by the nose holes. It tipped, sending water spouts out the nose, temporary tusks.
The spouts of water went straight up my shirt sleeve and into my armpit of my extended arm. Ugh! I dropped the skull. It clunked back down onto the quartz tower.
Now I'm wet! All the way down my side and my arm was soaked! I wanted to take the skull but now I'm bothered that I be wet! I abandoned the skull and hopped back down to the rocky ground that was the summit of Speckled Peak Mountain. My irritation that I'm wet vexed me. The peacefulness I felt a few moments earlier was now dashed by my irritation.
My sack was filled with the five quartz stones and hammer and chisel. I had my water skin over my other shoulder and each shoulder strap criss crossed over my body. I descended the silent, rocky mountain.
Irritation in me grew as I felt the wind at that altitude chill me through to me bones. I got cold instantly because of the wetness and the crisp air. Now I started to hurry to get to the bottom out of the wind. My spine stiffened against the cold. The wind kept beating on me. It's hard to navigate a mountain when you're cold. My muscles felt as if they mayhap would turn to stone. They actually hurt. Aye! Cara Mor can ya please help me? I be in a bad way here. I stopped in a craggy crack where I could rest for a moment. I leaned against the side of the mountain and looked up into the deep azul sky. My irritation gave way to peace again. I can't help it when looking into a beautiful sky like this. Thank you Cara Mor.
Ya can't take chances when out in nature. When climbing or hiking ya have to be cautious. Things can go bad so fast. I had two strikes against me and I knew it. Being an experienced climber I knew I needed to take a moment and pull it together. I was cold and hurting and irritated. Not a good combination. Mistakes happen that way. I took a couple deep breathes and felt my heart slow. Now the irritation be gone and I'm a bit warmer. Gettin out of the wind in this big crack was good. I took a sip of my water skin. That's much better.
Ok, I can continue down the mountain now. Safety first.
I made it down without further incident. Handing the sack full of Quartz stones to Graban, we wasted no time gettin goin to the next mountain; Black Bane.
We surveyed the mountain. It's black allright because it's mostly obsidian and flint rock. It's very smooth in large chunks, not good for climbing. But we made our way around the base of the mountain and found a small cave. Awesome! Graban fit so we went into the cave together.
Inside it was black as night. Barely any light from the sun filtered in here. Without some fire we better not go too far in. It's too dark. We inspected the floor and found quite a few pieces of flint laying around. Graban 'felt' something in here so we backed out quietly. Once out, I asked him what it was. He didn't know. Something of the spirit world was all he could make out. He didn't feel like it was particularly evil, but definitely a strong presence, not to be disturbed. I surveyed my haul and we had enouph Flint. No wait, two of the pieces were Obsidian so we crept inside to chisel out some more flint just inside the mouth of the cave. I put the Obsidian inside my sack anyway. They would make nice knife blades too.
I just needed two pieces to meet my quota so Graban stood watch while I chiseled out the side of the mountain. I tried to be quick, but the hammering was loud. I couldn't help that. With a mighty hit, I popped a good size chunk out of the wall and shoved it in the bag. Then I found another piece to get after. I layed the tip of the chisel on it and hammered it with the hammer, breaking off little bits of the stone with each hit.
Then a low growl came from the back of the cave. It echoed in the chamber and made me stop my work. Graban said 'Hurry up lad." So I did. I went after the piece of Flint hitting it fast and hard. It finally popped out of the wall and I put it into the sack. We hustled out of there before this spirit thing came out. We didn't know what it was, but we didn't want to run into it either. We be runnin out of time on our last day! We can do some research and find out what's in here later. Mayhap We could even come back but right now...We gotta go!
So I jumped onto Graban's shoulder and we high-tailed it to The Rock to get our shock berries. I see why they call it The Rock. It's a giant rock with many stocks of shock berry plants growing off of it. Quite a sight.
I proceeded to pick the purple fruit from the spikey, stickery stocks. Leaves don't grow on shock berry plants. Only long sharp sticker spikes. They tear at your flesh with the slightest touch they're needle-sharp. I got several bloody cuts on my hands. But I just gulped a handful of shockberries and didn't feel a thing! Carefully I tied the little bundles of berries together with the string and put them inside my trouser pockets. I have no pack to put them in since Roland and Mafic took mine. It's fine. I enjoy traveling light.
It looks to be about To Peg by now. So we really needed to get goin.
As Graban and I stood there by The Rock two FiaRhua ran by. Graban and I looked at each other. If they're running, what are they running from? We better get goin. A predator be about. It could be a Long Tooth Cattus, or a short Faced Black Claw, or Gray Claw. Any kind of meat eating predator. Graban
bent down for me, indicating I should get on his shoulder. I did and we were off. Luckily we didn't run into any predators on this Adventure Hunt.
Back at the school I left Graban in the yard with the other Rockies and brought our items to the Magistrate of Students office. It's a carved out room above the library. He welcomed me back and said to take the items to the craft room and then take the Shock Berries to Roland in the infirmary. He needs them. The Magistrate of students told me Roland fractured his ankle and foot. He's in a lot of pain.
The craft room be way downstairs. I had to find someone to check the items in with. A class full of crafters was in session. They didn't look up from their work when I came in. They were hammering rock very loudly on stone tables. They were all wearing ear protection. I found some one I knew, it was Joktan Graywacke. He was standing on a stool so he could reach the table. I tapped his leg to get his attention.
"Welcome back Laddy." He said smiling. He took his ear pieces out and hopped down from the stool. He then hugged me. I giggled and hugged him back. He led me to the supply room where I deposited my wares on top of other stuff. He told me to mark on the list on the door how many of each item I brought. So I did. 5 quartz stones and 5 flint stones. He said he wanted to check in on Roland after classes.
After I dropped everything off and said goodbye to Graywacke, I ran to my room to drop off my cloak and vest. I threw my shoes somewhere in my room. I don't really know where they landed. Changing quickly into clean trousers, I grabbed the Shock Berries and took off to see Roland in the infirmary.
I swung by the kitchen and found some milk and cake then I found Roland. He was sitting in a chair with his foot propped up with blanket on a stool. Ice bags hung off his foot were dripping onto the stone floor. I gave him the little sacks. Gratefully he took them and opened a bag. He devoured the whole bag.
I pulled a stool next to him, sat down and handed him a piece of cake. I told him everything he missed. The growl inside Black Bane Mounting and I told him about the Ram skull that wet me when I tried to pick it up. He said we have to go back and retrieve it and investigate this Black Bane mystery.
Toasting our milk glasses sealed the deal.
It's on!
Thanks for reading my blog! Kids good job, you are doing your required reading.
I hope you all have a good week. Take care.
May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields. And until we meet again, May God hold you in the hollow of his hand. ~Irish Blessing
