laneys.info Beware of Yankees, drunks, and loose women.

William got to his feet.  The pain in his shoulder was intense.  William looked at the wound again.  He knew the arrow had to come out, the problem was how.  He knew better than to pull it out from the front.  He thought about it a while and then devised a plan.  He drew his sword and thrust it into the sand.  He then reached up with his left hand - itself no small feat - and grabbed the arrow's shaft.  William cut the fletched end off with his dagger.  After recovering a bit, he used his gauntleted palm to push the shaft through until the cut end was flush with his shoulder.  He rested a bit again, then took a length of cord and a leather strap from his gear.  He tied a slip knot in one end of the cord, slipped it over the arrowhead, and tied the other end to the sword's hilt.  He placed the leather strap in his mouth.  He counted to three and then jerked forward, pulling the shaft free. He was sure that if the strap had not been in place, his friends in Cabost would have heard the scream.

William managed to bandage the wound, then he took some herbs given to him by the priest of Ruse.  He sat back and wondered what to do next.  His stomach let him know what it wanted.  William looked at his horse.  After cutting about a pound of meat from the fallen animal, he moved about fifty yards away to cook it.  After eating, he tried to rest but the pain would not let him.  In the early morning darkness, William heard a noise, a clicking sound.  He activated his nightvision, but he saw nothing.  He could make out that the sound was coming from where the horse fell.  The next morning, curiosity got the better of him.  When he reached the site, he was shocked by what he saw. Nothing remained of the horse but bones - the flesh was gone, and he saw what looked like tracks leading away to the west.  William decided that he should move on - and was glad he was not headed west.

Two days later, he topped a dune to see a small oasis.  William half-ran half-fell down the dune to the water.  He drank faster and more than he should - and he knew it - but did not care.  After resting a bit, he looked around.  He found a bush containing fruit that he thought were called figs.  He ate several and put several in a pouch.  William also noticed a tree with brown balls on it.  He wondered if they might be edible.  William stood on the small rock hill and struck at them with his sword, finally knocking one free.  William took out his horseman's axe and as he prepared to strike it, he heard a voice behind him.

"If you cut it right, you can drink the milk."

William spun, axe at the ready.

"Forgive me, I did not mean to alarm you."  William realized the man was speaking Kuzomen.  The man was clad in a light brown shirt and robe, as was common to the land, and he wore a towel-like headdress.  The man also had his hands out, palms open to William.

"Who are you?" William asked.

"I am called Abdul.  You are injured!"

"No, it is only a flesh wound!"

"I see it does appear to be bleeding, however."

William looked down.  It was true.

"Please, my friend, I can help you."

William tried to stand and spat back, "I am not your fri-" but was interrupted by the cough that had cursed him for the last five days.  He started getting light-headed, and sat - more like fell - back down.  He tried to catch his breath.

"I am a priest of the True One; please let me help you," Abdul pleaded.

"I do not need a pagan priest's help!" William shouted.  However, he was starting to black out.  As the darkness closed around him, William heard the word, "Sleep."