Chapter 1: Landfall

[matt_s]

Stavard happily shakes hands with the successful fishermen. You have done very well - very well indeed - with these crabs. Good, robust food like this crab meat will keep us healthy for a long while.

This should change our plans somewhat. I think we ought to place a priority on getting some crude boats together and then weaving some nets from either the lines we brought with us or various grasses on the island.

Water here will be running low. Let us leave a small party here to await the hunters and get started on moving everyone else over to the other campsite.

I'll stay here with some of the other carpenters and try getting a few boats together from what we have. It will make our lives here much easier having aquatic transport.

 

[TheWhitefire]

"Cages would be better for crabs than nets, wouldn't they? Something we can weigh down with a bit of bait, stick on the bottom of the bay. Little bastards scuttle in on their own."

Beyond that, McCuddy works on organizing a small crew to help him move his medical tents over to the new location.

Afterwards, he volunteers to be one of the ones who stays behind to wait for the hunters, just in case any of them will need immediate medical aid when they get back. "Never know, with those screams last night." He mutters.

[SirLoganofGilead]

Oliver also agrees to be one of the people staying behind to wait for the hunters.  "If they aren't back before sundown...I will prepare to go find them.  Do we at least know what their general direction was and where they were planning on heading?"  He motions to Stavard, "I am no carpenter, but I can do some of the grunt work for you while we wait.  I would like to keep my hands and mind busy."  He lays his rifle close by, not wanting it to hinder any work he must do, but his pistol remains on his body.

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji

Koji settled into the basic physical labour of hauling and packing, the crabs were an excellent meal, one that they would want to bolster with some plant "We can make crab and crayfish pots, and nets for fishing, perhaps make a fish run at the camp, that way we can catch fish at the turn of the tides, and collect some of the seaweed, which I can turn into Sushi or perhaps Laverbread, depending upon the type of seaweed or kelp, just take from the tide pools, nothing washed up from the sea, those are bad"  he helps stack lift a pack onto one of the other colonists. 

"I'll help with the boats, at least get a simple boat we can steer and haul cargo, let's get to it shall we?" he says enthusiastically. he pulls a small hatchet and several carpentry tools from his utility belt. 

Once the team comes together again and talk turns to the hunters not returning, Koji nods along, "I'll help also, perhaps a fire so they can find their way back, but if it's the defense of the colony I will defer to the experts."

Turning to McCuddy at his remark "McCuddy-San, you mention screams twice today, I do not remember hearing any such noise" he turns to Oliver and the others, "did you hear anything?" 

[TheWhitefire]

"Last night, that yowling in the distance. Didn't you hear them? Not like any animal I ever heard before." He says to Koji.

[Powderhorn]

Day 2, Late Evening

     It is well after sundown when the hunters return, and what had been increasing anxiety about their delay broke into relief when they did come back into view - a relief that was only heightened by a deer slung on a tree branch between them.

     When they get to camp, they explain that they had followed a deer trail for miles when it suddenly disappeared.  No trails forward on, no sign signs of bedding down, just a sort of standing still, and then - gone.

     Being so far out, and knowing they were in an area where deer traversed, they figured to continue the hunt and eventually picked up a separate trail, which ultimately accounted for their success.

 

[matt_s]

Outstanding work hunters. That is brilliant woodsmanship you showed, brilliant indeed. Let's have the butcher do their thing, and add a touch of venison to as many meals as we can. Naturally, good work ought to be rewarded, so can't let the hunter's go without, oh no. The honorable hunters, oh if they were unscrupulous, they would have stayed out until tomorrow and ate the beast for themselves! Not our hunters, honorable and true they are! Pay no heed to the carpenter, he only sees what he sees and says what he can!

To the others, Stavard says quietly,

First those odd screams, now this bizarre animal disappearance. The hunters would not have mentioned it if was something they understood, and they seem to have their heads screwed on as tightly as many. Perhaps a venture out to see for ourselves is in order, or merely a more general reconnaissance?

 

 

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji

"It is good that you have returned, we were worried, but I am glad that your hunting has been productive." he turns to Stavard, "We should get back to the main camp if we can, as if you said that the strange noises were heard as you slept there, then that is where we should look for things. As for the disappearance of the deer, it would have had to be a large bird to have picked up such a beast, the old eagles of our past could have been of a size to pick up a small deer." 

Nodding to the others, "Should we journey back in the light of the Morn?"

[SirLoganofGilead]

Oliver moved towards the hunters and took the deer from them.  "Thank you for this bounty!  Why don't you guys get some rest, we can get moving in the morning.  Maybe we can talk about setting some simple traps and snares for some passive good sources tonight?  I can get this carved up and we have can some of this venison tonight, we can cook it all so whatever is left does not go back."  

Oliver started butchering the deer, he kept it simple, cutting it into most large pieces that they could spit over the fire tonight.  Each leg was separated, and he left the ribs in huge racks.  Despite the simple butchering, he didn't let much of the meat go to waste and motioned for the hunters to sit down.  "Do you think you people good at the building can put together a few spits so we can cook this stuff off relatively quickly?  I obviously vote for the return in the morning plan."

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji

"Hai" Koji nods heading over to the piles of wood and supplies and starting to sort out some of the kits to set up a few spits to help cook the Venison. 

[Powderhorn]

Day 3, Pre-Dawn, Early Morning

     The hazy smoke of cooking venison no longer lingers, but the smell of it clings to your clothes.  Though the night has turned to morning, the sun remains hours from making its first appearance.  The sky is overcast, making the world a dark place - darker still than might be expected at night.  Sentries are posted every 20 meters or so, leaving a watch of ten people on at any given time.  They are rotated off appropriately, so as to keep them fresh.

     The same sounds from the night before can be heard, with the occasional screaming of coyotes, and the death of their smaller prey.  At some interminable time later, a gunshot is heard.  Then another, and another - and then a crackle of a few together.  The smell of fired black powder hangs in the air near the arc of sentries.

 

[8w_gremlin]

Brother Koji

Woken by the rapid-firing shots, Koji throws off the blankets of the makeshift bedding, and grabs his shield and hammer, striding into the night towards the sounds of gunfire, the adrenaline pushing the sleepiness out of his body, he sees the others also getting up and joins with them "Do we know what it is? What is happening" he defers to the warrior types but follows in case he is needed, he makes the sign of the father, and hastens to the commotion 

 

[matt_s]

Stavard is shaken awake and grimaces at the sound of gunfire. He takes up his weapon and shouts

To arms, lads!

The cry seems redundant with the roar of gunfire, but he ought to shout something, he reckoned. Time to screw his courage to the sticking point, Stavard reckoned.

He made for the perimeter and for the fight.

[TheWhitefire]

Harlan quickly rushes to his medical tent. "Bring the wounded to me!" He begins grabbing out his medical supplies and prepping beds for habitation.

[SirLoganofGilead]

Oliver quickly stirs quickly putting his pistol belt on and grabbing his rifle before he finishes rising.  Instead of yelling as the others had, he stopped to attempt to listen for which direction the trouble may be coming from.  He of course starts heading in the direction of the tree line, assuming that is where the issues will be unless his senses tell him something different.