Chapter 24
Nugget
Nugget knew that Widow was behind him. he acknowledged her with a quick series of hand gestures that indicated he knew that she was there and indicated that she should stay back. Nugget liked to look at Widow and Widow knew it. Except for his experience with Dolf, Nugget had no sexual experiences- and he wished his first to be with Widow. This would of course be difficult. Widow hated Nugget and killed any man outside the banda that looked at her for longer than a moment.
Nugget had heard older men talk of smelling fear to scare the inexperienced. Nugget could not smell fear, but he could read it in people's posture. Widow was afraid of Nugget, but Widow was far more afraid of Dolf.
Nugget's mind rolled back to the task in front of him. He had found where the prey left the clearing. He had found where the prey split up, and now he had to decide which prey to follow.
Nugget could follow the prey that walked with the big dog, or the prey that walked alone. Nugget weighed his options.
Both of the prey were heading back to the base, and as such both were likely after more prey of their own. These people were Nugget's prey, but they hunted pack wolves. Neither was to be underestimated.
The prey who walked with the dog would have the advantage of the dog's sense of smell. This was a greater challenge, and appealed to Nugget. But Dolf would want to kill leader himself. Nugget knew this from experience, and the prey with the dog moved like the leader of the group. But the prey who walked alone was clearly older and stronger, perhaps the older prey was in fact the leader. Nugget wished to kill something, he just did not wish to have Dolf kill him afterward.
Which was the leader? Was it the elder one, or the confident one with dog? Nugget decided to trust the tracks. The younger prey walked as thought he were in charge, so Nugget would assume that he was in charge. Nugget would kill the older man. The older man alone was now Nugget's prey. Nugget smiled. And any friends the older man encountered, they would be prey too- of course.
Nugget signaled Widow to follow the younger man and report his destination to the group. Nugget dropped into a crouch and moved along the older man's tracks, following his prey.
* * *
Pike was exhausted. He had been putting Helen through the paces, to see what she knew. And he was both impressed and horrified. Helen was in good shape for thirteen, probably do to the labor was required. Helen had said that she hid when she could, but she could only hide so often without being caught.
Pike was surprised to find that Helen was remarkably familiar with fire arms. She knew how to load and fire a weapon. She knew how to adjust the safety on most weapons, and how to carry them safely. She knew the proper way to hold a pistol and a rifle. She had no idea how to aim because she had learned everything that she knew about firearms from watching the guards.
Helen was also quite good at stealth and hiding and use of cover. This again, she had developed while hiding from the work crews. She was better at hiding than she was at sneaking, able to practically turn into a rock or bush as needed, but she was still decently skilled at both.
Helen had no idea how to use a knife, and no idea how to use a bow, or a sword or a machete or any of the common hand weapons. Her knowledge of firearms was only good as long as Pike was asking about modern firearms. Helen knew nothing about older model firearms that were more common amongst the tribes.
Helen did not know the first thing about building a shelter, or staying warm without a blanket around her and a roof over her head. She could not determine the cardinal directions with a compass or without and barely even seemed to have any idea what Pike meant when he talked about the north or the south, the east or the west. She could not make fire without matches. she had no idea how to cook without a pot and pan and decently stocked mess hall.
Helen also had no idea how to fight unarmed, how to use her body with aggression and confidence. She moved like a deer, ready to take flight the moment a sharp noise startled her. She lacked all the instincts that a warrior needed. Pike decided to start there. He had far too much work to do, but this was the essential part. Helen was desperate to transform into the knights of her clan's stories, so Pike would need to provide that transformation.
He would need to provide some life changing event, something from which there was no going back, something after which she could never go back to who she was before this all began. Pike was mulling this over when he heard something moving about twenty feet into the brush. The thing was displacing enough of the undergrowth to be a wolf or a coyote, maybe even a black bear or a human. Pike drew his machete in his right hand and his straight razor in his left. Helen froze and was about to ask something when Pike shook his head and raised a finger to his lips to shush her.
Helen nodded. And then Pike heard a voice from the brush.
"The prey has spotted me. You're really horrorshow, prey never sees me."
The figure stood up revealing a thin short man wearing nothing but a kevlar vest and a loin cloth. His head was shaved and he carried a wire thin stiletto knife in each hand.
"I am Nugget. Your brattie sends his regards. I will shive you now and he will be happy. Die now."
And with that, as Pike was still trying to decipher Nugget's slang, Nugget broke into a sprint and burst through the bush straight at Pike.
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