end, and I can sometimes beat the water like something thrashing. They come to attack it and I spear one. Sometimes a bird will land on the island, and I eat him, too.”
“We weren’t sure if those reptilefish were edible or not,” Tournak said. “We’ve never seen them anywhere but in this swamp.”
“I think the Dreaddrac’s king created them somehow. How else would they have a lizard’s head and a fish’s body? I eat them, though, when I have to. They have dark flesh and a muddy taste, but they’re food.”
“Do you know how far it is to the western shore?” Saxthor asked. “Do you know where the River Akkin is?”
“Must be about a day’s sailing to the west or southwest.”
The bearded man followed each of them in turn around the island, apparently afraid they'd leave him. When Tonelia brought the supplies ashore, the exile clapped like a child seeing food again. He wouldn’t leave Tonelia’s side, while she cooked.
“Don’t keep bothering her,” Bodrin said. “We’ll share our food. Stay with Tonelia, Delia.” Delia wagged her tail and panted obediently watching every detail of the food preparation. She moved between the stranger and Tonelia.
At least I’ll be safe with Delia at my side, she thought.
Bodrin shook his head and joined Saxthor and Tournak touring the island.
“What do you think of the man?” Saxthor asked.
“He seems to have a genuine story,” Tournak said. “He looks like he’s been left here quite a while.”
“Yeah, he’s been too long away from ladies, too,” Bodrin said. He smashed a stick hard against his leg, snapping it.
Saxthor looked out across the water. “Something bothers me about him, but I don’t know what it is. Maybe we just need to make him wash and cut that beard.” His face lost its gleam. “We’ll have to take him with us. He’ll tell the orcs everything, when they come with food. Don’t know why they left him here, but he’ll tell them men came over the water.”
“He’ll turn us in for food,” Bodrin said through a slight snarl.
“It wouldn’t be right to leave him here,” Tournak said.
“He gives me the creeps,” Bodrin said. Saxthor and Tournak looked at Bodrin, who looked back at the man beside Tonelia.
They all ate and the half-starved exile ate all leftovers.
“It’s been a long time since I had people food even if it’s prepared from dried stuff.”
Bodrin was disgusted. Fruit bits, stuck in the man’s beard, jiggled as he talked through a mouth of half chewed food. The group packed up.
“We’ll take you with us, but you need to go clean up first,” Saxthor said. He looked at the others, “Well, it’s a small boat.”
The man jumped up, beamed at each of the travelers, then started down to the water to wash.
“Here,” Bodrin said. He handed the man his knife. “You’ll need this for the beard.”
The man looked confused. Bodrin stroked the knife blade beside his face to indicate shaving. The man grinned, took the knife, and ran to the water to wash and shave.
Bodrin watched him, keeping an eye on his knife. After the man cleaned up, he ran into the hut and brought back his few possessions, tied up in a piece of cloth. He waited by the boat for his position.
Passing the man as he was getting in the boat, Bodrin repossessed his knife and returned it to its sheath. The grinning man’s head bobbed up and down as each person boarded the craft. He then got in the bow, taking Delia’s favorite spot.
They poled out into deeper water and started rowing west. The exile stared ahead across the water. The adventurers rowed most of the day and into the evening.
“We must be close to land,” Saxthor said. “I wish we could see it. We’ll have to row on in the dark. Be careful of treetops in the water.”
*
Not long before midnight, they heard noises.
“Stop rowing and be still,” Saxthor said.
“Was that voices?” Tonelia asked.
No one answered. Bodrin put his finger to his lips. Then came
“We weren’t sure if those reptilefish were edible or not,” Tournak said. “We’ve never seen them anywhere but in this swamp.”
“I think the Dreaddrac’s king created them somehow. How else would they have a lizard’s head and a fish’s body? I eat them, though, when I have to. They have dark flesh and a muddy taste, but they’re food.”
“Do you know how far it is to the western shore?” Saxthor asked. “Do you know where the River Akkin is?”
“Must be about a day’s sailing to the west or southwest.”
The bearded man followed each of them in turn around the island, apparently afraid they'd leave him. When Tonelia brought the supplies ashore, the exile clapped like a child seeing food again. He wouldn’t leave Tonelia’s side, while she cooked.
“Don’t keep bothering her,” Bodrin said. “We’ll share our food. Stay with Tonelia, Delia.” Delia wagged her tail and panted obediently watching every detail of the food preparation. She moved between the stranger and Tonelia.
At least I’ll be safe with Delia at my side, she thought.
Bodrin shook his head and joined Saxthor and Tournak touring the island.
“What do you think of the man?” Saxthor asked.
“He seems to have a genuine story,” Tournak said. “He looks like he’s been left here quite a while.”
“Yeah, he’s been too long away from ladies, too,” Bodrin said. He smashed a stick hard against his leg, snapping it.
Saxthor looked out across the water. “Something bothers me about him, but I don’t know what it is. Maybe we just need to make him wash and cut that beard.” His face lost its gleam. “We’ll have to take him with us. He’ll tell the orcs everything, when they come with food. Don’t know why they left him here, but he’ll tell them men came over the water.”
“He’ll turn us in for food,” Bodrin said through a slight snarl.
“It wouldn’t be right to leave him here,” Tournak said.
“He gives me the creeps,” Bodrin said. Saxthor and Tournak looked at Bodrin, who looked back at the man beside Tonelia.
They all ate and the half-starved exile ate all leftovers.
“It’s been a long time since I had people food even if it’s prepared from dried stuff.”
Bodrin was disgusted. Fruit bits, stuck in the man’s beard, jiggled as he talked through a mouth of half chewed food. The group packed up.
“We’ll take you with us, but you need to go clean up first,” Saxthor said. He looked at the others, “Well, it’s a small boat.”
The man jumped up, beamed at each of the travelers, then started down to the water to wash.
“Here,” Bodrin said. He handed the man his knife. “You’ll need this for the beard.”
The man looked confused. Bodrin stroked the knife blade beside his face to indicate shaving. The man grinned, took the knife, and ran to the water to wash and shave.
Bodrin watched him, keeping an eye on his knife. After the man cleaned up, he ran into the hut and brought back his few possessions, tied up in a piece of cloth. He waited by the boat for his position.
Passing the man as he was getting in the boat, Bodrin repossessed his knife and returned it to its sheath. The grinning man’s head bobbed up and down as each person boarded the craft. He then got in the bow, taking Delia’s favorite spot.
They poled out into deeper water and started rowing west. The exile stared ahead across the water. The adventurers rowed most of the day and into the evening.
“We must be close to land,” Saxthor said. “I wish we could see it. We’ll have to row on in the dark. Be careful of treetops in the water.”
*
Not long before midnight, they heard noises.
“Stop rowing and be still,” Saxthor said.
“Was that voices?” Tonelia asked.
No one answered. Bodrin put his finger to his lips. Then came
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