Bandits in the Sand

Status
Not open for further replies.
Startling at the sudden renewal of hostility, Jackal looked at his captor with wide eyes as he struggled to understand what was happening. Hadn't he been clear enough? But, no, the other had said for him to 'tell him' why he was following him. He did that already, though, so why...?

Oh.

Looking sharply at Quint, the bandit seemed to try to scan the other with his eyes alone, a stony look overcoming his face for a while before the facade slowly cracked into a mischievous grin. He got it, deaf and paranoid, how grand! He certainly knew how to pick his foes, that with him being sick right now.

"Alright, read on my lips then, deaf boy. I. Want. Meat." Taking care to enunciate each word clearly, he let the other take note of what he said properly before he continued.

"Teach me how to hunt and I'll be your ears for a while, I won't even stick a knife through your ribs." That was a good offer, no? An ally in exchange for food, the other would no doubt see the benefit of that, wouldn't he? Besides, it's not like he would stick around forever.
 
The mention on 'deaf' made Quint freeze up for a heartbeat. Great, he had found out. The man now knew he had an advantage. Not good. And, to make it even better, he was of course an idiot about it.

«If you want me to understand you, talk like a normal person,» Quint said and then laid the knife back down on his knee. Food, that was really all he wanted? Well, he looked starved enough. Quint rarely went a day without eating something, but he knew that wasn't the case for everyone.

He ripped of the other rodents thigh and reached it out for him. The man would have to eat with his hands tied up, since Quint had no plans about letting him lose yet. «This does not mean I'm saying yes to your offer,» he said and went back to chewing on his own piece of meat.

Be his ears, huh? Why would he suddenly need a pair of ears, he had done fine without them so far. Okay, yes, there might have been some situations where working ears would have been nice, but saying yes to letting this man follow him around was probably the same as saying yes to a knife in his back. Why should he trust him? And, for Quint it just seemed like the stranger would get the bigger end of the stick. Free food in exchange for what? Using something he was already using all the time?
 
Eating out of the hand of someone else may have been humiliating, but the starving bandit could not bring himself to care. Lunging hungrily at the offering like the dog he was, the brunet made short work of the rodent thigh, barely chewing in fear that the meat would be taken away from him if he took too long. The taste was heavenly on his tongue, and his atrophied stomach may become full in short order from the rich meal yet Jackal could not bring himself to care about more than the here and now of a potentially full stomach.

Some time passed like this, as the scruffy criminal's bites become slower and more delicate as his hunger slowly depleted to a contented warmth. Soon, far too soon for the man's taste, he was not able to risk another bite without facing the threat of barfing everything back the way it came. Such waste was unacceptable, and so Jackal mournfully laid back on his hunches, licking his lips clean of the last of the succulent grease.

He was silent for a while after that, thinking as a small frown wrinkled his usually smooth brow. He had to convince the hunter to take him with him, yet he didn't know what really made him tick, what to use as bait or even as threat to make him do as he wished. That though was scary for a man who was so used to be in control of his fate, and he didn't like that one bit.

"I know I can be useful to you as you could be to me, so the question is... what do you want?" The words were low yet deliberately formed, for he now knew that his tone would not be known to the other one way or another and he would rather keep his vocal cords healthy, besides.
 
While Quint kept handing out more pieces of meat to the stranger and eating some for himself, he thought over the strangers proposition. Even though he liked being on his own, having someone else there certainly had its perks, even he had to admit that. He could finally get some proper sleeps while the other kept watch, and that alone was a sweet enough deal for him. It would also be easier to move around, unlike now when he mostly kept to open land so it would be easy to see someone coming. And if someone attacked, two was after all better than one…

But he didn't trust this man, why should he? Ok, so he hadn't actually tried to attack him or anything, but… He probably would had yesterday if he hadn't brought food to that camp fire, and he would have done it just now if Quint hadn't pulled an arrow on him... right? Or was he getting too paranoid…? It wasn't unthinkable that staying alone for so long had messed with his head, but this way of thinking was what had kept him alive for so long... right?

He didn't say anything until the man seemed done with his meal and said what probably was his finally try on making a deal. Quint still hadn't made up his mind, and probably never would if he wasn't pushed to it ...which he kinda was now. They couldn't sit there forever.

«I'm keeping your weapons, for now,» he said and finally put his knife back in his belt. «I'll get food. Meat and other things. I'm also good with making certain things. And you have to warn me about any approaching dangers, and keep watch when I sleep.» Assuming he would accept the terms, Quint reached over and undid the knot on his rope. «If you try anything, I'll make sure you'll regret it. And my name is Quint, not deaf-boy.»
 
The knowledge that he would no longer have access to hi trusty knives was an unwelcome news for Jackal, would scowled darkly at the feeling of vulnerability the thought of staying unarmed for long inspired in him. The promise of food and supplies lessened the blow, but it still felt like the other (Quint was it?) had successfully defanged him. Well, he at least could look forward to getting healthy enough to gain back his knack in unarmed combat, the bandit supposed.

Still scowling, but latching on to the idea of his soon to be healthy body, Jackal nodded once jerkily, massaging his raw wrists from the aches that being tied by a rough length of rope had put them in. He was full and had the hope of regular meal for the first time in months, and that alone was enough for him... for now. Cocking his messy head to the side and looking at his new 'boss', he came to a decision.

"Jackal. That's my name... at least the one I chose for myself. Use it, too." Giving Quint a slightly sullen glare, he slowly set out to get on his feet, careful not to fall or hurt himself in the process.

"I can scout for you, sure. I know a few good spots to pass the nights in relative safety as well, if you're interested... some of those I still have some supplies stashed in hidey holes." That was as much of an olive branch as the other would get. If he refused it, that was not Jackal's problem.
 
Quint starred at him the whole time he talked, concentrating so he would get what he was saying. It was a long time since he had done this much lipreading, and it was already tiering him. He didn't get every word, but he understood what he was trying to say.

«Sounds good,» he said while standing up. A safe sleeping spot was as tempting for him as he guessed food was for…he hadn't quit caught his name, but he didn't bother to ask about it again. He quickly collected his things, all the time keeping his knife within easy reach. «Keep it short when you talk to me, at least in the beginning.»

Then he handed him his water bottle, figuring he was thirsty after all the meat he had had. «We should refill water before we go anywhere else. There is a small stream a couple minutes from here.»
 
His eyes zeroing on the source of water, Jackal snatched the bottle like he was afraid it was just a cruel joke. After making sure he really was in the possession of fresh water, he gulped the liquid remaining in even less time that it took him to devour the meat he had been offered earlier. Breathing heavily as the adrenaline of having so much food at his disposal after a long period of starvation, the brunet looked at the empty container in his hand pensively. Now that he had filled his belly with life giving nutrient, the bandit took notice of just how sick and weak he had become. Never would he had taken such stupid risk if he had been in his right mind, and the amount of trouble his starvation had cost him frankly scared him.

He couldn't get that fuzzy headed again, and if he had to follow this guy around until he could take care of himself again then so be it. Nodding slightly to himself and barely registering what this Quint had said, Jackal straightened his posture at best he could in his current state and started to walk, keeping a cautious distance from his new companion and keeping an ear out for predators of any kind.

"There's small caves over there, let's use them tonight." He said after gesturing widely to get the other's attention. Pointing to the rocky areas he knew were about half a day away, he figured that he should start acting like the guide and protector he promised he would be. No honor in thieves, but feed them and you suddenly have a dog on your hand, he admitted to himself.
 
Quint followed Jackal, constantly keeping an eye on him, and holding a hand ready to grab his knife if something suddenly happened. When Jackal turned to face him, he tensed up, but quickly relaxed again when he realized that he was only trying to tell him something.

He focused on his lips when he talked, and then nodded once he got it. «Fine,» he said, and then continued walking.

On the way, he filled the water skin again when they crossed the stream, and plucked some herbs and roots on the way here and there. When the sun started to close in on the horizon and dusk came closer, he took the bow in his hands and held an arrow ready. Trusting his new friend a little more now, he looked around at his surrounding instead of watching him all the time. There was enough room between them to give him time to react of Jackal was going to try something anyway…

It took a little more than an hour, and then a bird suddenly took flight in front of them. He let the arrow lose and hit it straight in the chest, and the slightly large bird dropped back to the ground. Good. Now they had dinner.
 
Jackal grinned widely at the size of the bird as he hurried by its side. Sitting on his haunches, her turned the carcass so that the arrow buried in it would be more easily accessed and carefully extracted the valuable projectile in order not to break it if he could. A few tentative twists and the steady pull of the shaft saw the bandit successful, be as he put the arrow on the sand he noticed that the fetching had become blood soaked and somewhat mangled in the attempt.

"Well, good thing this fellow's got plenty of feathers to spare now," he said quietly to himself before taking the poultry by the legs and held the arrow in as steady a grip he could with so much blood involved.

Making his way back to Quint, he handed the other man his arrow and proceeded to continue to lead the way to the caves he spoke of, their dark shapes now visible even to his reduced vision. After that it took less than half an hour to arrive to one of his favoured hideouts, and as he dropped their meal of the night on the ground near the burned out remains of his fire pit, Jackal set out to see if his secret stash of steel and flints was still hidden behind the boulder he had used to conceal them.

"Ah, good!" Retrieving his prize, he carefully put down a shard of flint and a small piece of steel near the bird, already thinking about where he would find wood and other kindling to start a fire.

"Prepare the bird, I'll get wood."

After making sure that Quint had understood, he set out to search for sticks and dried vegetation, hoping he would get lucky and find pieces of dead wood for the fire.
 
Quint looked after him before he picked up the bird and found himself a spot where he could sit with his back to the wall. While ripping the feathers off the bird, he took in his new surroundings. It was obvious that Jackal had been her before, he probably wouldn't even had known about the cave if not.

It was a nice little hide out, Quint had to admit. You were sheltered from the elements, and the fireplace was shielded by some rocks so you could light a fire at night without worrying about anyone seeing it. You could probably even take a nap without a too high risk of anyone finding you.

When the bird was plucked, he got his knife out and cut of its legs and wings. Then he cut the whole thing in half and removed its entrails, leaving them on a rock. Maybe they could use them for something else later.

He washed his hands with a little of the water from the skin, only enough to get the worse of the blood off. Then he wiped his hands on his pants, before getting out the herbs he had in his bag. Some were dried, and some were fresh after todays picking. He also got out an empty tin can, which he had fastened a wire on to make a handle.

With his fingeres, he ribbed the herbs into small pieces and dropped them into the can. Then he filled it up with water. When the fire was lit, he would place the can on the embers and let it boil for a while. It should end up as a strong and healthy tea.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top Bottom
Back