As the day finally reached its merciful conclusion, the four exiles trudged wearily back towards the stockaded village atop the large hill’s summit.
They possessed an abundance of sore muscles, and four cavernous appetites that begged attention. Rest and sustenance were of the highest priority.
A collective body of knowledge needed to be instilled among the otherworlders within a short amount of time, and the group had once again been split three ways in the early morning. Each unit was to return at the end of the day with more knowledge gained in their designated areas, bringing a greater wisdom and set of skills to the group as a whole.
If there was enough time for it, Logan had learned that they would eventually rotate, but collective knowledge was the initial priority.
For Erika, Antonio, Derek, and Logan, the day had been extremely physical in nature, sorely testing their current levels of conditioning. The hard physical efforts undertaken had undoubtedly obstructed their minds from idly wandering, or thinking too much about their troubling circumstances.
In this way the distractions were a relief in themselves, as they all continued along their path of adjusting to the elements of a new and uncertain world. In a true sense, the arduous day was both an exhausting challenge for the body, as well as a very welcome respite for the mind and spirit. Logan ultimately was quite thankful for it, even as sweat darkened the front of his tunic and spread about his neck, chest, and back.
The four otherworlders had all expressed their heartfelt gratitude for an extended swim in the cool, soothing waters of a wide creek near the end of the day. By that time, their bodies had become caked and sticky with sweat from the day’s exertions.
The immersion in the crisp, clear waters had been particularly invigorating to Logan.
Much had been accomplished within a relatively short time, and they were all well underway in their instruction in the nuances of the woods around them. They had also begun to learn the use of some weapons, including archery, axes, and the formidable tribal war clubs.
Their instructors had kept a close eye trained upon them, and had been firm but encouraging in their tutoring and guidance.
When they were left alone at one point for a few moments early in the day, Logan had wondered aloud to Derek as to why the warriors would bring them to an area where they could potentially escape if they meant the village any harm. Derek remarked that he had been perplexed by the same observation.
The answer to the seeming mystery had not taken very long to manifest. After seeing the highly advanced skills demonstrated by the warriors with the various weapons, and seeing the ease with which the tribesmen silently glided among the trees and melted into shadows, Derek and Logan had understood.
The tribal people, without question, truly held the upper hand as it regarded the circumstances of the otherworlders. This was their native realm, and Logan knew that only the most foolhardy of strangers would have thought seriously of setting off through the tribal woodlands under hostile circumstances.
The day itself had proceeded smoothly enough, but the experiences of the guests were quite varied. Out of all of them, Erika enjoyed an advantage on the other guests, even Derek in some respects. She had evidently been steeped with an affinity for the outdoors all throughout her life, something that she spoke openly about during one of their brief respites. Logan did not dispute her claim, seeing the genuine enthusiasm radiating off of her as the group delved into their various exercises.
She also possessed a modest amount of prior experience with the use of bows, though the ones that she had used before were far different in construction from the type proffered to her by their warrior-teachers. The long wooden bows used by the tribal warriors were much simpler in design, and undeniably tougher to use. Yet it was not long before she had adjusted to them.
The group knew that she harbored some pride in this, as it had become more clear that the warriors were not entirely comfortable with the idea of Erika undergoing a warrior’s training. The women of the tribes were not warriors or hunters, and though not at ease, the warriors proved reticent to openly judge the ways of their new charges.
After the day was well underway, Logan and Derek had spoken a little more candidly to one of the warriors who seemed more approachable. They had pulled him aside for a moment, as Erika worked with her bow. The two had expressed that Erika was just as vulnerable as they were in the new world, and would need the same survival skills. They had also impressed upon the tribal warrior the idea that Erika came from a world where some women were warriors and hunters.
Erika’s aptitude with the bow managed to soften some of the lingering tension in the tribal warriors. They were impressed with her acclimation to the bow, which seemed to help them better accept the idea of her training with weapons.
Logan gained a genuine appreciation for her ability, as he labored with his own bow of ash wood.
Antonio, having led a highly sedentary existence prior to coming into the world of Ave, struggled the most, by a wide margin. He evoked several moments of light-hearted laughter during the day, from both teacher and student alike. He took everything in good humor, often poking fun at himself. The instructors still pushed him hard as the day transpired, but subtly eased their expectations at his ongoing struggles.
Logan and Derek did not suffer quite as much of an ordeal as Antonio. Logan was very studious in his approach to their tribal teachers, asking the most questions. Derek was the most physical out of all of them, and quite zealous to try various actions out, especially with the tribal weapons.
While Logan demonstrated a rapid ability to learn and the physicality to execute new movements, Derek quickly showed his great aptitude with the weapons. He also demonstrated a raw strength and agility that matched the best of their instructors.
He wielded the heavy, curving war club vigorously, muscles flowing with power as he brought the dense, solid orb of wood at the end of the weapon rushing through the air with lethal force. Derek leaped and twisted with vitality as he sliced the air with the blade of an axe. It did not take him long at all before his own shots on his oaken bow were nearly as steady and well-targeted as Erika’s. He adapted to movements and techniques very quickly, drawing many outward compliments from their teachers.
The other three exiles had watched Derek’s martial display with unfettered admiration. Logan was extremely impressed with their comrade’s dexterous and strong execution, and remarked as much to Derek on several occasions. It was clear that Derek’s skills with the specific weapons would match his natural ability in due time. Logan mused that their instructors would have readily agreed with the Midragardan Eirik in his esteemed assessment of Derek, in a purely physical sense.
The tribal warriors seemed very pleased with what they had seen with the exiles, other than Antonio, by the end of the day. Logan was glad that they had earned some respect, though he was also quite ready to rest and eat.
His legs protested as he began to surmount the incline of the hill. In his fatigue, the slope seemed to have become much steeper since he had descended it in the morning.
“Would you check that out,” Derek remarked, as he walked at Logan’s side.
Derek was pointing up into the skies. Logan followed his gesture, just in time to see a pair of winged creatures approaching the hilltop village. Upon the backs of the beasts were two riders, whose identities became clearer as they descended towards the interior of the village.
“If Janus could have one, couldn’t they have spared us a few?” Logan posited, recognizing their companion in one saddle and Ayenwatha in the other, feeling a little envy at their comrade’s opportunity.
“That is something I will have to speak with Ayenwatha about,” Derek replied with a chuckle. “We sure could use a ride up the hill at the end of a day like this.”
“At the least, I bet he had a very interesting day,” Logan said.
“No doubt that he did, but if we’re going to hear about it I want to be filling my belly as I listen,” Derek commented.
“I am with you all the way on that,” Logan replied with a grin. He looked back up and watched as Janus, Ayenwatha, and their incredible winged mounts disappeared from view, dipping beneath the outer stockade.