@ElderGod-Carrots
"Pretty good, found a nice stool, the oil and a giant forest beast that tried eating us alive but it's trapped under a building now so it's all good." Tanrial said with a grin.
"Pretty good, found a nice stool, the oil and a giant forest beast that tried eating us alive but it's trapped under a building now so it's all good." Tanrial said with a grin.
Bernon blinked. "Oh. Um, cool. Can I help you get those tanks somewhere safe?"
"Sure thing," Mike said, handing him one. "Let's take them over to the bulldozer, I'm going to work on that project until lunchtime. Anybody who wants to help is welcome to join me."
"I'll join you for company but I can't promise I won't pass out on you." Tanrial replied, picking up her own tank of oil.
The fishermen said the had to get back to work, but Rick and Bernon said they'd go with Mike as well. The four of them walked over to the bulldozer, lugging the tanks of fuel and carefully setting them nearby. Rick found the cap for the machine's gas tank and unscrewed it.
"It'll take a while to fill 'er up," he said. "You might as well take a seat and catch your breath, Tanrial. Not to baby you or anything, but you honestly look like you could use a nap."
(gotta go to bed :( Seeya tomorrow!)
(Seeya! I don't know how much I'll b able to be on since I'm at a friends all day but I'll try my best)
"Nonsense, I'm fi-" Tanrial swayed a little, "Okay fine… maybe I need to sit down." She said reluctantly, sitting down on the sand a little way away from the bulldozer and the guys, letting out a breath and leaning backwards, resting a hand behind her head.
The other three formed a bucket chain, passing along the containers to Rick, who started emptying them into the bulldozer's fuel tank.
"So what did you do while we were gone, Bernon?" Mike asked as they worked.
"Well, I slept in for a while, then got up and helped clean the inside of the tavern. It was really starting to weigh me down, being their guests for this long without really giving anything in return. I mean, I know we helped them out with some things, but cleaning feels more….like a solid payment to me."
“You’re just too nice Bernon.” Tanrial called out, closing her eyes at the same time.
"Aww, thanks," he replied. "I try."
"I'd like to see you try back where I live," Rick remarked cheerfully. "Down there, everybody's so gosh darned hospitable that they'd tie you to a chair sooner than let you help them with the work."
Bernon laughed. "I'll have to go visit sometime. They sound like nice people."
"They sure are….." Rick sighed and muttered to himself, "…Unless you disagree with their worldview, that is."
“What was that last part, Rick? I couldn’t quite hear from over here.” Tanrial said with a sigh.
"Hmm? Oh, nothin'. Just griping like a grumpy old man. You won't get a favorable review of my family from me, unfortunately. I'm a bit of a reject, as you know, and believe me, that tends to sour your opinions." He tossed an empty container away and started on a new one. "But don't mind me. I'm sure they'd treat y'all okay if you were to go visit."
“Mhm… whatever you say, you know ‘me best.” She muttered before slowly nodding off to sleep.
They did the rest of the job quietly so as not to disturb her. Rick walked Mike through the basics of driving a bulldozer without actually starting it up, while Bernon used his water powers to scrub the grime and dirt off the outside of the machine. Son it looked almost as good as new, and they borrowed a couple tarps from the fishermen to cover it up in case of bad weather.
All in all, Tanrial got a couple hours of sleep before Bernon gently shook her awake. "Hey, Tanrial? Sorry to disturb you, but we're gonna move the bulldozer off the beach so it doesn't get stuck in the mud again. We don't want to run you over in case this thing is hard to control."
Tanrial blinked up at Bernon before groaning and rolling over to stand, “Yeah, Yeah I understand. I’d rather not die today.” She muttered, dusting the sand from her shirt and pants before moving out of the way.
Mike turned the key–which they'd found lodged underneath the seat–and after a bit of sputtering the machine roared to life. Mike used the controls to test out the digger arm's mobility, and although it screeched a bit, it moved around just fine. Rick stood in front of the bulldozer and helped guide Mike forward onto the firmer ground near the trees. They parked it under a giant oak, and then turned it off. Mike gave the others a thumbs up and hopped out of the cab.
"It's a bit loud and clunky," he said, "but definitely usable. We'll just have to make a big enough diversion at the front that Ryker won't notice he's being dug out until it's too late."
Tanrial yawned and nodded, “Yeah, we should have enough people to distract Ryker for long enough to dig the back out… let’s just hope anyway.”
Bernon glanced at the curve of the shore to the west, then frowned and looked again, shading his eyes. "Speaking of people….is that a caravan I see on the horizon?"
Rick followed his gaze. "Yup, looks like it. I'd say some of the troops have arrived."
“If there’s a caravan then it’s not my people… and thank god for that.” She muttered the last part.
The newcomers poured into the clearing between the forest and the water, lining up their wagons in a curve around the shore. There were twenty-five wagons in all, each loaded down with people and supplies. The canvas covers of the wagons were emblazoned with a red hand holding a bundle of arrows.
"The People's Army," Rick said. "I guess they were closer than I thought. Shall we go say hello?"
Tanrial shrugged a shoulder and put her hands in her pockets, “I don’t see why not…”
They walked over just as a rangy man with reddish-blond hair hopped out of the middle wagon and strode to meet them. He looked simultaneously old and young at the same time, which was mostly due to his thin, tanned face being prematurely lined from the sun and constant worry. He reached them and stopped, looking them over one by one.
"Dane Lexington," he introduced himself briskly. "Are you the people who sent the message?"
Tanrial nodded, “That’d be us. It’s nice to meet you, Dane. I’m Tanrial and this here is Mike, Rick and Bernon, we’re glad you could answer our call for aid.”
Dane nodded. "Which of you is in charge? I'll need to talk to you about tactics and the lay of the land."
The boys blinked and looked at each other.
"Not me," Rick said. "I just got here."
"Uhh, me neither," Bernon added. "I don't really know what the plan is."
Mike paused. "We don't really have one leader right now. If you want someone to hash out a strategy with, I think we should wait until the other forces get here. Then we can have a meeting of the generals, so to speak, and stay on the same page that way."
Dane shrugged. "Fine by me. The others will be here soon, I hope?"
“They should be, we didn’t think you’d be the first to arrive in all honestly but, fate had a different option.” Tanrial shrugged a shoulder.
"Right then. In that case, I'll get my troops fed and settled. Is that a tavern I spy over there?"
Tanrial nodded, “Yeah, it is. We’re currently staying there so if you need anything then you know where to find us. I’m sure the people there will be able to fix you up with a drink or something to eat.”
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