Prey

Chapter 5 - A Leader of Men

Chapter 5.

A Leader of Men.

I couldn’t take my eyes away from the bustling drama unfolding in front of me. Women plucked and gutted the birds, men hauled massive tables from what almost seems to be out of no-where, while all this was underway the woman took the chance to sneak away, gesturing to the little girl and making her way towards the tent.

As I lost sight of her as she rounded the tents edges I heard the heavy fabric crumple as the door flap opened, she entered eyeing me off for a moment, then as if I weren’t there de-robed, unfastening the few buckles on the makeshift light armour letting it fall into a heap on the ground immediately followed by her underclothes. Still taking not notice of me she stepped into the iron tub and began to wash.

Finally she spoke, “The boys have been speaking, apparently you make a reasonable girl, and although having seen you myself I’m inclined to disagree. But don’t think you don’t owe me a new dress now.”

I stood there dumbstruck; she sat in the tub continuing to bathe, snuffing off the remaining muck into the now putrid water.

“I thought I told you to get to work”?

I racked my brain for the first excuse I could think of, “I was finishing up my meal as you returned, with all the commotion I couldn’t help but watch”, I could feel a small smirk creeping along my face thinking I had gotten away with it.

“So it has nothing to do with the fact you’re wearing a torn dress and the boys mocked you? Braver than I thought,” A larger smirk traveling across her face giving away that she had seen through my lie, “well then if you’re done, there are tables to be moved, tonight we eat”.

“Umm” I said twiddling the ring in my finger “I never got your name”.

She began to look glum, “The Shield… When I took up the position of leader here, I gave away my name to my daughter to take on the old leaders… my father’s title”.

She stepped from the bath and taking each step as though a gift headed towards me. She draped her arms over my shoulders causing me to flinch with the sharp pains from my still unhealed wounds, she whispered in my ear “And now, you will be my aid”.

Removing herself from me I didn’t know what to say, hell I didn’t even know what that meant. So with that I nodded and took me leave, exiting the tent into the rabble outside.

I made my way to a group of men forming a line outside a large tent and joined the end of the queue; it was fairly quick to move, it was odd, this time no cat calls, of whittles, I guess they had their fun & that was it…

The whole queue was made up of large me built like brick shit houses, not one was even close to my thin frame, I strained my neck trying to peer around the guys in front to see how close I was as four more men carted off a massive iron table. Secretly I was happy to see at least one of them straining under the weight of it.

The queue moved evermore forward and I hoped that after seeing me the guy handing out tasks would just give me something simple that no one would notice me not doing so I could shirk it while grabbing some shut eye in the sun I had missed so much, but no such luck, the queue moved forward and I was number four assigned to help some other men cart another iron table.

“Wait on boys! I thought it was Bran behind you, didn’t see the new kid…” the task bearer announced.

“Aww come one Ought, give the kid a chance he may not look like much, but the shield did say he escaped an enforcer slaughter house, maybe he’s not as bad off as he looks” another man said, the other men nodded in agreement, I felt my shoulders slump as those words left his mouth.

The task bearer said loudly, for all to hear, “You hear that guys! Kelt, Flinders & Holo want to take the new kid under their wing”! It almost sounded condescending but I could work with that.

“Right boys, GOOD JOB, showing some backbone! Show him the ropes, make him sweet a little if you get the chance, the kid may be an escape artist, but looks like he’s never worked a day in his life! Kid,!” he now spoke directly to me, “What’s your name”?

“Sizarow” I replied as best I could without sounding disappointed.

“Well mate, you’ll be assigned to these boys then, follow what they say when they say it & too the letter, or you could end up with more injury’s than what you started with”, he handed the one he had referred to as Kelt a roll of dried parchment presumably with our tasks on it, and off they went, someone slapping me on the back in gesture to follow.

And follow I did, surprising even myself I did follow.

“OI”! the task bearer called from behind us, I turned right on time to catch a water skin he had tossed to me, “Trust me kid, you’ll need it” he gave me an amused smirk and returned to his work.

All three men walked and looked at me with quizzical looks, it felt as though they were eyeing me off for the most labour intensive of jobs. Finally one spoke, “Welcome to team Flinders”

“What do you mean team Flinders, bro”? you surely meant team Holo” Holo retorted, looking ready to take on a battle he had fought so many times before.

“Brothers”! Kelt spoke, not now, we’ve been given charge of the new kid, what was your name again”? I went to reply, but was cut off by the rest, “That was it, Sizarow right”? I nodded, “See we’ve been given Sizarow here, and that makes him a brother to us as much as I am to you, so shut your traps! The next time I hear any more of this I’ll make it team Sizarow!

I looked shocked, it must have been written across my face as Kelt stared directly into my eyes, “not to worry little brother” he said in a reassuring tone, “we’ll look after you, besides, I’m not ready to hand over the leadership role of team Kelt”!

This sparked up more semantics among the brothers, quickly waved away by a swing of Kelts mighty hands, raising them in the air in surrender.

“OK,OK I give, I give” he announced jovially. “But there is shit to get done, so let’s get to it”! Siz’ you can fill your skin over there at that pump” he pointed across the camp to a small antiquated pump. “Be back here in two minutes, or I make you sleep in Holo’s tent tonight” he said slightly hoping his brother hadn’t heard, “Trust me… that kid snores the bats loose from the rafters”! Chuckling again to himself.

I nodded in agreement, I couldn’t help give a slight chuckle myself even though it caused my ribs pain, it felt good to laugh, And ran off to the pump.