The Changing Man (Doctor Who Fan Story)

Chapter 22

Chapter 22:

JACK P.O.V

        It was late, really late, probably early morning, depending on how you look at it.  The large group of people began to slow and tire, the injured strapped down to the boards were sleeping, soft snores escaped their throats. Most were still hungry, the small packets of crackers werent very filling and tasted more like cardboard, and the people complained under their breath as they slowly trampled through the forest, following the ever energetic Doctor. However Donna and Martha were too lagging behind, dark circles sagged from their heavy eye lids, both were trying to lean on each other as they walked. I sighed deeply and gripped my gun tighter and sauntered over to the Doctor at the head of the group.

"I think we need to stop for a few hours and make camp, these people need to eat and sleep" I said, gesturing to the people who stumbled drunkenly after us.

"Yes, I think your right. Need to keep a look out though, I have a feeling that we haven't seen the last of Einstern and his dogs" The Doctor agreed, pulling a lop sided smile that said 'I am worried' all over his perfect face. He then turned into a slightly less dense area, with enough space for people to set up tents, spread out on the forest floor and called out to the people with a confident voice "Alright, we're going to stop and rest here for a few hours, but we must keep an eye out and start to ration the little food that we have got" And instantaneously, people seemed to drop like flies, sitting on the floor and some lay down, others grabbed for the food in the back packs that they carried with eager hands while a handful of people able bodied men who had been given guns, started to patrol the area cautiously.

I shrugged of my rucksack and pulled out the silver cube with the green diamond shaped button on top and carefully placed it on the ground in a clear area. I then pushed the button and with a whirring grind, it started to unfold like origami, the external tent fabric spilling out onto the floor and started to inflate and finally stopped when it resembled a three man tent. I whistled in wonderment, gathering the attention of other tired-eyed people, who started to fumble for their silver cube and followed suit, watching their tents inflate before their very eyes. Once it was up, they scrambled in like rabbits to their burrows, zipping it up behind them.

I looked back over to the Doctor who had been joined by Kara, they both were placing sticks in the shape of a small bonfire, and they started to try and light a small handful of dried leaves and roots. I wandered over to them and crouched by the small pile of sticks.

"Trying to light a fire? Won't that attract the soldiers?" I asked them

"Maybe, but it will keep away the local wild life, and we're going to try and find some other food for these people to eat other than those horrid crackers, and for that, we need a fire to cook it with and to light the way" explained Kara in a quiet and hushed voice.

"Wish I had my sonic with me, would be much more easier to get this to...light..." The Doctor mumbled as he carried on rubbing two sticks together vigorously, until a while later, smoke started to float into the air and created a small ember in the kindling, which Kara tenderly began to blow on it, nurturing it into a large flame which enveloped the larger sticks of the bonfire.

The fire drew people out, and The Doctor passed out large sticks that were alight with fire, so they could light other bonfires around their camp within the rain forest.

"I wonder where Ashly is, do you think she's gotten lost?" I asked The Doctor, who started to prepare to go in search for food. 

"I don't know, but she said she'll find us. If Talyn is correct, then she is probably hunting..." His voice trailed off as though he was in deep thought.