The Blue Mountain Affair

A Hazy Fog

A Hazy Fog

Lane was watching Joe in front of her as he marched his way through the bush, and around trees at a pace that made her feel exhausted. About an hour ago they stopped for a break but Joe didn't. He went off into the trees for a while and came back with a small wallaby slung over his shoulder. Goodness knows how he managed to kill one, Lane's Pa had struggled to kill the jumpy things when he had a rifle, given he wasn't a very good shot, but Joe was only armed with a knife, she was quite impressed.

Actually, that's what Lane was watching, she was mesmerised by the swing of the dead animals head, as it rolled from side to side across Joes broad back. Lane had graciously relinquished her lead a long time ago, when Joe had become annoyed with the slower pace she had set.

Feeling a hand on her back brought Lane out of her thoughts, and she turned her head to see Peter's sympathetic face looking down at hers. Lane smiled back at him as he quietly tried to edge her on. "Maybe we should stop for a while Joe." Peter called out. Joe stopped and turned, he seemed annoyed, but softened his features when he realized how hard he had been pushing both Peter and Lane.

"Maybe we can head on over there, see that thick cluster of trees" Joe said, pointing just ahead of them. It wasn't too much further so Lane put her head down and sluggishly moved forward.

Once they reached the trees, Lane lowered the sack she carried from off her shoulder, and looked around for something to sit on. Spotting an old moss covered log, she decided that was the best place to rest, and her only choice besides the ground. So she weirily dragged the sack along behind her, and lowered herself slowly down on to the log, stretching her legs out in front to ease the soreness in her feet which had started a few hours ago. "I'm sorry, I'm slowing you both down." she said with a sigh.

"Your're not, and you are doing fine, much better than I expected." Peter said. Joe simply glanced over to her and curtly nodded his head. He didn't seem as though he agreed with Peter,  but kindly kept his feelings to himself either way.

"I wasn't aware we were in a rush, but I suppose I'll get better at all this."

"Yes you will Lane, you'll see, you will get stronger every day. We will keep you fed, and your body will do the rest of the work." Peter said, pulling a bunch of green leaves from the sack he carried.

"What is that? And when did you have a chance to pick it all?" Lane asked, raisng her brows in question. these brother surprised her at every turn.

"Its like a spinach Lane, it's good if you boil it." Joe replied for Peter as he began to skin the animal he not long ago killed. It made Lane's stomach turn slightly, watching him make the first slit into the skin underneath the course fur, so she turned her head, not wanting to see anymore. Her Pa would normally do all the skinning before he handed the animal over her Ma.

She turned to Peter who was smiling at her reaction, to seeing Joe getting to work on their supper "and how do you both know so much about the food around here?"

"You learn a lot from other people if you watch and listen" Peter then pulled out a few root type things, and placed them on top of the spinach stuff.

"What kind of food did your mother cook, Lane? She must have had some idea of what you can eat in the area." Joe asked, Lane quickly glanced at Joe. He was concentrating, not taking his eyes off the skin he was now expertly pulling away from the red flesh, at least he was fast at that Lane mused because she didn't like the kinds of sounds it made.

"She had a garden, she brought seeds with her. I did try to search for anything which might have been useable while you were digging Joe, but it was all ruined and trampled, or burned." Joe simply nodded, and Lane quickly turned her head again, to look at Peter.