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 Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:43 pm
"I....I don't know. If we go back for Sasha now, we could all get lost even worse and never make it to the tower, but if we go for the Tower and fgind a way to send help..."
It was a hard decision, and Micajah could feel the pit of his stomach aching as he thought about what had to be done. A choice had to be made for the good of the group, but it wasn't something he wanted to do.
"We...we need to press on. Sasha is from Russia, he knows how to survive in weather like this. The rest of us...do not, and if we get to the Tower we can send for help."
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:48 pm
The fog was thick and the air was chill, but the man was still willing to go back to hunt for the woman they had left behind. When Micajah, the friend of this person they had lost, suggested moving forward rather than looking to help, he shook his head in an almost angry fashion. While they should go forward, and not turn back in such a thick fog, he was still concerned about the lady they would be leaving behind. Would she know how to stay warm, and to stay in one spot until the fog cleared?
When Micajah continued, and mentioned the word 'he' and Russia, it only confused the poor Native man, because he was sure that the name "Sasha" was feminine and not masculine. But then, he had not had much cause to travel outside of his village and so his knowledge of the world and its people was actually quite small and probably much less than the man he was with.
With a small nod, he agreed, "If you are confident in this person's ability to survive in the winter as their friend, then I, too, must be confident in their ability to survive."
His attention then returned to the dog, and his thoughts of smoked salmon and how delicious it was.
"Do we want to take the boat across the lake, or walk, Micajah?"
If he had to, he would offer up his smoked salmon...but he really didn't want to. Not unless he had to. It was such a good treat!
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 6:53 pm
"Do you know how to operate a boat? I sure do not, and the same goes for dealing with animals. I spent the majority of my life indoors and away from things like this, so it's all new to me. I don't know what to do."
It was unlike the teenager to admit yet more faults out there and so easily, but if it could get them to their destination without any trouble then there was no problem in doing so. Besides, he would probably never see this man again in his life time, unless he happened to die here. Then if there were such things as ghosts, Micajah would be haunted or vise verse.
That sounded both creepy and wrong.
"While the lake isn't fully clogged with ice so we can use a boat, there still is ice out there. Moving may be slow that way, and the whole ice issue also brings in how we can or can not cross."
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:01 pm
When asked if he could operate a boat, Abe did the only thing he could think of and laughed. An outright chuckle, at that. One of the things he did know how to use was a boat, it was a necessity to his lifestyle, and he could use both motor-less and motor boats to get across waterways. The ice chips would also be no problem, so long as they were careful and had paddles to help steer the boat. Or to push ice away from the sides, if that were to become necessary.
"Yes, young Micajah, I can use a boat." With a grin, the man lowered his scarf so that his face was more readily seen before chuckling once again, "I am Athabascan from Minto, in Alaska. To fish farther out, we use boats regularly in summer." He may not have been from a whaling village, but they had migrated to using much larger boats, and this boat was small, enough to fit maybe five people safely within its hull. "As long as it starts, or there are paddles inside, we can use it to get across."
As for the dog...well. Abe knew that what he had within his pack could deter the dog, but he didn't really want to offer it unless he had to. Unfortunately, as Micajah claimed to not deal well with animals, and the other boy was mostly silent, he could only assume that neither of them would be able to deal with an agitated dog.
With a sigh, the man made his decision and slowly took off his pack, so as not to upset the already frustrated animal before setting it on the ground. Just as slowly, the man knelt on the ground, before unzipping the pack and removing a jar that reeked heavily of smoked fish. The grin on his face was clearly visible with his scarf still down as he stood up carefully, eyes on the dog, and held the jar reverently, as if it were a great treasure.
"This is smoked salmon. Sled dogs back home love smoked salmon. It is a great treat for them. We can use this to try to lure the dog, if we must."
Even though he offered his precious jar, it was plainly seen in his eyes that he didn't really want to give it to Micajah and the dog.
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:14 pm
Micajah frowned as he watched the man's expressions, the semi-respect he'd had for Abe's skills slowly diminishing. He couldn't stand when people did things like this, something he really didn't want to do, and then allow it to show on their face. Did he have no pride?
"If you don't want to use the salmon, then don't. Don't make yourself a martyr over something like that, no one's forcing you. If you think it'll help to do it, then do it, but otherwise leave it alone. We can just beat the dog off or something."
Wow, now he'd moved on to cruelty to animals. Was there nothing Micajah wouldn't do to get moving along? Would he suggest beating down small children or using their silent friend as a human motor? Cold people tended to kick faster in order to warm up, after all.
"Ah...forget I said that, I'm sorry. It's just....I don't really know what to do or think anymore. I want to find Sasha and get us all there together as a group, but I want to make sure that we even get there to begin with."
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:23 pm
It wasn't that Abe had no pride, it was that smoked salmon took a while to make and with conditions diminishing in his village, his chances to have it and make it were also diminishing. So each jar to him, so far away from home when he'd never gone farther than his own state, was like one last remnant of his home being taken from him. But he said none of this, and instead shrugged. It felt as if he had been chastised by a child, and that only made him grow frustrated. With a slightly jerky motion, the older man pulled his scarf back up over the lower half of his face to protect it from the cold - and keep his emotions better hidden from the youth, before popping open the jar and moving closer to Micajah to allow the youth to get a good, strong whiff of the stuff.
Once the boy had suggested beating the sled dog, a dog that must have worked hard for its previous masters and so deserved great respect, Abe held out the jar and gestured towards Micajah's gloved hands with his free hand. "If you remove your gloves, you can take a piece of the salmon. If you'd like to try a piece, feel free to grab two." With a pause, the man then continued, "You will have to be nice when you approach the dog, kneel and show you are not trying to be his boss. That way, he will react better to you."
There was another small pause, and Abe added with a kinder tone, "Don't worry, we will make it to the Tower. Your friend will be there, and we will find the woman you were so concerned about earlier."
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:44 pm
"What woman? I don't recall ever mentioning a woman."
Micajah looked at Abe, confused, as he spoke about meeting some woman at the tower. He hadn't said anything at all about a woman, only almost slipping before that he wanted to see Cane pretty badly, but how on Earth did this guy get an idea for a woman?
Well, it was also not like Micajah broadcasted to the world that the person he loved with another man, so maybe he should just let it slide. Just let it slide, and carry on.
"As for the dog...I...would really rather not. I can do anything else, but there are things I don't want to try even if it's to help me. Maybe if it were in another time and another place, and we weren't struggling along, but it's not that way and I...don't think I can do anything else."
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 7:54 pm
When Micajah denied having been talking about a woman, it only confused the native and left him wondering just what he had meant by "Ca" earlier. Abe had assumed the boy had cut himself off from saying "Karen", but had he meant something else? Perhaps the woman was not a woman? Maybe a favorite animal...? No, that wouldn't work. Micajah did not seem to like animals one bit. So then what had he been referring to earlier...? With only one option left to him, the man shrugged, "If you say so, young Micajah." If the boy did not want to talk about the woman, then perhaps it was a secret relationship, or he was not comfortable sharing such things with strangers. Either way, if Micajah did not want to explain, then Abe did not want to find out.
A frown touched the man's lips as he realized that the boy did not want to give the smoked salmon a try - both for himself, and for the dog. This saddened Abe, because he had a brief moment of hope in sharing a part of his home with another before giving it to a dog. Once again, nothing else was left to him, and so to avoid further embarrassing the youth, he knelt down and slowly scooted towards the dog, one hand outstretched with a piece of deliciously smoked salmon, the other with the jar held nearer to his body. His movements were slow, more than a little obvious, and his eyes were kept averted as he moved towards the dog. In a quiet voice, the man talked to the dog, telling him about his own dogs back home and the sled they rode.
His body language and tone of voice were one that said 'We are equals, I am not greater than you, nor are you greater than I. I respect you.'
Of those murmurings that could be understood were things like, "We need to borrow your boat, but I will give you salmon for your troubles." and just general chitchat. Not something one would normally hear a person saying to a dog, but it was Abe's attempt at both soothing the dog and gaining the use of the handy tool behind it.
As he drew closer to the dog, he only hoped the dog would accept the treat and let them take the boat. They would, of course, take the dog with them if it wanted to join them on their journey. It would only be polite thing to do, after all!
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Posted: Mon Mar 30, 2009 8:08 pm
Well done, the dog was bribed and let you go to the boat! Do you take it to the east shore, or the west?
From here on, you will have to wait 24 hours, since you've mostly caught up! You're only one prompt behind.
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Posted: Tue Mar 31, 2009 7:09 pm
Darren trekked behind the two older boys in silence. Not a word had crossed his lips since they wound up lost and separated from the main group. Why should he say anything? The two before him seemed to be able to handle the situation just fine. All he had to do was follow after and keep up. It was a simple task that anyone was capable of handling.
The lad's eyes examined the boat that they had stumbled upon once escaping the treacherous bog. Even after they were rid of the dog his uneasiness did not subside. There were two directions to take. Fifty fifty. One shore led to failure while the other led to success. Not only that but how did they know that this boat was a safe?
By now his legs ached with every step he took. Covered in the muck of the bog, Darren fidgeted uncomfortably. Shifting to his left and then to his right the lad tried to find a comfortable position as they decided which way to go. Honestly, as long as it got them out of his hell hole Darren didn't care anymore. He was done! Fin. Complete. Finished!
The boy's shoulders slumped and he hung his head in defeat. That was untrue. He did care. At least cared enough to want victory but not enough to remain where they were now. With all his might he had begun hoping that they'd reach their destination at this time. That any moment now they'd escape all these sudden challenges and reach their goal. No more disgusting swamps, no more choking fog, and no more stupid dogs; that was what he wanted.
"I think we should take to the East...." Darren spoke at last in a deep voice which cracked after it's few hours of going unused. The lad's eyes fell across the pair, searching in their eyes to see if they had come to agree or disagree with them.
"But..." His eyes turned back to examine the other shore. Just like that the boy was back to considering their options and the outcome each one would give them. In the end Darren met the conclusion he always hated: Anything could happen. Slowly Darren folded his sore arms against his chest and raised a hand to hold his chin.
"What do you think?" At last he was truly acknowledging the Micajah and Abe. No longer was he looking to them as just his guides but now as team mates. Placing them in a new light was the only way they'd get out of there.
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Posted: Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:48 pm
The voice of the third member of their party had momentarily surprised the native, and his head picked up quickly from where he was looking to swivel and glance at the younger boy. In truth, the man had no idea which direction was best and which wasn't, so when the boy made his suggestion of east, he merely nodded.
With a glance to their other boy in his group, he shrugged, "East is as good a direction as any to take." As long as they made it to the Tower, then it really didn't matter which direction they took, or how long it took them to get there. So long as no one got frostbite or went into hypothermia, that is.
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