the warrior opened the door and slipped inside the building.
William fidgeted nervously. "Place has an important look to it."
Hunter's eyes were not focused on the building, but on the rise of rocks that both supported the village and gave it a natural commanding view of the area. The only place the Yeti were blinded to any view was where a natural rock shelter arched just slightly over the north-eastern corner of the village. That north-eastern corner where the two men stood.
"Most likely a village elder or person of some importance." The captain nodded, mostly in reaction to his own thoughts. "They are quite well-defended here. That overhang covers a large portion of this part of their village. See the scoring on the rocks there?"
"Aye."
"Lightning drake if I ever saw it. But this wouldn't help against fast-moving pilots with a few hand bombs to toss down. If I had to guess, the pirates push the locals back up in here, then come in force on the ground when the Yeti have lost the high ground advantage. Penned in, they cannot mount much defense as their natural defense is used to contain them."
William whistled low while the scene the captain described played out in his mind. "I see what ya sayin' Cap'n. It'd be over a'fore anything really started."
At that moment, the Yeti warrior opened the door wide, gestured to William and Hunter then pointed to inside the building.
Hunter glanced at William. "I do believe we have been summoned."
"Aye, Cap'n."
Beyond the door, the room was not much different than the one than the one which sheltered the Brass Griffin 's crew. Tight, fitted stones rose from the floor to meet dark, stained wood three feet off the ground. Above the ceiling was the same interlocked collection of smooth cut wood, except here there were small multi-colored cuts of linen. Each bit of cloth was no larger than four inches square, hung from the rafters. Furs and a few hide-covered stools were settled around the room. Most notably were the three older men seated near the large fire pit in the middle of the room. They were dressed modestly in long linen shirts, trousers and ankle high moccasins. Four Yeti warriors stood silently and alert at the corners.
The Yeti warrior that led Hunter and William spoke quietly with a tone of respect to the three older men. Not to say any of the three were feeble. Despite their obvious age, each still bore a well-muscled frame with a clear steady gaze. The oldest of the three nodded in reply to the young warrior whom nodded in return and retreated from the room.
A long moment of silence fell around the room while the three Yeti elders stared at Hunter and William. Unsure of what - if anything - to say, the pair returned the silence with some of their own. William shifted his weight and leaned over to Hunter after a moment.
"Chatty bunch ain't they Cap'n?"
"Indeed," was the captain's reply. However his mind was elsewhere. It was something about the decor or perhaps the demeanor of the three older gentlemen that reminded Hunter of a diplomat or admiral he knew from years ago. These were men of importance to the Yeti.
Finally the oldest of the three nodded once and gestured towards a set of furs on the far side of the fire.
"Iyotaka."
Hunter exchanged a look with William who shrugged. "Wants us ta sit, Cap'n ... I think."
"Quite."
Once seated on the furs, Captain Hunter cleared his throat. "Before anything else, I wish to offer my thanks for the assistance to my wounded man."
The three elders exchanged a look. William gave a nervous smile then - with the occasional stumbling and stuttering over unfamiliar words - provided a translation. One of the elders, the youngest of the three with only some gray shot through his coal dark hair, lifted a wooden cup of some hot, dark liquid and sipped at it before he replied.
"Toka sni. Takuwe niye lel?"
Immediately another of the elders looked shocked at his companions' question. He barked a fast, harsh reply. This set
William fidgeted nervously. "Place has an important look to it."
Hunter's eyes were not focused on the building, but on the rise of rocks that both supported the village and gave it a natural commanding view of the area. The only place the Yeti were blinded to any view was where a natural rock shelter arched just slightly over the north-eastern corner of the village. That north-eastern corner where the two men stood.
"Most likely a village elder or person of some importance." The captain nodded, mostly in reaction to his own thoughts. "They are quite well-defended here. That overhang covers a large portion of this part of their village. See the scoring on the rocks there?"
"Aye."
"Lightning drake if I ever saw it. But this wouldn't help against fast-moving pilots with a few hand bombs to toss down. If I had to guess, the pirates push the locals back up in here, then come in force on the ground when the Yeti have lost the high ground advantage. Penned in, they cannot mount much defense as their natural defense is used to contain them."
William whistled low while the scene the captain described played out in his mind. "I see what ya sayin' Cap'n. It'd be over a'fore anything really started."
At that moment, the Yeti warrior opened the door wide, gestured to William and Hunter then pointed to inside the building.
Hunter glanced at William. "I do believe we have been summoned."
"Aye, Cap'n."
Beyond the door, the room was not much different than the one than the one which sheltered the Brass Griffin 's crew. Tight, fitted stones rose from the floor to meet dark, stained wood three feet off the ground. Above the ceiling was the same interlocked collection of smooth cut wood, except here there were small multi-colored cuts of linen. Each bit of cloth was no larger than four inches square, hung from the rafters. Furs and a few hide-covered stools were settled around the room. Most notably were the three older men seated near the large fire pit in the middle of the room. They were dressed modestly in long linen shirts, trousers and ankle high moccasins. Four Yeti warriors stood silently and alert at the corners.
The Yeti warrior that led Hunter and William spoke quietly with a tone of respect to the three older men. Not to say any of the three were feeble. Despite their obvious age, each still bore a well-muscled frame with a clear steady gaze. The oldest of the three nodded in reply to the young warrior whom nodded in return and retreated from the room.
A long moment of silence fell around the room while the three Yeti elders stared at Hunter and William. Unsure of what - if anything - to say, the pair returned the silence with some of their own. William shifted his weight and leaned over to Hunter after a moment.
"Chatty bunch ain't they Cap'n?"
"Indeed," was the captain's reply. However his mind was elsewhere. It was something about the decor or perhaps the demeanor of the three older gentlemen that reminded Hunter of a diplomat or admiral he knew from years ago. These were men of importance to the Yeti.
Finally the oldest of the three nodded once and gestured towards a set of furs on the far side of the fire.
"Iyotaka."
Hunter exchanged a look with William who shrugged. "Wants us ta sit, Cap'n ... I think."
"Quite."
Once seated on the furs, Captain Hunter cleared his throat. "Before anything else, I wish to offer my thanks for the assistance to my wounded man."
The three elders exchanged a look. William gave a nervous smile then - with the occasional stumbling and stuttering over unfamiliar words - provided a translation. One of the elders, the youngest of the three with only some gray shot through his coal dark hair, lifted a wooden cup of some hot, dark liquid and sipped at it before he replied.
"Toka sni. Takuwe niye lel?"
Immediately another of the elders looked shocked at his companions' question. He barked a fast, harsh reply. This set
Similar Books
