knife,” the little boy says.
“Do you GIVE a four year old a knife?” he asks me, looking a bit off-balance.
“He knows how to use weapons better than you do,” I say with a shrug.
“Okay.. um… wanna trade for something?” Jack asks Cubby. “I don’t give things away for free, you know.”
Cubby looks thoughtful for a moment before he digs through his pockets. Finally he pulls out a worn looking pile of twine and holds it up to Jack. “Twine?” he offers.
Jack looks at it thoughtfully for a moment before shrugging and digging through his own pockets. He pulls out a scrap of steel and both Cubby and I watch in wonder as it starts to warp, changing into a small dagger. “You’re gonna want to wrap something around the handle,” he tells Cubby, holding it out handle first. Cubby nods and jumps back into the tree with his new blade. “Still not sure about that,” Jack says with a frown.
“He knew what to ask and who to ask from,” I say with a shrug. “He’s not a normal four year old, you know?”
“What do I do with... string?” Jack asks, looking at it curiously.
“Hang things? Hunt for things? I dunno, you’re the one that took the offer,” I say with a shrug. “Thanks for this, by the way--I gotta go make my own base now.”
“You need any help?” Jack asks. “I’m willing to toss in a slide out of there, if you want.”
“Why so helpful, Jack?” I ask, looking at him curiously. “What are you after?”
“Just thought that if I helped you now, you might help me later. I’m not the most camouflaged in the group, you know?”
“Use mud,” I tell him, “it’ll dull down your shine real quick.” I see him wince, but he nods.
“Yeah, good point.” He pulls away, flying off without asking for anything else. I head back into the tree branches, finding Cubby in his little nest, sharpening twigs with his new dagger.
“Cubby, what are you doing?” I ask him.
“Squirrels,” he says.
“You’re… sharpening sticks to deal with squirrels?” I ask. He nods emphatically and keeps sharpening. “How does that work?” I ask him.
He reaches over and pulls a plastic tube out of his bag, showing it to me with a very serious expression. “Blow,” he explains when I don’t look like I understand.
“You’re going to kill them with sharpened sticks and a blowgun,” I say, earning a nod. “Okay. Well I’ll just go set up my own place, okay?” He nods, still sharpening his weapons. What does the kid have against squirrels, anyway? I shake my head, shrugging it off. He IS part cat, I guess. Sure he can’t shift yet, but Adanna once told me that the blue eyes as a baby are a sign that he’ll have the ability when he’s older.
As I walk from his area, a path forms in the branches, almost like a hall. You can hear them creaking and crackling slightly and I feel a bit guilty. This isn’t a young tree. It’s probably far older than anything else in the forest. I can only hope that the guys don’t decide to attack it--I would hate to see this beautiful tree damaged. Wait, there was a rule about not hurting the trees, right? Good.
I find a gigantic branch and step onto it, putting my fire-pit down and waving my hands to make the room larger. The leaves rustle and there are more little cracking sounds, but soon the room is large enough for me to lay down in. It’s almost lunch time, but I’m tired. I let out a yawn, letting my eyes drift shut for just a moment. It seems like forever since my last nap!
***
“It’s still truce time,” Ace says as he follows Max through the woods.
“We’re not attacking,” Max says, looking at the trees thoughtfully as they pass him. None look right, so he keeps going. “We’re just scoping out the competition.” He had brought in an abandoned bus from the junkyard for his base. It was easier than trying to build a base out of twigs.
“Do you GIVE a four year old a knife?” he asks me, looking a bit off-balance.
“He knows how to use weapons better than you do,” I say with a shrug.
“Okay.. um… wanna trade for something?” Jack asks Cubby. “I don’t give things away for free, you know.”
Cubby looks thoughtful for a moment before he digs through his pockets. Finally he pulls out a worn looking pile of twine and holds it up to Jack. “Twine?” he offers.
Jack looks at it thoughtfully for a moment before shrugging and digging through his own pockets. He pulls out a scrap of steel and both Cubby and I watch in wonder as it starts to warp, changing into a small dagger. “You’re gonna want to wrap something around the handle,” he tells Cubby, holding it out handle first. Cubby nods and jumps back into the tree with his new blade. “Still not sure about that,” Jack says with a frown.
“He knew what to ask and who to ask from,” I say with a shrug. “He’s not a normal four year old, you know?”
“What do I do with... string?” Jack asks, looking at it curiously.
“Hang things? Hunt for things? I dunno, you’re the one that took the offer,” I say with a shrug. “Thanks for this, by the way--I gotta go make my own base now.”
“You need any help?” Jack asks. “I’m willing to toss in a slide out of there, if you want.”
“Why so helpful, Jack?” I ask, looking at him curiously. “What are you after?”
“Just thought that if I helped you now, you might help me later. I’m not the most camouflaged in the group, you know?”
“Use mud,” I tell him, “it’ll dull down your shine real quick.” I see him wince, but he nods.
“Yeah, good point.” He pulls away, flying off without asking for anything else. I head back into the tree branches, finding Cubby in his little nest, sharpening twigs with his new dagger.
“Cubby, what are you doing?” I ask him.
“Squirrels,” he says.
“You’re… sharpening sticks to deal with squirrels?” I ask. He nods emphatically and keeps sharpening. “How does that work?” I ask him.
He reaches over and pulls a plastic tube out of his bag, showing it to me with a very serious expression. “Blow,” he explains when I don’t look like I understand.
“You’re going to kill them with sharpened sticks and a blowgun,” I say, earning a nod. “Okay. Well I’ll just go set up my own place, okay?” He nods, still sharpening his weapons. What does the kid have against squirrels, anyway? I shake my head, shrugging it off. He IS part cat, I guess. Sure he can’t shift yet, but Adanna once told me that the blue eyes as a baby are a sign that he’ll have the ability when he’s older.
As I walk from his area, a path forms in the branches, almost like a hall. You can hear them creaking and crackling slightly and I feel a bit guilty. This isn’t a young tree. It’s probably far older than anything else in the forest. I can only hope that the guys don’t decide to attack it--I would hate to see this beautiful tree damaged. Wait, there was a rule about not hurting the trees, right? Good.
I find a gigantic branch and step onto it, putting my fire-pit down and waving my hands to make the room larger. The leaves rustle and there are more little cracking sounds, but soon the room is large enough for me to lay down in. It’s almost lunch time, but I’m tired. I let out a yawn, letting my eyes drift shut for just a moment. It seems like forever since my last nap!
***
“It’s still truce time,” Ace says as he follows Max through the woods.
“We’re not attacking,” Max says, looking at the trees thoughtfully as they pass him. None look right, so he keeps going. “We’re just scoping out the competition.” He had brought in an abandoned bus from the junkyard for his base. It was easier than trying to build a base out of twigs.
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