1605, Sea Season, Truth Week, Clayday
Kemal and Drayin have made a bit of money selling their bows to Gringle, and decide to try the same recipe once more. The Shaman needs more herbs as well, and they manage to convince their father that the errand needs to be run, and they can't help on the field.
Contrary to their last walk to the wilds, they get lucky and find a lot of herbs, as well as a splendid elderberry tree full of long, straight branches. However, while sawing those off, they fail to notice a boar family walking into them, and Kemal only notices the charging boar just before he gets run of his feet, seriously wounded. It is an alert Drayin that saves him, taking out the boar with a good javelin throw. They notice a second boar, guarding the piglets, just as it decides to charge, and Kemal goes down a second time. Again, Drayin has to save the day.
They return to the Stead in rather bad shape, and the Thane notices. He orders them to pull their weight on the Stead, and the next weeks they assist in the cattle count, sheep shearing, and inspection of the fruit stores before an opportunity to get away from stead life presents itself again: It is time to go into the hills and find new grazing grounds for the sheep, and they are sent to the west hills with a herding dog, Blackleg. After an uneventful trip they run into a small trollkin gang pulling a fancy looking horse and some loot. Drayin is wounded by a thrown rock, but Kemal finishes off the three weak trollkin on his own, with a bit of help from Blackleg. When they are relieved the next morning, they realize the horse is marked as Jaarsten property. The Jaarsten are clansmen, guarding the western border. Kemal and Drayin know where the Jaarsten Stead is, and bring the horse back. It turns out to be the Godi's horse, and it threw him off the day before, possibly because of a trap set by the trollkin. The Godi is grateful, and offers both young men a mastiff pup. They eagerly accept: mastiffs are big and strong dogs, and a valuable partner for any young Hiording.
Contrary to their last walk to the wilds, they get lucky and find a lot of herbs, as well as a splendid elderberry tree full of long, straight branches. However, while sawing those off, they fail to notice a boar family walking into them, and Kemal only notices the charging boar just before he gets run of his feet, seriously wounded. It is an alert Drayin that saves him, taking out the boar with a good javelin throw. They notice a second boar, guarding the piglets, just as it decides to charge, and Kemal goes down a second time. Again, Drayin has to save the day.
They return to the Stead in rather bad shape, and the Thane notices. He orders them to pull their weight on the Stead, and the next weeks they assist in the cattle count, sheep shearing, and inspection of the fruit stores before an opportunity to get away from stead life presents itself again: It is time to go into the hills and find new grazing grounds for the sheep, and they are sent to the west hills with a herding dog, Blackleg. After an uneventful trip they run into a small trollkin gang pulling a fancy looking horse and some loot. Drayin is wounded by a thrown rock, but Kemal finishes off the three weak trollkin on his own, with a bit of help from Blackleg. When they are relieved the next morning, they realize the horse is marked as Jaarsten property. The Jaarsten are clansmen, guarding the western border. Kemal and Drayin know where the Jaarsten Stead is, and bring the horse back. It turns out to be the Godi's horse, and it threw him off the day before, possibly because of a trap set by the trollkin. The Godi is grateful, and offers both young men a mastiff pup. They eagerly accept: mastiffs are big and strong dogs, and a valuable partner for any young Hiording.
