Nimbus Part 12 Take 1

It didn’t hurt this time. This time it wasn’t curiosity that drove her, it was safety. Anastasia felt protected. Directly ahead of her was a powerful primitive man leading his tribe. His strides were long. Nuck Nuck shouldered a spear resting across his broad deltoids. Whenever Anastasia looked over her shoulder she was greeted by a smile from Maia. When Anastasia’s gaze lingered farther behind she saw the other woman she didn’t know yet, and the other brute assisting the elder.

It had been years since Anastasia walked this much. Her body began to fade away from adrenaline and succumb to aches and soreness. Nuck Nuck kept the pace productive, but the entire group wasted away to slow tedious march. Shadows stretched as the sun traveled across the sky.

Smoke drifted above the forest canopy. That is how Anastasia knew she was heading the right direction. Her guide was a different story, he knew this wilderness of trees and rocks because he spent years hunting and exploring this valley. It also helped that his heavy feet left an evident path from the previous excursion.

Night was chasing them it seemed. The darker it got the slower the group moved. Even Nuck Nuck stumbled and lost his bearings. The only thing left to follow was the fire lit at the Nimbus. Anastasia’s attention drifted from mouth to mouth of her travel partners hoping to find some word she understood.

It was all for not.

Until, in the distance in front of her she heard a voice. A voice that spoke a language she recognized.

“Hey what the hell is that?! Fableton grab a flashlight and check it out!”

Gelben’s voice was course, but rung favorably in Anastasia’s ears.

A light pierced through the thicket of trees, and illuminated Nuck Nuck and company.

With their eyes all affixed upon the brightness of the light. Nuck Nuck turned towards his group and spoke.

“Anlapono! Manewo Tetanko.”

The elder his eye’s filled with amazement spoke “Lilipena!”

With the way now illuminated the group walked faster.

“Oh Shit! It’s that big dude again! and he brought others!” Fableton’s voice shook the flashlight.

“Wait! I am with them!” Anastasia yelled back.

“I didn’t think we would see you again!” Gelben answered.

“Are they going to hurt us?” Stuckey asked.

“You spent the most time with them! Don’t you know?” Anastasia.

“I…..Uh…..These are strange, strange people. Don’t let your guard down.”

Nuck Nuck was the first to come forward. He immediately walked towards Stuckey and lifted him off the ground in an embrace. Stuckey felt the power of this man squeeze the wind out of him. When the hug was over, a smile shown across Nuck Nuck’s face.

“I think we will be ok.” Stuckey said between gasps catching his breath.

Anastasia rushed from the group to and hugged her fellow castaways.

“I didn’t realize I would actually miss you guys! What was the fire for?”

“You missed Noah’s funeral. Stuckey said some nice things and we ate survival rations. One of the more memorable funerals I have been too.” Fableton spoke watching the Native people come closer.

Took Took rushed up spear in hand. He bellowed a warrior’s cry.

“Oh god damn it I knew we couldn’t trust them!” Gelben said running.

At that moment Nuck Nuck yelled, and commanded his fellow brave. “Anlapono!”

Took Took wasn’t happy about it, but he complied. The elder hobbled over to Fableton, transfixed upon the flash light.

“Whoa, hey haven’t you seen a flash light before?” Fableton asked.

“They can’t understand you. Just like you can’t understand them. Like I said, strange strange people.” Stuckey

Fableton clicked the flash light off. Niata shouted “Innie!”

“Alright, calm yourself.” Fableton clicked the torch back on.

“Do you want to hold it?” Fableton said outstretching the light.

Timidly the elderly man took it. His eye’s widened with excitement as he held the torch. He pointed it in many directions, much like a child holding a flashlight for the first time. He accidentally clicked it off and said “Innie!”

Fableton helped him turn it back on. When they looked at where the light had returned both men welled up with fear.

“Mahka!” yelled Niata.

Instantly Nuck Nuck and Took Took jumped up and charged towards the trees.

“What the hell did you see?” Stuckey asked.

“There is a goddamn bear!”

The animal rushed forward from the cover of the timbers. It’s long legs stretched over the earth as it moved. Sharp claws cut through the ground with each step. A brown pelt, lead to a short neck protruded a stout face with jaws open with a growl. The bear dashed and knocked Fableton and Niata to the ground. Then hastily circled around the group. Nuck Nuck and Took Took tried to pursue but the beast was too quick.

Anastasia took the other two women into the safety of the Nimbus.

Gelben reappeared holding his electric pole saw. “Did anyone see where the damn thing went?!”

“Help!” Fableton yelled as his foot was in the clutches of the creature. Gelben rushed forward and jabbed his weapon. The beast recoiled and responded with a guttural deafening roar.

Fableton’s foot was released and he crawled away. Nuck Nuck and Took Took rallied around Gelben. They had cornered the beast between them and a large timber. Each time they took a step forward, the beast warned against them. Nowhere left to run the bear stood up on its hind legs.

“Jesus Christ that is big!” Stuckey said watching from the distance.

Took Took was the first to charge. He thrust his spear forward. The bear swatted the assault away. Nuck Nuck took this opportunity to counterattack, his strike pierced the hide of the bear near the shoulder. The bear yelped in pain and responded with vengeance, falling upon Took Took. It’s massive claws outstretched to crush his head. The bear fell upon Took Took’s spear. It’s bouldering weight was its own demise. The spear looked like a sliver in the huge animal, but it was jabbed deep into the chest. Took Took’s head was squeezed in the jaws of the bear. It was injured but not dead, yet. Gelben and Nuck Nuck lunged forward stabbing on opposite sides. It was a scene of carnage, blood, fur, all covered in thunderous roaring. Thrashing about the bear violently clung to what little life it had left. Gelben drove his spear in deeper. His aggression let him slip into the reach of the bear, which slashed his forearms.

“AAAAARRRRGH” He screamed in pain as his arms began to ooze blood.

Nuck Nuck pulled his spear out and lunged again. This time his strike landed in the short neck of the bear. The bear couldn’t roar anymore as it’s voice seemed to turn into a gurgling sound. It writhed in agony a little longer then fell dead still.

Stuckey limped over carrying the medical kit.

“Jesus is there anything here that won’t try kill us?”