Two Men At A Lake – A Story About Otters
This is Chapter 4. Chapter 3 is here.
– Chapter 4: No, we're not doing that –
Chapter 4: No, we're not doing that
Two furry men in the forest, sleeping, dreaming, being woken up by the earth rumbling and then shaking. Walls trembling and the air filling with the squeaking and creaking of the wood. For a moment that seemed like eternity, they held each other close, not entirely convinced the simple construction around them would prevail. But then it was over, and they fell back into an uneasy sleep.
When David finally opened his eyes again, alerted by more rumbling of the ground next to him, he had six of them staring back at him. Three bald, perfectly smooth heads that were covered in thin brown fur and sticking out from the soil in front of him. They seemed to be connected with each other, forming a triangle of sorts, and opened their mouths simultaneously:
„You're the otters that needed help last night, yes?“
David just stared back, which didn't deter the group of heads.
„Pardon the rude awakening, but you're in our house. We will let you stay here, but you have to help us. Our child was abducted by a metallic beast this morning during the earthquake, whisked away to the peak of the tallest mountain here. And we think we saw your daughter running after them, too.“
David opened his mouth and closed it again. He still didn't know what to say.
„Please, we need your help. We must go.“ the moleheads continued and then disappeared into the ground again.
The ensuing silence was finally broken by Matt laughing.
„Guess neither of us has to worry about never having gone to art school now, huh?“ He gently poked David's sides. „The message boulder will be spared of our attempts at drawing now.“
The grin on Matt's face was both slightly unnerving and oddly comforting at the same time, David thought as he was still laying on the makeshift bed. His man was already up and ready.
„Come on, get up. We got some rescuing to do!“ Matt exclaimed, and David still wondered what had become of their vacation, but then he thought of Rose, and he reluctantly left the embrace of the surprisingly comfortable dry moss and grass behind.
But it didn't want to let him go. Much of it stuck all over his body. And, he quickly realized, also Matt's.
„Man, look at yourself.“ David told him. „You can't possibly show yourself to everyone like that. Got to take care of your ... fur“ The last word almost didn't want to leave his mouth.
--“Do you want to help me with that?“ Matt grinned.
David just groaned and picked off the straw and other plant matter off his good friend. He didn't want to admit he actually enjoyed it, because Matt didn't need more encouragement to act like a child. Once done, he also rid himself off what still clung to him. Well, except for the worries, those were still there, of course.
It was getting obvious that he needed a comb. Where could an otter get a comb here... He had to hope there was some kind of market here, or someone to borrow one from at least.
He took his backpack, stepped outside and felt the sun blinding him. Was it always that bright? Or maybe it was all giving him a headache. It didn't matter, he had to move on. There wasn't any time to lose, but where even was this mountain they were both supposed to go to? Tallest mountain wasn't exactly specific.
„A new day, a new rescue! Otter Know, where to go!“
As if on cue, the soil right in front of him rumbled and the trio emerged again.
- „To Mt. Steel! Please, we need your help! Goodbye!“ And with that, the moleheads disappeared again.
„Okay, now just to find out where that mountain is...“ David muttered.
They would have to ask someone at the village. It was already bustling with activity, with many beastpeople engaging in repair work after the earthquake. Lizardmen (or perhaps lizardwomen) reminiscent of chameleons, one in green, one in purple, were repairing a market stall. A peculiar looking plant was walking by, using roots as legs and two large leaves as arms, with two eyes on a pitcher, reminiscent of certain carnivorous plants, scrutinizing the wares.
Further on, near the bonfire site, was a man entirely in green and light blue wearing a gigantic lilypad with a notch in it as a hat lazing on a mossy stone and taking in the sunlight. Behind the site, in front of the stage to the left, were two other stalls, showing signs of recent repair. One manned by a catman in beige clothing with whiskers, triangular ears and a red gem on the forehead, and the other by a large rabbitwoman, her body, except for a white belly garishly pink, appeared to be unusually bean-shaped. It wasn't clear to David what they were offering.
Two more stalls were to the right, one down a side path staffed by a veritable brown bipedal dinosaur mother carrying a child in her pouch, and one further away in front of the stage that belonged to a very round man covered entirely in green crouching in front of a house that seemed to be the site of martial arts teaching.
There was unfortunately no sign of any tourist bureau or of the trihead mole. So they would have to ask the beasts one by one if they knew anything. It felt increasingly wrong to call them demons, especially since none of them were as hostile as the ones in the forest or the cave they had been to.
Matt approached the lizardpeople's market stall and David followed right behind. It had an impressive amount of apples, berries, seeds, scarves, and various colorful gemstones on display.
„Hello“ the green lizard greeted them with a sing-song, before looking at them more closely and saying. „Oh, you're the two new people here“ in a much flatter voice.
„The Team Otter Know... about us: we are a rescue team!“ Matt responded.
- „But last night you seemed to need a rescue yourself!“ the lizards laughed.
„We were a rescue team in need of a rescue, but now we are a rescue team on the way to a rescue!“
- „You decided to do the rescue yourself?“ the green one asked.
„Yes!“
- „Very well.“ the lizard said as he broke eye contact with Matt. „Good luck with that and have a nice day!“ the purple one next to him added. To David it seemed like annoyance barely cloaked in politeness.
„Thanks! We had plenty of luck on our past missions already, but this one might be much more difficult, so it's appreciated“ Matt said, and David wasn't sure if it was obliviousness or if Matt simply chose to ignore the cue.
- „Wait, really?“ both lizards exclaimed, eyes wide open.
„Yeah, we have been very successful already!“ Matt boasted. „We rescued a caterpillar de-, I mean child and, uhh, brought back joy to two inhabitants of this power station.“
David realized they maybe should have asked for their names at the time.
- „Ohhh, our metallic neighbors? In that case I apologize for my glibness and am honored to be in the presence of a committed rescue team.“ the green one said. „Please do take a look at our wares.“
Matt picked up two scarves, in red and ocher, passing the latter to David. „Try this one!“ Putting them on, they both immediately felt more like heroes ready to take on the world. And David felt the colors suited them wonderfully, too.
- „Excellent choices. These are locally made and called Pecha and Persim. They can be infused with a certain juice and ethereal oil that will keep many poisonous insects away from you, or keep you alert in disorienting moments.“ The green lizard passed two small wooden bottles that upon opening smelled very, very strongly of pine in one case and peppermint in the other.
„Please also take a look at the special medical seeds we have available here.“ the purple one exclaimed, pointing to an assortment of large yellowish and golden seeds in front of him. „No rescue team should lack them on a quest, they can either make you or anyone else fall asleep, relieve pain or work as an antidote when poisoned.“
„But...“ He rummaged around in a crate below the stall and held up a few seeds that were of a distinctively darker shade and continued speaking in a hushed tone. „maybe you actually will find these the most interesting. If you give those to anyone standing in your way, their heads will start spinning and they won't be able to see what hit them. Just don't accidentally eat them yourself, especially since they also taste terrible. ... Don't ask me how I know that.“
David was amazed, but then began shifting nervously from one foot to the other. „These are all wonderful, but we have nothing to give to you in return.“
- „Don't worry“ began the green lizard. „In these days of disasters we are all more than grateful for any help. Even from strangers. Take what you need. And - “ he held up the box with gems David had noticed earlier but dared not asking about - „marvel at our collection of these most valuable and powerful stones we have gotten from hard-working people far and near!“
Those were the shiniest and most brightly colored pebbles and rocks David had ever seen, mesmerizing was the only way he could describe it at the time. Blue, black, orange, round, rectangular, shapeless. shiny, iridescent, matte... hey, wait a moment. David picked up a lackluster, jet black stone with rough edges and a completely irregular shape. It had a thread running through it, making it a pendant, which was a moment later hanging from his man's furry neck.
„A matte for Matt!“ David exclaimed with a wide grin.
- „Another excellent choice! That is an obsidian, a powerful stone forced from the fire deep inside Earth. It protects you from negative energy. Whatever that might be.“ the lizard said.
„Can we keep it?“ Matt asked.
- „Of course. And take two of these sleep seeds as well. Thanks for your visit!“
„Uhh, thanks“ Matt replied and silently put the seeds into his backpack.
- „We didn't even get to ask about where this Mt. Steel is...“ David muttered as they walked towards the center of the village square where the bonfire had been last night.
Matt muttered something unintelligible.
- “What?” David said, turning to him. “Don’t tell me we got stuck with a cursed amulet that the lizards were glad to get rid of because it takes away your ability to speak.”
Matt seemed to ponder the it for a bit with an exaggerated pose, looking at the sky with a paw resting at the chin. Then he shook his head, but still said nothing regardless.
- “Hey, you decided to let me do the talking now or what?”
Smug silence.
- “Fine... Watch.”
David approached the Lilypad Hat Man, still taking in the sun on some flat rock.
- “Hey Mr. Lilypad Hat Man. I don’t mean to disrupt your early... late morning sunbathing session, but could you tell us someone who is familiar with the mountains here.” he said.
“It’s afternoon already, Mr. Shorts Guy. Are they as comfy and easy to wear as I heard? And you should probably head over to ... Mr. Blues. He’s got all the clues. I just hang around here, whereas he meditates under the waterfall every day or something.”
- “Oh. ...” An awkward moment later David collected himself and asked: “Where... where is that waterfall?
“Turn around and follow your nose until you fall into the water. There it is.”
- “Ah, thanks...”
After a few steps towards this wet destination, Matt finally made some sounds again. Specifically, he broke out into a giggle. He did a poor job containing it, if he even tried at all, soon it was laughter that was probably was audible across the entire village.
David at first felt ashamed, but the look on Matt’s face convinced him otherwise. Life with Matt had taught him to smile at things more, and he was grateful for that.
The two of them walked down a small path past the market stall of the lizards on the left and the catman on the right. The catman didn't have any wares, he was just standing at a seemingly empty stall with a polite smile.
Soon the sounds of the village were drowned out by the gushing of a waterfall in a river that was flowing past the village. A few flat stones in it led to the center of the river where the outlines of a figure were vaguely visible in midst of all the falling water.
„Mr. Blues, is it?“ David called out.
The burbling of the river fall was the only answer.
„Mr. Blues!“
...
„MR. BLUES!“
Matt began uncontrollably giggling again. When he saw the look on David's confused face, eyebrows furrowed and mouth a pout, it turned into laughter so loud it seemed to finally pierce through the liquid curtain of the man whose knowledge they sought.
„LAUGHTER IS THE BEST APPROACH TO ALL THINGS.“ he shouted, to be heard even with all the water still falling around him.„WHAT DO YOU SEEK?“
Matt stepped forward and shouted, as loudly as he could:
„DIRECTIONS TO MT. STEEL“
- „GO BACK THE WAY YOU CAME. TURN RIGHT. AT THUNDERWAVE CAVE, TURN RIGHT AGAIN. YOU WILL SEE IT IN FRONT OF YOU.“
„THANK YOU“ Matt said, and turned to David. „See how easy that was?“
- „MAY LAUGHTER GUIDE YOU ALL THE WAY“
After a few steps back, David exclaimed: „Hey, we still need a comb!“
Matt looked at him and said: „Really?“
„Maybe we can ask around if someone has a spare one for you to use...“ David said.
- „No, we are not doing that. We need to get going.“ Matt looked at the sky. „It's late enough in the day we probably won't make it to the mountain before it gets dark, especially if we need to go back to the cave first. We'll need to go to our camp first and take our sleeping bags. It's going to be a long trip.“