He points down where the other fork of the river continues on and says, “Look, there’s a tall tree down there on this side of the river that might span the water.”
“How are we to cut it down?” Miko asks. “We don’t have any axes or anything.”
Nodding toward James, he says, “He could knock it down with magic. After what I’ve seen you do to buildings, this shouldn’t be too hard.
Looking at the tree in the distance, he slowly nods his head and says, “Might be able to arrange that. Give me a moment to think about it,” he tells them as he finishes up with his lunch.
Once he’s done, he tosses what’s left into the river and watches as the little fish consume it. Then, with the other two watching, he walks over to the tree and begins to figure out the particulars of what he’s going to do.
It definitely looks tall enough to span the water after it falls, providing it falls in the correct direction. That shouldn’t be a problem, he just needs to direct the magic to steer it that way. Ready to try, he motions the others to stand back several yards behind him as he begins to concentrate.
Miko watches him as he stands there, five feet from the base of the tree. Suddenly, the base pops as bark flies in all directions. The top begins to topple and at first it looks to be falling more along the river than across it. But then, as if a giant hand grabs it, the tree swings more toward the opposite shore. With a loud crashing, it lands with the top of its branches well on the other side of the river.
They come over to where he’s standing, congratulating James as he watches the water passing just under the trunk of the tree. “Good job!” exclaims Miko.
“If we’re careful, it’s unlikely we’ll fall in,” Jiron says as he climbs up onto the trunk. “Let me go first, and if it’s safe, you two can follow,” he tells them.
Miko and James stay next to the trunk while he makes his way across the water to the other side. The trunk is fairly stable, the branches beneath it forming a secure contact with the riverbed.
They watch as Jiron makes his way through the limbs to the other side and finally comes to stand on the opposite shore. “No problem!” he shouts back to them.
“Wanna go next?” James asks Miko.
Nodding, he climbs up onto the trunk and makes his way to the other side. Once he’s there, James begins his way across and finds carrying his stick with him will be impossible. So he tosses his walking stick into the water and goes on across. The multiple branches extending away from the tree give him ample handholds with which to maintain his balance, even with his injuries. There was one heart stopping moment when his injured leg lost its balance and he almost fell. But by grabbing a couple branches in a death grip, which renewed the pain in his side, he was able to right himself and continue on.
Reaching the other side, he climbs down from the trunk and joins them by the river. Miko hands him another walking stick he’d found while James was crossing. He takes the stick and says, “Thank you.”
“Should we continue following it?” Jiron asks, indicating the main river from which the one they’d been following had split off.
“I would think so,” he says.
Without another word, Jiron turns and begins looking for the best path to take. With the river flowing steadily on their left, they continue on through the swamp. By nightfall, the swamp had begun to change from an area filled with stagnant pools to a more pleasant, forest type area.
“I think we may be finally getting to the edge of the swamp,” Jiron announces when they stop for the night.
“It looks like it,” agrees James. “The air is fresher and there’s not nearly the amount of annoying bugs to deal with.”
They make camp at the edge of the river and James goes into the woods, soon returning with several animals for dinner. By this time, the others have a good fire going and they relax around it as their dinner is cooking. The evening passes uneventfully, each taking their turn at watch.
When the sun rises in the morning, James is happy to find his leg beginning to itch. Knowing that’s an indication of healing, he tries not to scratch any of the scabs off. His side is doing better as well, some of the scabs are beginning to flake off around the edges. The strain he put on the wound when he almost fell into the river seems to have had little lasting effect.
His leg barely aches when he rests his weight on it when they’re ready to go. Not bothering with a walking stick any longer, he’s able to keep up with Jiron. They make better time than they had the day before.
As they continue on throughout the day, the swamp gradually disappears and a forest takes its place. Not having to worry about backtracking around pools of water where those flesh eating fish might be living, they’re able to cover more distance.
Maintaining a northerly course as they follow the river out of the swamplands, they continue on for several hours. The ground becomes firmer and soon the only water they find is that of the river next to them and the few small streams that flow into it. They all become more relaxed as they continue on, more comfortable in the more familiar setting of the forest.
James is feeling so good in fact, he breaks out in song, “Zip a de do dah…”
After several choruses, Miko asks him, “What’s that song about?”
Smiling, James explains, “Just a fun song from where I come from. It basically means happy to be alive, or at least that’s how it’s always made me feel.”
“Could you teach it to me?” he asks.
“Sure,” James says and then launches into another round.
Miko has trouble at first, but then he catches on fast and by the third iteration has the words and tune down fairly well. Jiron even manages to join in after the second time around and they go through the forest singing.
They’ve managed to make good speed through the rest of the day. When it begins getting dark, they again make camp, with James hunting for food while the others get the fire going.
Once he’s returned with a couple animals and they’re sitting around the fire, he says, “This is nice.”
“What is?” asks Jiron from where he’s turning the spit.
“Just being in the forest, no one trying to kill you,” he says wistfully. “I’ve always liked being out among the trees, it’s always brought me peace.”
“Not me,” says Miko. “The forest gives me the creeps.”
Laughing, James replies, “That’s because you’re a city boy. Spend more time out here and you’ll come to appreciate them.”
Miko looks at him doubtfully and says, “So far, they’ve been nothing but trouble.”
“I suppose it could seem that way,” Jiron joins in. “If we weren’t here in the Empire, at least I think we’re still in the Empire, then it would feel different.”
“Maybe,” he says, still not convinced.
When the meal is over and they’re getting ready to settle down to sleep, Jiron offers to take the first watch.
Miko turns to him and says, “If the woods are such a great place, why are we bothering with a watch?”
“Can never be too careful,” he replies.
Figuring he’d made his point, Miko turns over and eventually falls asleep. James and Jiron sit up for a little while longer, talking.
“He sure can be negative sometimes,” Jiron says quietly to James.
“I know,” he replies. “Has to do with his life I would imagine. Being alone on the streets where everyone tries taking what you have, doesn’t tend to build trust.”
“I suppose,” Jiron says. “I was on the streets too and am not that way.”
“True,” replies James. “But what would you have been like if Tersa hadn’t been alongside you, or if that guy hadn’t gotten you started in the fight pits.”
“I see what you mean,” he says. Then he smiles and laughs quietly.
“What?” James asks him.
“Oh, I was just remembering a time after I’d been in the pits for a while,” he explains. “Kehlan, that was his name, was on his way to get me for another fight. He said he always wanted to take me to them, not for us to just meet there. Anyway, he was coming toward me when from out of nowhere, a tomato sails toward him and hits him right in the side.”
Starting to giggle a little more, he says, “You should have seen him, he was mad and was looking around to
