I left imdiately, not bothering to eat or rest. Id prefer to do it on the road, particularly with Deux busy with his misinformation campaign, and Nico still in the field. I got so stares and whispers on the way out, but the overall atmosphere of celebration could still be felt throughout the city as I walked. Wed won a solid victory with minimal losses, but this was going to be a war. We were going to experience a real loss at so point, and even if our losses were kept minor we didnt have the numbers to lose that the Remnants did. I wondered if the newly minted soldiers celebrating had the stomach for the long haul.
I walked without sleep for several days, taking what shortcuts I knew, but deviating my path to go to Jasper before I headed back to the Black Woods. The trip there and back would be much easier with my motorcycle, and I also wanted to take the opportunity to store so excess equipnt, lighten my load, check on any orders I had out with Murphy, and feed Gus. I hadnt managed to get him a al in quite so ti, and was concerned at what might happen if I appeared without a al for him.
I reached the outskirts of my personal deadzone, inhaling deeply and searching for the scents of any potential prey nearby. I got a faint whiff of musk, and started to follow it. I eventually ca upon a massive dog roughly the size of my motorcycle, with patchwork fur, that was limping. Deciding not to waste a bullet, I approached it slowly, and drew my knife. The beast didnt detect until I was around halfway to it, and it began to limp faster, whimpering as I approached it.
I made up my mind to end its fear and suffering as quickly as possible, and ran the rest of the gap toward it. Just as I was about to reach it, sothing slamd into my side and buried its teeth into my leg.
I let out an involuntary cry and slamd the hilt of my knife into whatever was biting my leg. I was released, and thrown several yards away.
I brought myself to my feet and found myself cornered by three of the dogs. The one that had been limping was no longer doing so, and all three of them were baring their teeth and letting out low, fearso growls.
I drew my own pistol, lowered my stance, showed my own teeth, and let out a roar of my own.
The dog nearest to , took a step back, hesitating, but the other two took my challenge and charged. Both went for my legs, and I stepped back, using what little room I had to maneuver out of their reach, while firing off 9mm rounds.
The shots didnt slow them down, and the nearest of the dogs leapt at , with its mouth wide open and aid at my face.
Instead of backing away, I leaned forward, slamming my gun into its mouth and firing a half dozen tis directly through its throat. The body went limp, but the teeth stayed buried deep into my arm.
The other dog leapt at again, and I sent out a leg, kicking its snout. There was a loud crunching noise, and it fell backward, dazed.
Before I could move to finish it off with my knife, the last dog found its spine and leapt at . I swung the arm that was still half encased in its companion at it, and knocked it to the side. I sheathed my knife quickly, grabbed its tail and lifted the creature by it, slamming it onto the ground on the other side. It made the sounds of a wet rag hitting a flat surface. I re-drew my knife and slit the throat of the last one, ending its whimpering.
After that I yanked the jaws embedded in my arm open, dropping the dogs corpse to the ground. Theyd tricked , and done so more effectively than most of the human opponents Id encountered. I was as impressed as I was irritated. My annoyance was quickly abated by the thought that since I had three bodies I could keep one for myself while still having plenty to keep up my agreent with Gus.
I did so swift butchering on the one I selected to eat myself. I'd chosen the one who had died with my arm in its mouth, for the irony, and the other two I simply tied together for ease of moving them, and slung them over my shoulder. It didnt take long for to reach the small lake that was as close to ho as any other place ever had been. Green electricity arced across the surface of it, and the dark shape of my ramshackle ship bobbed gently on its surface. I saw another shape moving through the water, and a pair of massive eyes peeked out of the water's surface. Guss large white body was clearly visible, contrasting heavily with the murky water in which he lived. I took the at Id gathered for him and put it on the usual patch of ground, before walking toward the raft I used to reach my main boat. Before Id even got on the water, Gus had lifted himself onto the shore, and made his way to his al. I heard the snapping of bones, and felt so calm co over . The sounds and slls of my shelter putting at ease after a long ti away.
The boat itself was in good condition. Clean, maintained. I could tell that Nico had taken the ti to visit it and ensure everything had stayed in working order while I was away. I could also see from the deck that shed done as Id asked and returned Betty, my motorcycle, to its place by my old mail delivery cart on the shore. Id let her borrow it in my na while I was gone, but knew I wouldnt want to retrieve it from Fette myself after Id returned.
I made my way into the cabin of the boat itself. It was relatively clean, but after checking my stores I could tell they were lower than usual. Either Deux had found ti to visit, or Nico had taken and neglected to restore them. I leaned toward the first option being the most likely.
I took the ti to update my maps, adding to a section that had been left frustratingly blank since Id first begun my explorations. I added more than a dozen landmarks, both in and around the Cut, including notes that referenced their entries in my journals, and my smaller atlases that covered the area. When I was done I took a mont to look around at what Id done. One wall of my cabin was now full of notebooks that broke down areas of the wastes, what they held, who lived within them, and what dangers could be expected. Every deadzone, settlent, and caravan Id ever encountered had been cataloged and mapped. I wasnt sure why I did it. Partially it was for Potts, who received copies of all the information I had, and the other part was for myself to reference, but I didnt really need it. Still, I felt imnse satisfaction as I looked at all that Id written.
The wall next to that was covered in my favorite books, and I took the ti to switch out the ones Id taken with for so old favorites I hadnt read in so ti. I doubted Id have ti to read, but there was sothing comforting about having them in my pack. I ignored my bed, and instead stored the extra supplies Id been paid by the Remnants and took a quick inventory. Once I was done, I went back out on the deck. It was dawn, and I could see that Gus had finished his al, bones and all. I myself took a few monts to enjoy the fresh at Id just acquired, washing it down with a cup of coffee as I waited for the sun to rise. I wanted to simply go straight into town, get my trading done, and move directly on to the blackwoods, but other people needed to sleep and the town wouldnt be active for a bit longer. I found it frustrating, but at the sa ti if everyone else required as little rest as I did, it wouldnt be much of an advantage for .
Once I finished my al and my coffee, I made my way back to the lakeshore, Gus eyes tracking lazily as I moved. I took the tarp off of Betty, turned the key in the ignition, enjoying the sound of her roaring to life, hopped into the seat and started making my way toward Jasper.
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