Told ya it would be soon
. Anyway, this is the last chap ill be able to post until Teal, gets back with me.
Chapter 3
Zig was on patrol with one of the other 'converted' sligs from their village. Abe had insisted that patrols be more frequent ever sense one of the major remaining factories of the Cartel had mysteriously blew up about a month ago. Appearently, he was worried that who/what ever destroyed that factory might come after them. Cili had tried to convence him that increased patrols weren't necessary, but Abe in his old age had become quite paranoid, and wouldn't listen. Zig couldn't shake the feeling that both Cili and Dragadon had a good idea as to who blew the factory, but they weren't telling anyone. He felt this was kind of odd, since both those two usually gave new info like that freely. There was a sudden snap, startled cry, and a thud behind him. Zig turned around and saw his patrol buddy lieing in a heep on a lower branch. "Yer ok?" he asked.
"Ya..." the other slig said, looking more stunned then injured, "Misjudged the strength of the last branch I jumped onto."
"That's easy ter do if yer not paying attention." Zig scolded, "Ya have ter keep yer focus."
"I know I know. I thought I saw something by the river bed."
"Oh? What?"
"I think it was just some poor creature that got caught in that flash flood a bit earlier. Couldn't tell what it is, it was too far away and too small."
"Hmmmm, Lets have a look then." Zig said, "Lead the way."
With a nod, his patrol buddy lead Zig toward the river. When they reached it, they looked around on the bank, but didn't see anything.
"Yer sure yer saw somethen?" Zig asked.
"Pretty sure, 'less my eyes are playing tricks on me." the other slig said.
"Quite possible, since it's starting to get dark." Zig mused, then he spotted something downstream a bit, "I think I found it." he said as the trotted toward it, the other slig close behind. To Zig's surprise, it was an old, very frail looking slig. He was curled tightly into a ball, shivering. Cautiously, Zig approached and gently poked the strange slig. The slig gave a barely audible moan and let loose a few coughs that didn't sound good at all. Zig knew immediately that if he wasn't taken to a healer quickly, this slig will die.
"Man, this guy looks pretty bad off." his buddy commented, "Yer think he'll make it?"
"If we get him to a healer fast enough he will" Zig said, "hand me yer pack."
He complied and watched as Zig stuffed all the contents of his pack into it. "What yer doing that fer?" he asked.
"We gotta carry him back somehow." Zig said as he gently put the old slig into his now empty pack. With some assistence, Zig managed to get the pack back onto his back, the old slig's head resting on his shoulder. "Lets go."
"Yer sure yer can carry him all the way back?"
"He's so thin, that there's hardly any weight to 'em. I'll be fine."
"Ok, just makin' sure."
They then started their way back toward their village...