Space Knights: The Arrival by Gregory Samuelson (buy e reader .TXT) 📕

protect it from the weather. Next, he went to gather supplies for the shelter. He found some good-sized and straight limbs and some smaller branches that would make a good solid frame for his shelter. A few yards away he spotted a couple thick trees that had a unique looking bark.

The bark of the tree looked like canvas in a way and felt like it when he approached and touched it. The bark was also sort of loose on the tree. Trance took out his sword and cut off and peeled enough bark to cover his shelter. With the limbs and bark he began to build.

The shelter began to take shape as he rather crudely connected the limbs together. He had cut strips of bark off the limbs to use as twine to tie the limbs together. The frame for the shelter looked like a small tent. He then took the canvas-like bark and layered it on the frame, attaching it as best he could. He then decided to find something to eat. He left the clearing and went in search of food.

He kept track of how far he had gone and what direction he had taken so he could find his way back to the shelter. Twenty minutes later he found some small animals that were a cross between a squirrel and a rabbit. It took five arrows before he was able to get one of these swift little critters. He tracked down all of the arrows and tried to get a couple more of the animals to make more of a meal. Fifteen minutes later he had managed to bring down three more of them. On the way back to his shelter he gathered up some wild berries and wild vegetables that Chorus had taught him about. He could use them to make a complete meal.

He took his food supply back to his campsite and set them aside as he turned to set up a fire. He cleared a space in front of his shelter, made a ring of stones and gathered up some firewood. Trance had learned from Chorus and Martin how to start a fire in the woods when you don’t have a match or other fire-starting item. For five minutes he tried and tried to start some kindling burning. He had constructed a rather crude bow with some string and a flexible branch and then wrapped the string around a straight stick that he had stripped and sharpened to spin on a block of wood. He continued to spin the stick, wondering if he would start a fire or drill through the block of wood, until the block slowly started to smoke and gradually glow. Soon a cinder ignited and he got it onto some wood shavings and with a gentle breath lit up a small fire. He leaned over and blew gently on the small flame that was slowly starting to consume the kindling. He began adding some wood of various sizes from pieces that were just larger than the kindling, gradually increasing the sizes to some larger logs. It was soon a respectable fire and Trance then began to prepare his meal.

It took him several minutes to prepare his meal. First he skinned and cleaned the little animals and then cleaned his vegetables and cooked them by skewering them and roasting them above the fire. He ate that night rather quickly, discarding the bones and vegetables that he hadn’t eaten. He sat there afterwards by the fire for a long time and gazed up at the stars.

As he stared at the stars and pictured the constellations he prayed that he was heading in the right direction and would be forgiven for his actions of the day. He also asked for wisdom in seeking his family and protection during the night. Finally he climbed into his shelter and curled up in the soft pile of leaves that he had placed there as a bed. He lay there with the sword lying beside him and drifted off to sleep, dreaming about knights and his family. Where was his family? Were they still alive? Would he ever become a knight?

***

In the morning he woke up and put out his fire. He took down his shelter and packed it up. He had figured out how to pack it up so he could carry it and set it up later at a new campsite. He then looked about and decided to clear up the campsite. In minutes he cleared the site to look as if he’d never been there. With a sudden thought he went and buried the bones from last night. He guessed that the animals would eat his discarded vegetables so there would be little evidence about his being there.

He made his way through the forest and wandered on. He kept himself alert and looked for another place to set up camp. He didn’t see any people, houses, or roads. He journeyed on and started enjoying the scenery and admiring the splendid trees and bushes. The gentle tinkle of a stream reached his ears, and he chuckled at the thought that where there was a stream there were fish.

The stream was several yards away, so he hurried toward it and stopped and watched it for a while. There were a couple fish that jumped and he decided that he’d try and catch them. The easiest way to catch a fish was to attach a string to an arrow and shoot. He searched his belongings and came up with enough string to go across the stream. He waited and soon a fish jumped and he shot. The arrow missed. A few minutes later he had another opportunity and tried again. He missed and waited again. Three more times he tried and missed. Eventually his shot was true, and he landed two fish in a row. They would be enough for today.

He walked on with his catch and finally set up camp again. He set up his shelter,