22 Starving Tribe (1/2)
Rock and Smoke were busy cleaning the outside of their cottage of snow. Smoke would scrape off snow and pile them on a sleigh. Rock carries that sleigh to the wall where the goblins stationed there would create a wall of snow in front of the existing wall. Sun and Stick made their way down the street to their cottage to meet the two.
The two met Rock on the way; he was pulling the sleigh to the wall. ”Sun, you're awake!” Rock yelled. He let go of the reins and hugged Sun. Sun noticed his forearm was covered in bandages. ”Is your still not ok?” Sun asked.
”Sadly, no. Even though your mom used a healing spell, it still takes a long for the bones to heal properly. I guess that goat's headbutt was that strong.”
”I told you not to wrestle with it. Anyway, where are you going with that snow.”
”I'm going to bring it to the wall. The guys working there are using it to make a taller wall of snow. Probably because of the wolves.”
”The Timber Wolves are a major problem for the tribe. Olhos' scouts found three of them. No one is allowed to leave because of the risk of getting attacked.” Stick said.
”Those same wolves that attacked us. There's three of them now.” Sun said as he wondered if his dream had a connection to the number of wolves present in the forest. If it was, it doesn't explain that dog's mechanical appearance. There was also his past life's name, Shuja, and the fact that a goblin from this world had the same name. ”How's Shuja and the other goblins that went hunting the same day we did?”
”Most of them are fine. Our group and Lite's group were the only that were outright attacked by those wolves.” Stick said.
”I see. Well, we should go and help Smoke clear the snow. I'll see you once you get back Rock.”
”I'll get back as fast as possible then.” Rock proclaimed.
The brothers went on their separate ways. At the cottage, a bunch of goblins was moving snow around. One of them was Smoke. Sun formed a cone with his hands and yelled out to him. ”Hey! Leave some for the rest of us!”
Smoke raised his head to see who was yelling. When he saw Sun, he dropped his wooden shovel and ran to him. The two brothers hugged each other as tight as they could. ”You're awake!”
”Hell yeah, I'm awake. Also, can you let go now, this hug is starting to hurt.” Smoke let go, and the two brothers share a laugh with one another.
”So, where can I get a pair of shovels for Stick and me?”
”What? You just woke up. I can't just let you plow the snow,”
”It's fine. Rock is working despite his injuries. It will be fine.”
”Well,” Smoke scratch his head. ”Fine. There's a couple of shovels over there by that wagon.” He pointed over a small wagon with a pile of shovels on top of it. Sun and Stick fetched their shovels and started to plow the snow off the road. Stick showed Sun the proper way to use the shovel.
”Now, put your right foot on top of the shovel's head and press down,” Stick said. ”Then push the shovel forward while pressing the handle down. After moving the shovel a few inches forward, you raise it. You can use your knee as support if it's too heavy.”
Sun was having a great time working, not because he enjoys plowing but because it was the first he has seen the snow. If it were not for the fact they needed to get to work, he would have fallen on the ground and made those snow angels. None of the dreams of his past life depict snow, only the coarse sand.
Rock came back after an hour and helped with shoveling the snow. The brothers continued to work till sundown. After finishing the work, they returned the shovels and proceeded to walk to the town square. ”Where are we going?” Sun asked.
”To the house with the red roof. That's where the rations are being handed out.” Smoke said.
”They better give more this time. I'm starting to lose my muscles.” Rock complained.
”I doubt that. Even if it stopped snowing, those wolves would stop us from hunting.”
The sky was getting darker as they walk. It was time for dinner, and the square was filled with hungry goblins. Sun looked at the large crowd forming a long, compact line. He counted the heads he saw. There were at least a hundred or more goblins in front of him alone. The line moved terribly slow. Most of them huddled together for warmth, the brothers included. Some of the goblins that got their portion would walk pass the ones waiting in line and eat it in front of them. They laughed while the other goblins stared with envy as their belly make rumbling noises. ”Fuck those guys,” Rock whispered. ”They only get to eat first because they're the chief's direct followers. Meanwhile, those with babies to feed have to wait in line. Doesn't the chief know their babies could get sick from the cold.”