Triple Strength

30. Heavy Hitter: Wiremu

I led Rocky back from the clearing where I skinned thirteen wolves. I was pretty impressed as I knew her weapons skills were only in the Novice levels. I bet they weren't now. Rocky was loaded down with pelts I would have to get to drying. Everybody would need to stay away from that clearing for a while. The scavengers were gathering as I left.

When I got to the camp Tabitha was wildly excited. A new Class and an advanced Skill. That fight must have been more desperate than I thought. The new Skill sounded amazing. She was going on about how it would eventually make Dark Sight obsolete. I was pretty sure it wouldn't as it sounded very much like a close range skill, maybe medium range at masters level. I didn’t say anything. I might be wrong. We celebrated with wolf steaks for dinner.

Tabitha’s experience confirmed to me that the way to open new skills was to use your existing Skills in as many different ways as possible. I knew from the way Granite Spike levelled so fast that that also sped the levelling of the skills. It seemed by contrast to get better classes you needed to train under someone. When my Bow skill got to Journeyman level I could figure out that for me to get LongBow I would have to stretch the distance I could fire an arrow. I really wanted Triple shot, and I had no clue how to get that.

Unsurprisingly, Tabitha decided not to go out hunting that night. She pretty much crashed asleep. I knew she was itching to go out riding but would have to give Dusk at least a couple of days rest. To be quite frank she needed the rest too.

My trousers were a work in progress. I was using the cotton ones as a pattern, but the hide does not bend or stretch the same. Or stretch at all. It was taking a lot of adjusting so I could still move the same. I was using the deer hide as it was the thinnest I had. Once I had the deer working I would try to replicate them in elk for a tougher pair. Hide was not the best material and not going to last, but I had no way to make leather until I could reach a town with a tanner. Having just seen the damage to Tabitha’s legs I was thinking that a second layer on the thighs and shins was a good idea.

The shoulder and upper arm pads were done. Pip now had a warm place on my shoulder to be. I was really glad I figured out Cold Resistance and could share it. He was really suffering and we would have to go higher and colder to get out of here. I had really doubted he would survive. Now I have a mission to get Cold Resistance as high as possible.

The next morning Tabitha and I went for our dip and then sparred, but not full out because of her injuries. She was more perceptive and I couldn't hide anything from her. She was now also noticeably faster than me, which was the additional points to Physical Agility from Shadow Predator and Rider. I sat down to try and get a pair of trousers I could wear. Tabitha took Rocky and Dusk out for a walk so they could graze. She is definitely horse mad.

This afternoon, I glanced at the gathering clouds, maybe tomorrow, I would start scouting further up the valley. These trousers were frustrating me. I would make some changes then put them on and go through some exercises to see where they pulled or restricted my movement, then take them off and make more changes. This is the reason I made the sheep skin into a vest so I didn’t need to deal with arm movements. The shoulder pads worked well and I was going to make some new bracers too, but they were easy. I was certainly going to have the authentic ‘mountain man’ look.

Tabitha came back with the horses around lunch time, looking relaxed. I was trying on my latest version of trousers and they seemed Ok so far. In fact they were pretty good. Jumps, rolls, splits, climbing. Yeah they were good. I jumped down from the tree I was climbing and noticed a new skill. Hide Armourer 1. Sewing had also levelled. I took them off again to use as a pattern on the elk hide and to add the second layer for the armour and I could see where I could improve them some more. Must be the Skill in play helping me. The next pair also went faster now that I knew what I was doing and with the Skill helping. I might see if Tabitha wants a pair. The elk will be better protection than the light leather trousers she is currently repairing.

“Hey Tabitha, I have got these trousers sorted and the Hide Armourer Skill now. There is enough elk for me to make you a pair as well as mine. Interested?” I asked.

She looked at me and the elk hide. “Yes,'' she said, ''but I would be more interested in a wolf hide pair.”

I looked at the wolf hides, “I don’t think I can do that yet, as I would have to join several hides together and the fur is much longer. After I have done the trousers I was planning to use some of the wolf hides to improve our cloaks, including adding a hood. The weather is getting worse and we will be going higher so I think it will be needed. After that I could look into it.” I replied.

She nodded. Then she surprised me. “So tell me about bonding with an animal.” she said, “Or is it only something hunters can do?”

“No. More people can bond with animals if they have the attributes and training. It was part of what my master trained me in during the hunter training. I always wanted a wolf like he had, but it turns out Pip is better for me. What were you thinking?”

“I am thinking that I am never going to be a strong fighter. A bond with a night hunter, with an additional ability like poison would work well for me.” she said.

She had obviously been thinking it through. My animal Bond skill was in the Journeyman level, so technically I could train her.

“Mental Strength and Mental Agility are the two key attributes. The minimum is 10 in each, but practically you need more, especially if you are looking to bond a more willful or aggressive animal. If I remember correctly I was about 14 or 15 in each when I bonded with Pip.”

Her face fell. “Mental Strength is my weakest attribute,” she said. “It is only at 12.”

“That is not far off, but you should probably work on increasing it. The more the better. I can show you the exercises my master showed me, and if the opportunity arises you will at least have a chance at a bond.” I said. She perked up at that and we spent the next hour going through some mental exercises. She went off to practise even though I had dampened her enthusiasm quite a bit. I had some trousers to make and then a stream to fish.

The rain hit early evening, but we were Ok in our semi cave with the hides up giving some protection. We had moved the horses closer as well. The next morning was showery. I stripped to my briefs and ran to the stream for a quick dip and back, but Tabitha wouldn't join me. I did hint it was good for Mental Strength as well as Cold resistance. She just threw a boot at me and rolled over in that bear skin.

I spent the morning working on our cloaks. Hide Armourer was now level 4 and Sewing moved to Apprentice level with joining different wolf hides together. I kept a split in the back so we could ride with them easier. When I lined the inside of the shoulders and hood with sheepskin, Hide Armourer also went up to Apprentice Level. Pushing the skills is the key to levelling. Our footwear was worrying me. I created a wolf hide cover which tied at the knee and went over the boot and tied it there. That was the best I could do for now. All that took all day and I never got to go fishing.

Clothing wise I think we are sorted. I am going to need to try and make some arrows soon, the trouble is Tabitha stole the leather and weapon maintenance kits from the guard storehouse, but nothing for woodworking. We had a hand axe, a machete and my knife. That wasn’t going to make usable arrows. I could make stone arrowheads with my Granite Spikes, but we needed the arrow shafts and the fletching.

The next day it dawned fine but there was a cold wind blowing down from the mountain. After our morning routine I decided it was time to scout up the valley. Both Tabitha and Dusk were healing fine and we would need to move on in a couple more days. I saddled Rocky to take him and Pip came too. Our Cold Resistance was at 5% and I think he was becoming more active. Plus the fact he could curl up on my shoulder on my sheepskin vest, under my goat skin pauldrons all covered with a sheepskin lined Wolf pelt coat. I think he was levelling his crushing resistance under all that.

We worked our way up the valley, keeping up one side, so I could use Far Sight to watch the valley. There was nothing of Interest until I went to turn across the valley and work my way back down the other side. Just a little further up I spied a family of Brown bears. Mum, Dad and two half grown cubs. This told me two things. Firstly this is what passed for summer here and we really needed to be out of the mountains before autumn.

Secondly, we had no way to fight a large creature like a bear, and they were not the largest around. Branik had me train in Small Blades and I chose the bow, because I was the scout as part of a larger team. Branik, Kopje and Smeška were the heavy hitters to take down the large threats. Now it was just Tabitha and I. If we couldn’t run, what could we do? I sat on the side of the hill watching the bears through Far Sight mulling things over. Our biggest weapon was a sword wielded by our weakest member. I was the one with the massive strength. With Physical Strength at 42 it was twice as high as my average and my next highest attribute was Physical Agility at 26. I wasn’t utilising that asset, especially when you added in Granite Bones. I was our team's heavy hitter. What could I hit with?

I mulled this over all the way back to camp. I would need to change my training and practice with a heavy weapon. But we didn’t have a heavy weapon, unless I could make one. In my status I had a skill that had never levelled since I got it and I got it before the slavers even attacked our village. Spear 1. Could I make a spear? Well, I was looking for a challenge for Granite Spike.

I grabbed the hand axe and went down to the stream. I could fish while resting between attempts. I found a large flat rock and first attempted to make a thin rod as tall as possible. On the fifth attempt I had one that was about a metre and a half tall. Time for some tests, after I pull in that fish. I took the hand axe and hit the base of the rod with the back of the axe, using it like a hammer. The end crumbled a bit, but came loose from the river rock. It seemed solid. It wasn’t going to break under its own weight. It was heavy compared to wood, but I had all that strength. How easy would it break? So it wasn’t very strong if it took a hit from the side. It was strong to take end hits, but would break easily from the side. If I lay one between two rocks and stood on it it broke. Could I strengthen it somehow?

There were a lot of tall trees around. Could I make a wooden pole and stone head? That seemed more reasonable. I cut several straight branches and smaller trees. Trimming them with the hand axe and removing the bark. They seemed all too soft and flexible. I think it was the wrong sort of tree, but I didn’t get Plant Lore. There were some different species of trees dotted around the valley, but before I went and tried them I wanted to experiment combining wood in the Granite Spike. Would that strengthen it enough?

I think it was about try number 20 when I got Granite Spike to encase a thin stick of wood about a metre long. That got Granite Spike to journeyman level, which was half the point of this. I tested this new creation by lying it on two rocks and slowly adding my weight. It took my weight, which the pure granite didn’t. A small flex up and down and it broke. It was better, but still too weak for a spear.

After a rest I tried using Granite Spike without it being attached to a surface. Fishing hook? Yes. A small stone knife? Yes. I tried a more stiletto design for stabbing. It went a fair way into the tree. Single use obviously as the blade broke, but could be useful. Think eyes and ears as places to stab. I tried throwing the knife. After the fifth attempt one finally stuck in the tree. If it didn’t hit at just the right angle it would bounce. I tried creating darts to throw. That was more successful. I would experiment more later but it seemed small items were no problem and granite was quite the sharp edge. Now for a tree hunt.

I did find a tree that I thought would work for a spear, but dusk was falling, so I cut some low hanging branches to take back to camp to test and I would come back tomorrow for spear sized pieces if it worked. I didn’t get to experiment that night. I left the branches in the cave and went to check on Rocky and take a dump and a quick wash before settling in for the night. When I got back Tabitha had used the branches on the fire. I mentioned why I had set them aside. She looked at me and muttered something about communicating properly. I guess I had the night off instead. Over dinner I explained my thinking about the spear and she could see my logic. She thought we would be able to get away from almost anything with her shadows and aura, but there is no harm in having another weapon at our disposal, especially as the arrow bundle was getting smaller.

The next morning I got five solid good straight poles from the tree. I cleaned them up but didn’t sharpen them. Instead I made a cross shaped groove in the end and practised making stone spear points. Then, in the first time in almost four years, I went through the practice movements I had been taught. I remember struggling with the moves, even using a light spear, as my strength was too low at the time. Nothing wrong with my strength now. It was my muscle memory and coordination I had to work on. Don’t forget the foot work. After an hour and a half of spear practice I went on to throwing weapons. I particularly wanted to practise with my off hand as my main hand would usually have my main weapon. The darts seemed to work better. I got out the practice trap I had for the bow and used that to practise against moving targets. I would try to get two darts in the target, one from each hand. My off hand will need a lot of practice.

I practised my Small Blades with the stone knives. They had a different weight and feel. I set up some of the scrap hides to practice against. If I serrated the edge of the knife it ripped through the hides leaving jagged cuts. That is probably better against opponents with high regeneration as it will take longer to heal than a smooth cut.

I had no skill levels that day but I was very happy with my progress. That night I made a hide belt to hold some pre-made throwing darts as making them required concentration and I wouldn't have time in a fight. I am assuming it would come easier to me as I practised and levelled.

We decided to spend two more days here and move on, on the third day as it was imperative to be out of the mountains before the autumn.

The next day I repeated my training in the morning and then went hunting with my new weapons in the afternoon. It felt weird going out without my bow. I discovered trying to stealth with a big spear was nearly impossible. I actually parked my spear and went hunting small game then came back for it. The throwing darts were successful against the smaller game, but my aim was still abysmal. I tracked and cornered a wild boar and fought it with the spear. Spears were very awkward and required space. I managed the kill, but it was messy. Spear levelled, but It was going to need a lot of work to get comfortable with it.

The pork was nice that night and there were still some useable bits of the hide. After drying the hide I cut it into strips as I would need to make some straps to carry the spears, both for me and Rocky. Most of the next day was spent in preparation for leaving the following day. I used the leftover hide to make some saddlebags for Dusk and a second set for Rocky. I spent some time in practice and got in a bit of fishing. Fishing went to the apprentice level so that was nice.