Discoveries

Lara's Journal: Arrived last night in the village and have been lucky to avoid incidents since then. As the tribe is yet unnamed I've seen fit to dub them the Phuta in honor of their guarding the temple of Phutanaritl. Spoke to the mystic, Izel, last night and she clued me in on their situation. The news of the curse has me worried. The tribe's assurance that it came from white explorers is little comfort until I can gauge fully the nature of the curse at hand. I don't believe the mystic's word that it only killed males and that it killed them all. Gynocentric tribes do exist even if they are rare, and these people must still be reproducing somehow. If what the mystic says is true then it's been more than twenty years since the men died and I've seen women here who must be younger than that. I'm beginning to wonder just how many people have been here before me. It's one of many things I'll have to ask Carab when we're out searching.

"You know, there's no need for you to do all of the work."

Lara's statement fell on ignoring ears. Carab hacked and slashed her way through the underbrush like a quiet machine. Sinewy muscles rippled under her skin with each strong motion. She never let out so much as a grunt of exertion. Lara followed the brick wall of a woman closely through the still tolerable humidity of the early morning, but not too closely. Whenever she drew too close to Carab, the Amazonian would turn to her and point until Lara stepped back. It was like talking to the jungle itself, you didn't hear much back but you knew it could hear you.

They had set out from camp at an eye-wateringly early hour. Carab seemed insistent that Lara either be in a tent alone or out of the village at all times. Lara had been around "savage" tribes before and she wondered if it was a matter of some of the others not being as receptive to the presence of an outsider. Though calling how Carab treated her "receptive" would have made the word's creator spin in his grave. Granted, some of that was almost certainly due to a language barrier, but Carab spoke at least some English. At least enough to bark orders unflinchingly at a woman with a pair of firearms strapped on-person at all times.

Without a great conversation partner, Lara had had plenty of time while hiking to make note of her surroundings. Even lacking any superb landmarks, Lara's world-class sense of direction would prove useful should something happen. They were more than an hour from the village at a healthy pace, Carab didn't stop for so much as a second. Something interesting had come over the plants as they got closer toward the temple. That green fungus, Lara knew she had seen it about. Lara cut some from one of the trees.

"Is this the same mushroom from back in the village?" Lara asked, turning it over in her hands.

Carab rocked on her heels and whipped to Lara. She knocked the fungus out of her hands violently.

"Yes. Not touch."

"Why not touch?"

"Curse plant." Carab snipped as she turned back and started up hacking away again.

"Do you mean the plant is cursed or that the plant showed up when the curse started?"

"Curse plant."

"Right... What'll happen if I touch it?"

"Not happen."

"So, why should I not touch it?"

"Curse plant."

Lara pushed herself back in stride with Carab. "You know, I would be ever so appreciative if you could tell me a little more about you."

Carab looked at Lara sheepishly out of the corner of her eye. "Too close."

"Do I make you nervous?"

Carab continued cutting, trying not to look at Lara. "Too close."

"A big strong thing like you shouldn't need to be worried of a soft little thing like me, should they?" Lara asked, putting on her best "little princess" expression.

Lara didn't see Carab's elbow come slamming into her accidentally on the backswing of a swipe. Lara stumbled fell back onto the ground.

Carab stopped and turned to offer her a hand "Sorry. Too close."

It took them another half an hour by Lara's estimate to reach a clear running spring that pooled into a picturesque lake. Carab slowed her pace for the first time, stopping to kneel and drink from the flowing water. She motioned for Lara that it was safe and Lara partook as well. Though the water was still warmer than she'd like, as would likely always be the case this deep in the jungle. However, it was still a welcome thing to feel the water flowing down her throat at this point in the journey.

"How far out are we?" Lara asked as she sat with Carab and rested her legs.

"Close."

"Excellent, shall we head on?"

Carab looked longingly at the river and lake. "Should clean in water. Sweat and sore."

"Right, your tribe uses this river to bathe?"

"Just Carab. Private."

"You like your privacy?"

Carab nodded.

"Well I hope you wouldn't mind sharing with little old me, my clothes are absolutely done in."

Carab gave Lara a quick glance that seemed almost nervous before standing. "Come. Maybe later."

"You know, you don't need to be so nervous around me." Lara said, pulling Carab's arm toward the water. "I can even take my clothes off first if it'll make you more comfortable."

Carab pulled herself away "Too long. Come."

"Too long for a bath?"

"Yes."

If Lara really wanted to, she could probably dig in her heels and insist on it. There wouldn't be any real benefit to it, other than trying to insist on getting naked with a stranger now instead of later. Taking a stand now, even one as petty as this, might change the dynamic between her and Carab.