The Native again.

14th of June, 17XX

After a fitful and uncomfortable night's rest, I awoke the next morning with Ms. Allison's arm draped over me. I moved as smoothly and quietly as I could, carefully removing myself from her Bed, so as not to cause any sort of fuss, nor allow any accusations of my character to be made under false pretenses.

Stepping outside, I had to shield my eyes from the rising sun's rays as they shone through the trees. Stretching, I leaned back and cracked a few of my joints loudly, when I suddenly had the strangest feeling that I was not alone. My ears and eyes were strained to their absolute limit as I inched towards the side of Ms. Allison's hut, where we had stored her Axe, looking for any sign of this possibly unwelcome visitor. I knew that I had no possible chance against anything larger than a rabbit, but I could not call myself a Man, were I to not attempt at scaring whatever this thing was away.

By then, I had reached the edge of her wall, and I groped around the corner, feeling frantically for it, but a cold stab of fear ran through me as the Axe was nowhere to be found. I had contemplated of grabbing the nearest stick or chopped wood and using that for a weapon, when I heard an irksome voice announce itself. "Looking for something, Mr. Mckay?" My head turned and swam wildly, trying to find the source of that voice when, flying through the air, Ms. Allison's Axe buried itself in the ground between my legs.

Then, as if emerging from the very air itself, the Native that had threatened my life previously, made himself known again. Feeling my annoyance rise, I ripped the Axe out and brandished it at him. That merely made him smirk. "Put that away, Mr. Voyeur, you're going to hurt yourself. Is Allison in?"

Keeping the Axe between us, I moved slowly towards her Door. "I do not see what business it is of yours, whether she is in or not."

He barked out a laugh. "Hah! Business is why I've come. My mother's medicine store is lacking some of her Herbs, and Allison usually has some lying around. Now, will you go and see if Allison is awake, or shall I disarm you and knock on her Door myself?"

A loud yawn made that decision for us. "What is all that racket so early in the morning?" Ms. Allison grumbled, poking her head out from her door. Squinting ta the interloper in front of me she said, "Hawk? Is that you?"

"Morning Allison. See you've got yourself a bodyguard," he replied, with a mocking smile, "Diligent, isn't he?"

"Space-hog, more like," she said, coming out and twisting her body around, before coming up next to me, "Has anyone ever told you that you toss and turn all night?"

"Ah... not just a bodyguard, I see." Circling Hawk said, his smile growing even wider.

I took a deep breath to compose myself, and not to come down to their level. "Ms. Allison, Mr. Hawk here says that he'd like to make a purchase for his mother. Something about medicinal Herbs?"

Ms. Allison blinked a few times before understanding dawned on her face. "Oh yes. It is about that time, isn't it? Be right back Hawk. Now can the two of you try not to bicker like hens while I go and get her usual?" And without waiting for us to answer, she retreated back into her hut.

Mr. Hawk and I glared at each other silently for a long moment, before I finally picked up the Axe and put it to rest by her wall. He nodded at me and asked, sounding the most sincere I had ever heard him, "Were my directions unclear, Mr. Mckay? Because I did not intend for you to come here, nor do I have any idea how you did."

Taking a moment, I dropped my shoulders and sighed. "I do not think it was entirely your fault. I had moved in the direction you told me to, but I found no boulder, and tried to find my own way back to where you had left me, and ended up quite lost. It was only by some great fortune that I stumbled upon Ms. Allison's home, and even more so that she could treat some sort of poison I had passed through."

He was still, before finally nodding. "I see. Good fortune indeed. And it is also good fortune that you are here. Morris and the rest have about gone to pot over your disappearance."

"Oh have they?" Ms. Allison pipped in, holding in her arms a small package, wrapped in wax paper. "I had no idea you were so popular, Mr. Mckay." I merely shrugged. Handing the package over to Mr. Hawk, she asked him to extend her greetings to his mother, to which he gave a small bow and said he would. But before he could leave, she put her hand on his shoulder. "Hawk, you're heading straight back home, aren't you?"

"Yes, I am."

"Would it be too much to ask if you were to take Mr. Mckay with you?"

The look of false disappointment on his face was evident, as he tutted sarcastically at her. "Allison... one night together and you're already casting him into the cold? For shame... Why? Was he that bad?"

Her scowl and mine matched. "Very funny Hawk," she said, each word dripping with sarcasm, "No, if Gottlieb is going to lose his mind over his missing writer here, I'd rather he not find him here. And it would probably do him good, to know at least one safe route through the jungle, so he doesn't get lost and almost die again."

"Fine by me. But the question is," he laughed, before looking in my direction, "would he prefer to return to them, or stay here with you?"