Young Writers Society

4.

Jord

The boy opened his eyes and saw a girl and a pup staring down at him. He sat up with a start and looked frightened. He was sitting on a blanket with his things and another unfamiliar backpack next to him. They were sitting on the side of the road.

“Hey,” said a soft voice. The boy looked at the girl who was talking. He wasn’t sure what to say, so managed a feeble croak. The girl smiled with kindness.

“Are you okay? You’ve been passed out for about 5 minutes. Are you sick?” Nami looked at the boy with concern. The boy merely managed a nod. Nami laughed again, “Well? Which one is it? Are you nodding as in you’re okay? Or are you nodding as in you’re sick?”

“I’m okay, but I’m not sick.” He finally managed.

“Good, you’re talking.” Said Nami brightly, the boy looked to his other side and saw the puppy.

“Is that you’re dog?” he asked.

“Umm… Yeah, yeah he is.” Nami tried her best to sound convincing without sounding like she was trying to, and she wasn’t sure if Goneck would be too happy about being called somebody’s pet, but she didn’t know the boy, and it wouldn’t be wise to just say that it’s a talking giant wolf puppy.

“Oh.” Said the boy a little brighter, he reached over to pet it, and for a second Nami thought that that Goneck was going to shy away, but to her surprise, he started wagging his tail and pushed his head under the small frail hands of the boy. Then to surprise her even more, he started licking his hands. Then she realized that that was exactly how he had acted toward her and her father and she smiled at how good he was at acting like a normal dog. The boy giggled at the ticklish feeling in his palm.

“What’s his name?” He asked now smiling widely.

“Goneck, his name’s Goneck.” Said Nami smiling also, soon Goneck was resting next to the boys legs, leaning against him. He heaved a big sigh and settled down for a nap, even though Nami knew that he would be listening to every word they said.

“Where are you coming from?” asked Nami. The boys face darkened and he looked down at Goneck.

“I came from Rovenhold. I was a peasant there and I belonged to a horrid family known as the Barringtons. They’re a nasty couple. I managed to run away two nights ago. I just walked and walked. I don’t even know where this road is going; I’m just trying to get as far away from Rovenhold as possible.”

“So you don’t have any plan to go anywhere do you?”

“Not at the moment, I think I’ll just take it as it comes.”

Nami thought for awhile. “Hey, since the sun is almost setting, let’s camp somewhere, and you can sleep and eat with us.” The boy’s face lit up at the prospect of food, sleep, and company. He nodded.

“By the way, what is your name?” inquired Nami.

“Jord.” He replied while getting spreading out his blanket. Goneck’s head twisted around so fast, you could hear a small pop. His eyes widened and he almost opened his mouth to say something, but he closed it, not knowing whether he was sure enough about his thought to blow his cover. Nami noticed, but didn’t say anything. I’ll talk to him later Nami thought. Soon all their blankets were laid out except there was no food or fire. Nami looked in her bag, but found she hadn’t packed any meat, just fruits and bread.

“I’ll go catch some rabbits.” Offered Jord. Nami wasn’t too comfortable at the thought of seeing raw rabbits being skinned for she knew that Mr. Pulleen wasn’t here to do it for them but she would have to just hold in her repulsiveness for Jord would have to eat.

“Yeah, that’ll be a good idea,” agreed Nami. “I have a small dagger if that’ll be of any help.”

“Ok. That’ll work.” Soon he was gone with the dagger and Nami and Goneck were left by themselves.

“I know that name.” said Goneck quietly. Nami suspected that he would say something that had to do with Jord.

“Remember the friend that I wanted you to meet in Rovenhold. This is what I wanted to surprise you with, but I guess I have to tell you now. He is your grandfather’s, brother’s, daughters, son, which would make him you’re father’s cousin.” Nami gaped, she was so surprised. A member of my family is helping the Giant Wolves? I wonder if father knew.

“This will surprise you even more, he, as in you father’s cousin which would be called your uncle, had a son named Jord.” Now Nami was utterly speechless.

“So are you telling me that Jord is my second cousin or something? How come I never knew that I had relatives in Rovenhold?”

“Your father probably didn’t want himself connected to people of lower class then him, but remember, this is only if Jord is the Jord with a father called Don McClellan.” Nami could hardly contain her excitement as she sparked the wood with flint. He could be my actual relative? How amazing that I just come across my cousin like that!

Soon a fire was lit and Jord had brought back two rabbits and they were already skinned and roasting on the fire, which Nami had to grit her teeth and watch, and she also put some apples to roast too. They were all sitting quietly and not saying a word, waiting for their food to be done.

When the food was finally done and equally shared among the three of them, not much had still been said except for the few comments which had been expressed on behalf of the food. The silence was uneasy and Nami kept looking over at Jord, seeing if she could spot anything similar between them, she really did doubt it seeing that they were not that closely related, they only had the same grandfather.

“So, uh, where are your parents?” asked Nami, trying to start off the conversation that both she and Goneck had been delaying.

“I don’t know, my dad sent me to work for the Barringtons when I was 12 because he didn’t have enough money to feed me and take care of me, so he sent me there telling me that he would come and get me when he knew that we could live together without the fear of starving, and he said that he would visit me at least once a month. He did visit the first time, but after that he didn’t come back. Last I heard about him the Barringtons told me, they said that he had gone out of city for a while and that he promises to see me as soon as he comes back. I never saw him again. So I don’t know where he is. And I never knew my mother. My dad said that after she gave birth to me she left and she never came back.” Nami knew what it was like to lose a mom, she felt like she could have shared his pain too, but he had also not lived with his dad for years, although for her living with her dad was almost the same as not.

“Oh, I’m sorry to hear that. What was his name?” asked Nami, creeping forward to the goal of their conversation.

“His name was Don, Don McClellan.” They were right; this Jord was the Jord that they had thought he was. Finally the long awaited answer had been said.

“How long has it been?” asked Goneck abruptly. Nami and Jord stared at him, but for obviously different reasons. Jord had jumped and even given a little shout, frightened out of his wits. Nami couldn’t believe that he would just start talking to him without even talking to her first and Jord couldn’t believe that a dog had just talked to him.

“How long has it been?!” growled Goneck impatiently.

“Uh, um, umm, 2 years.” Stuttered Jord still staring at the dog that had spoke to him. Goneck got up and started pacing muttering curses to himself. He suddenly stopped and looking at Nami, said, “This is bad, this is really bad.”

“Why, what is it? Why is it so important if he goes out of city for a while?” asked Nami.

“Because, Don has not told us tha...” Goneck was suddenly cut off by a shout from Jord.

“Hold on!” Jord shouted. “I don’t even know what is going on, there is a talking dog right in front of me, and you guys some how know my dad. Who are you guys anyways?”

“First of all,” said Goneck in an irritated voice, “I am not a dog. I am a Giant Wolf. You’re father might have told you when you were young about Giant Wolves, or he might not have. Second of all she “said Goneck indicating to Nami “is Nami. She is the one that is going to help the Giant Wolves…” He paused when he saw Jord’s confused look. Nami took it from here. She explained the wolf’s history and then explained how she had met Goneck and how they knew his dad and then up to the point till now. A look of realization settled over Jord’s face at the end of her narrative.

“Now I remember the stories my dad told me about the Giant Wolves. I never suspected that he would be involved in such a story. I wonder where he is…”

“Oh I forgot to tell you, we’re cousins. Don is my dad’s cousin. Interesting isn’t it, how we are connected like that.” announced Nami, while looking at the confused face that Jord was holding.

“How are you so sure? Where did you learn that from?” asked Jord suspiciously.

“Goneck told me. Don had asked Goneck to come see me. That is one of the reasons of how he found me.” She finished. Jord stared in wonder at his newfound relative.

“We need to find Don.” said Goneck, interrupting both of their thoughts.

“How? He could be anywhere in the world for all I know.” Jord assumed.

“No he couldn’t. He was exiled from certain cities for taking part in helping us a while ago. The only cities that he could roam are Rovenhold, and Garrowand. If he is not in Rovenhold then we’ll go look in Garrowand. It is about a 2 weeks walk from here, but we will need to go visit cities on the way there.” Informed Goneck, his ears twitched from side to side listening for anything that might sound unwelcome.

“Can I come with you?” asked Jord. Goneck nodded. A grin appeared on his face as he finished up his food and tucked into his blanket

“We will leave early in the morning before the sun comes up so get some sleep; we have a long road in front of us.” Goneck commented.

The next morning they were roused by Goneck. Nami looked at her surroundings uncertainly. She had forgotten where she was and almost expected Helena to come and bring her fresh clothes, but when she looked around she realized that she was lying on the ground with a boy and a wolf with her. She suddenly remembered where she was and quickly stood up. Goneck left them to pack while he watched intently, eager to move along. His tail twitched from side to side in anticipation. Finally the last blanket was rolled up and they shouldered their packs.

Jord asked many questions about Goneck, and listened attentively absorbing every word he said. Goneck talked about his life at the caves and what his day to day life was like. He talked about the Mirgten and what they did to help the pack. Nami knew most of it, but listened keenly when things she didn’t know came up. Nami realized the Giant Wolves were more ancient and intelligent than she thought and one fascinating fact that she learned was that most of the laws that existed today were proposed by wolves.

They passed a sign about noon that said “1 ½ miles to Rovenhold”. On the road they also passed many travelers, some that were traveling alone and some that were traveling with whole families.

“What is Rovenhold like?” asked Nami to Jord.

“It’s like any other city really. It has got the peasants, the rich people, the shopkeepers, the orphans, beggars, and the soldiers who roam around. There is a market that is open everyday during the summer and in the center of the city is a garden that is open to everyone. It’s quite beautiful actually. There is a fountain in the middle with water shooting out of the mouths of an eagle and dolphins and tortoises. The animals stand for the sky, the ocean, and the land. You should see it. I think you’ll like it.” Jord finished.

Their day progressed with more conversations and they traveled on and ate when they had to, and rested when they needed to. When the sun went down they ate and slept and the next day they walked the rest of the way until they reached the entrance to Rovenhold.