The New Day-lighters--The Cave--IV

Previous chapters:
"The New Day-lighters....Introduction" 
"The New Day-lighters--Janine-- I" 
"New Day-lighters-Gypsy Wedding-II" 

"The New Day-lighters--Castle Batwing-III" 


The Cave



The enemy's arrow had protruded out of Bogard's back as they ran through the woods. Bogard, stumbled, getting weaker by the minute. Aided by his brother they barely escaped capture, and hid out in the woods.

They finally stumbled upon a small cave that sheltered them from the elements. After gathering some wood, and lighting a fire, Borgda meticulously tended his twin brother's wound. Turning his brother on his right side, he poured some red wine from a sheep skin flask, taken from Bathella's kitchen, around the arrow protruding from his brother's back. He then carefully wiped away the dried blood. His brother stiffened as fire seemed to erupt throughout his whole body it's heated core emanating from around the wound.

Borgda decided he would have to try and remove the arrow himself. After sitting his brother up and kneeling beside him, he scored a circle around the wooden shaft with his hunting knife, he then grasped the arrow shaft with both hands on either side of the scored line, and snapped it in two, breaking off it's cursed tail feathers.

Bogard screamed as pain shot through his tortured body. Although there was a chill in the air, sweat accumulated on both their foreheads. A fevered expression on Bogard's face told his brother that he would have to work fast if he wanted to save his twin's life. Borgda handed his brother the flask of wine.

"Here, drink up, it will numb you. I need to remove the arrow, so drink as much as you need, to dull the pain. Brace yourself, this will not be easy for either of us, my brother."

After taking several big swigs of the wine, Bogard winced in pain and looked up into his brother's sad eyes, Bogard just nodded in confidence, to weak, to do anything else.

Borgda checked the arrow shaft for any splinters that might lodge in his brother's skin when he pulled the arrow out, and picked them meticulously off the shaft. He then picked up a large, heavy, flat rock, and held it over the exposed shaft of the arrow. He pulled the rock further away from the enemy torturing his brother and he briefly paused the rock in mid air. Reaching his left hand around under his brother's left arm, he placed his hand flat upon Bogard's chest and braced it for the impact. With a determination born out of desperation, he swiftly swung the rock forward and hit the shaft forcing the head of the arrow through the rest of the soft recesses of his brother's shoulder.

Bogard screamed in agony as the pointed arrow tore it's way through his chest, just barely missing his lung. Excruciating pain engulfed him. Flames flickered in the back of his closed eyelids, as each tortured breath became more difficult than the last. A heavy curtain seemed to be drawing closed by an unseen hand as darkness slowly over came him. A welcome respite from the tortures of the moment.

Borgda moved around to face his brother, supporting him as he did so, and looked steadfastly at the arrow now protruding from his brother's chest. Borgda grasped the arrow head in his right hand, and held on to his brother's shoulder with his left hand. With a sureness of purpose, he quickly yanked the arrow shaft straight out of Bogard's profusely bleeding chest, and tossed the offensive arrow into the fire. Bogard's head and body seemed almost fluid as it slowly slumped forward, his arms dangling loosely as he landed head first onto his brother's lap.

"Sleep Bo, you've been through a lot, but you will live to see tomorrow, I will make sure of that," Borgda cried, cradling his brother's head in his lap. "Sleep soundly, I'll not let you face your demons alone."

With a new on rush of bleeding, from removing the arrow, Borgda knew he would have to stem the flow of blood quickly, or his brother would surely bleed to death.

Inserting the blade of his dagger into the flames, he waited for the blade to get hot enough to cauterize the wounds. Grabbing the hilt of his knife with his sleeve, and removing it from the burning embers, he saw that the blade was now white hot and was ready to seal the wounds.

He poured some more wine into each opening and then pressed the heated blade, first into the back wound, then the front, sensing his brother's body stiffen he held him tighter. Borgda could hear the searing of skin and smell the cooking flesh mixed with the rancid smell of wine and blood. His stomach began to tighten, as bile inched it's way upward searing his throat. Violently he heaved what little remained in his stomach. He was thankful his brother was no longer awake for this new round of torture. He also was glad he wasn't awake to witness, his moment of weakness.

Covering his brother with both of their capes Borgda sat vigilantly tending to his brother's needs. For the first two days and nights after removing the arrow, Borgda felt helpless. There was little else he could do, but watch his brother's suffering. It was now up to Bogard to choose life or death, he had always been strong of heart, mind and body, this would have to be enough to sustain Bo, until Borgda could bring more knowledgeable help.

For two days and nights, Bogard drifted in and out of consciousness, fighting an unseen enemy. Nightmares seemed to dance along the lines on Bogard's face. Borgda watched as his brother's facial contortions leap from cheek to cheek, and as Bogard's eyes squinted and his mouth grimaced in ghoulish fashion. Bogard's head tossed from side to side, beads of sweat emanated out of every pore, and Bogard's body shivered violently as if someone were trying hard to shake him awake.

As he watched his brother's suffering, Borgda prayed for his brother's life.
Slowly Bogard's length of consciousness began to increase, Borgda tried to give him nourishment.

"Here, eat this, rabbit stew. You need to get your strength back. Janine would skin me alive and cook me in a stew, if you should die, she might even conjure up one of her magical potions and curse my handsome face with a pox, then we would no longer be twins."

Bogard tried to laugh at his brother's attempt to make him smile. After trying to swallow the liquid portion of the stew, Bogard would look up at his brother and try to speak, but all that could pass through his lips was a choking gasp, or a thankful nod.

Both brother's were excellent hunters, and could live off the land for months at a time. The forest supplied them with whatever food they needed. Skilled in living off of the land they could live in this cave forever and never go home if need be.

The stolen loot however, had come in handy, providing them with utensils for cooking and eating. The silver goblets, and bowls seemed out of place in this ever so primitive establishment, but useful to them none the less.

If not for the unexpected injury this would have been a wonderful, prosperous adventure for the pair of brothers. By this time they would have been at their secret cave dividing up their spoils, and drinking a toast to another great escapade.

Although the wound itself was not life threatening, Borgda knew that his brother could still die if he did not receive proper attention, the coolness of early fall was not good for Bogard, he needed to feel the warmth emanating from the hearth in his own bed chamber. The damp coldness of the cave offered them little warmth, even with the fire. They also ran the risk of being discovered, the longer they stayed.

By the fourth day in the cave, Bogard's strength slowly returned, Borgda knew then that he had to leave. He picked an assortment of berries, that had not yet been eaten by the birds, from near by bushes and placed them in the cave where his brother could reach them, and then filled the small cave with enough meat and wood to keep the fire going for at least three days.

"I'll hurry back and bring Janine to tend to you. Use my cape for extra warmth, I will not need it on my journey."

After hugging his brother, Borgda turned and left the cave.

"Hurry back," Bogard whispered, coughing as he spoke.

After digging a hole a short distance from the cave, Borgda buried the stolen treasures just in case his brother was discovered while he was gone. He did not want his brother captured with the proof of their evil deed. Borgda then set off on his journey to save his brother's life. Speed was of the utmost importance he had to travel fast and light, food he could find along the way. He prayed he would return in time.

After several hours of traveling on foot he found their injured mare and broken wagon. In the daylight he could see her leg wound was superficial. After making sure she had some food, and fresh water from the nearby stream, he mounted her bareback and headed toward home.


"The New Day-lighters -The Seduction-V"