Trials & Tribulations || Short Stories

The scorching sun raised overhead the canyon plateaus and cast long cooling shadows into the ravine and tucked in cliff edges. Small lizards baked on top of the rocks while small creatures scurried away into dark crevices and holes as a rumble shook the dusty ground. A small cart pulled by two imposing black steads. Pulling taught on the reins, Asa Docere hopped off the cart seat, taking a look at the cart’s back. 

“Alright, you two, out.”

Jenkins Pelagios, an Iterum. Quickly hopping off with a small harpoon in hand, his green headscarf flapping in the breeze carrying down the ravine. He rolled up his jeweled green sweater, adjusting the black leather apron around his waist. 

“Is this the spot?”

“Indeed, there should be plenty of fish coming down the river. Eliphas! What are doing?” Her voice cut harshly as she put her clawed talons on her hips. Rifle slung around her back. 

Eliphas, a small warlock was shuffling through the back of the cart. Their hair was a covering of black and shifting indigo and purples. They turned their face, a bone-white mask with markings and curled horns on top of their head. They had a furrowed expression etched into their face. 

“My smoking pipe! I can’t find it!”

“Did you leave it back at the Ranch?” Jenkins asked.

“No! No, no I always have it on me! Oh, WHERE IS IT- oh. There is it.” Their voice nearly rose to a panicked shriek before returning to normal. 

A thin wooden pipe clasped in their shadowed hand. Twirling it in their pink-tipped fingers. 

“Ah! My sweet sweet pipe! There you are” They cradled it close to their face before placing it in their mouth, a small red flame produced from their index finger, lighting the pipe.

“Alright now that we have that settled, can we please get to the river? We only have so much time before all the fish run their course through”

Eliphas deeply inhaled before blowing out a plume of swirling rainbow smoke. They kept the pipe in their mouth as they jumped off the cart side.

"Right right!”

As the three made their trek towards the river, Jenkins held the harpoon under his arm, taking out a small journal and quill. Documenting the sparse flora and fauna. Sometimes referring back to a page with an extended map. Asa led the charge rifle and bag slung behind her. Looking through the goggles in her mask she spotted the dead twisted tree. 

“Jenkins, what does the map say?” She asked.

Snapping out of his writing, he registered what she asked. 

“Oh right, it’s uh. We take a left here.” Pointing down the narrow ravine, walls filing them in. 

They trekked for another few minutes before Eliphas pipped up, “Are we there yet?”

“No, if you hear water then you’ll know we’re close.”

Eliphas grumbled, taking another inhale from his pipe, they stopped. Tilting their head towards a faint gurgling sound. 

“I think I hear gurgling, we must be close!”

“You sure?”

Another gurgle and Eliphas realized it was his stomach. 

“Oh whoops. Must be hungry.” Pulling a small bag out of nowhere, they shook out a handful of blue powder and began eating it.

Asa cringed as she watched the Warlock eat the spice raw. Jenkins kept moving ahead, absentmindedly following the map.

~~

A rush of babbling water was soon getting louder as they scaled downhill careful to not slip. As they made it to the ground Asa began setting up a net and hooks. Jenkins laid down the harpoon and stretched, bones popping back into place. Eliphas, merely found a rock to lay on, smoking.

The river was shallow but stretched wide across. Small flashes of light were caught by the sun as silver-colored fish swam and leaped. Jenkins observed the fish, jotting down a few notes. Coming up behind him Asa placed a hand on his shoulder. 

“You ready to catch some fish?”

He nodded. Placing the journal on a rock, he began removing his boots and rolling up the ends of his pants. Tying them around his knees. Lastly, he took off his apron and sweater. A band of black cloth wrapped around his spinal column to hold up his pants. He kept on his pale green headscarf. Asa handed him the harpoon as she got ready herself. Grabbing the net and place it near the river bank. 

Jenkins wadded into the river, the cool water pooled up to his shins; tibia, and fibula. Taking slow shuffles around the water, the sand underneath scraped against his metatarsals. Inching closer to the fishes swimming downstream, moving stealthily to not disturb too much of the water. The Sun right overhead, it cast Jenkins shadow across the water. In one swift motion, he stabbed the water spearing three fish. 

“Asa! Look!” Waving the harpoon.

She gave him a thumbs-up as she removed her boots and rolled up her leather pants. Her cloak and hat were also placed aside neatly. Her taloned claws waded over to Jenkins, net in hand. He pointed over to a spot where the fish was swarming. Understanding, she waded slowly over and quickly cast the net over, dragging it across the river bed. She grunted from the sand and rocks also caught in the net, Jenkins quickly waded out of the water, dropping the harpoon off and wading back towards Asa to help her pull at the net. Now both pulling,  they hauled the net up, a dozen or so fish trapped within the net. 

“Oh, this is a bountiful catch,” Asa remarked. 

In sync, they hauled the heavy net over to the bank and counted. Eliphas watched them as they did, he pulled out a few pinches of powder and spices. Noticing something, they hopped off the rock and strode over to them. 

“Well, what’ve ya two caught?” pipe still in hand.

“I’d say about 19 fishes, a bit much for one dinner though.”

“That’s ok, I can sell some of these off in the market,” Asa added on.

Eliphas raised a brow and picked something off one of the fishes, a small slug-like creature held between his fingers.

“Well, you wouldn’t want this would you?”

“What’s that?” Jenkins asked, standing up straight.

“Parasitic lil’ worm. Disguises itself as a slug and attaches to fishes bellies. I’d suggest checking all 19 of your fishes.” They flung the parasite away, taking an inhale of their pipe. 

Asa crouched down and began inspecting the fish, some still flopped and wriggled, there she saw some. Attached to the underside. Slowly she began picking them off. Jenkins stopped her before throwing all of them off.

“Wait, wait I wanna catalog that one.”

With a sigh, she handed him one of the parasites. He quickly ran over to his apron, pulling out a small vile and dropping it in. Sealing the cap he hid it back into the apron.

Eliphas blew out a plume of smoke, this time a shade of dark blue with small gold sparks. Turning towards the sun, they held up a hand, measuring with their fingers. 

“We have about an hour before the sun goes down.”

Swiftly, they began packing up. Jenkins pulled back on his sweater, apron, and boots. Asa threw her cloak around her and adjusted her hat. The fish now in a wicker basket she carried on her back. Jenkins took care of the net and harpoon as they trekked their way back to the cart. Eliphas following behind them. 

Arriving upon the cart, Asa lifted the basket into the cart bed and hopped into the driver’s seat. The horses still grazing and nibbling on the sparse grass. Giving the reins a good crack the horses stood at attention and began moving, turning back towards the Ranch.

The cart shook and rattled along the sandy dirt road as the sky started dimming. Eliphas’s and Jenkins’s eyes glowed as they observed the setting sun, the sky blanketed in a warm amber hue. 

“Thanks for coming with us,” Jenkins remarked, arms fiddling with a loose string on his sweater.

“Hm? Oh yeah, it’s no problem. It’s whatever.” They said nonchalantly.

“I know you’re not a fan of water, but I’m glad you helped us.”

“Helped with what? All I did was smoke on that rock while you two caught fish.”

“Well, you did find those parasites on those fish. I wouldn’t have noticed that. How did you know those things were on them?”

“Well I’ve been around long enough, I’ve caught a couple of those fishes before and I noticed that some had’em. Now that was a couple of decades ago, but I guess those parasites still linger around.” They sat back, blowing out a plume of hazy purple and pink smoke that twisted into a sky.

“Thank you anyways,” Jenkins said warmly, giving Eliphas a quick hug.”

“EH- You’re welcome??”

Asa gave a glance back and chuckled softly to herself. The Ranch’s smoking chimney approaching over the horizon.

~~

The door opened with a creak as the three stepped in. Asa scrapped her boot off before entering further in, she placed her hat on the hook. A creaking from upstairs as footsteps followed.

“Asa? Asa you’re back!” A petite Corvinian came rushing down the stairs, her head in a doctor’s headdress, red sleeves rolled up, minty green apron smeared with something.

They embraced in a hug as Jenkins and Eliphas pulled in the basket of fish and equipment.  Plopping it all on the table. Rosencrantz, had her mask removed and nuzzled the side of Asa’s face.  Asa removed her cloak and mask, returning the gesture. 

“How was it?”

“Good, we caught about 19 fish, plenty for dinner and some I’ll sell at the market.”

“That’s wonderful, do you want me to help you cook?”

“No, no it’s alright. I can do it. What have you been doing?”

Rosencrantz sighed but smiled, “You know, the usual. Testing out different medicinal herbs and concoctions. It’s…”

“...Not going as you hoped?” Asa finished her sentence.

She laughed, swiping at her smudges apron, “You can tell. But, that’s part of the process trial and error.” 

“Hey, Asa! Ya want me to start cutting up the fish?” Jenkins howled from the kitchen.

“Yes, thank you. I’ll be over to help. Rosy, you go rest I’ll cook.” Asa patted her on the back and smiled. 

In the kitchen, Jenkins chopped away at the heads, draining out the blood and scaling the fish. A pot bubbled while Asa added a pinch of seasoning to the pot, making sure to keep Eliphas away from the spice cabinet. An hour passed by before it was finished, all laid out on the table, the four of them all sat. Rosencrantz sat next to Asa on one side as Jenkins and Eliphas sat on the other. They ate, except for Jenkins who didn’t need to eat. He sat and conversed with Eliphas about how life was in the peninsula and the mundane things in life. Eliphas listened and chew away at the heavy seasoned fished. Occasionally laughing at an inside joke between them. 

Night fell over the sky as they ate,  it was one of those million days between the four of them. One of those million peaceful days, mundane but worth living.