Of Wind and Ash

Chapter 5: The Jungle's Fury

The band that consisted of a detective, a demolitionist and their weird children arrived sometime after noon at a makeshift camp set up by the orders next to the jungle. The jungle seemed unharmed if you looked at it from the north, but if you looked to the tainted skies above the restless jungle, you would know that your eyes lied to you about the reality of the jungle. The outer layer of the jungle was truly just a disguise, like a wrapping paper that wrapped the gift of fire.

    Marcus and the rest of the band pulled up beside the camp, inches separated the bomb-fusion caravan from knocking down a tent. Marcus stepped outside onto the ground, he stretched his tired arms and used his fingers as a makeshift comb to straighten his chaotic hair. He rubbed his chestnut brown eyes and tried to get used to the piercing light from outside the caravan. His mouth let out an eerie yawn that didn't sound human at all and made Jolyn look at him with the weirdest of expressions.

    The parents were already well situated. Lucius was already talking to one of the officers of the makeshift camp while Eliot made herself busy as she worked her arse off at the caravan's hood. She had a bandana wrapped around her head and a leather tool belt strapped around her waist with screwdrivers, spanners and other tools that Jolyn had never seen before. She wasn't one to use her to create or fix.

    "Marcus can you get me a bottle of mystic lubricant from the right pocket of the caravan?" Eliot told her son, he followed suit. After he messed up some cupboard and cleared some of the trash left behind by previous users of the caravan, he brought out a thin bottle that contained bright amethyst purple liquid. "Here, the mystic lubricant."

    "Thanks so much. You two should really go get some rest, especially after the wild journey we had," Eliot said to Jolyn and Marcus.

    "Emphasis on 'wild journey'," Jolyn pointed out, while Marcus nodded in agreement.

    Their journey to the edge of the Gragnore Jungle wasn't as smooth as any of them had hoped. Shortly after they had crossed the Ridgeback, they were instantly greeted by a smokey engine and some wild sparks that nearly set her father's hair on fire. Lucius was not all too pleased.

   "To the tents we go," Marcus beckoned, he pointed to a tent next to the tent of meetings which Jolyn supposed was for them. It looked unimpressive, with vines that climbed onto it's sides and small holes through the back.

    "To the tents we go," she repeated. They walked together, Marcus slung a backpack while Jolyn pulled her gigantic luggage, it's wheels bumped upon the rocky and muddy surface, "My suitcase will not be the same when all this is over."

    "Do you think the tent will fit all of us? It looks awfully small for me alone," he asked, his eyes looked at the puny tent with a certain distaste, "It probably won't even stand the night, will it?" 

    "No one said that we were going to sleep together... The tent, as you said is extremely imp-sized, and other than that, the orders probably have prepared enough tents so that you and your mother can get one. So yeah, should be fine," Jolyn replied, a smirk creeped up on her face.

    Marcus stopped for a moment. He gathered his thoughts, opened his mouth but then suddenly closed it, his actions looked like that of a puppet. He then continued to walk and increased his speed to join Jolyn and the both of them continued on. He then said: "So where is me and my mothers tent?"

    "That you have to ask the head of this makeshift camp, which I would assume is busy discussing the future actions of the orders in the the tent of meetings, but in the meantime you can come hangout at my tent," Jolyn replied. She turned her head towards Marcus and saw a small spark of happiness cross his eyes. She realised that she was probably the only friend Marcus had here, except for Eliot. The people here were mostly made up of high ranking council and order members, their men and the odd exception of some common folk like Marcus. An invitation like this for him to join her would mean the end to his boredom.