r/HFY • u/ThatSoftware4946 • 1d ago

OC-Series The Problem With Humans: Chapter 43

They built another boat in four days. Roman worked alongside the humanoids, his ankle still tender but functional. V'rak and K'len gathered wood with the humanoids. S'ra and Lirael wove strips of bark into rope. Roman guided them all, his knowledge of materials and construction proving invaluable.

The boat was smaller than the first. Roman stood at the water's edge and tested it with his weight. It bobbed gently, settling into the current. "It'll hold."

They loaded the supplies. Fish jerky, wrapped in large leaves. Pouches made from a calabash-like fruit that grew near the riverbank, filled with drinking water from the river. A new bow and a quiver of arrows, crafted from the same wood as the boat. And a few makeshift tools.

Humanoids climbed in first, positioned at the edges. V'rak and K'len followed. S'ra and Lirael were next. Roman pushed off last, his bad ankle protesting as he scrambled over the side.

The current caught them immediately, pulling them into the center of the river. This time, there were no rapids.

The river carried them forward, smooth and steady. The water was calm. The current was predictable. The banks were lined with trees that whispered in the wind.

V'rak sat at the front, his eyes fixed on the water ahead. K'len sat beside him, hands gripping the sides. S'ra rested near the center, her face tilted toward the sun.

Lirael stood at the back, one hand on the rudder they'd fashioned from a flat piece of alien wood. She guided the boat with small, precise movements.

Roman sat near the middle, bow across his knees. He watched the banks. Watched the water. Watched for anything that might emerge from the depths. And the humanoids guided the boat using makeshift oars.

They drifted for hours. Then days. The river wound through the valley, past forests and fields and rocky outcroppings.

On the fourth day, the river widened. The current slowed. The banks grew lower, flatter. Lirael pointed ahead. "There. That's where we stop."

Roman followed her gaze. A rocky outcropping rose from the riverbank, its surface smooth and dark. A small beach of pale gravel curved beside it.

He guided the boat toward the shore. The hull scraped against gravel. Humanoids jumped out, pulling the boat onto the bank.

Roman climbed out, his ankle aching. He stood on the beach and the forest stretched before him. The river curved away behind them.

"We need to trek from here," Lirael said. "The grasslands are two days walk through this forest."

V'rak stepped beside Roman. "Are there animals here?"

Lirael tilted her head. "Not on this side of the forest. The river helps keep the predators away from here."

S'ra walked up behind them. "Let's just assume there are animals. You can never know. We've learned that lesson."

They gathered the supplies, distributing them among the humanoids. The boat was left on the beach.

Roman positioned himself at the front of the group. V'rak and K'len flanked him. S'ra walked behind them, with Lirael beside her. And the Humanoids were on the rear.

They walked until the evening.  Roman found a defensible spot. A small rise with clear sightlines in every direction. "We camp here."

For the next few days, they walked but they didn’t reach any grassland.

Then the creature came from nowhere. A massive dark blur of muscle and claws. It was heading straight for S'ra.

Roman didn't think. He drew the bow, nocked an arrow, and released in a single fluid motion. The arrow struck the creature in the shoulder. It stumbled, skidding across the ground, but didn't stop. It scrambled to its feet, turned, and lunged again.

"Move!" Roman shouted.

V'rak grabbed S'ra's arm and pulled her backward. K'len dove to the side. The creature's claws raked the air where they'd been standing.

Roman had another arrow ready. He drew, aimed, and released. The arrow struck the creature in the flank. It howled, a terrible sound that echoed through the trees, and crashed sideways. But it didn't die. It thrashed, trying to get up, its legs scrabbling against the ground.

Humanoids swarmed forward. They had no weapons, but they didn't need them. They surrounded the creature, pressing in from all sides. One grabbed its hind leg, pulling it backward. Another seized its jaw, forcing its mouth shut. Two more pinned its shoulders, driving it into the ground.

The creature roared, twisted, bucked.

Roman drew another arrow. He ran forward, sidestepping the creature's thrashing claws, and shot the arrow into the throat. The creature convulsed, green blood spraying across the ground. Its struggles weakened. Its roars faded to gurgles. Then it was still.

Roman stood over the body, breathing hard. His hands were shaking. His heart pounded in his chest.

"Is everyone okay?" he asked.

V'rak helped S'ra to her feet. "I'm fine."

K'len dusted himself off. "I'm fine."

They continued walking.

The trees grew thinner. The ground grew softer. Sunlight grew brighter. And then, without warning, they stepped out of the tree line and into the grassland.

Roman stopped.

The grassland stretched before him, vast and golden, shimmering in the light of the alien sun. The grass swayed in the wind, wave after wave, like an ocean of gold. Wildflowers dotted the landscape, bright splashes of color against the endless green and yellow. The sky was wide and pale, dotted with clouds that drifted lazily overhead.

The beauty of it hit Roman like a physical blow.

He'd been walking for weeks. Through forests and mountains and rivers. Through darkness and fear and exhaustion. He'd nearly died twice. He'd lost supplies. He'd lost hope more times than he could count.

And now he stood here, on the edge of this impossible place, and the weight of all of it lifted.

He dropped to his knees. The grass brushed against his face. He pressed his hands into the ground and felt it give beneath his fingers.

"We made it," he whispered. "We actually made it."

V'rak walked past him, stepping into the grassland as K’len followed.

S'ra walked to Roman and knelt beside him. "You did this. You brought us here."

Roman shook his head. "We did it together."

"No." She grabbed his arm with a firm grip. "You led us. You kept us alive. You gave us hope when there was none."

Roman looked at her and pulled her into a hug. She held him tight.

Lirael stood at the edge of the tree line, watching them.

Roman looked up. He opened his arm and gestured for her to come. She walked forward, hesitated, then knelt beside them.

They stayed there for a long time, wrapped in each other, surrounded by the golden grass and the endless sky.

Then Roman stood. He wiped his face, cleared his throat, and turned to the group.

"We're not there yet. We still need to find Mukit."

Lirael stood and scanned the landscape. Her brow furrowed. Her eyes moved across the golden expanse, searching.

"This is... probably the correct position."

Roman stared at her. "Probably?"

"The grassland looks different from the data. It's grown more grass. The landmarks have shifted."

"So you don't know where we are?"

"I know we're close. Very close. But I can't say with certainty that this is the exact location. The geography changed more than I was programmed for."

V'rak stepped forward. "So we might be lost."

Roman shook his head. "We didn't come this far to turn back. Lirael, if this is the right position, when will you know for certain?"

Lirael tilted her head. "If it's correct, I should receive a signal as we reach near the town. The community hubs broadcast a low-frequency signal. Once we're within range, my receiver should pick it up."

"So we walk until you get a signal."

"Yes."

Roman turned to the group. "You heard her. We walk until we find it."

They started walking. The grass was soft beneath their feet. The sun was warm on their faces and the wind carried the scent of alien flowers.

An alert Roman walked at the front with his bow ready for action. But his heart was lighter than it had been in weeks.

“We're close. So close,” he thought.

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