As they entered the the wood the men realized why Petra had bundled the faggot of willow pieces into her skirt, the way was just too narrow, with too much to get tangled up in. They also saw that there was no way Petra could be carried by two men abreast. The convoy shuffled around, some backing into trees and prickly things, while others swapped places and burdens. It became clear that they should double back into the clearing.
Back at the log benches, they set everything down and began anew. Petra rested on a log while the man with the swollen nose watched over her. The boss man had his mate (the one with the hurt throat) tie the bundled willow on his lower back, ( like a large bustle). Pausing to cough, he took off his coat ( he had a barrel chest, the broadest of them all) . The other two hoisted Petra atop the bundle facing opposite of the boss man. The man with the coat threaded the boss mans arm into one of the sleeves, he had Petra raise her arms high above her head. The coat went across her chest, then the second sleeve was put on. The boss man grasped the front of either side of the coat and nodded for the same man to lead the way. Back to back the boss man followed with Petra.
Petra brought her arms down crossing them high on her stomach, pulling her elbows in.( She guarded her right hand.) She put her left ankle under her right ankle,trying to take some tension off her right knee, which was burning and throbbing.) The man with the swollen nose came next, then one with the hurt hand trailed behind with her water bladder and basket.
Soon, the first man of their convoy was making great strides, and the boss man (with Petra) followed, but not too closely. As they went on Petra tried to plan how she might avoid the men realizing that she did not speak their language. She understood some of what they had said. Facial expressions, gestures and paying close attention to what each man was doing helped. She had decided that she might do well to act the child and draw them into her pantomime.
Petra recognized a near by plant,she pointed saying "Oooo !" the man following directly behind her furrowed his brow at first, then Petra said "Hmmph" pushing out her bottom lip just a little. His face relaxed. "You want that ?" he said, raising his brows while pointing to a small Salt Bush. She nodded and clapped her unhurt hand on her thigh. " Ah" (she thought) "... might just work". He snatched it up and handed it to Petra who giggled and tilted her head to one side and smiled as she inspected the plant.
"Boy-0 it worked, now what's next ?" she thought. She began to whistle lowly and continue her downward gaze . She plucked a few leaves off and chewed them ( her whistle had morphed into a hum). She chewed slowly offering some to her benefactor, who shook his head no.
After a while, she spied some Wild Angelica (Ghalfheabran): " Oooo!" she piped, and she pleaded with her eyes, pointing. Again, he asked "You want that ?" she clapped, nodded, reaching forward in anticipation. ( She mused at the pink flushed white flower, it smelled sweet and she knew it's value at meals,and the stems were as a yellow dye.....) "Oh... ( she thought ) ... I 'ave to pay attention".
She went on with her act: sniffing and admiring the new plant, beaming the man ( his nose was so swollen), feigning to be oblivious: she offered him a sniff and to this, he rolled his eyes and furrowed his brows again. She pressed him delinquently, finally just to mollify her: he attempted to sniff, but surely no scent passed his nostrils.
After a while, she saw a good deal of Field Bindweed (Ainleog) she tucked more of the Salt Bush leaves in her mouth. Then grunted and pointed "Mmm Mmm ! " To this he shook his head. She grunted all the more and began rocking . The boss man asked what the trouble was ( he had been lost in him own thoughts). " Well , She wants the vines now and I didn't want to trail behind...". To this the boss man said: " It's fine, we'll take a short break, and you can coil up some". She looked up at the man off and on smiling gently. " Alright then miss, how much can I get you ?" She stretched her arms out wide, chewing and champing all the more.
The boss man leaned against the coughing man, and eased himself down on a large rock, this left Petra facing off away from the others, but it worked out well. While they rested, she fashioned a chew stick from the remains of the salt bush. "This will keep meh gob busy" (she thought). Soon they were all looking around, ( with a lighter mood ) taking in the scenery. After several minutes: "Up we go", her bearer said ( teetering some until he rose to his full height again). "Ooooo" she said, then caught herself, and shoved the stick back in her mouth.
The four men began talking among themselves ( as they continued on their way). This left her to think, "Well, I 'ave them 'appy 'n busy enough, an' I s'pose I can bluff along , but how meh gonna keep them away from 'ome ? !".
By the time the group was exiting "the wood" as she called it, ( Ards Forest) each of the men were carrying more than ( just) the battle gear (that she had originally heard), but Bramble - Black Berries (Dris), nuts from the Hazel tree ((Corylus Ave Llana), Crab apples (Porta'n Ubull), wild Garlic (Fia'i'n Gairlog), Onions, (Oinniun ) and a few other plants. From her lofty perch she sat with a large coil of the vines crowning head with her locks wild as a wood nymph. The trumpet like flowers jutting out here and there . She could see (from the change in light) that they would be stepping out into the open very soon. She would have to think and act quickly.
Clearing her mouth of the chew stick, she whistled high and long, then followed up with "Ahhhh". She began rocking excitedly , twisting and pointing off to her far left. Then she whistled and clapped her left hand against her thigh and rocked as though spurring a horse on to victory. As the boss man grabbed another fellow's arm to steadying himself, he called out " Forward men ! she's navigating ." They spread out now, having been in line longer than any of them liked. Onward they went, in the direction that would lead them to the far side of the ring fort and Aunt Fallon.
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