Kainak the Awesome

Chapter 11

The trail was easier to follow than Kyle feared. The footprints were relatively fresh, maybe laid down a couple of hours ago. Wherever they headed may not have been very far away, either. The trail implied somewhere at least close to the research camp, as in an hour away by foot. He smiled. He wouldn't take long to find it, maybe less than an hour, if he was lucky, he knew his way around the jungle, and he would certainly find his way around. Even better if he could lure them—

He stopped for a moment. The jungle was still calling to him... Okay, not literally, but the same way Sinatra said Chicago was calling him on in his famous song. He cursed that stupid part of his brain that wanted to stay in its comfort zone.

But he kept on going. Soon, the overbearing jungle heat made him remove his shoes and socks so he could carry them. Going barefoot helped a lot, and he started running a faster pace and covered more ground than he did with his shoes on. He was also tempted to take his shirt off, but one does not remove a Blue Bombers shirt and toss it aside like cheap trash.

It wasn't long before he reached the treehouse. Upon entering the clearing, he scratched his head with a puzzled look, but that changed when he thrust his hand. "Oh right, my stuff," he thought out loud.

He stepped forward and then stopped. The two deer steed he and Julie rode were still there, perfectly calm and content to munch on some of the grass at the base of the tree. He sighed, relieved. Now he jogged up to the base of the tree, and with the shoes on his shoulders, climbed up the rope ladder to the porch. Wait... why was the rope ladder already down?

Already was desperate. Who was looking for him? He climbed the ladder at a quicker pace, stumbled as he got to the porch, realized the door was open, and ran in. "COME OUT!" He shouted in Pomaika'ian. "I'm warning you, I'm—" A man wearing traditional Pomaika'ian clothing stumbled into the parlor, looking rather beat up, sweaty and exhausted. But he smiled and lightly laughed upon the sight of Kyle, and the Canadian did the same.

"Kainak!" Hilo exclaimed. "You're alright!"

"Hilo!" Kyle sighed. "You're okay! What're you doing in my treehouse?"

"I was looking for you!" Hilo replied. The Teo lieutenant ran up to Kyle and hugged him before breaking away. "Are you aware the seaside village was attacked?"

"Yeah, I am" said Kyle. "I was following some tracks from the seaside Teo village. I'm not sure where they lead, but I have a good idea what's at the end of them."

"What do you mean?"

"I think whomever attacked the village and the researchers might be hiding in the jungle somewhere. Probably in one of those abandoned structures that make for good hide-outs."

"So are you going there for a fight?" Hilo asked.

"Yes and no," Kyle replied. "But you haven't answered my question, what are you doing here?"

"The moment they attacked, Chief Manti told me to run so that I may warn others," said Hilo. I did not see much of what happened, but I am most certainly thankful to the Gods that I ran into you."

"Well, I'm glad I ran into you, too," Kyle replied. "But right now, we have MORE IMPORTANT things to worry about!"

"Like Huli?"

"Julie can handle herself just fine," said Kyle. "She can get her way out of any trouble she's in. But seriously, we need to get serious." He noticed that Hilo was already bleeding. He ushered the Teo lieutenant upstairs into the bedroom. Once there, he took the first aid kid and applied some Neosporin and a bandage to Hilo's arm.

"Thank you, old friend," said Hilo. "By the way, WHY are you wearing that shirt? And do you think someone who know is behind this?"

"Right, but I have the strange feeling this is connected to the attack on the Island Games," said Kyle. "I don't know for certain, of course." He explained everything he knew to Hilo—except for the stuff Hilo already knew—as best he could until he got to the part about his aunt and uncle.