Down Deep

Chapter Seven - Grant

His entire body felt like one giant ache when he crawled out of his sleeping furs in the morning. His joints cracked and popped unnaturally as he moved through a few stretches. A soft chuckle drew his attention to the stream. Zdana was kneeling beside the water filling up her water skins. She had removed a few of her furs including her hood and boots.

'You sound like an old man.' She teased before turning her attention back to the water. 'We have a little farther to go, but we will have to be more cautious. The tunnel we are going into is stable, but some of the ones connected to it are not.' He nodded and knelt beside her scooping up some of the water to drink before he stood to go back down the way they had come. 'Do not go far.' She warned.

'Just answering the call of nature.' He called back. Once he was far enough from the entrance, he relieved his bladder and headed back. A noise behind him stopped him. The little light cast off from the dying fire was no help. The tunnel was pitch black in the distance. Then he saw the faintest flash of blue light. 'Zdana.' He said in a whisper. 'I think someone is in the tunnel.'

'Couse there is fool boy.' Came an annoyed reply down the path. 'Don't you be knowing sound carries in tunnels? We can hear you like you be scream'n.' Zdana joined him smiling.

'I know that voice.' She said and he saw the blue again. This time he recognized it as a mutant's eye shine. There was also a set of red eyes and yellow eyes. 'Hello momma.' The mutant who stepped into the light was the tallest one Grant had seen so far. She stood around five foot one and had a thick head of golden hair. She smiled up to Zdana with matching blue eyes. 'Jackel says you need dig'n to be done. We be dig'n for you.' Zdana took a moment to hug her momma before motioning them all to the fire. The female mutant with the red eyes wasted no time in adding fuel to the fire. The male with yellow eyes pulled food from his pack.

'You did not need to come all the way up here.' Zdana sighed as she sat down. 'We do not even know yet if it will be possible to dig up.'

'That's why we be bringing me.' The red eyed woman said. 'I be better than any Fens Surveyor. Just point me at the rock and I be read'n it for ya.'

'You can help.' Zava told Zdana 'I know your poppa be thinking you can't be dig'n but you will see. Couple days with an axe in your hands and you be know'n you can. Sure, you be good sore for a bit, but it be work'n out. You be see'n pup. You be half me after all.' Zdana smile down to her momma with eyes full of love.

'I do love to dig momma.' She said 'But I promised poppa I would not mine anymore. I cannot break my word.'

'Who says you be mine'n?' The yellow eyed man demanded. 'Miners be dig'n for ore. There be no ore here. Just rock. You not be mine'n you be dig'n a hole.' Grant chuckled at the little man's logic.

'He has a good point.' He told Zdana.

'Oh you be dig'n to smart boy.' The man said annoyed 'My pup done told me how you be tipp'n over your first step into the deep. You be weak. You go'na live in the Fens, we need to be make'n you strong.' He leaned over and tapped Grants little belly. 'You be soft an fat like city people. Gotta be mak'n you hard.' The Deeps men slapped his own stomach and it sounded as if he hit the rock wall. 'You be seeing boy. Dig'n be make'n you hard like me. Then we be drink'n and fight'n. Be a good time aye ya.'

'You would break him Sanson.' Zdana chuckled before looking to Grant. 'Do not worry. Sanson thinks drinking and fighting is the answer to all of life's problems. He is a good man to have at your back however.' She looked to the group. 'This is Grant. He is the political that was dumped down to the Fens. Grant, this is my momma Zava, Sanson, and I believe that is his eldest daughter Manava if memory serves. The red eyed female nodded with a slight smile.