Story and characters are (c) Lars E Hellberg

Exploring the Mainland

2

True, the next day saw the sky open up, boiling with a fierce tropical rain. The troop of would-be explorers had gathered in Rajme's room, a well lived-in turmoil filled with souvenirs from all their outings on their small island. Rajme herself was in a bad mood, restless because of the heavy raining. Renno's talk about being scared had set her thoughts wandering, and she did not like the direction they went. Renno was so sure there would be hard times. He could be such a pessimist at times. Damn! If only the guy would show some backbone! Chaige had brought inventory lists, and they were checking to see what had to be bought. Rajme listened with only half an ear. She was not ready to accept trouble on this outing, perhaps the most important one she would ever make. If those two rogues, or, indeed, any of her own gang, put her in the risk of getting a bad grade, there would be hell to pay. She would see to that!
"...not even listening. Look at her! She's already walked across half of Mainland, armed with a fishing knife and a baad attitude."
"What?"
"I was saying," sighed Chaige, "Please pay some attention. Do you wanna be out there, lacking supplies just 'cause you're grouchy about the weather?"
"Of course not. What were you saying?"
"We'll have to get a new tent, Rajme. The old one's got more holes that Renno's favourite shirt."
Chaige's comment made Renno stare at him sourly, while Tailchaser laughed. Rajme looked at Renno. It was true that he rarely had whole, clean clothes. In some way, he could put on a new shirt, only to have it stained and torn five minutes later. He was a natural. Tailchaser probed a hole in one of Renno's sleeves, and was rewarded with a snarl that made Chara, as always on his lap, begin to whine. As usually, Mihio was the one who called for peace.
"Calm down, now, all of you. We're not getting anything done here today."
"It's the weather, I tell you," said Rajme dourly. "I feel locked up."
"Why not take a swim in the back yard?" said Renno. "It sure is wet enough out there. You're not thinking a test-your-mettle bad weather excursion."
"Well, we could take a little hike over to Landing Site. It's just twenty km."
"I said, you're NOT thinking a test-you-mettle bad weather excursion. I am not walking twenty km in this weather. Not, not, as in not!"

Thirty minutes later they had gathered outside Rajme's house again, all dressed for the occasion in rainwear and water-proof walking boots. For once, Tailchaser had left Chara behind, unwilling to risk giving the baby pneumonia. In the cold rain, Renno was fuming with anger. Adventuring was one thing, obsession another, as he had told everybody for the last half hour. He would gladly risk his life, but he hated getting wet.
"If we get too wet, we could turn back after five km," said Rajme. "It'll be half the distance."
"Five kay-emm," mocked Renno. "Half the distance as in far too long. I hate..."
"Getting wet!" they all filled in.
Two kilometres further along the coast, Rajme was beginning to regret her stubbornness. It was an unusually heavy rain, and she was soaked to the skin. What use were rainwear that covered you from above, but completely failed to turn away the raindrops as they splashed up from the ground? However, she was not going to suggest turning back. Neither, she knew, was Renno. But what kept the others? A simple hint of warm fires and hot chocolate, and they would be home before they realised they had turned. Surely they were not waiting to see who would give in of Rajme and Renno? There had been persistence competitions before, and it always ended with the two of them refusing to talk for a week. She was just about to open her mouth to abort the walk, when Chaige let out the all-too familiar warning.
"Idiot alert, dead ahead."
True enough, there came Irhabotu jogging. He was lightly dressed, and looked completely soaked. Surely he had not jogged all the way from Landing Site? The cat-boy slowed down as he approached.
"There you are. Told you practise makes perfect. You'll have to hurry, though, if you're gonna make it back home before dark. The bridge is out at Blackwood River. I had to swim across. Doesn't it feel great, this fight against nature?"
Rajme and the others stood gaping as Irhabotu bounced away along the path. So he had jogged to Landing Site and back, swimming twice across a river. That was enough for Rajme, and again she opened her mouth to say so. Again, she was interrupted.
"Don't you think that's enough?" asked Renno. "I don't like giving up, but I don't wanna make it seem as if we're competing with him. The guy's a nut."
"He's a bag of nuts," Mihio agreed. "Let's go through those shopping lists again."
"A few times," said Chaige.
"Each," Renno filled in.
"Back home," finished Rajme.
"Yeah," said Tailchaser. "I'll cook you lunch, if you all promise not to do this again."

The door to Rajme's house opened, and a shower of rain entered, followed by five very wet youngsters. To Rajme's surprise, there was a large fire burning in the living room, spreading its warmth in a manner most welcoming. They had not even begun removing their rainwear when Rajme's father came out from the kitchen to meet them.
"I had a hunch you would not actually hike to Landing Site in a weather like this."
"Hello, Mr Rijima," said Chaige. "No fishing today?"
"With this rain? We'd be lucky to get half the boats back. You've all got dry bathrobes waiting in the bathroom. Just hang up what's wet, and come warm yourselves by the fireplace."
"Dad, you're the best!" said Rajme.
He went back into the kitchen, and they could smell something cooking. Ten minutes later, all of them were gathered by the fire, each holding a plate of hot food and feeling generally well. Rijima had picked up Chara, whom they had left with Chaige's father, and the baby was now giving Tailchaser trouble, getting tangled up with his too-large bathrobe.

Three hours later, the rain stopped. They had been playing cards for most of the afternoon, and now they all felt like moving. Choice fell on badminton, and they played until dark, with occasional interruption to argue or fight over rules. As night fell, the others started dropping off, leaving Rajme to put Chara to bed. Her father had cooked them a quick evening meal.
"Raj, have you finished shopping for next week?"
"Not yet, dad, why?"
"Would you mind postponing it until the day after tomorrow?"
"Renno and the others are going to Landing Site tomorrow. I thought I'd go with them."
"You know your mother's coming home tomorrow night. She'd probably like to go with you. Is that okay with you?"
"Yeah, sure. I'll go with the others tomorrow, but save my shopping, that's fine by me."
"You know she's feeling bad about not spending much time with us."
"I know, dad. It's okay, it really is. I mean, we get along fine, Chara and I, even when you're out fishing. We still have most weekends together."
"Yes, but this is the last time she's home before the day you leave. I'm sure she wants to wish you good journey."
"Heh, I think I'll need it. Renno's had a bad stomach about this for days, now."
"You think it'll be bad, then?"
"Not really, not with Sahir as guide."
"You got him? You're really lucky. I had to do with old Stormtail, and his wild stories. We went about a hundred metres into Mainland, then he had us do an 'archaeological search', digging five hundred deep holes."
"Ha! Then what?"
"He led us back home, told us to agree to anything he said, made up a story of a mad bull attacking us, then he passed us all for agreeing to the story."
"Silly ol' bugger. D'you really think he's done anything of all he says?"
"Some, maybe. A bit of it might be true."
"Yeah, the bit where he says 'I set out...', after that it's all bull..."
"Watch it, girl. Don't mock your elders! When I get that old I want you to listen to me, and heed every word as I repeat it for the three hundredth time."
"Not likely. I'll sell you to passing traders."