Practice in Olak Hills – Aftermath

And so it was over, farewell Olak Hills…

When the youths come back to Narun the first thing the all do is rest. They were all exhausted by staying out for nine whole days, when it took two days to get to Olak Hills and Three to get back. The soldiers that escorted them told them that when they learned how to march they would be able to do the same trip, but it would only take one day to get to Olak Hills. And even less if they had horses and could ride well.

But it wasn’t only the trip that had exhausted them all. But living in the forest for three days where tiresome when you weren’t accustomed to it, the ground hard and dirty and the air damp and chilly making it hard to stay warm and clean. Even those who slept and lived in the cottage had suffered from draughty windows and the beds that weren’t too comfortable. But it had been fun for most of them, and more importantly, they had learned something.

Walking through unknown woods weren’t as easy as it seemed and navigating was even harder. The easiest part was the part that they had all felt would be the hardest, to build a camp. Maybe it was hard to find a good spot and make it a good camp but setting it up was no hard thing to do. Maintaining the camp on the other hand had proven impossible for all the youths. But they were home, with the knowledge that there was still much to learn if they wanted to become soldiers of the fort.

Most have at least a few bruises and a few had been wounded some more with some more serious wounds like broken ribs, a strained ankle or a minor concussion. Ironically Ylve, the biggest and toughest amongst the boys, where the only one to escape any wound or bruising at all since he was the last man standing in the end.

The day afterwards they reported the event to Hogan who questioned them all, including the support team, about the proceedings. He wasn’t too pleased by any of their performance but he commended the fact of the effort and time they’ve put into the trip and made sure that it was written down in all of their chronicles so they would be able to take merit for their achievements when they were grown men. But they would utterly loose if that would have been a serious skirmish. Both teams.

Styrk though is not too pleased that Brynhild only managed to mend three weapons and none of them too good. She would not gain apprenticeship at this day but continue to strive forward. She still needed more experience and more soul in her work, just being hard working isn’t good enough if you didn’t have any soul in your work. But more chances would come, since Styrk feels that Brynhild soon will be ready to take up the apron of the apprentice for real.

Ragnar is in bed, with a strained ankle, Snorred have been recommended to take it easy due to his concussion and Eitrid has a black eye and several bruises from when he was almost trampled by the moose he tried to take down, twice, during the trip. But they are slowly going on with their lives, knowing that soon the summer festival will be here and spring will be over. The last spring as youths and the last summer to enjoy before the new obligations and demands of the adult will burden their shoulders.