Valley World: Hired Hand

The wind from the South continues for a while, as Jorn works silently South and West. Then the storm hits, from the North, and Jorn is lashed by heavy rain.
The lash of the rain is uncomfortable, but it means that there will likely be none of the cannibals out hunting. Still Jorn needs to be very cautious. The risk that he takes would not be reasonable, except that the treasure that the city holds will be enough to elevate Jorn from hired hand to land owner and a man who can then pursue the beautiful Deena. However, if he’s to live to gain the riches, he must be alert and careful.
The fury of the storm masks the normal noises of the forest. Jorn can’t hear possible enemies. Then again, possible enemies will find it very difficult to track Jorn. Jorn moves as silently as he can, carefully placing his boots on the muck of the forest floor, making sure of each footing, as he goes. He moves through the drenched forest, trying as best as he can remember, to follow the path that his father showed him, on only one occasion.
After what seems like hours, Jorn peers from the edge of the forest, across what the storm has turned into a mud flat. Jorn sees only the windowless backs of ruined buildings, across the mud. It’s difficult to even see the buildings, through the pouring rain. However, the same rain will make it difficult for anyone to see Jorn. Jorn moves back and stands on vegetation. He removes his boots and slides a pair of sturdy deerhide moccasins onto his feet. He slings his boots, upside down, around his neck and prepares to walk along the remains of some sort of curbing, that lie just under the surface of the mud.
Suddenly, Jorn becomes aware of a disturbance off to one side. It’s hard to tell, over the noise of the rain, but it appears to be a fight. Jorn pulls the long knife of his father and prepares to defend himself. Suddenly, a naked form slides out of the forest and prepares to work its way back, the way it came. Jorn's knife ends that plan and the world is a better place, by one cannibal. Another naked form tries to rush past Jorn and Jorn's knife ends the life of another cannibal.
A dim form, in the rain asks, in language that Jorn barely understands, “Who you?”
Jorn answers, in very basic form, “I called Jorn.”
The form says, “I called Greon.”
Three more forms then join the one who talks with Jorn. The four talk in a language similar to what Jorn speaks, but enough different than what Jorn speaks that he’s only able to just get a hint as to what they say.”
Jorn says, “Maybe more cannibals come.”
The largest of the forms, Greon, the one who appears to be in charge, says, “Jalusha keep watch. No one surprise.”
Jorn asks, “Where you go?”
Greon says, “We from Seaside. We seek Valley.”
Jorn says, “I from Valley. Help me get what I seek, I take to Valley.”
Greon says, “Cannibals in city.”
Jorn says, “Maybe. Not many where I go.”
Greon asks, “Across mud?”
Jorn laughs, “Hidden path. Then out gate you passed.”
Greon says, “You take chance.”
Jorn says, “Take chance, gain much.”
Greon asks, “Jalusha, cannibals?”
Jalusha answers, in a woman’s voice, “All dead.”
Greon says, “We wait hour.”
Jorn sheathes his knife, turns and walks to the edge of the mud. He feels for the curbing that lies just under the mud and walks on the curbing, feeling his way with his moccasin feet. He reaches a rusted metal wall, with a hanging rusted chain. The chain is heavy and will still bear his weight, despite the rust. Jorn climbs the chain to a roof top and then scans the area for cannibals. Jorn sees nothing of danger and lets himself down from the roof. He moves across a paved area that’s coated with mud from the dust and dirt of ages. He comes to a heavy metal door, with a covered device that contains buttons. Jorn pushes the buttons, in the pattern told to him by his father. The door then yields to Jorn’s mighty tug.