Chapter 6 Scene 4

Gopmubi and Mike go up the trail though the center of the Swampy Forest. Gopumbi is carrying his bow and a quiver of arrows and a bag, and Mike carries a bag, some rope made from liana vines, and the two Lightfoot Potions. They go 700 meters north, and stop. Gopumbi explains,

"This is halfway between where Bukela and Otanve were before, and they both got stuck in the quicksand. Otanve found a statue and Bukela shot some snakes, so this should be a good place. It takes two arrows to kill a snake, and we need three snakes."

Quest 70: Get three snakes.

"That makes sense," answers Mike. "We want to cover as much of this island as possible."

"Now the quicksand and snakes are this way." Gopumbi steps off the trail to the east, and treads carefully unttil one foot starts to sink. He steps back. "Okay, here is the quicksand. Now it's time to drink the Lightfoot Potion."

Mike hands Gopumbi one of the bottles of potion, and Gopumbi drinks it. He then hesitantly steps onto the quicksand, and is relieved and excited when he doesn't sink. Gaining confidence, he moves farther east, and in two minutes finds a snake and shoots it. The snake can slither along the surface without sinking because its weight is distributed over a long surface, but it is surprised to see a human around. Gopumbi shoots it again before it can strike, and he puts it in his bag. A couple minutes later he does the same with a second snake. Realizing the Lightfoot Potion will soon wear off, he heads back west toward Mike, but stops to pick up a lizard.

You found a Green Toxxy!

A minute later Gopumbi tracks a third snake into some bushes about ten meters from where Mike is standing when Gopumbi starts to sink slowly. When he tries to pull one foot out, the other goes down more, and he can't pull either foot out.

"Mike, I need the other Lightfoot Potion!"

Mike's reply is not what Gopumbi expected. "Keruka said to use it only if you really need it."

"But I'm sinking!"

"Yes, but you're close enough for me to pull you out."

Gopumbi is sinking a centimeter each second and has almost sunk to knees when he says, "Then I should lie back to distribute my weight."

"Can you shoot the snake while lying on your back?"

Gopumbi leans back. "I can't even see where I'm shooting at like this."

"Then stand up and face your target."

Gopumbi straightens up and resumes sinking at the same rate. "I feel silly letting myself sink and getting stuck."

"How would you feel if we aren't able to complete all the tasks because we needed a Lightfoot Potion and none were available?"

Mike's wisdom reaches Gopumbi and the native realizes he hasn't been acting like a worthy hunter. "At least I can put the bow and quiver down so I don't sink too much." He carefully unslings the quiver from his shoulder and lays it and the bow on the quicksand. His legs disappear under the surface and he stops sinking when the sand has reached the bottom of his green loincloth.

"You got two shots off in quick succession by reaching for the second arrow when it was in your quiver, drawing, aiming, and firing it in one motion. Can you do that with the quiver on the ground? After you hit the snake the first time, you need to get the second shot off quickly so it doesn't bite you. You can practice here, aim for this tree."

Gopumbi practices, but there is clearly too much time between shots. Furthermore, the efforts cause him to sink another twenty centimeters. Just as the top of his loincloth goes under the surface of the quicksand, he starts laughing. Mike is concerned that Gopumbi has gone delirious.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Ha ha ... it's okay ... hee hee ... I'm ticklish there ...ha ha ... I'm okay now."

Gopumbi has sunk another ten centimeters and the quicksand is just past his navel. He breathes heavily for a couple minutes. When he has caught his breath Mike tells him,

"My suggestion didn't work. Here, take this Lightfoot Potion and get out of there."

"No! I don't need it."

"But you need to shoulder your quiver and that will cause you to sink more."

"I can handle it."

"You won't be able to hold your bow straight."

"I can hold it sideways. I'm a great hunter."

Gopumbi demonstrates, by putting the quiver back on his shoulder. As he sinks up to his chest, he takes the bow, loads an arrow, and holds the bow sideways. "Come on, snake!"

"That noise may have scared the snake. Be prepared to stay there for some time."

Gopumbi realizes Mike is right again, and stays quiet. Nothing happens for five minutes, but then Mike sees a bug crawling up a tree a short distance away. "I have to catch that bug," announces Mike. "Sorry I have to talk, but I didn't want you think I was abandoning you."

"That's okay. It's important to find all the rarities, and there's no harm in me staying here a while longer."

Mike silently catches the bug and puts it in his bag.

You found a Yellow Ancestor's Bug!

Mike returns to the edge of the quicksand where Gopumbi is stuck. Nothing happens for another ten minutes, but then the snake finally emerges from the bushes, and Gopumbi promptly shoots it, draws another arrow, and shoots it again, killing it. He raises his arms in triumph.

"I told you I'm a great hunter!"

"Good job. That you are." Mike is pleased at how he changed Gopumbi's attitude from wanting the second Lightfoot Potion to refusing it. The native boy's confidence also must have grown a lot. "Now let's get you out of there."

Mike throws the liana rope to Gopumbi and tries to pull him in. "You have to help pull yourself out."

"I know. I have to get that third snake, and can reach it with the bow if I get a little closer."

With the combined effort, it still takes twenty minutes fo free Gopumbi from the quicksand with the bag containing the three snakes and the lizard and not losing the bow, quiver, or any arrows.

Quest 70 complete!

They then head back to the Village, where Gopumbi will get a chance to wash himself up in the ocean.

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