Pametum had been keeping a watchful eye on the large ship ever since it floated into the bay and dropped anchor. It had not moved from that location in many moonfalls. The cold months had come and gone, and the water was beginning to shed its ice. Soon, he guessed, the men on the boat would venture on to land.

Pametum’s village was abandoned when the scouts saw the ship first approach at the very end of last harvest season, his people moving further inland for safety. Only Pametum and two scouts stayed behind to keep watch. There had been very little movement on the large wooden ship since it anchored; a few nights after its arrival there was much shouting and loud gunfire, but little commotion since. Pametum was curious as to what these white men wanted, and why they had remained on board their vessel during the winter months. Pamentum’s chief had warned their people about the sicknesses these men brought with them across the great sea. Had the white men died over winter? Was it time to get a closer look?