*
Vin rushed forward, seeing the enormous ape on his knees. I didn’t know they made ‘um so big, he thought. Naz must be losing his touch to ‘ave missed this one.
He swung his staff as Carter had shown him, dropping his shoulder slightly to keep the arc of the swing straight. Just for a moment, he looked into the eyes of the ape. Where he remembered there had always been a blackness filled with hate, he thought he glimpsed for a moment something new, a look of relief or even happiness?
No, these things are never happy, he told himself. You’re going down, big boy.
With a sense of “job well done,” he heard a satisfying CRACK! when his staff connected with the side of the ape’s head. He watched it slowly pitch forward in the snow, its head turned to one side, almost as though wanting to watch the world play out around him.
*
Naz was aware of Vin at his shoulder and felt an enormous boost to his confidence. ‘Carter was right. The Cats and Dogs are here!’ he shouted to Vin.
A burst of snow ahead warned him of more apes attacking. From the corner of his eye, he saw Vin bringing his staff down and an explosion of snow as another ape collapsed at their feet.
Dray screamed into the wind, ‘You’ve got to get the others out of here. Follow me.’ Naz turned back to where he’d left Holly and Carter.
*
Holly stood alert, staring ahead into the swirling snowstorm, reciting her mantra, ‘I have the Crystal. It’s mine… I have the Crystal.’ She could feel the probing going on in her mind but fought not to let Him in.
She moved closer to Carter, wanting the touch and support of him next to her. Leaning against him, she felt his whole body shaking. She turned to look in his eyes and just for a moment, she saw the young boy at the river, the one who loved to swim, the one who always said hello and carried her bag for her when Kerri wasn’t around, her friend. She felt a wave of sadness come over her, sad for the boy who’d lost his youth, who’d only wanted to swim, who’d had to come searching for her, because he’d promised.
She moved closer to Carter. ‘Don’t be afraid, Carter. It’ll be okay,’ she told him. ‘I’ll take care of this. I’ve done this before. If I can fight with Snow Bears I’m sure I can fight with apes,’ she said.
Carter looked at his friend, but was lost for words.
‘You know, I wouldn’t have blamed you if you hadn’t come back for me,’ she said. ‘Sometimes, I wished you hadn’t promised to take care of me. And I’m so sorry I called you.’
‘I would have come for you even if you hadn’t called me. That’s what friends do, Holly.’
‘You’re the best friend anyone could have, Carter. But don’t tell Kerri I said that, will you?’
Carter couldn’t help smiling. ‘We’re going to get out of this, Holly. That’s another promise.’
‘Don’t, Carter. You can’t promise me that, you don’t know what I’ve done.’
The world seemed to stop moving around them. Two friends stood side by side in a storm they could not feel, in a wind they could not hear. There was no danger in their world, only two friends together.
‘Everyone makes mistakes, but being friends means you forgive those things. You’ve still got to look out for each other, that’s what I think.’
‘No, I’ve done something really bad, Carter. You’re all going to hate me for it.’
‘You’re my friend, Holly, and we are Clan together, that’s all that’s important. No one will hate you for what you did.’
‘But you don’t understand…’ She wished they were people again, that she could throw her arms around the neck of this boy who had to grow up before his time, the boy who’d come to save her. She wished she could bury her head on his shoulder and cry when she asked him to forgive her.
‘I don’t have the Crystal anymore, Carter.’
The ground seemed to fall out from under him. He looked to the small cloth sack around her neck. It was still drawn tight with the cord.
‘But, what do you mean, Holly?’
‘Quick! Follow me!’ shouted Naz, a broad grin on his face. ‘You were right, Carter, that voice in yer ‘ead was right! They’re here waiting for us. We’re making a run for it. Come on, QUICK!’
He looked back at Holly. He could see she was on the verge of breaking down and crying.
‘You’re going home, Holly. That’s what’s important. Nothing else matters now. Let’s go.’
He ran after Naz, keeping one eye over his shoulder to make sure Holly stayed with him. He couldn’t help seeing the blank staring eyes of the ape laying in the snow as he rushed by.
*
The Lions rushed forward, attacking from behind. After so long in the cold, the apes were slow to notice and even slower to react to the Lions’ assault. They managed to take down six of the apes in the middle of the line they’d planned to use to trap Holly and the others. The Lions had finally found their advantage against a formidable foe.
Through this gap, Dray led Naz with Carter and Holly close behind. They could see Vin clearing a path with lethal swinging blows of his staff, knocking apes to the left and the right. But the apes kept coming, charging in to surround them, trying to close off the gap made when Crag had fallen.
Without warning, Kerri reared up from the snow with Lulu beside her, where they’d been lying hidden. There was a moment’s hesitation before they recognised each other, the matted and bedraggled fur of Holly and Carter making them difficult to recognise beneath the lumps of ice encrusted around their faces.
‘I told you, don’t make me come and get you, Carter,’ Kerri said in greeting.
‘I missed you too, Kerri,’ he said smiling. ‘Want to race home?’
She looked at Holly and for a moment was taken aback by her sadness. ‘Holly, I’m so sorry I left you. I didn’t know…’
‘It’s okay. I understand, Kerri,’ Holly said. ‘I don’t blame you. It was Him. I’m just so happy to see you again.’
‘We can talk later,’ said Lulu. ‘We need to get through this pass. Follow me, and jump when I jump.’
‘Follow my tracks, Carter,’ Kerri said with a grin, relieved that they’d finally made it back. ‘Come on you two big fellas,’ she called to Naz and Vin. ‘We’re leaving.’
Carter marvelled at her confidence, any thoughts of danger disappearing now he was beside her again.
*
Naz bounded through the pass, feeling Vin’s breath on his shoulder. ‘I was made for this,’ shouted Vin, who seemed to be enjoying the excitement.
‘You’re getting pretty handy with that stick, Vin,’ Naz puffed.
‘It’s a staff, Naz, and a lethal attacking weapon too. It feels good to be giving back at last.’
‘Don’t enjoy it too much, Vin. We still gotta get through this pass,’ panted Naz, the exertion beginning to take its toll.
They could see apes running in from the sides, trying to cut them off. It was heavy going for them, but they were making progress through the deep snow. Naz and Vin took long, bounding leaps, following behind Lulu and Kerri. Up ahead, the Clan’s runners were leaving their positions to the left and right, running back through the narrowing funnel to warn Casey and the others of the rear guard. With Dray and his Mountain Lions running beside them, it became a headlong dash to get through the pass.
*
Casey knelt in the snow with the heavy woollen cloak pulled up over his head. The wind blowing through the pass brought with it the odious smell of rotten ape with it. He felt his own tension beginning to rise and tried to copy the techniques Sam had shown for preparing before conflict. He took a deep breath, trying to slow his racing heartbeat, before exhaling slowly. He looked out through the narrow gap he’d left after wrapping the blanket around him. He knew he was covered in snow and was pleased to see the rest of the Clan were likewise. They were barely visible unless you knew what to look for.
He took another deep breath, trying to clear his thoughts and open up his senses. In the f
ar distance, he thought he could make out shouting, carried on the wind and focused through the narrowing pass. This is it, he thought. I just wish I knew what was going on. Exhaling slowly, he began to feel more in touch with his surroundings.
He became aware that the wind had stopped for a moment and a deathly quiet settled over the pass. He noticed steam rising from the breath of his men crouching hidden beside him, ice forming on the edging of his blanket where his breath had condensed and quickly froze, forming icicles around his face. He took one more deep breath and held it for a moment. Shouts became clear, echoing off the high walls of the funnel where the Clan waited in nervous anticipation. With the dropping wind, the cloud cleared, revealing a full moon lighting their world in a grey-blue light. For the first time, they could see into the pass. The shouts became louder. Casey saw members of the Clan running in from the side where they’d been keeping watch. He slowly let out his breath. He could hear it whistling through his lips, forming a jet of steam in front of him.
The shouts became yells as the runner came in. ‘They’re here! They’re on their way!’ echoed off the walls.
‘Hold your positions.’ Casey sounded loud and confident. He surprised himself with his calmness.
The runners leapt over the defence line and took positions at the side with the rest of the Clan, staffs lowered but nervousness high.
Perfect weather for it, Casey thought. Full moon, deep snow, impossibly narrow pass. We’ll be okay, he told himself.
‘Here they come,’ he heard from beside him.
At last he saw her, Kerri, leading them in and an enormous sense of relief washed over him.
‘We got this,’ he said to himself and anyone listening. He searched for Lulu and spotted her running beside two ice-covered balls of fur that he knew would be Holly and Carter. The enormous bounding strides of Naz and Vin were unmistakable, and for a moment, he felt a rush of gratitude that they were on his side. The Mountain Lions ran to the rear and sides, protecting the others from any ape that came too close, masters within the mountain snows.
‘Stay down,’ Casey called, ‘they know where we are.’
Casey could hear their long, running strides cracking as they broke through the crusty surface ice. He became aware of everything around him taking place in slow motion, until Kerri sailed over the top of the crouching Clan’s defence line and all hell broke loose.
*
Kerri slowed up in her charge through the pass, falling in line with Carter and Holly. ‘Told you I was the fastest runner,’ she shouted to him.
‘My legs are a bit stiff from the cold,’ he called back.
‘I hope that’s all that’s stiff. You gotta jump now. Jump long, Carter, jump far!’
He didn’t understand what was happening, but trusted Kerri completely.
She put on a burst of speed to the front, took an extra long, reaching stride, then took off through the air. Holly and Carter instinctively followed her lead, jumping at the same point and leaping over a line of raised mounds in the snow. He subconsciously realised it was his Clan, lying in wait and hidden beneath the snow as he leapt over the top of two lines of mounds stretching across the narrow neck of the pass.
They landed in the snow behind, Keri and Lulu landing on their feet and stopping dead to turn and help. Carter and Holly, exhausted from the days without rest, landed badly, their legs collapsing beneath them, making them roll and tumble forward until they came to a panting stop in a cloud of powder snow. They both lay, gasping for breath, wondering what was going to happen next.
Vin and Naz saw the others jump, but were not so light on their feet. Without the agility of the hounds, they didn’t reach as far and crashed onto two unfortunate guards hidden below, bowling them over. They lay gasping from the exertion while the Mountain Lions came flying over the top of them.
*
Naz and Vin both sat up, trying to grasp the situation around them. They saw Kerri and Lulu rush over to Carter and Holly. They saw the Mountain Lions jumping around them, but they weren’t attempting to escape any further. They also saw a mass of apes being funnelled down through the pass and heading their way.
‘We gotta move, Naz. We gotta run,’ shouted Vin.
Naz took in the situation and quickly understood what was happening.
‘Hold up, Guard!’ he called, trying to get Vin to think straight. ‘This is where we make our stand.’
‘What, you and me?’ said Vin.
‘Have some trust, Guard! These Southerners know what they’re doing.’
Vin looked around at the mounds of snow and the two men they’d landed on lying flattened beside them.
‘We’re Guards, Vin. This is where we make our stand. They’ll need us.’
Vin grasped his staff and turned to face the charging apes. He swung his staff ready to clobber the first ape to come within range. As the apes tried to leap over the mound, he heard Casey’s voice booming out, echoing around the pass.
‘FRONT LINE!’ he called.
In front of Vin, a cloud of snow flew into the air where the defenders threw off their snow-covered cloaks. A line of staffs came shooting up and forward into the faces and bellies of the charging apes as the defenders took one step forward. The apes never understood what had hit them. The defenders immediately dropped to a kneeling position.
‘BACK LINE!’ came the shout.
Another cloud of snow erupted into the air and another line of staffs came up between gaps left by the first rank of defenders. They also took one step forward and drove their staffs downward, the wood making a whistling noise as the deadly strikes sliced through the air, landing on anything within range. The CRACKS! as staffs connected with skulls rang out and echoed back off the walls in the still of the night. They then also knelt.
The apes behind pulled up in confusion, and without an alpha male to drive them forward, they hesitated for a moment. This was enough for the defenders to organise themselves.
‘FORWARD!’ came the call.
Those now in the rear stepped forward through the gaps left in the front rank and they too swung their staffs down on every ape within range, then again knelt in readiness.
‘FORWARD!’ Casey shouted again.
The line of defenders repeated the moves, driving back the apes, trampling the dead and wounded underfoot. Without the forward charge, the apes’ attack lost all its momentum. Naz and Vin stood behind, watching the defence, ready for any ape that would break through and try to attack Holly.
‘You gotta marvel at their technique, Naz,’ said Vin, watching in amazement.
‘You’re right there, Vin. Awesome technique.’
‘I’m gonna train a bunch of guys like that when we get ‘ome. We’ll be the elite, the shock and awe Guards of the town. We’ll have the best staffs and the best food.’
‘Hmm… think I may join you, Vin. Watch out for that one on the left there. You may have to give him a knock on the ‘ead.’
‘Got it, Naz.’ He brought his staff down on an ape trying to raise himself up.
‘Well done, Guard,’ said Naz.
Vin looked at him and smiled. ‘Great leadership, Naz. They should make you a Boss when we get ‘ome.’
‘Keep an eye on that one over there, Vin. He seems a little keen to carry on fighting. Now, about this going ‘ome, that’s something we’re gonna have to discuss, Vin. You ever sailed a boat?’
*
He could feel his anger and a little panic rising. Staring down into the swirling vortex, he saw the world through Crag’s eyes. He knew that Crag was laying in the snow and that Crag was welcoming death. He could feel Crag’s spirit sensing a final release from the pain.
Maybe I shouldn’t have sent the apes so high, into such cold? The first doubts entered his mind. I’m wasting my army up there.
Through the eyes of Crag, he saw the cat they called Dray, he saw the bears running past, and then his beloved little bird escaping. Rage filled his every thought.
He felt s
omething new in Crag’s senses, something the ape had not experienced before: it was happiness, a relief that his life was ending. ‘Apes don’t deserve to be happy,’ he screamed. He focused his mind and sent a final gift to Crag, an explosion inside Crag’s mind that he watched without compassion while the ape lay shaking and writhing, trying to scream out in agony, but no sounds would come out.
A blackness arose from inside the spiralling vortex. Crag’s eyes saw no more.
‘Where is that damned Sonny?’ he screamed into his temple of vanity. For a moment, he considered sending Thunder, to destroy Sonny too, lashing out in rage at everyone around. ‘Sonny’s of no use to anyone!’ he screamed aloud.
‘No, No… remember the mistake with Carter,’ he warned himself. ‘Don’t throw him away yet, he may still be of use one day.’ The conversation with himself continued aloud while he planned his next move.
‘Time to capture my little bird, but very gently this time.’
He added more of the ochre powder to the gently simmering liquid resting over the coals. He searched his own memories for secrets he’d stolen from Holly. All of her hopes she’d shown him, all her fears, everything he’d drawn out from her young mind during the long days and longer nights he’d spent tormenting her while she lay under the snow, under his control.
Something nice, something sweet, he thought. He remembered a vision he’d plucked from her most happy memories, he concentrated his mind on forming a picture of Holly at the water’s edge, there was a swimming race to the island, she was jumping up and down in excitement. He formed an image of Holly shouting in happiness…
“Come on, Carter, COME ON!”
“Carter’s going to win,” she told everyone standing around.
“That’s my friend, Carter, he’s the fastest swimmer in the world,” she was shouting.
“Carter’s done it! Carter’s won.”
He thought about recreating the sense of happiness in Holly’s mind. The spinning liquid cleared for a moment. He saw her. He had her!
‘I have the Crystal. It’s mine… I have the Crystal. It’s mine…’
Lost Lands Page 25
