Lost and Found

by Mary Hamilton

  “Where do you get your meat?”

  “The forest is plentiful with deer and other game. Father and I go out to hunt once every third or fourth moon cycle. Along with fish and other food from the forest, that is more than enough to meet our needs.”

  The water from her skin went down cool and refreshing. The meat, despite being a little salty, tasted surprisingly good. Marzi hadn’t realized how hungry she was. “Where did your wolf go?”

  Ryshara eyed her for a moment before bursting into laughter. “My wolf? No, Lapis does not belong to me. He is from a line of wolf nobility that is all but gone now. He belongs to no one. He is a productive member of the Bough by choice.” She chewed on a piece of meat as her smile faded. “In fact, one might say it would be a truer statement that I am his elf.”

  Marzi stood and walked over to the edge of the clearing where Lapis had disappeared moments before. Staring into the forest, she spoke over her shoulder, “What do you mean?”

  “Lapis is, well, not ancient but older and wiser than I. Without his protection, I would soon be a tasty meal for a predator.”

  Alarms went off in Marzi’s head. “Predators? There are dangerous animals out here?”

  Ryshara chuckled. “In our world there are predators and prey. There are beasts much larger than us. Just as we must eat the deer, occasional birds and fish, the bears and wolves must also eat. It is the way of Valyn.”

  Marzi turned to face the elf. “What is Valyn?”

  Rys cocked her head to one side, her gaze square on the Azyrean. “Valyn is everything. She is the spirit of the world.” She waved her hand around toward the forest, the sky, and beyond.

  Marzi glanced around. “Really? What does she look like? Is she around here now?”

  Ryshara’s smile faded. “Have you not heard of Valyn? Of course not. I forget, you are not of this world. There, do you hear that? The leaves rustling in the wind. That is Valyn. The sunlight finds its way through the canopy to create patterns of beauty on the forest floor. That is Valyn. She sends us wild game and places fish on our hooks. She coaxes the ferns from the earth to grace our table. She helps us into this world and takes us home when we are done. She is in the air we breathe, the water we drink, and love that we feel.”

  Marzi shook her head. That made no sense at all. Noticing the serious look on Ryshara’s face, though, she knew better than to question the idea. She shrugged. “Oh. Okay.” Then a notion struck her. If this Valyn was truly everything, maybe she could help Marzi get home.

  Chapter 35: Marzi

  During the next few days Rys and Marzi found their rhythm and accomplished their chores quickly. So, it was one such day when they met with Ryshara’s friends, Ellemareth and Ran, within a stone’s throw of Twilight Bough, enjoying the late afternoon sun. Marzi watched the three friends bantering about which one had the most valuable skills. What struck her most was the seriousness of the debate. Back home in Pangrove, the only debate among her friends would be who could ride the most moonbeams in a night. These three mainly discussed weapon skills. Ran insisted that fighting hand-to-hand with a good sword was best. Elle maintained that casting fire spells was the most efficient and deadly way to take out a foe. As if to back up her claim, she tilted her staff at an angle and shot a blue arc of fire at a small log laying on the ground. It disintegrated into smoke and ash almost immediately. Of course, Rys had to weigh in with her bow skill. She claimed that either her long or short bow, depending on the range of the target, would do the trick nicely. The three resolved nothing.

  Lapis remained to one side, lying on his stomach with his head resting on his front paws. The icy blue eyes moved quickly, following the voices. Occasionally, he would shift his gaze to Marzi and stare. She considered going over to sit beside him and stroke his fur, but the teeth protruding below his upper lip convinced her it was probably a bad idea.

  Elle’s voice caught her attention. “You only have one set of clothing?” It sounded to Marzi more like an accusation than question.

  Marzi’s gaze dropped to her now filthy fuchsia blouse. She swiped at it with her hand, hoping some of the brownish discoloration would wipe away. “I wasn’t planning on coming here. I was supposed to go right home after beam hopping. I guess I should wash it.” It occurred to her, though, that she had nothing to wear while cleaning it.

  Ran chortled. “I don’t know. The dirt is an improvement. With those colors, you’re not going to be sneaking up on anything.” He slapped his knee. “Maybe if you smear it with some grass or leaf stain and rub creek mud on it, that would help.”

  Marzi ignored him and returned her attention to Lapis, who at least didn’t try to insult her.

  “You need a new set.” Ellemareth stood and walked over to where Marzi sat. “I’d have to take some measurements.” She stood, head cocked, staring at Marzi, as if sizing her up.

  Marzi started to object and tell the young elf that she needn’t bother. But then it occurred to her that she could be in the Bough for a very long time. “That’s nice of you but I don’t have any way to pay you back.” In Pangrove, things like this were handled sometimes through trade but mostly by paying with coin—she didn’t happen to have any with her.

  Elle interjected, “Things do not work that way in the Bough. Everyone helps as they can. That is part of being a member of the community.”

  Marzi stared at her for a moment. “But I’m not a member of the community. I’m a prisoner.”

  Ran smirked. “Yeah, well, we treat our prisoners well. Besides, if you do not get some more clothing, no one will be able to be around you. We will be able to smell you coming.”

  Rys rolled her eyes at the young warrior. “Do not mind Ran. He is still learning his manners. But he is correct in that you will require more clothing. We also need to get you some boots. Moving through the forest requires no small amount of stealth and ease of movement.” She gestured toward her female friend. “Elle is an expert craftsman and can make what you need. And do not worry about payment. You will have earned your clothing from all the chores you are doing.”

  Marzi glanced down at her clothes. Her mother had traded a couple baskets of vegetables for this outfit. Memories flooded in of her first day back at school wearing the brightly-colored set. “Okay. Thank you.” She lowered her head and stared at her hands, folded in her lap.

  Rys stood, strode over to Marzi, and plopped down, putting her hand on the Azyrean’s shoulder. “And when you get some new things, you can wash these. They will still be good to wear around the Bough. And the sweater is beautiful.” She touched the floral design. “Do you really have these types and colors of flowers in your world?”

  “Oh yes. A whole section of our community garden has nothing but flowers—all colors and sizes. Around Mid-Summer’s Eve, the sun rarely goes down and so everything grows big. There are lots of bees and butterflies. And everyone comes out to the garden and….” A tear rolled down her cheek and she smudged her face with dirt as she caught it and wiped it away.

  She stole a peek at Ran, who was no longer snickering and had shifted his attention to Lapis. Elle, on the other hand, stood motionless with arms crossed in front of her, studying Marzi as if she were a thing of disgust.

  Shadows lengthened and disappeared as the sun set and darkness took sway. A collection of insects began to buzz around the clearing—some lit up with gold and green iridescent light as they flitted about.

  After what seemed to Marzi like an interminable silence, Rys stood. “We should return home. Father will expect dinner. Come, let us go.”

  Elle addressed Rys. “What will you be doing tomorrow?”

  Rys gestured in the direction of the deep woods. “I think tomorrow we will concentrate on woodland dangers.”

  Ran smirked, “In that case, you’d better bring me along, just in case you find some.”

  Ryshara chuckled dryly. “Lapis and I can handle it. Besides, with your mouth, we would attract more danger than we would avoid.”

  Elle
addressed Rys directly. “I will come by this evening and take her measurements. And at the same time, perhaps we should show her to the bathing springs.” She nodded and silently moved toward the Bough.

  Ran shrugged and followed. “I’m off as well. Let me know if you change your mind about tomorrow.” He shot a burst of laughter over his shoulder.

  Rys and Marzi set off at a slow pace toward home. “Do not mind Ran. He is young still and trying to find his own place. His heart is good, even if his mouth does not always reflect it. And, I would never tell him this, but he is indeed good to have by your side when in a fight.”

  That last line hit Marzi like a punch in the stomach. Why would she ever need to fight?

  Chapter 36: Marzi

  After dinner, the two girls talked quietly on cushions in the flickering candlelight of the living room. It occurred to Marzi that since she’d arrived, she had thought of no one but herself. While it was true that her situation occupied her mind, Rys and her father had been more than kind. They had treated her like family. And Elle had stopped by earlier to take measurements for the new clothes. Despite the fact that the elf seemed contemptuous of Marzi, at least she offered help.

  Marzi glanced over at Ryshara who seemed lost in thought. “Where is your mother?”

  Rys offered a sad smile. “Valyn called her five years ago. She sent a fever to help my mother journey to the next life.”

  Marzi shuddered with embarrassment. Searching her memory for some profound response, she ended up muttering, “I’m sorry.”

  The elf laughed softly. “Why? You did nothing wrong.”

  The question flustered the young Azyrean. “I meant that I’m sorry your mother died.”

  “That is nothing to be sorry about. We must all make the journey. I will join her one day, just as father will see her again. When a member of our community moves on, we all rejoice for them and honor their death as well as their life. To feel bad would be selfish. I miss her, yes. But I know she is happy and well. So, I think about that and then I am all right.”

  A knock at the door interrupted the conversation. In the dancing light, Rintaur stepped into the abode. “Good evening, Ryshara, Marzi.” Closing his eyes, he bowed his head briefly.

  Rys stood. “Good evening, Lord Rintaur. Father has just retired. Would you like me to get him?”

  Rintaur shook his head and gestured with his hand, as if waving away the thought. “No. That is not necessary. I actually came to converse with Marzi, if she is willing.”

  Marzi was not used to having a choice about talking to an adult. She looked over at Rys, who shrugged. “Sure.”

  Rys pulled a chair over from the dining table. “Please, sit, Lord Rintaur. Would you like a cup of tea or a glass of brynflower nectar?”

  Sitting, he straightened his tunic and scooted the chair closer to the girls. “Very kind but no, thank you. I will not stay long.” He cleared his throat and paused for a moment. “Marzi, if you do not mind sharing the information, I should very much like to know more about these moonbeams of yours.”

  “What do you want to know?”

  He smiled for a moment before glancing away. “You say you ride the white moonbeams. Where do they come from?”

  Marzi scratched her right ear as she pondered the question. “I guess they come from one of the moons. Like I told you, there are always at least three in the northern sky. The beams come down and across the ridge as they go into the valley. We jump on them at the top and ride them to the bottom.”

  “I admit that I am not quite understanding how one rides a moonbeam. But I shall leave that particular conundrum for now.” He tapped his finger on the arm of the chair. “When you get to the bottom of the hill, what happens then?”

  Marzi laughed. “Oh, that’s easy. The beam just kind of drops us right there. Then there is a white portal. We walk into it and it takes us back to the top where we start over again.”

  Rintaur shook his head and sighed. “What of these colored beams you spoke of? You say that there was a green one and a blue one. Where do these come from?”

  “I don’t know. I suppose they come from the moons, too, but nobody ever told me for sure. We’re just not supposed to get on them. Tovi jumped on a blue one before I could stop him, and he disappeared down the hill. I yelled at him, but he didn’t answer. After that, he was gone. That’s why I jumped on a colored one too. Except that I jumped on the wrong color, I guess.”

  Rintaur stood and walked over to the door, staring out into the darkness. “Yes, I suppose that is true. But why would the colored ones take you to another world when a white beam just takes you to the bottom of the hill?”

  Marzi thought back to that night trying to make sense of what had happened. “I don’t know that either. But Pangrove has a beam keeper. I think it’s his job to keep the colored beams off the hill. I guess he didn’t do such a good job that night.” It suddenly seemed that something to which she had not paid attention over the years was now very important.

  The lord consort’s voice interrupted her thought. “And how does he do that? I mean, keep the colored beams away?”

  Her heart dropped. Once again, she had no answer for him. All she knew was that the beam keeper existed and that she wasn’t supposed to get on colored beams. But she’d let her brother get on one and then she had gotten on one. Now she was in trouble, big trouble.

  “This white portal you mention, what does it look like?” Rintaur returned to his seat.

  Marzi’s hand found its way up to her right ear again as she tried to recall the image. “It’s like this big circle standing up. The white light kind of swirls around it. The portal is bigger than me and maybe as tall as you.”

  The elf stroked his smooth, pale chin, his gaze locked on hers. “Tell me, Marzi, does it cause pain to go through the portal?”

  Marzi laughed. “No. I don’t feel anything. I just step in, and then I’m back at the top.”

  “So, there is no delay? You step in, and right away you are back at your origin?”

  She thought about the question. Maybe it wasn’t as simple as it seemed. “I don’t know, maybe it takes some time, but we just don’t feel it when we go through. I’m sorry. I don’t know.”

  Rintaur smiled broadly. “Please don’t be worried, Marzi. You have been most helpful.” He stood and turned to Ryshara. “I will take my leave now. Thank you and please give my regards to your father.”

  After he departed, Marzi turned to Rys, “What was that all about?”

  Chapter 37: Tovi

  As the two sat beneath a palm tree in a small oasis munching dried meat and nuts, Tovi’s thoughts turned once again to pets. “Why do ogres have pets? What do they do with them?” He leaned back against the tree and stared at the pool of water.

  “They help us work. We take pets with us when we gather, and they can help to haul what we get. That means more each time we go out. Families eat better and make more crystals from the extra supplies.”

  As Tovi considered the answer, Klunk continued, “And they help us hunt, too. I do not have a pet, so I must trap hares and gather roots and nuts. But others can track larger animals for food. The pets are used to chase and force the prey to us.”

  “Why don’t you have a pet?” Tovi hoped his question didn’t insult the ogre.

  Klunk shrugged. “I do not fight well. I tried but could not hold them. Papaw says I need more practice. But I am not sure where to get this practice.”

  Tovi sat up and turned toward his friend. “What if you didn’t have to fight the animal? What if the animal just decided to be your pet?”

  Klunk burst out laughing and slapped his hand on his thigh. “That is good. I would like that if the beast would agree.” He shook his head and laughed even louder.

  The Azyrean decided to stop the conversation there. After all, he didn’t know for sure what he was getting at. But somehow the notion of winning a pet through attraction rather than force seemed easier. Maybe the crystals would help as it
had with the tiny creature earlier. But he recalled that, the moment he returned the crystal to his pack, the mouse had scampered away. So one would have to use something else instead of shiny shards.

  The memory of the voice in his dream came back to him. It had told him that he would see things in a way that ogres could not, or would not, see. Maybe this was one of those things.

  “Come. We have one more set of traps before we journey back to the kraal.” Klunk stood, stretched his arms, yawned, and slipped his pack on. “Not far to the next one.”

  ◆◆◆

  After the last set of traps was armed, the two stopped to gather nuts, and then came upon a small oasis. Klunk went about pulling carods and stuffing them in his pouch without speaking, other than to repeat the warning about snakes.

  Tovi, mindful of his last mishap, checked beneath the leaves with diligence before reaching down close to the ground to pull the roots. But his mind focused solely on helping Klunk get a pet. “Where do you go to get a pet?”

  The ogre responded without looking up. “Depends on the animal. For rock dogs, we go to the hills in the setting sun. For sand boars, mostly we go in the high grass near pools. The raptor birds are in the canyons where the sun rises. But it is a trip of many days because once we travel there, we have to spend time finding the pet and then taming it. Because they are all wild, we spend another day away from the kraal just to make sure they are tame enough to take back.”

  “Sounds dangerous. Does anyone get hurt?”

  “No.” Klunk paused and scratched his head. “Well, maybe sometimes. A long time ago one did not come back.”