Puddle dances on the hill, yells, and stomps the ground in victory.
"I did it!-I-ME-am the master now! I am the beast slayer, I am the thrower of stones!-Master of all!-Me, Me, Me. All will fear Puddle, the great stone crusher! Yes, Puddle the stone crusher, yes, YES!!" Puddle beats his chest and continues his dance as he rolls around joyfully on the top of the hill. Oskeau has not moved and looks at the dying monitor, watching the life leave the creature. The Long-Tooth takes its last, short breaths before its eyes roll back into lifelessness.
Blood begins to run like a river, drowning Oskeau's legs in a pool of black reflective liquid. Oskeau stares into the blood, seeing a mirror of himself surrounded by the dead beast. He reaches out his hand and touches his reflection, creating ripples in the small pool. Oskeau's hair blows in the chilling air, and he touches his face with a blood-stained finger. He looks back into the pool of blood and sees Puddle staring down at him.
"Come, slave." Puddle grabs Oskeau by his foot, dragging him past the dead beast and into the cave, beginning the enslavement of Oskeau.
CHAPTER THREE
It has been ten years since Mia-Koda brought Taeau to the Menoli City. These past years have been a time of peace and growth in the forest. The early evening moon shines through a window, revealing Black Claw and his family sitting down to breakfast. They eat their usual helpings of fruits and nuts, except for Little Claw, who licks a twig covered in wood bee honey. Little Claw, a newborn, spends most of his time in the comfort of his mother's pouch. He curiously watches his older sister, Whispers, follow their mother, holding onto her tail. Ven, the oldest of the Black Claw's offspring, is busy trying to finish his food.
"Slow down, Ven. You will get cramps and fall to the forest floor. Would you like that, hmm?" asks his mother.
"Stop it, Mother, I'll be fine, I'm done, can I go …"
"NO! Your bothersome cousin will still be waiting outside our door after you eat your food. Now finish your breakfast ," says Black Claw, giving Ven a stern look.
Half Moon, Ven's mother, gives the door a tired glance. "Is Taeau out there already? Black Claw, let the boy in."
"No, he will wait until your son is finished with his food," bellows Black Claw with authority. His wife shakes her head and gives Little Claw another helping of honey.
"Why are you always giving him a hard time?" snaps Ven.
Ven's father stares down at him, and he quickly looks back to his food. Quiet fills the room as everyone finishes their breakfast, until three long scratches interrupt the meal. Everyone looks at the door.
"Hmm, it is strange to hear scratching this early," says Half Moon, as Black Claw gets up to answer the door. As Black Claw begins to open the door, a small boy darts into the room. A Salali warrior stands at the entrance saluting Black Claw. The room erupts in commotion as the two younglings, Ven and Taeau, wrestle and greet each other. Usually Black Claw would put a quick stop to this, but at the moment he is distracted with the visitor.
"Captain, I have orders from the Chiefs . . . they request your immediate presence in the hall."
"What evil shadows the city tonight? Why do the Chiefs request me so early?"
"I do not know, sir . . . but news of a wounded Meno warrior is circulating around the guard. I have heard that many pipes have been smoked. I was sent straight away to find you. This is all I can report."
"Report to the chiefs that I will be in the hall right away. Let me gather my things and say goodbye to my family."
"Yes, sir," says the glider as he bows to his Captain.
Black Claw walks back into the room with a serious look on his face. "What's wrong? What is happening?" asks Half Moon.
Black Claw goes to his room, followed by Half Moon. When he returns, Taeau and Ven are throwing seeds at each other, while Whispers yells at them to stop.
"Boys! Leave Whispers alone!"
They both sit up straight at the sound of Black Claw's voice. "Taeau . . . as for you, I do not appreciate your barging into my home uninvited. A talk with your father is needed." Taeau looks down at the floor after he receives the scolding. "Mind your mother, all of you. I will see you at the end of my shift. Be well."
With these words Black Claw leaves his home. Walking out the door and into the early night, he takes a deep breath, then turns his shoulder and leaps into the air, gliding down through the cool night air.
"Mother, can we go, Taeau and I? We have important stuff to do," pleads Ven as he bounces in his seat on the floor. His mother looks down at him with a smile.
"Important, huh? Is this true, Taeau?"
"Yes, Mother Claw, we have almost finished our fort." Ven shoves Taeau, putting his fingers over his mouth. "Ahhh, ya, we got important business, but I am sworn to secrecy until death," says Taeau as he stands up and puts one hand over his chest and the other in the air.
"Well, I must not keep such important people from such important things. You both go, have fun, and tell your mother I have some seeds for her garden." Both boys run for the door, and Ven shoves his sister on his way out.
"Ven!!" whines Whispers, but the boys are gone before Half Moon can scold them for their mischief.
Once Ven and Taeau close the door, they run down the stairs that wind around the Menoli Tree. On the steps, Taeau looks back to talk to his cousin, but he is gone. "Ven, where are you? Stop playing around." Taeau looks up and sees Ven leap from above, head first, right for him. Taeau is not able to dodge his cousin before he plows into him, and both boys go tumbling down the stairs.
"Ouch! You know we could get hurt that way!" yells Taeau.
"Still fall for that trick!"
"Yes, well now what are you going to do?" Taeau asks, lunging for Ven, grabbing him and pulling him back down to the stairs. Ven punches his cousin off of him, and they both begin to laugh.
"Okay, okay. Let's go . . . did you get the stuff we need for today?"
"Ya, I got it all. It's at my place. Let's go get it."
"Then there's no time to loose! Come on, let's go."
"Okay," Taeau says, and he grabs Ven from behind, holding his back tightly. Ven scampers to the edge of the steps among the high branches. He leaps into the air, opening his arms, and the boys scream with excitement as they glide through the forest towards the rising moon.
---
Black Claw steps up to the hall. "Sir, the Chiefs have been waiting for you, but you must be searched before you enter."
"What! I am your Captain, and I will not tolerate such an insult."
"Sir, we mean no disrespect. The Chiefs have commanded that we search all who enter, no weapons are permitted in the hall this night."
Black Claw glares at both guards but submits. He stands proud, raising his arms and tail into the air. The guards pat his coat, making sure he has no weapons hidden in his fur.
"Sorry, sir. You may enter."
Both guards grab the handle of the door and open it. They lower their heads in respect as Black Claw walks past. Black Claw is surprised to see so many Meno and Salali standing together in the hall this early. They all seem to be locked in serious conversation. Broken Wrist, Captain of the Meno and good friend of Black Claw, greets him softly.
"Sir, let me inform you of the events that have unfolded. Two outer guards were ambushed by a band of soldiers led by the beast general Ush-Ka."
"Ush-Ka! Here, inside our borders?"
"Yes. They murdered one of our guards, Runs-With-Speed, and beat the other badly, sparing his life only so he could give a scroll to the Chiefs. We buried Runs-With-Speed facing the setting sun in the graveyard of his forefathers. As his family mourns, word has spread and the men have become angry and vengeful. We must calm the men and keep this quiet. We do not want to alert the city, causing fear and rash action." Black Claw looks toward his chiefs and sees Red Fist reading the scroll to Grey Back. Black Claw walks up to them and bows.
"Great Chiefs, I am here and await your orders." Red Fist looks down from the scroll and signals for the h
all to become quiet by holding a stone in each hand and striking them together three times. The sound echoes throughout the hall, and everyone becomes silent and finds their seats. Grey Back, Chief of the Salali, speaks first.
"You all know of the strangers that now gather at our borders. They have surrounded our city and have given us this scroll. They await our answer."
"What question do they beg be answered?" cries a soldier from the rear of the hall.
"They demand our allegiance to their king, dominion over our lands, and payment for the right to live on them." These words spark an uproar of shouting and insults.
"They murdered one of our own without provocation and then demand our allegiance?"
"We must protect the city…"
"Gather your weapons, we must fight…"
Red Fist raises his hands and strikes the stones three more times. The hall quiets, and he takes smoking root from his pouch, packing his pipe.
"Powerful forces threaten our city." The pipe clinks between the Chief's teeth as he speaks. "We, Salali and Meno, have lived here in peace for some time. We have kept wars away from our borders before, but we have been lucky. Now a war has come to us, and we can no longer hide. We must negotiate with General Ush-Ka and his master or chance losing everything."
The room is quiet and the pipe is passed among the warriors. A Meno soldier asks, "What are Grey Back's words on this?"
Grey Back rises from his throne and blindly stares at the warriors. "Red Fist is wise and speaks the words of a man who has seen the sun set and the moon rise many more times than most in this hall . . . we will prepare for an attack on the city, but negotiate with Ush-Ka before any action is taken." Grey Back takes the pipe and puffs from it. "Go to your posts. Tell no one of this news and await your orders." Grey Back sits in his throne, and the Chiefs become silent. Soldiers slowly shuffle out of the hall. The two Chiefs and the two Captains stay behind to smoke one last pipe and take counsel.
---
"Taeau, why do we need to stop at your hut?"
"Because today I found something, and I have to check in with my mother before we go to it."
Ven gets very close to Taeau and looks around to make sure that no one can hear him. He lowers his voice to a whisper. "What did you find? Is it something that will help us defend the unspeakable from them?"
Taeau stops and looks into the eyes of his cousin. "The treasure I have found will make us invincible."
Ven starts to rub his paws together in anticipation of this treasure, letting his mind run wild with images of what it could be. "I hope it is as good as you say becau --"
Ven suddenly snaps his head around, his ears perk up and he starts sniffing rapidly.
"What is it, Ven? What do you smell?"
While Ven tries to make sense of the conflicting smells in the air, two young gliders and a Meno youngling sit in a nearby tree, scouting Ven and Taeau below.
"Now," whispers the leader of the group, and before Ven can make out their scent, two gliders and a Meno youngling jump from the canopy.
Ven is the first to spot the gliders and yells, "ENEMIES!" warning Taeau of the attack. There is no time to run. Both Ven and Taeau put up their hands and fists, ready for the assault. The younglings land and surround them. One of the Salali gliders exposes his claws aggressively, while the Meno has his fists clenched. The largest of the three, named Stripes, stands only steps from Ven. He is large for his age and stronger than both Ven and Taeau combined. He has a white strip of fur crossing his left eye, which has been blind since birth. His father is Black Claw's second-in-command, the Captain of the city's gate.
"Well, Ven, I see you still like to hang out with this freak instead of us," sneers Stripes. The other two start to laugh.
Ven looks at Stripes, "Hey, Taeau . . . is he looking at you or me? I can never really tell. I find it rude when someone can't look you straight in the EYE!"
"You got a smart mouth, runt, for the son of an abandoned big-clawed freak." Everyone looks back at Ven, who takes a step closer to Stripes.
"Yeah? Well, I'd rather be the son of a Captain than the son of a doorman any day, Stripy."
Stripes opens his hands and starts to move toward Ven. "I've been waiting to prove to you whose family is better for a long time. Boys, show our other friend here what we think of freaks."
A Salali grabs Taeau from behind while the Meno youngling attacks from the front. Stripes and Ven begin to circle one another.
"Should I only walk to your one side to make it fair, Stripes? I wouldn't want to be known for beating up the blind youngling, now would I?"
"You're dead!"
Stripes lunges, claws open and ready to strike, but Ven is too fast and he dodges the attack. Ven kicks Stripes in the back and he falls to the ground.
"You're gonna pay for that, runt!" yells Stripes as he gets up. But before Stripes can follow through with his threat, they all hear a yell. Turning, the five youngsters see Dirty Hands coming up the road, signaling for Taeau. Taeau's nose is bleeding and his eye is bruised. He quickly wipes away what blood he can, and tries to look as if nothing has happened.
"Look! The farmer boy got his father to save the day," taunts Stripes.
Dirty Hands reaches them, panting as he tries to catch his breath. "Boys . . . I have been looking for you . . . Taeau, what is wrong with your nose? Why is it bleeding?"
"I . . . I fell while playing with my friends."
"Oh . . . well, let your mother have a look at it when you get home." Stripes and his gang start to snicker behind Taeau.
"Ya, Taeau, go see your mother. She'll make everything alright." Taeau spins, trying to leap at Stripes, but Dirty Hands grabs him from behind and holds him back. Dirty Hands pulls his son behind him, bumping into Stripes as he moves to separate the younglings.
"Taeau! Control yourself, son."
Stripes stares at Taeau with a smile and brushes his fur. "Just look at my fur. It'll take the rest of the night to get this filth off, not to mention the smell." Stripes' companions all start laughing. The glider then snorts and runs off with his pack.
"Why did you let him talk to you like that, Father?"
"Like what, son?"
"Like you're beneath him or something, just because you're a farmer, huh? Why? You should have crushed him." Dirty Hands smiles at his son and gets down on one knee. He puts his hands on both Taeau's and Ven's shoulders and looks into their eyes.
"If we men started crushing all the younglings that talked back to us, there wouldn't be a single one left, now would there?" Both cousins look at each other, and Taeau speaks first, "You're right, I know . . . but it still would have been nice."
Dirty Hands laughs at his son, for he knows how it felt when he and Black Claw were once in the same situation as younglings. "Ven, your father, did he leave for the hall yet tonight?"
"Yeah, he left early . . . there was something important going on in the Great Hall." These words fill Dirty Hands' face with a look of concern, and he chooses his next words wisely, not wanting to scare his son or nephew. "Yeah . . . I was afraid of that. Well, you two, don't travel too far into the forest tonight . . . and you, Taeau, the moon had better not be setting when you come home. Your mother is still fuming about how late you came in last night. Ven, I think I will visit your mother this evening. Is she home?"
"Yes, she should be, uncle."
"Good, then you both have a good night."
"You alright, Taeau?" asks Ven.
"Yeah, I'm fine, let's go. I still gotta check in with mother, then I'll show you what I have been doing all day." They both run off toward Taeau's hut with a new excitement, knowing that a treasure awaits them.
---
Out of breath from climbing the stairs to his brother's home, Dirty Hands tries to scratch the door, but his nails are too short and raw from working in the fields. The door opens, and to his surprise Half Moon is smiling at him. Her daughter holds onto her tail looking at him shyly. Black Claw's youngest son, Littl
e Claw, nudges his head out of his mother's pouch to see who is at the door.
"Dirty Hands, what are you doing here? This is a surprise."
"Yes . . . I do not mean to intrude, but I would like to have a word with my brother. Is he in?"
"No, he had to leave early. Would you like to come in and have some honey water?"
"Yes, thank you." He looks down at his niece and says, "This must be Whispers. I have not seen you in a dog's life, and who is this little one?" Dirty Hands tries to get close to the infant, but Little Claw quickly disappears into his mother's pouch. They both begin to laugh, and Dirty Hands walks into the room. Talking about family and local gossip to fill the space, Dirty Hands works up the courage to tell Half Moon he thought he saw a Feather Runner in the fields. Right away, she looks concerned. She explains to him how strange it was for a guardsman to call for Black Claw so early in the evening. They sit and stare at one another in nervous silence, both pondering whether there is a connection between the Feather Runner and Black Claw's early beckoning to work.
Dirty Hands tells Half Moon that he is sure it is nothing to worry about. He then takes his leave, asking Half Moon to tell Black Claw that he stopped by.
"Of course, Dirty Hands. Say hello to your wife and tell her that I have seeds for her." Half Moon opens a pouch and it gives to Dirty Hands. They wish each other good health, and Dirty Hands leaves Half Moon alone with her children.
Taeau and Ven continue their evening journey to Taeau's hut, bantering playfully. When they break from the edge of the woods and enter the boundaries of the farm, they notice that Taeau's mother is outside in the yard tending to the livestock and enjoying the evening's cool air. She has gained weight in the years since Mia-Koda brought Taeau to her. The dark circles under her eyes are gone, and her hair has once again grown thick and long. She sings to herself with only happiness in her heart. When she looks up from her chores, she spots her son and nephew running across the clearing. She tries to put on a stern face to scold Taeau.
The New World (The Last Delar) Page 4
