A Wolf in the Dark

by S E Turner

  A man joined them with a very young boy, the same man who had fatally speared the beast. The youngster went and sat with Skyrah and shredded the leaves in the same way.

  'Good evening, young man. My name is Laith and I trust you are feeling better.'

  'I am, sir. Thank you, sir. My name is Meric and I am forever in your debt. I fear I can never repay you for saving my life and for all your kindness.'

  'We always help those in need where we can.'

  'Thank you, for I would have died out there had it not been for you and your brave people.'

  'You are welcome, young man, but tell me, what brings you to these parts in such treacherous weather?'

  'I am on a journey, kind sir, to seek my vocation in life.'

  'Well, you won't be going anywhere soon, I suggest you stay here with us until the spring when you and your horse are fully recovered, and the weather is warmer.'

  'I don't want to be any bother.'

  'You will be no bother. We welcome you to our village. Chay will look after you.' He looked at the little girl making the medicine. 'With the help of her daughter, Skyrah.' Then the boy looked at his father. He didn't have to say anything. His question was in the eyes. 'And maybe Namir can stay for a little while.'

  'I would be happy to have them sit here with me. They seem delightful.'

  'Only for a little while, Namir. It's your bedtime soon, and Meric needs his rest.'

  The two children smiled at each other.

  'But we will celebrate tomorrow, and I hope you will join us. Only if you are able to, of course. I realise that your wounds are deep.' He looked at the gooey poultice covering Meric's swollen leg.

  'Of course, what are we celebrating?'

  'The gods have sent the clan totem to us and we must give thanks. '

  'The mountain lion is your totem?'

  'Yes, we are the Clan of the Mountain Lion, and we see this as a sign that our clan will continue to grow, and you have brought it to us.'

  'I was beginning to think the short cut through the mountains was a mistake, but maybe it wasn't.'

  'No, it certainly wasn't. You will always bear the mark of this journey. The meat from the mountain lion will give us strength to see out this harshest of winters. But most importantly its spirit will give us the power to survive, and the gods will look down on us favourably.'

  'The hide will make many warm clothes,' added Chay.

  'Those teeth will make good weapons,' said young Namir.

  'Its claws will make fine jewellery,' said Skyrah.

  Laith smiled. 'I will see you again tomorrow. Until then, get some rest; and Namir, I want you back before dark.'

  The next day, the mountain lion was skilfully butchered with the liver saved for Laith and Meric. Just like the stag ritual, this was considered the most important part of the animal and shared between the man who killed it and his chosen aide. The blood was collected carefully and distributed around the outside the circle of stones to keep its strength in and the bad omens out. The heart was sacred and buried at the centre of the standing menhirs. It beat out loud to the gods while the spirit of the lion defended the homeland. For this was the Clan of the Mountain Lion, and this was their ceremony of honour—a whole community coming together to pay their respects to the sacrificed beast.

  At the celebration, great praise was lavished on the gods for sending them the lion. Tributes were given to the stranger and to the leader that would forge a lifelong connection. The final thanks were bestowed on the spirits for bringing Meric and his horse safely to the clan.

  He stayed with Chay and Skyrah till late in the spring. He had recurring nightmares and had to be treated with kindness and sympathy. For weeks, his wounds needed constant changing, and he needed extra warmth in the torturous winter months. Chay was the gentlest woman he had ever met. She had lost her husband to a fatal disease when Skyrah was still small and blamed herself for not being able to successfully treat him. So, she made it her duty to become even more proficient and knowledgeable with the fruits of the earth, and she honoured that vow. Every spring and summer, she would search and cut down, mash and boil, ferment and harvest, and then test to see the effects of a variety of plants, roots, leaves and bark.

  During his convalescence, she became close to Meric, and thought that he had been sent to her by the gods to demonstrate her unrivalled skills.

  He remembered that memorable day going out with Chay and Skyrah to look for nature's apothecary. With spring came the new shoots and an array of healthy nutritional vegetables, herbs and plants, and of these, Chay knew them all. She knew the medicinal content of every single one. She could identify those which could heal wounds, those which could cure ailments, and those which could kill pain. She knew the poisonous ones, the ones that could cause a mere tummy upset, and those that could be fatal. Now, it was time for Skyrah to learn about nature's harvest from her mother.

  'Meric, would you like to come out with me and Skyrah. We are going to identify some plants today?'

  'I would love to.'

  'I am going to give her a little tuition in herbal medicine. It's part of a clan girl's life journey.'

  'It would do me good to learn as well. Thank you for inviting me.'

  Chay arched a smile. 'Come on then, little one. Let's show Meric how much you know.' Her mother's gentle command encouraged the youngster to follow.

  The three of them walked alongside the river edge and into the burgeoning meadow, with the older woman pointing out and explaining the properties of the new life she found along the way. 'I want to find lots of plants today, especially spinach and radishes, because they calm inflammations and viral infections. We have run low on these, so I need Skyrah to seek them out for me.'

  Nimble fingers and observant eyes sought out the hidden apothecary amongst the vegetation, naked to the ordinary man, but a life support to the ardent explorer. As if conjured up by magic, a blanket of herbaceous flowers waved their vibrant blooms urgently in the south westerly breeze .

  'Which plants heal?' asked the young girl running ahead, hungry for knowledge and new skills.

  'Yarrow is the most valuable healing remedy, and we need a lot of those, so look for its feathery leaves, strong stems and broad white flower heads.'

  'What is this one?' the young voice asked again, foraging amongst the stalks and colours.

  'That's oregano, it's a very good aid against poisonous insect bites, and this one is thyme which is excellent for tummy aches.'

  The barrage of questions continued from the junior chemist. 'What about these pretty yellow flowers?'

  'Those are marigolds and can heal burns, and this is mint and is very good for digestion.' She saw Meric whispering to Skyrah, and her heart warmed at her daughter's smiling face.

  'I know these ones,' called out the little girl, picking at something. 'Meric calls it teeth of the mountain lion and look what I can do.'

  She secured a stalk in her hand and scattered the tiny parachutes with her breath.

  Chay laughed at the name Meric gave them.

  'You are extremely clever, and those lion's teeth are very powerful plants,' said her mother noticing the similarity between the shape of the dandelion leaves and the teeth of the mountain lion. She then offered a popular culinary delight. 'Catch these plants early when they have yellow blooms, Meric, and you can make very good tea with them.'

  He watched as Chay picked a dandelion and blew on her own white gossamer ball. He saw the air born seeds being whisked away on the breeze and disappear over the meadow to a new pasture, a new settlement, a new life.

  It was a sign. It was time for him to go. He knew his vocation in life now. He knew his calling. He wanted to be a healer.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  The clan were out preparing dinner when the first sightings were made.

  'Chay, come quick. It's Skyrah. She has returned to us.'

  'Thank the gods, thank the gods.' She crumpled on to her knees to give thanks to her hare totem.
She wailed into the sky and wept tears of joy.

  And gradually as each mother saw her child, when each wife recognised her husband, and lovers felt the cord tighten, they fell on their knees and gave thanks to the great gods in the sky. The fathers and siblings followed the howls, and when they saw the reason for the excited screams, ran towards the galloping racers. There were cheers and jubilations amongst all and a frail Laith was assisted by an even frailer Zoraster as he staggered forward to greet his sons.

  The arrivals skidded to a halt, jumped down from their mounts. and rushed over to their waiting loved ones.

  Skyrah saw her weeping mother and her heart melted. She leaned forward and whispered into the soft twitching ear of her stallion. 'Wait here for me, Meteor, I have to go and see someone very special.' With that assurance, she jumped down from her horse and ran into the loving embrace.

  Laith stood proud with an arm round his two sons. Husbands and wives embraced. The younger boys were scooped up by worried fathers and carried aloft on broad shoulders, while frantic mothers ran behind them, hardly daring to believe that this magical day had come.

  'Praise be to the gods,' hailed Laith. 'And praise be to our clan totem, the powerful mountain lion, who has protected our boys.' He released his embrace and stood before both of them. A hand was placed on each shoulder and he studied their faces.

  Namir looked tearful. 'Oh, Father, how glad we are to see you.'

  'You looked out for each other, boys?'

  'Yes, we did Father,' said an equally emotional Lyall. 'We all looked out for each other. All the boys did.'

  'And Skyrah, is she safe? Is she well? Is she all right?'

  'Father, Skyrah is without doubt the strongest, bravest woman I have ever known,' exclaimed Namir and looked her way.

  'We wouldn't be here now without her,' said Lyall. 'We all owe our lives to her.'

  Laith followed Namir's gaze towards the brave young woman still wrapped in her mother's arms and smiled before escorting his sons away. 'Come, my boys. Let's eat. You look half-starved to me and far too pale. Dinner is ready. The clan will eat together tonight and give thanks for your safe return.'

  'Father, we have to get an army. We know where the General is, he may be quite ill so we have to make haste. We don't have much time,' began Namir.

  'Whoa, there, son. Slow down. All in good time. For now, I want to enjoy you being back safely with me, then we will talk of armies and revenge.'

  Chay was with her daughter. 'Are you sure you are all right?'

  'Yes, I am fine, Mother. Truly, I am well.'

  Chay still couldn't stop stroking her hair and kissing her fingers.

  'I saved the boys using the poisons that you taught me.'

  'Oh, Skyrah, my brave girl.'

  'I don't know the full extent of their injuries, but it knocked out the guards, the soldiers. Even the Emperor and the General were unconscious long enough for us to escape.'

  'Laburnum and aconitum?'

  'And hemlock, white snakeroot, and azalea… I used them all.'

  'And you always thought what a waste of time it was and wanted to go out hunting with the boys.'

  'I know, Mother. I was wrong, and you were right. That knowledge saved all of us; I can't bear to think what would have become of us otherwise.'

  Chay kissed her daughter's forehead lovingly. 'You are here now, and you are safe, that is all that matters. Come let's eat. You look thin and far too pale. '

  Jubilant faces and chattering voices made their way to the feasting area. Parents who had never given up hope gripped on to their sons as the harrowing stories of their ordeal were described in fastidious detail. Shock after shock was revealed as the true extent of their plight was shared. Shaking heads swayed in disbelief amid voices stunned into a traumatic silence.

  But the shining star and the true heroine of the entire evening was Skyrah. The one who had saved all of them with her careful planning and faked allegiance to the General, and she spoke in depth about her planning. Though the real beneficiaries of her detailed discussion were the young girls of the clan, for now, they would appreciate the true value of their mothers’ teaching and never underestimate the power of nature's harvest.

  The food revived them, and the full moon dripped her light on the clan people throughout the night. And as she did, the women looked up to the face of the sphere and saw the image of the hare looking back at them.

  'That's my totem, Lyall. Can you see how brightly she shines down on us.'

  'I can, Skyrah, and she looks very beautiful.' He smiled fondly at her. 'And do you hear my totem in the distance welcoming us home?'

  'Yes, I do.' She turned to the haunting sound of the wolf, casting a soulful tune to the moon. Yet somewhere in the distance, the leopard sat camouflaged in a tree, looking down on everything, surveying its domain and planning its next move .

  Skyrah went off early to settle Meteor in his new home. Namir was already there, making sure the horses had hay and water and were content in their new environment.

  'Sorry, Namir. I should have come in earlier to help you.'

  'You were busy talking to the girls,' he said kindly.

  'I wanted to say goodnight to Meteor. He is such a fine animal.' She nuzzled into his soft muzzle.

  Namir stopped putting out the straw and came and stood beside her. 'Skyrah, there is something I want to ask you.'

  'Of course, what is it?' she looked puzzled as he anxiously searched for the right words.

  'I've been meaning to ask you for a while now,' he looked nervously to the floor. 'But the moment has never been right.'

  'Oh?'

  'Would you...?' The words froze on his tongue. In his head, he wanted to pick her up and hold her tight and ask her to marry him. And in his head, she would say yes, and they would fall into the fresh new straw that he had just laid and hold each other tightly all through the night. The hare goddess in the blistering full moon would gaze down on them with love and give them her blessing. They would wake up late in the morning and surprise everyone with their news.

  But conscience strangled his desire, and reality took precedence. He knew that they still had unfinished business. They had a war ahead of them. They wouldn't be able to prepare for a wedding with everything else they had to do, and there was so much to do now. It was such a fraught time in the camp. So, he stopped. Now wasn't the right time. He would do it after the battle. There would be lots of celebrating then. That would be a much better option. He stumbled and stammered in his panic. He had to think of something else quickly.

  'Would you teach me about the plants and the flowers? I remember I used to grind them up with you when we were small, but I never knew what they were for. Maybe you could show me now.'

  Her voice was slightly reticent. She thought he was going to ask her something else, something that would unite them forever.

  'Yes, of course, I will Namir. I would be happy to.'

  'That's good, then. That's really good. Thanks, Skyrah, um, shall I take you back to your mother?' He stammered.

  'No, Namir, it's all right. I will stay with Meteor for a while.' And when he had gone, she buried her head into her stallion's mane, whilst outside the stable Namir chastised himself for being so weak and making an utter fool of himself.

  The next morning, there was much work to be done, and the clan arranged a meeting in the large communal hut. They had to work fast, and time was of the essence.

  'I have a map here,' said Skyrah.

  The boys looked at her in a stunned silence. Was there no end to this girl's talents?

  'I tried to show you the other day in the forest, but the fervour for freedom was too distracting.' She smiled. 'So here it is now.'

  'What map is that?' asked Lyall.

  'I drew a plan of the palace with the help of my maid. It's really detailed and shows where everything is: the rooms, the passageways, the armoury, and where the Seal of Kings will be.'

  She carefully rolled out the parchment and
held her hands on two corners as the boys looked at her in disbelief with wide open eyes and even wider mouths. Namir was still chastising himself for his wasted opportunity.

  'I'm sorry, but I don't think you will be needing that, Skyrah.'

  The congregation span round to see Laith enter the room with a stranger.

  'This is my dear friend, and he has come with some very interesting news for us.'

  A middle-aged man with a kind face under a maroon hat stepped forward, and the parchment sprang back into its neat little roll.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  The General had enlisted the help of his captains.

  'I need to raise an army and I need to get one fast. I have a very important mission for everyone, and I want to complete it before the cold weather sets in.' His captains listened intently. 'With Gnaeus gone and his death witnessed by so many citizens, I wish for a copy of this proclamation to be circulated around the city and its borders so everyone knows that I am now the Emperor in waiting. The proclamation has to be seen by the nobles and gentry of the lands before I can be sworn in... something about challengers and other such nonsense, but I have to follow protocol.'

  'Of course, my lord. Consider it done.' The six captains bowed together after acknowledging Corbulo's sneering final remark.

  'I also want you to enlist as many rogues and thieves as you can. Give them a few shillings to tempt them for now. But say there are several bags of gold in it for them if they do a good job. Go to the ends of the kingdom captains, look down alleyways and look in caves, search in grottos and under glens to seek out the lowest life and those that would kill their own mother for a piece of silver.'

  'Of course, my liege,' came the response.

  'I will get the remaining soldiers to collect all armouries from the basement and give it an overhaul, plus I will personally visit the farmers to replace the stolen horses.'